10 things you need to know today: May 10, 2015
Yemen's Houthi rebels agree to cease-fire, three arrested in connection with Mississippi cop killing, and more.
- 1. Houthi rebels accept cease-fire in Yemen
- 2. Three arrested over killing of Mississippi police officers
- 3. North Korea claims to launch submarine ballistic missile
- 4. Raul Castro visits Pope Francis
- 5. South African opposition party tabs first black leader
- 6. Prince releases protest anthem 'Baltimore'
- 7. San Francisco bans chewing tobacco at sports venues
- 8. Wizards, Grizzlies pull off NBA upsets
- 9. Tropical Storm Ana makes landfall in South Carolina
- 10. Beijing bans barbecues while chasing 2022 Olympics
1. Houthi rebels accept cease-fire in Yemen
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Sunday agreed to a five-day truce to allow for the transfer of shipments of humanitarian supplies. Proposed by Saudi Arabia, and slated to begin Tuesday, the cease-fire would end weeks of bombing by the Saudi-led coalition aimed at pushing back the rebels, who have overrun large swaths of the country and forced President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee. The strikes have killed an estimated 1,400 people in a little over a month, according to the United Nations.
2. Three arrested over killing of Mississippi police officers
Three people have been arrested in connection with the weekend slaying of two police officers in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Two of the suspects — 29-year-old Marvin Banks and 22-year-old Joanie Calloway — have been charged with murder, while 26-year-old Curtis Banks was charged with accessory to murder, according to The Associated Press. The shooting took place during a traffic stop Saturday night. Police have yet to provide a motive.
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3. North Korea claims to launch submarine ballistic missile
With North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watching, the Hermit Kingdom's military on Friday successfully test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine, according to the country's state news service. The Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim called the missile a "world-level strategic weapon" that allows North Korea the option of "striking and wiping out in any waters the hostile forces infringing upon the sovereignty and dignity of [North Korea]." Experts in Seoul warned that North Korea's military operations are likely in response to denuclearization talks suggested by U.S. and South Korean officials.
4. Raul Castro visits Pope Francis
Cuban President Raul Castro on Sunday greeted Pope Francis at the Vatican for a "strictly private" hour-long meeting. During the brief session, Castro praised the pontiff's "wisdom, modesty and all his other qualities," and thanked him for helping to broker the thawing of relations between Cuba and the U.S. Francis is slated to stop in Cuba later this year before making a visit to Washington.
5. South African opposition party tabs first black leader
South Africa's primary opposition party on Sunday named Mmusi Maimane its new leader, making him the Democratic Alliance's first ever black leader. The 34-year-old Maimane replaces Helen Zille, who announced her resignation last month after an eight-year run at the party's helm. The African National Congress has dominated South African politics for the past two decades, though the Democratic Alliance has gained ground in recent years.
6. Prince releases protest anthem 'Baltimore'
One day before Prince's scheduled "Rally 4 Peace" concert, the entertainer released "Baltimore," a song he recorded amid the unrest over the death in police custody of 25-year-old Freddie Gray. The lyrics speak to the frustration the city felt following Gray's death on April 19. In one of several refrains, Prince sings, "If there ain't no justice/then there ain't no peace," a chant protesters repeated during demonstrations in Baltimore and, before that, during protests nationwide over police killings of other unarmed black men.
7. San Francisco bans chewing tobacco at sports venues
San Francisco on Friday became the first city in the U.S. to ban smokeless tobacco at sports venues, though the restriction will not go into effect until January 1, 2016. San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy addressed the ban on the MLB team's website, noting that "it's going to be hard to enforce" because "it's such a tough habit to break." The ordinance says those who violate the ban will be asked to leave games; how that would affect a professional player remains to be seen.
8. Wizards, Grizzlies pull off NBA upsets
The NBA playoffs saw a couple of upsets Saturday, as both the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies pulled out surprise victories to take 2-1 leads in their second round series. In Washington, Paul Pierce sank a bank shot as time expired to lift the Wizards over the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks. The buzzer-beating victory came one day after the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose banked home his own game-winner to give his team a 2-1 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Also Saturday, the Memphis Grizzlies stunned the Golden State Warriors to take a one-game lead in that series.
9. Tropical Storm Ana makes landfall in South Carolina
Tropical Storm Ana lost steam Sunday after making landfall on the coast of South Carolina, with winds dipping to 45 mph. The first tropical storm of the season, Ana approached land with winds topping out around 60 mph. The storm is projected to further weaken as it spins up the coast into cooler waters.
10. Beijing bans barbecues while chasing 2022 Olympics
Beijing has banned outdoor barbecues from restaurants in several locations in a gambit to reduce air pollution ahead of the city's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing's average PM2.5 levels, which measure the amount of hazardous particles in the air, hovered around 85.9 micrograms per cubic meters in 2014; the national air quality standard is 35 micrograms. Though the city's factories are more likely to blame than BBQs for the dismal air quality, "China is going all out to bring 'Olympic Blue' to Beijing," according to the state news agency, Xinhua.
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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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