10 things you need to know today: July 12, 2016

Two bailiffs die in Michigan courthouse shooting, Theresa May to become Britain's next prime minister, and more

Theresa May at 10 Downing Street
(Image credit: Carl Court/Getty Images)

1. 2 bailiffs killed in shootout inside Michigan courthouse

Two armed bailiffs were killed, and a deputy sheriff and at least one civilian were wounded Monday in a shooting at a Michigan courthouse. The alleged gunman also was killed. The suspect, Larry Darnell Gordon, had been in custody but disarmed an officer in a fight while he was being moved from a cell to a courtroom for a hearing, Sheriff L. Paul Bailey said. Gordon, 45, was facing multiple felony charges. He apparently was not handcuffed, suggesting there were "no warning signs" he would be violent, Bailey said.

2. Theresa May wins battle to replace David Cameron as British prime minister

Theresa May on Monday won the race to succeed David Cameron as Britain's prime minister after her last Conservative Party rival dropped out, easing some of the political and financial uncertainty that has followed the U.K.'s vote to exit the European Union. After May's win, Cameron said he was stepping down on Wednesday, clearing the way for May, a Conservative lawmaker and home affairs secretary, to take over in a fast-track transition. Cameron led the campaign to remain in the EU, and announced he would resign after his side lost last month's Brexit referendum.

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The Washington Post

3. Obama visits Dallas to speak at slain officers' memorial service

President Obama is in Dallas today to speak at an interfaith memorial service for the five white police officers killed last week by a black Army veteran. Obama is expected to both console the victims' families and police, and address fears of rising racial tensions in the wake of the Dallas sniper attack and recent killings of African-American men by police officers in Baton Rouge and St. Paul. This is the 11th time Obama has addressed a city after a mass killing.

The New York Times

4. Tribunal backs Philippines over China in South China Sea dispute

An international tribunal in the Hague sided with the Philippines and ruled on Tuesday that China has no legal or historical right to claim resources in disputed waters of the South China Sea. The Philippines government praised the court for what it called a "milestone decision" to help settle conflicting claims in the region. China's official Xinhua news agency said Beijing "doesn't accept nor acknowledge the ruling," which involves rights to such resources as fish, oil, and gas within the "nine-dash line" extending 200 miles south and east of China's island province of Hainan.

CNN

5. Bernie Sanders expected to endorse Hillary Clinton today

Bernie Sanders will endorse Hillary Clinton at her Portsmouth, New Hampshire, rally on Tuesday, Clinton's campaign confirmed to The Associated Press. Sanders and Clinton had said via email that they will be discussing "their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top." Sanders has held off on endorsing Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, while he successfully got issues such as climate change and $15 minimum wage included in the Democratic platform.

The Associated Press

6. U.S. sends 560 more soldiers to help retake ISIS-held Iraq cities

The U.S. is deploying 560 more troops to Iraq to help local forces retake the cities of Mosul and Raqqa from the Islamic State, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Monday. Most of the reinforcements will go to the area of the Qayyarah air base 40 miles north of Baghdad — just retaken from ISIS by Iraqi fighters on Saturday. The new arrivals will boost U.S. troop strength in Iraq by about 10 percent to roughly 6,000.

The New York Times

7. South Sudanese president declares ceasefire

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir called for a ceasefire on Monday after fighting between his soldiers and those loyal to his rival vice president killed at least 150 people over four days. The violence threatens to reignite a civil war in the world's newest nation, independent since 2011. Gunfire continued in some areas after the ceasefire took effect. U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice called the fighting "senseless and inexcusable," and said it "puts at risk everything the South Sudanese people have aspired to over the past five years."

CNN BBC News

8. North Carolina law says police video is not public record

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a law on Monday declaring that recordings from police body and dashboard cameras are not public records in the state. Bystander and police videos of officers killing black suspects in other states have fueled a national protest movement. Activists say keeping police videos from the public will make it harder to hold officers accountable. McCrory said immediately releasing video sometimes "distorts the entire picture, which is extremely unfair" to police.

The Associated Press

9. Benchmark U.S. stock index hits record

The S&P 500 index closed at a record high on Monday, rising 7.26 points, or 0.34 percent to 2,137.16, in part due to renewed optimism about the U.S. economy stoked by Friday's strong jobs report. The mood also got a lift from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who ordered new stimulus measures after his ruling coalition dominated upper house elections. Another factor boosting global stocks was Theresa May's win in the race to succeed David Cameron as British prime minister, which helped ease uncertainty following the U.K. vote to leave the European Union.

Reuters

10. Spurs star Tim Duncan retires after 19 years in NBA

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan is retiring after 19 seasons in the NBA, the team announced Monday. The superstar forward is a five-time NBA champion and two-time league MVP. The Spurs made the playoffs in each of Duncan's 19 seasons, and he is the only player in league history to have won a title in three different decades. Last season, Duncan became just the third player ever to reach 1,000 career wins, and he helped the Spurs to a 67-15 record, the best in franchise history.

NBA

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Harold Maass, The Week US

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.