10 things you need to know today: June 25, 2012
Egypt's Morsi gives his first speech as president-elect, Spain formally requests aid, and more in our roundup of the stories that are making news and driving opinion
1. MORSI GIVES FIRST SPEECH, STRESSES UNITY
Late Sunday, Mohamed Morsi gave his first speech as Egypt's president-elect. A longtime member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi pledged that he would represent all Egyptians, saying "national unity is the only way to get Egypt out of this difficult crisis." On the diplomatic front, Morsi promised to "preserve all national and international agreements." The speech came just hours after Morsi was declared the winner of Egypt's historic presidential elections, and Egyptians rallied in Cairo's Tahrir Square and across the country to celebrate. Egypt's interim military rulers still retain much of the control over the country, having made an "11th hour power grab" early last week following the elections. [CNN]
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2. OBAMACARE DECISION DUE THIS WEEK
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this week on the constitutionality of President Obama's health-care-reform act. The central issue is whether Congress can mandate that individuals buy health insurance. A decision could come as early as Monday. [Los Angeles Times]
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3. SPAIN FORMALLY ASKS FOR AID
In a letter to euro zone members Monday, Spainish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos formally requested 62 billion euros ($77 billion) in financial aid for the country's troubled banks. The bailout request was expected after an independent audit last week reported that Spain's banking sector needed 62 billion euros to restore stability. [CNN Money]
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4. REPORT: 33 SYRIAN SOLDIERS DEFECT TO TURKEY
Turkey's state-run news agency says that 33 Syrian soldiers, including a general and two colonels, and their families, defected to Turkey overnight. There were reportedly 224 people in all in the group. The news comes just days after Syria shot down a Turkish military jet; Turkey has called a NATO meeting for Tuesday to determine the appropriate response to the matter. [MSNBC]
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5. TROPICAL STORM HITS FLORIDA
Tropcial Storm Debby brought torrential rain to Florida Monday. Debby has been moving slowly, making flooding a bigger threat than wind. Residents in low-lying areas around the crook of Florida's elbow are being urged to evacuate. The storm is fairly stationary, and its center is far off-coast in the Gulf of Mexico, but even so, it has managed to spawn isolated tornadoes that have left at least one person dead. [Weather.com]
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6. COLORADO WILDFIRE CLAIMS 248 HOMES
Colorado authorities said Sunday that 248 homes have been destroyed in the state by a two-week-old wildfire, after a neighborhood near Fort Collins lost 57 more homes. The High Park Fire has now destroyed more homes than any other blaze in the history of the state. A fire broke out near Colorado Springs Saturday, leading to the evacuation of more than 11,000 people. A total of eight wildfires are burning across the state, as Colorado suffers its worst wildfires in 10 years. [Associated Press]
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7. BRAVE WINS THE BOX OFFICE
Pixar's Brave topped the weekend box office, opening to an estimated $66.7 million. Still, it's not a huge win, given that Pixar's last film, the underwhelming Cars 2, opened to $66.1 million. Brave is the animation giant's first film to feature a female protagonist. [Los Angeles Times]
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8. LAST-OF-ITS-KIND GALAPAGOS TORTOISE DIES
Lonesome George, the famed Pinta giant tortoise believed to be the last of his subspecies, has died. He was estimated to be nearly 100 years old. Scientists had tried for decades to find a mate for George, who was deemed to be "the rarest creature in the world." [BBC]
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9. ALEX TREBEK SUFFERS HEART ATTACK
Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek had a "mild" heart attack Saturday and was admitted to the hospital. Sony Pictures Television says the 71-year-old is in "good spirits" and is expected to make a full recovery. [NewsCore]
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10. COIN TOSS MAY DECIDE OLYMPIC TRACK TEAM
A coin toss may decide an Olympics slot in the women's 100 meters after sprinters Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh tied for third place at the U.S. Olympic trials. There are just three places up for grabs in the event, and even cameras shooting 3,000 frames per second couldn't determine a winner. There is no apparent precedent for what to do in this instance; unless one runner voluntarily gives up her spot, they will be asked to choose between a coin toss and a tie-breaking race. [CNN]
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