It’s the end of the week, but the news never stops. Kick back and catch up on what’s trending while you wait for your weekend to start. Here are the stories everyone will be talking about today:
1. This would be amazing
A petition for Jon Stewart to host a presidential debate garnished over 100,000 signatures in just a few hours. The idea was even endorsed by Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley, who tweeted that he signed it. Stewart left his post at The Daily Show earlier this month after a 16-year run. He’ll host Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam, and if this petition continues to grow, maybe we really will see him at a debate. It would likely be the most watched debate ever. — Variety
More:Jon Stewart’s reaction to his own The Daily Show tribute is the best
2. Greece is having a bad year
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced his resignation yesterday and the country will hold elections in September. Tsipras was elected earlier this year after promising to get rid of austerity measures — things like tax hikes, pension cuts and drastically decreased federal spending — that were digging Greece out of bankruptcy. Unfortunately, Greece was too deeply in debt, so Tsipras was forced to commit to bailout plans that put even more austerity measures in place and people were not happy about it. Oddly enough, it looks like Tsipras will be reelected in September, so basically this whole election is an elaborate show to get voters back on his side. That’s almost a Kardashian-level PR stunt. — The Guardian
3. Here’s one meeting you’ll want to miss
The Council of Conservative Citizens, a hate group that allegedly inspired Dylann Roof to commit the Charleston Massacre, will hold their annual meeting in Nashville this weekend. Several hotels declined to host the gathering, but they found space at the Guesthouse Inn, which is near the Grand Ole Opry and several other tourist attractions. In his online manifesto, Roof allegedly wrote that he changed his views on race after reading the Council of Conservative Citizens website. The Council’s leader, Earl Holt, has denied the allegations, but the Southern Poverty Law Center says the group is well known for its racist views. — USA Today
4. Yes, please
World famous graffiti artist Banksy unveiled his latest exhibition yesterday. It’s a dystopian “anti-theme park” called Dismaland that features work by more than 60 artists. Among the park’s features are a post-apocalyptic Cinderella-like castle, a distorted version of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, 10 new works by Banksy himself and a daily book burning. The park is located near Bristol, England, and will be open to the public — except for Disney’s legal team — starting this weekend. — The New York Times
More:Banksy produces seething social commentary on The Simpsons
5. Epic fail, humans
The Sumatran rhino has been declared extinct in the wild. The Malaysian native was already considered the most endangered species in the world, but now things are looking really bad. Researchers attribute the extinction to both poaching and loss of habitat. Approximately 100 of the rhinos still exist in national parks and in captivity, and it will be up to them to attempt to repopulate the species. No pressure, rhinos. — IFLScience
6. We wonder what this is all about
Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has been served with a search warrant by the Los Angeles Police Department. The warrant was executed by the division of the police force that handles crimes against children, but Simmons and his wife say they are not considered suspects. Simmons’ publicist said the warrant was in connection with a crime that might have happened at Simmons’ house while he was on tour. The rocker did not provide any additional details to the media and police say the investigation is ongoing. — CNN
More:What do Amber Rose and Gene Simmons have in common?
7. Get your zombie fix
AMC’s much anticipated The Walking Dead spinoff, Fear The Walking Dead, premieres this weekend and the network just released an exclusive three-minute clip from the first episode. The show details the start of the fictional zombie apocalypse in Los Angeles. It exists on the same timeline as The Walking Dead, but features a completely different cast and setting, and it’s meant to show another angle of the story. The new season of The Walking Dead doesn’t premiere until October, so if you just can’t wait to get your apocalypse on, be sure to tune in to Fear The Walking Dead at 9 p.m. EST this Sunday. — iO9
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