10 things you need to know today: August 25, 2013

Cows walk through a section of forest that was burned by the Rim Fire outside of Camp Mather on August 24, 2013 near Groveland, California.

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

1. OBAMA AND CAMERON DISCUSS "SERIOUS RESPONSE" IN SYRIA

The U.S. and U.K. have threatened a "serious response" if it is confirmed that Syria did indeed use chemical weapons last week. President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron spoke on the telephone on Saturday. Both were reportedly "gravely concerned" by the signs that the attack occurred. The Syrian information minister has warned that intervention would have serious consequences. The Syrian government has denied any use of chemical weapons, blaming rebel fighters instead. [BBC]

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A wildfire burning over an area the size of Chicago is creating its own weather pattern in northern California. Winds up to 40 mph could push the fire further into the northwest edge of Yosemite National Park, threatening thousands of homes, as well as San Francisco's power grid and water and energy supply. At least four home have been destroyed. The fire is only about 7 percent contained. [CBS News]

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak returned to court on Sunday. Mubarak, who was released three days ago and put under house arrest, is facing a retrial on charges that he ordered police to fire on protesters in Cairo during the 2011 uprising. Earlier on Sunday in a separate case, three leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood were charged with authorizing the killing of nine protesters outside the Brotherhood’s headquarters on the night of June 30. [The Daily Beast]

All five suspected perpetrators of the Thursday gang rape of a 22-year-old photojournalist in Mumbai have been arrested. The attack echoed the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi in December and has prompted protests and outrage. The most recent victim was assaulted at an abandoned textile mill compound where she was taking photographs. She is recovering in the hospital with multiple injuries. [The New York Times]

Fifty years after Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, tens of thousands gathered at the site Saturday to hear performances and speeches from leaders including Rev. Al Sharpton and Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Orators speaking from the steps where King stood outlined what they said were promises still unfulfilled in voting rights, gun violence, economic disparity, and equal protection under the law. [TIME]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) dodged questions on CNN's State of the Union about his renunciation of his Canadian citizenship. "Serving as a U.S. senator, I think it's appropriate that I be only American," Cruz said. Cruz, who was born in Calgary, announced last week that he would move to renounce his Canadian citizenship after a Dallas newspaper reported that the potential 2016 presidential candidate technically remains a Canadian citizen. [Politico]

New information about the atomic clocks built at the official U.S. timekeeping laboratory shows that they tick with record-breaking regularity and accuracy, scientists said. It's an advance that may allow researchers to perfect technologies such as GPS systems. The ytterbium optical lattice clocks are so stable that "if a clock had been running since the Big Bang, by now it would only be off by one second," said Vladan Vuletic, a physicist at MIT. [Los Angeles Times]

Lottery officials say Mario Scarnici, a New Jersey man, has claimed the final share of this month's $448 million Powerball jackpot. Lottery officials say Scarnici chose the cash option and will get about $62 million after taxes. Another winning ticket for the drawing was held by a group of 16 Ocean County vehicle maintenance employees, while the third was held by a suburban Minneapolis man. [USA Today]

Terri is a freelance writer at TheWeek.com. She's a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism and has worked at TIME and Brides. You can follow her on Twitter.

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