10 things you need to know today: July 15, 2016
Attacker kills 84 in France with truck, Trump delays expected VP announcement, and more
- 1. 84 killed in Bastille Day attack in France
- 2. Trump reportedly has picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as running mate
- 3. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg apologizes for Trump comments
- 4. U.S. pitches partnership with Russia in Syria
- 5. Pastor eulogizes Philando Castile as respectful man targeted in racial profiling
- 6. Congress adjourns for summer, leaving key business unfinished
- 7. Gingrich calls for testing Muslims and deporting those backing Sharia law
- 8. Obama calls for reconciliation in town hall meeting on race and police
- 9. GOP convention committee rejects Never Trump movement bid to unbind delegates
- 10. Game of Thrones dominates with 23 Emmy nominations
1. 84 killed in Bastille Day attack in France
A driver in a 25-ton truck plowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city of Nice on Thursday, killing at least 84 people in what French President Francois Hollande called a terrorist attack. The truck zigzagged for more than a mile along the famous seaside Promenade des Anglais at the end of a fireworks display marking the national holiday. Police fatally shot the suspected attacker, a 31-year-old Tunisian-born French citizen. Hollande called up military reserves, and extended by three months a state of emergency declared in November after Islamic State attackers killed 130 people in Paris.
2. Trump reportedly has picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as running mate
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence dropped his reelection bid as reports surfaced that Donald Trump would name the former congressman as his running mate, although Trump postponed a Friday news conference on his pick after the truck attack in Nice, France. Pence has been widely identified as one of the people on Trump's vice presidential short list, along with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Conservatives said the former Tea Party caucus member would galvanize support from the GOP base, without the baggage that would come with Gingrich or Christie.
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. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg apologizes for Trump comments
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg apologized on Thursday for making disparaging comments about presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, whom she called a "faker" with an "ego" and "no consistency." Ginsburg said the remarks "were ill-advised and I regret making them" because judges should avoid commenting on political candidates. Trump responded by saying Ginsburg's "mind is shot" and she should resign. The New York Times and The Washington Post both published editorials calling Ginsburg's remarks inappropriate.
4. U.S. pitches partnership with Russia in Syria
The U.S. on Thursday offered to partner with Russia to defeat the Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin to present him the proposal, which includes U.S. intelligence and targeting sharing, and possibly joint bombing operations. Kerry said the U.S. hoped to "make some genuine progress" toward ending the country's five-year civil war. Putin said he wanted to see "tangible results."
5. Pastor eulogizes Philando Castile as respectful man targeted in racial profiling
About 1,500 people filled a Minnesota cathedral on Thursday to pay their respects to Philando Castile, the black school cafeteria worker who was fatally shot by police in a traffic stop. The Rev. Steve Daniels of Shiloh Missionary Church said in his eulogy that Castile, 32, was a good man who was singled out due to racial profiling. "He wasn't resisting, he wasn't running," Daniels said. "He was respected by many. But most of all, he respected the law." The comments came after reports that Castile had been stopped 52 times by police since 2002.
6. Congress adjourns for summer, leaving key business unfinished
Congress adjourned for the summer on Thursday without passing bills on major issues, including the Zika virus, gun controls, and government spending. Lawmakers failed to reach compromises on spending levels in the fight against the mosquito-borne Zika virus, and the extent of restrictions on terror suspects attempting to buy guns. The House did, however, approve a bipartisan bill aimed at combating the opioid epidemic. The recess will last seven weeks — longer than usual, due to this summer's presidential nominating conventions.
7. Gingrich calls for testing Muslims and deporting those backing Sharia law
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Thursday called for testing U.S. Muslims to see if they believe in Sharia law in the wake of the attack in Nice, France. Gingrich, who returned to the political stage recently as a potential running mate for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, said those who believe in Islamic law should be deported. "Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war," he said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity.
8. Obama calls for reconciliation in town hall meeting on race and police
President Obama on Thursday held a town hall meeting to discuss mistrust between minority communities and police in the wake of recent killings of African-American men by police. Obama called for a dialog on race and reconciliation, and countered criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement. "The phrase 'Black Lives Matter' simply refers to the notion that there's a specific vulnerability for African-Americans that needs to be addressed," Obama said. "It's not meant to suggest that other lives don't matter."
9. GOP convention committee rejects Never Trump movement bid to unbind delegates
The committee setting rules for the Republican National Convention overwhelmingly defeated an attempt to let delegates vote for any candidate they choose, effectively ending an effort to block Donald Trump from receiving the party's presidential nomination. Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh proposed allowing delegates to "cast a vote of conscience" and abandon commitments set in state primaries and caucuses. GOP and Trump loyalists dominating the 112-member committee said it would be unthinkable to reject the choice of the more than 13 million people who voted for Trump.
10. Game of Thrones dominates with 23 Emmy nominations
HBO's smash drama Game of Thrones led the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards nominations released on Thursday with 23 nods for its sixth season. Three Game of Thrones actresses are up for the award for best supporting actress. The series is up against Netflix's House of Cards and, in its first Emmy bid, USA's Mr. Robot, for best drama series. Another Netflix favorite, Aziz Ansari's show Master of None, was nominated for best comedy series. The 2016 Emmys, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, air Sept. 18 on ABC's lightning-rod limited series.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter, is dead at 88
Speed Read The musician wrote hit songs for Janis Joplin and Johnny Cash before starring in Hollywood movies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'It does signal a turning point for American workers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Israeli killing of Hezbollah leader roils Lebanon, Iran
Speed Read Israeli airstrikes killed Hassan Nasrallah and other top leaders of the militant group, escalating the chance of all-out war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 24, 2024
Daily Briefing Trump closes in on nomination with New Hampshire win over Haley, 'Oppenheimer' leads the 2024 Oscar nominations, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 23, 2024
Daily Briefing Haley makes last stand in New Hampshire as Trump extends polling lead, justices side with US over Texas in border fight, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 22, 2024
Daily Briefing DeSantis ends his presidential campaign and endorses Trump, the US and Arab allies push plan to end Gaza war, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 19, 2024
Daily Briefing Congress averts a government shutdown, DOJ report cites failures in police response to Texas school shooting, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 18, 2024
Daily Briefing Judge threatens to remove Trump from his defamation trial, medicine for hostages and Palestinians reach Gaza, and more
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-