It’s almost the end of the week, but we’re not quite there yet. While you’re waiting, catch up on the latest news. Here are the top stories everyone will be talking about:
1. No go for Joe
Joe Biden is not running for president, after all. In a speech yesterday, he said he’s simply “out of time” to launch a campaign and spoke a little bit about grieving from the loss of his son. He also laid out his opinions about the coming election. The anticipation has now moved from when will he announce to when will he endorse. Biden is a lovable guy. His endorsement will mean a big boost for whichever campaign he chooses. — CNN
More:Barack Obama reveals his true feelings about Joe Biden
2. Testify
Today Hillary Clinton will testify in front of the House Benghazi committee. In 2012, militants attacked a diplomatic mission in Benghazi and Clinton, who was secretary of state at the time, took a lot of heat for how she handled it. Since then, House Republicans have turned it into a scandal, continually investigating and probing, trying to find dirt on Clinton. In recent weeks, more than a couple of members have admitted a major goal of the committee is simply to harm Clinton’s campaign. How lovely. Hope Hills got enough sleep last night because it’s probably going to be a long day. — ABC News
3. Uh-oh
CIA Director John Brennan’s personal email account was hacked earlier this week by a couple of teens who convinced Verizon to give them enough information to change his password. Now, WikiLeaks has started releasing the emails. So far, they’ve released social security information for some of his contacts, including many high ranking officials, but it’s unclear if any of the emails were classified. The teens say they hacked Brennan because they were frustrated with foreign policy and wanted to shame the government. Terrible mission accomplished, I guess? — The Verge
More:How to avoid getting hacked
4. The kids really are the future
The student senate at the University of Mississippi voted to remove the state flag from their campus. The flag — in case you’re unaware — features the Confederate battle emblem. Only 16 of the 49 senate members voted to keep the flag. The resolution will now head to the student body president, who’s already voiced his desire to see the flag removed. If the resolution passes the president, the University of Mississippi will become the fourth school in the state to refuse to fly the flag. You go, Ole Miss! — USA Today
5. This is not a drill
A study by NASA has found a 99 percent chance of a magnitude 5 or greater earthquake in the greater Los Angeles area within the next three years. An earthquake that size would cause millions of dollars of damage, while one of a larger scale would cause billions. Either way, it’s not a forecast people in Los Angeles want to hear. Sweeping retrofitting rules passed by the Los Angeles City Council will update several older buildings. Still, the earthquake is a scary prospect and we hope the studies are wrong. — CBS News
More:How to stock your kitchen for an earthquake, according to hipsters
6. Say it isn’t so
New research shows chemicals in sunscreen could be killing coral reefs. Turns out, the ultraviolet-absorbing chemicals in sunscreen actually accelerate coral bleaching and stall new growth. The study’s co-author, Craig Downs, says at least 80 percent of the coral reefs in the Caribbean are gone. If we can reduce the pollution that’s killing these reefs, they might have time to recover. Next time you take a vacation, look into “reef friendly” sunscreen. They actually make it, and it can help stop some of this destruction in major tourist areas. — NPR
Leave a Comment