10 things you need to know today: May 4, 2014
- 1. Ukrainian PM visits Odessa as deadly clashes continue
- 2. California Chrome wins Kentucky Derby
- 3. Afghanistan holds day of mourning for landslide victims
- 4. Study: Type 2 diabetes up 30 percent in adolescents
- 5. First openly gay Anglican bishop to divorce husband
- 6. Condoleezza Rice nixes Rutgers commencement after protests
- 7. Demonstrators press Nigeria to rescue abducted schoolgirls
- 8. NBA plays historic trio of Game 7s
- 9. White House Correspondents' Dinner speakers skewer Washington
- 10. Happy Star Wars Day
1. Ukrainian PM visits Odessa as deadly clashes continue
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk headed to Odessa Sunday, two days after a gun battle between security forces and pro-Russian separatists culminated in a deadly building blaze that killed 42 people there. Yatsenyuk accused Russia of waging a "real war" and trying to "eliminate Ukraine and eliminate the Ukrainian people." Meanwhile, Moscow blamed its neighbor and the U.S. for the escalating violence, and suggested it could soon take military action to quell the unrest and protect ethnic Russians living in the region.
2. California Chrome wins Kentucky Derby
After entering the race as a 2-1 favorite, California Chrome lived up to the hype by winning the 140th Kentucky Derby on Saturday. The horse has now won five straight races. He'll continue his pursuit of the first Triple Crown since 1978 with the Preakness Stakes later this month.
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3. Afghanistan holds day of mourning for landslide victims
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai declared Sunday to be a national day of mourning for the hundreds of people buried alive by a massive landslide Friday. Some 300 people have been confirmed dead so far, though officials believe that total could spike by hundreds more because more than 2,000 remain missing. "There is no hope for those buried under the mud to be rescued," Mohammad Zikeria Sawda, a member of parliament, said.
Associated Press The New York Times
4. Study: Type 2 diabetes up 30 percent in adolescents
A comprehensive study of children nationwide found that from 2001 to 2009, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in adolescents under 19 years old skyrocketed by 30 percent. Meanwhile, the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes rose 21 percent among children in the same age range, according to the study, published Saturday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers said the increase in Type 2 diabetes — which causes the body to not produce enough insulin or to become resistant to its effects — was likely driven by increasing rates of obesity.
5. First openly gay Anglican bishop to divorce husband
Retired Bishop Gene Robinson said Saturday that he was divorcing his husband, Mark Andrew. In 2003, Robinson became the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican church, which triggered an internal rift that led conservative members to splinter off from the church. Explaining his decision in The Daily Beast, Robinson wrote that, "My belief in marriage is undiminished by the reality of divorcing someone I have loved for a very long time, and will continue to love even as we separate."
6. Condoleezza Rice nixes Rutgers commencement after protests
Saying it had become a "distraction," former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced Saturday that she would no longer deliver the commencement address at Rutgers University this year. Students protested Rice's scheduled speech, citing her central role in the Bush administration's controversial national security policies. "I understand and embrace the purpose of the commencement ceremony," Rice said in a statement posted to Facebook, "and I am simply unwilling to detract from it in any way."
7. Demonstrators press Nigeria to rescue abducted schoolgirls
Protesters in cities worldwide took to the streets Saturday to demand the Nigerian government take more decisive action to free the hundreds of schoolgirls abducted by the terror organization Boko Haram. More than 250 teenage girls were taken from their schools on April 14, and are believed to have been sold into forced marriages. The demonstrations came on the same day that Secretary of State John Kerry called the abductions an "unconscionable crime," and pledged U.S. support to help find the girls.
8. NBA plays historic trio of Game 7s
Saturday was the first time ever in NBA history that three Game 7s were held on the same day. The L.A. Clippers, Indiana Pacers, and Oklahoma City Thunder all survived their must-win games, ousting the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Memphis Grizzlies, respectively. For an encore, Sunday will feature two more Game 7s, with the Brooklyn Nets squaring off against the Toronto Raptors, and last year's Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs facing the Dallas Mavericks.
9. White House Correspondents' Dinner speakers skewer Washington
At the annual White House Correspondents dinner Saturday, President Obama mocked his Republican foes, bemoaned Washington gridlock, and took a few shots at himself and his health care law. But the sharpest jokes came from emcee Joel McHale, who tore into New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) over his traffic scandal and girth, saying that he hoped to make the night "amusing and over quickly, just like Chris Christie’s presidential bid."
10. Happy Star Wars Day
A holiday to nerds, today is. Star Wars fans around the country celebrate the incomparable science fiction franchise every year on May 4th, as the date — stylized as May the fourth — makes a nice pun on the iconic line, "May the Force be with you."
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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
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