10 things you need to know today: August 23, 2015

1. National Zoo's giant panda births twins

Mei Xiang, one of two giant pandas at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., gave birth to twin cubs hours apart Saturday. They mark her second and third cubs in two years, following the birth of Bao Bao in August 2013. The pandas, which are not yet named, must be reared apart following protocol, but both twins will get time with their mother. The cubs will be returned to China four years after birth.

The Washington Post

2. Joe Biden meets with Elizabeth Warren, fuels 2016 speculation

Vice President Joe Biden shared a private lunch with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Saturday at Washington, D.C.'s Naval Observatory, as he reportedly considers whether to vie for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. Sources familiar with the talk said the politicians touched on the economy, the middle class, foreign policy, and campaign finance. Biden's entry would shake up the Democratic presidential field, while frontrunner Hillary Clinton grapples with a scandal over her use of a private email server as secretary of state.

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The Boston Globe

3. Thousands nationwide protest Planned Parenthood

Thousands of pro-life activists protested outside about 320 Planned Parenthood clinics across the nation Saturday. They want to defund the women's health care clinics, which have come under fire in recent weeks over their use of fetal tissue. Conservative activist group Center for Medical Progress claims they sell it illegally. "The American public needs to be awakened to the atrocity of what is happening to innocent unborn children," said Monica Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society.

The Washington Post USA Today

4. EPA reportedly knew poisonous wastewater at mine was a risk

Internal Environmental Protection Agency documents obtained by The Associated Press show officials knew of the possibility of a "blowout" that could release poisonous wastewater into Colorado's Animas River. When workers excavated the entrance to a mine earlier in August, 3 million gallons of wastewater spilled into the nearby river, turning it orange. A plan the EPA drafted to prevent contaminants from entering the river was reportedly never completed. The spill has cost the EPA at least $3.7 million so far.

The Associated Press

5. Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal draw crowds at Iowa State Fair

Governors Chris Christie (R-N.J.) and Bobby Jindal (R-La.) took to the Iowa State Fair on Saturday as they try to stand out in a crowded field of Republican presidential hopefuls. Both focused on immigration policy, a topic that has divided GOP candidates following Donald Trump's hardline stance against birthright citizenship. "I don't think anybody who has come here illegally should become a citizen," Christie said. "American citizenship is an enormous gift."

KCCI Des Moines

6. Kentucky allows Rand Paul to run for Senate and president at the same time

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will be allowed to run for reelection to his Senate seat as he tries to snag the GOP nomination in the 2016 presidential race, state party leadership decided Saturday. Kentucky will hold a party presidential caucus earlier than the state primary for his Senate seat, a move also expected to make the state more influential in deciding the Republican nominee. The change, which stops Paul from violating state law, comes at a price: He'll need to pay $250,000 to offset increased costs.

Los Angeles Times

7. U.S. servicemen say they knocked train gunman suspect unconscious to thwart attack

Two U.S. servicemen earned praise from President Barack Obama after they worked to subdue a gunman on a train to Paris with the help of two other passengers Friday. When the suspect entered the train with an AK-47 and a handgun, Airman First Class Spencer Stone immediately ran over and grabbed him by the neck. Stone's friend, Oregon National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos, grabbed the suspect's handgun. They beat him over the head with his own rifle until he was unconscious, according to TV interviews given Saturday.

The New York Times

8. Suicide attack in Afghanistan capital kills 12

A suicide IED attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, killed 12 people and injured 66 others Saturday. Three American NATO contractors were among those killed in the afternoon attack outside a private health clinic. The Taliban have reportedly claimed responsibility for similar attacks in Kabul this month, but a spokesman for the group said they are not behind this one.

CNN

9. British air show crash kills 7

At least seven people died and 14 people were injured when a vintage military jet nose-dived onto a busy British highway Saturday. The Cold War-era jet was part of the Shoreham Airshow. All of the victims so far were on the highway. The pilot was airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Authorities said they are searching the scene Sunday to see if there are more bodies.

CNN

10. Man charged after being found with Rosie O'Donnell's daughter

The 17-year-old daughter of comedian Rosie O'Donnell was found Tuesday night after running away from home Aug. 11. Authorities said Saturday they arrested Steven Sheerer, who was found with the girl. The New Jersey man, 25, was charged with sending sexually explicit communications to a minor. The girl's cell phone shows communication sustained over several weeks. Sheerer is being held on $40,000 bail, and is not permitted to speak with the victim or her family.

NJ Advance Media