The shooting at a congressional baseball practice reminds us of something we too often forget: We are one country, and we’re all in this together. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
1. Congressional shooting
We could see the first arrests in connection with the ongoing Russia investigation today, and that could be, to put it mildly, a game changer. On Friday, a federal grand jury in Washington approved the first charges.
Macron’s not attached to a major party and has never held elected office. Le Pen leads the National Front, a party with a troubled history of xenophobia and racism. Most observers think Macron will beat Le Pen, but remember, most folks thought Hillary Clinton would easily beat Donald Trump too. In fact, the two races have a whole host of truly frightening similarities. Here’s a primer we put together about what these elections mean for the EU, the US and the rest of the world.
2. President Trump
Kori Ali Muhammad was already a wanted man before police say he killed three people in a shooting spree in downtown Fresno, California. Police had been looking for him in the killing of a motel security guard. He told cops he thought the guard disrespected him. But Muhammad wasn’t going down just for killing a guard, Fresno’s police chief said, so he tried “to kill as many people as he could.” The victim’s loved ones are devastated, especially their kids. Racism – Muhammad said he hated white men – is thought to be the primary motive in the rampage, so police are calling it a hate crime. But it’s not always clear what the criteria are for labeling an act of violence a hate crime or terrorism.
3. London fire
The “No Spin Zone” is no more. Fox News let Bill O’Reilly go and canceled “The O’Reilly Factor,” after weeks of pressure, an advertiser exodus and an internal investigation into sexual harassment claims against the show host. It is a shocking end of an era. O’Reilly essentially was Fox News for the 21 years he was there, and just three weeks ago, the notion that something could knock him from his perch would have been unbelievable. Fox insiders say he wasn’t particularly liked but was considered invincible. Obviously, he wasn’t.
Puerto Rico’s power authority is working to cancel a controversial contract it awarded to a small Montana-based utility company in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The $300 million deal with Whitefish Energy has drawn widespread scrutiny. For one, the company’s only two years old and had just a few employees at the time the storm hit. It’s also based in the small hometown of US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Zinke says he had nothing to do with the contract, and the White House has also said it’s “not aware of any federal involvement in the selection.”
4. Fed rate hike
5. Fried potatoes study
Hundreds of thousands of anti-independence protesters rallied in the Catalan capital of Barcelona yesterday after Madrid took unprecedented measures to quash the region’s bid to split from Spain.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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Was she out of paper?
Actress Erin Moran – Richie Cunningham’s kid sister Joanie on “Happy Days – is dead at age 56.
Tough troopers
They’re just like any other Girl Scout troop. But what they don’t have is a home.
Only in Dubai
It’s a tower that looks like … a picture frame. No the UAE hasn’t run out of wacky architectural ideas just yet.
My hero
An NFL player got a note from fellow passengers on a plane, but they didn’t want an autograph. They said thanks for setting a good example for their son.
A brand of frozen hash browns is being recalled because it may contain pieces of golf balls. No, really.
The Astros beat the Dodgers in a wild World Series Game 5
QUOTE OF THE DAY
500
The number of goals soccer superstar Lionel Messi has scored for Barcelona. No. 500 was a game winner against rival Real Madrid.
Pot party
AND FINALLY …
Like the rest of us, Buddy the beagle probably had a challenging week, so he lets off some steam by tickling the ivories. (Click to view)
Cuteness alert! A baby, a boxer and bubbles. Enjoy. (Click to view)