It’s the end of the week, but the news never stops. Here’s a look at the top stories everyone will be talking about today.
1. China goes green-ish
China, pollution capital of the world, is about to get a whole lot cleaner. After a visit to the U.S. and a sit-down with Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to announce a new price on carbon emissions. That means companies in China will have to pay if they want to turn the air into gray sludge. This is a huge deal. China is the world’s No. 1 polluter and wields a lot of economic influence. The move towards cleaner air will not only reduce emissions, but it could also encourage other countries to do the same. — The New York Times
More:China’s one-child policy looks different through the eyes of an adoptive mom
2. The Pope is in the House (and the Senate)
Yesterday, Pope Francis addressed Congress. In a rousing speech that had several congressional leaders whooping and cheering like drunken football fans, Francis called for an end to the death penalty, greater commitment to environmental preservation, a more welcoming embrace of immigrants and — of course — world peace. The big question now is: Will Congress listen? Honestly, they might. After the Pope’s speech, John Boehner expressed a desire to separate the measure to defund Planned Parenthood from the rest of the budget bills to avoid a government shutdown. He’ll pitch the plan in a closed door meeting today, so no one will see when his colleagues’ heads explode. — CNN
3. Well, this is awful
Yesterday, at least four people were killed when a “duck boat” tourist vehicle crashed into a tour bus on the Aurora Bridge in Seattle. All four of those killed were international students attending North Seattle College. College officials say several more students are injured, with many in critical condition, and they’re working to notify family members of the deceased. It’s unclear what caused the crash, but a nurse at the scene described it as horrific. Our hearts go out to the victims, their friends and their families. — NBC News
4. Feeling the Bern
The latest presidential polls are in, and they show Bernie Sanders taking a double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton in the race for the democratic nomination. Sanders has the support of 46 percent of those polled, while only 30 percent went to Clinton. On the Republican side, Trump is still No. 1, but Carly Fiorina has a firm hold on second place. It will be interesting to see if Trump holds out or if his favorability starts to slip as people realize he is Donald Trump. — CNN
More:Bernie Sanders: The Democratic candidate for president ‘by the numbers’
5. Shondaland grows
Shonda Rhimes — creator of Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder and Scandal — announced yesterday that she’s got yet another new show in the works. This one centers on a U.S. Army medical evacuation team who operate out of a base camp in Baghdad, circa 2004. The show doesn’t have a name yet, but Rhimes created it, so it’s sure to be a hit. Have your wine and popcorn at the ready. Oh, and if you’re still mad about McDreamy, we’re sure she’ll rustle up some hot army men to take your mind off of it. — Deadline
6. Good thing it’s payday
If you’ve been thinking about signing up for Amazon Prime, today is your day. For one day only, the cost of a Prime membership will be $67 — it’s usually $99 — in celebration of Amazon’s original drama Transparent winning five Emmy awards. The new iPhone 6S also comes out today. It has 18 new features and comes in a variety of colors. It’s available from $199 to $499, depending on specifications, but they’re also offering installment plans of $27-35 per month. Take some of your Prime savings and treat yo’ self. — USA Today
More:Amazon no longer sees gender when it comes to toys
7. Total eclipse of the heart in your yard
Sunday night a lunar eclipse will coincide with a supermoon, and it’s kind of a big deal. A supermoon eclipse hasn’t happened since 1982 and won’t happen again until 2033. According to NASA, the event will be visible in North and South America, Europe, Africa and parts of West Asia — meaning lots of people will be able to see it. A partial eclipse will start around 9:07 p.m. EDT, with the full eclipse happening from approximately 10:11 p.m. to 11:23 p.m. In case you don’t know, a lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly behind the earth and into its shadow. It will turn red and look amazing and you definitely won’t want to miss it. — CBS News
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