10 things you need to know today: August 9, 2015
Trump campaign splits with top political adviser, protesters shut down Bernie Sanders speech, and more

- 1. Trump campaign, top political adviser part ways
- 2. Black Lives Matter protesters shut down Bernie Sanders speech
- 3. Obama feels 'great urgency' 1 year after Ferguson
- 4. 9 Republican presidential candidates take to RedState Gathering
- 5. Joe Biden expected to make presidential decision after weeklong retreat
- 6. Japan remembers Nagasaki after 70 years
- 7. Footage shows unarmed black college athlete in moments before cop shooting
- 8. 5 children, 3 adults found dead in Texas home after standoff
- 9. Junior Seau, 7 other NFL greats inducted into Hall of Fame
- 10. Katie Ledecky sweeps swimming World Championships

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
1. Trump campaign, top political adviser part ways
Donald Trump's campaign announced Saturday it fired top political adviser Roger Stone. "We have a tremendously successful campaign and Roger wanted to use the campaign for his own personal publicity," a spokesperson said. "He has had a number of articles about him recently and Mr. Trump wants to keep the focus of the campaign on how to Make America Great Again." Stone claims he resigned, citing controversies and media fights. Trump has faced backlash this week for his misogynistic comments toward Megyn Kelly.
2. Black Lives Matter protesters shut down Bernie Sanders speech
Two Black Lives Matter protesters took the stage as Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was beginning a speech to thousands Saturday afternoon in Seattle. The activists called for 4.5 minutes of silence to represent the 4.5 hours Michael Brown's body was left in the street after he was shot by a cop in Ferguson, Missouri, one year ago. Refusing to let Sanders speak, they confronted him about their concerns over police brutality. At a more successful nighttime rally, Sanders spoke to a crowd of 15,000.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
3. Obama feels 'great urgency' 1 year after Ferguson
One year after Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, was fatally shot in Ferguson, Missouri, by a white cop, NPR sat down with President Barack Obama. "I feel a great urgency to get as much done as possible," Obama said. "And, there's no doubt that after over six and a half years on this job, I probably have an easier time juggling a lot of different issues." Michael Brown Sr. led a march through Ferguson on Saturday to commemorate his son's life.
4. 9 Republican presidential candidates take to RedState Gathering
Donald Trump may have been uninvited from RedState.com editor-in-chief Erick Erickson's three-day conference after his comments about Megyn Kelly, but nine other presidential hopefuls were in attendance Saturday. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) refused to apologize for earlier remarks that President Obama was funding radical Islamic terrorism. Overall, the candidates and attendees stressed the importance of not going too easy on the Democrats, which they said would lead to a Hillary Clinton victory.
5. Joe Biden expected to make presidential decision after weeklong retreat
Vice President Joe Biden is expected to announce whether he will run for president in 2016 following a weeklong retreat with his wife to South Carolina. Aides have said Biden recently started showing interest in filing deadlines and what it would take to fundraise for a campaign. In July, reports suggested Biden was considering a presidential run just months after losing his son, Beau, to brain cancer, apparently at his late son's request.
6. Japan remembers Nagasaki after 70 years
Sunday marks the 70th anniversary of the U.S. dropping an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, the second of two to devastate Japan at the end of World War II. At a ceremony with guests from 75 countries, speakers criticized Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to loosen restrictions on the Japanese military, which has not engaged in combat since the war. They also called for peace. "We cannot allow any future use of nuclear weapons," United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said. "The humanitarian consequences are too great."
7. Footage shows unarmed black college athlete in moments before cop shooting
A security company released footage of Christian Taylor, an unarmed black man who played college football in Texas in the moments before his death Friday. Edited video shows him kicking out a car windshield after allegedly driving his SUV into the dealership. Not on video, a rookie white cop then shot him several times. Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson said more information would be released soon. "The facts available today do not answer all questions or alleviate all concerns."
8. 5 children, 3 adults found dead in Texas home after standoff
Five children and three adults were found dead inside a Texas home after one man exchanged gunfire with cops Saturday night. Deputies went to the home near Houston for a welfare check, but then received information that a man there was wanted on a warrant for aggravated assault of a family member. As deputies entered the home, a 49-year-old man began shooting. He surrendered an hour later. The victims' ages, genders, and connections to the suspect were not immediately known.
9. Junior Seau, 7 other NFL greats inducted into Hall of Fame
Eight former NFL players were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in Canton, Ohio. Most notable was the late linebacker Junior Seau, who died by suicide in 2012, an event apparently brought on by brain damage from concussions he suffered on the field. Controversy surrounded his induction because his daughter, Sydney, was not allowed to speak at the ceremony. Charles Haley, Will Shields, Tim Brown, Ron Wolf, Mick Tinglehoff, Bill Polian, and Jerome Bettis were also inducted.
10. Katie Ledecky sweeps swimming World Championships
U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky finished sweeping the four swimming World Championships freestyle races she entered Saturday with a world record in the 800. It was her third world-record swim in the Russia meet, during which the 18-year-old also won the 200-, 400-, and 1,500-meter freestyle races. Her gold medal haul marks the first time a swimmer has swept those events in a major international competition.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
-
Is Sen. Bob Menendez's refusal to resign intransigence or smart politics?
Today's Big Question The indicted New Jersey Democrat is standing firm amidst calls to step down
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
The Stinx
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
OSIRIS-REx returns
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 26, 2023
Daily Briefing Congress returns to work with shutdown looming, Ukraine says it killed Russia's Black Sea Fleet commander, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
Ten Things You Need to Know Today: 26 September 2023
The Week’s daily digest of the news agenda, published at 8am
By The Week Staff Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 25, 2023
Daily Briefing GOP leaders pressure far-right holdouts to help prevent a shutdown, Hollywood writers reach tentative deal to end strike, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 24, 2023
Daily Briefing Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenian population to leave region amid fears of persecution, Atlantic coast remains under flood warnings from Ophelia, and more
By Justin Klawans Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 22, 2023
Daily Briefing Zelenskyy visits Washington as Biden unveils more Ukraine aid, Rupert Murdoch steps down at Fox and News Corp., and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 21, 2023
Daily Briefing Biden extends temporary protections to 470,000 Venezuelans, Republicans grill Garland on Biden and Trump investigations, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 20, 2023
Daily Briefing Zelenskyy, Biden urge UN members to oppose Russian aggression, hardline Republicans block spending bill as shutdown looms, and more
By Harold Maass Published
-
10 things you need to know today: September 19, 2023
Daily Briefing Iran, US swap prisoners in a complex deal, Canada accuses India of role in Sikh leader's assassination, and more
By Harold Maass Published