10 things you need to know today: August 29, 2015

(Image credit: Geoff Forester/The Concord Monitor/Associated Press)

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1. 3 Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to prison in Egypt
2. Former prep school student found not guilty of raping 15-year-old peer
3. Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders address Democratic leaders at summer meeting
4. Tropical storm Erika dissipates over Cuba
5. George W. Bush visits New Orleans, praises post-Katrina recovery
6. Ashley Madison CEO steps down after data breach
7. Authorities have person of interest in custody after fatal shooting of Houston deputy
8. Police arrest suspect in Bangkok bombing
9. NASA picks New Horizons' post-Pluto destination
10. University of Illinois fires its head football coach

last updated 29 August 2015

1. 3 Al Jazeera journalists sentenced to prison in Egypt

An Egyptian court sentenced three Al Jazeera journalists to prison Saturday in a case sparking sharp criticism from human rights groups. Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed, and Peter Greste all received three years in prison for operating without a press license and broadcasting "fake news." The new verdict came a year after the men received sentences of seven to 10 years, which prompted an international outcry and a retrial order from Egypt's highest appeals court. Amnesty International called Saturday's verdict "farcical."

Former St. Paul's prep student Owen Labrie, 19, was found not guilty of rape in a high-profile trial that cast a pall over the prestigious New Hampshire school. Labrie faced nine charges, three of which were for felony sex assault. The jury only found Labrie guilty of a misdemeanor, sexual assault. Prosecutors claimed that Labrie had raped a 15-year-old as part of a school tradition, called Senior Salute, where seniors try to have sex with underclassmen.

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Hillary Clinton addressed the Democratic National Committee in Minneapolis on Friday night. The Democratic presidential frontrunner, who reportedly has a strong grip on party superdelegates, expressed frustration at the continuing focus on her use of a personal email server while secretary of state. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) used his speech as an opportunity to criticize the party, which he is not a member of. Long-shot candidates Martin O'Malley and Lincoln Chafee also spoke, while Jim Webb skipped the meeting.

Tropical storm Erika weakened Saturday morning over Cuba after leaving at least 20 dead on Dominica, a small eastern Caribbean island. Forecasters believed the storm could have turned into a hurricane as it headed for Florida. The National Hurricane Center cancelled all tropical storm watches and warnings Saturday. Florida, which had declared a state of emergency when the storm appeared stronger, will see heavy rains and winds early next week.

Former President George W. Bush on Friday visited New Orleans to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a catastrophe that was one of the low points of Bush's tenure. Bush praised the city's post-hurricane recovery, saying, "New Orleans is back, and better than ever." President Obama toured the city on Thursday, praising the city's resilience while also saying more needs to be done.

Noel Biderman, the CEO of Ashley Madison's parent company, stepped down Friday in the aftermath of a massive data breach that exposed private information pertaining to the infidelity website's 37 million accounts. Leaked emails reportedly showed Biderman himself sought out affairs, a claim he has denied. "This change is in the best interest of the company and allows us to continue to provide support to our members and dedicated employees," parent company Avid Life said in a statement.

Authorities reportedly have a person of interest in custody in the fatal shooting of sheriff's deputy Darren Goforth, who was pumping gas Friday night near Houston when a man ambushed him from behind and shot multiple times, even after he fell to the ground. Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman called the incident an "unprovoked, execution-style killing." Goforth, 47, had been with the sheriff's office for 10 years. The mother of the person of interest has told reporters her son is innocent.

Thai police said Saturday they have arrested a suspect in connection with the Bangkok bombing that killed 20 people at a shrine in August. He is not considered the chief suspect in the incident, but part of a network that carried out the bombing and another the next day. Authorities originally believed the suspect arrested Saturday to be a Turkish national, but later discovered his passports are fake.

Just one week before its season begins, the University of Illinois has fired head football coach Tim Beckman. Beckman's dismissal comes after an external review into the Illini football program found evidence of "efforts to deter injury reporting and influence medical decisions that pressured players" to avoid treatment and play through injuries. Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit will be the interim head coach for the coming season.

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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.