10 things you need to know today: July 20, 2015

The Cuban flag is raised at the U.S. State Department.

(Image credit: Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images)

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1. Washington and Havana reopen embassies
2. Trump renews criticism of McCain despite firestorm of criticism
3. Greek bank branches open again
4. U.N. pushes vote on Iran sanctions before Congress has its say
5. Surfer survives shark attack during competition
6. Drought-plagued California gets record July rains
7. Ex-president George H.W. Bush leaves hospital
8. Mitsibushi Materials apologizes for forced labor of POWs in World War II
9. Man drowns in Demi Moore's pool
10. Godfather actor Alex Rocco dies

published 20 July 2015

1. Washington and Havana reopen embassies

The U.S. and Cuba officially restored full diplomatic ties on Monday, reopening embassies in each other's capitals after more than 50 years of Cold War rivalry. President Obama has tried to improve relations with the communist Caribbean island since taking office, loosening restrictions on travel and remittances. Cuba still is demanding the lifting of a 53-year-old trade embargo, and several GOP presidential candidates are vowing to undo Obama's changes after he leaves office.

Real estate mogul and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump doubled down on his criticism of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in a Sunday evening op-ed for USA Today, saying the Arizona Republican and 2008 presidential nominee has "made America less safe." Trump has faced a barrage of criticism for mocking McCain by saying, "He's not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." In his op-ed Trump said many of his rivals for the GOP nomination were "failed politicians" who "have no business running for president," and he does "not need to be lectured by any of them."

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Greek banks reopened on Monday after being shut down for three weeks after the country failed to make a massive debt payment. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for swift bailout talks to permit the government of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to lift a 420-euro-per-week withdrawal limit. "That's not a normal life so we have to negotiate quickly," Merkel said. Value-added tax increases took effect on Monday, forcing Greeks to pay more for everyday items.

President Obama sent the proposed Iran nuclear agreement to Congress on Sunday. Lawmakers are expected to hold a spirited 60-day debate on the landmark deal. The United Nations Security Council has scheduled a Monday vote on endorsing the agreement between Iran and six world powers, angering members of Congress. U.S. lawmakers want the international community to withhold judgment until they have time to review the proposal calling for Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of the sanctions.

Three-time world champion surfer Mick Fanning fought off a shark that attacked him during a competition in South Africa on Sunday. The Australian surfer was sitting on his board waiting for a set of waves when he felt something get caught in his leg rope. "I saw fins. I was waiting for the teeth," Fanning said. His rival in the J-Bay Open Final, fellow Australian Julian Wilson, was hailed as a hero for paddling toward Fanning to help when he saw the commotion.

A weekend of what weather experts called "super historic" rainfall caused flash flooding in drought-stricken California. Traffic between California and Arizona was interrupted when an elevated section of Interstate 10 in a normally dry area 50 miles from the state line collapsed, injuring one driver. Los Angeles recorded its wettest July day in nearly 130 years. For the first time in 20 years — and the first time ever in July — an L.A. Angels home game was rained out.

Executives from Mitsubishi Materials Corp. on Sunday offered a "most remorseful apology" for the use of captured American soldiers as forced laborers in the company's mines and industrial plants" during World War II. About 12,000 POWs were put to work at more than 50 sites in Japan to support the war effort, and about 10 percent died. "This is a glorious day," said James Murphy, 94, who worked in copper mines. The Japanese government issued a formal apology to American POWs in 2009 and 2010, but Mitsubishi Materials was the first corporation to apologize.

A 21-year-old man identified as Edenilson Steven Valle drowned in the backyard pool of actress Demi Moore's Southern California home early Sunday. Friends and family said Valle, who could not swim, had been missing for about 15 minutes before he was found floating in the pool's deep end. Moore, who was traveling abroad to meet her daughters, said she was in "absolute shock." Sgt. A. Bone of the Los Angeles Police Department said he believed Valle was a staff member.

Character actor Alex Rocco, who played mobster Moe Greene in The Godfather, has died at his home in Studio City, California, his daughter Jennifer announced Sunday on Facebook. He was 79. Rocco was born Alexander Federico Petricone in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He moved to Los Angeles and took acting classes with Leonard Nimoy. He called his role in The Godfather his "biggest ticket anywhere." Later he appeared in such TV shows as Starsky and Hutch and The Facts of Life.

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Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.