Egypt bombs ISIS. Denmark on edge after shooting. And a winter storm slams parts of the South.
It’s Monday, and here are the 5 things to know for your New Day
ISIS CHRISTIANS
Egypt retaliates: The Egyptian military said Monday it has bombed ISIS targets in Libya after the militant group released a video that appeared to show the beheadings of Coptic Christians. “The airstrikes hit their targets accurately and our eagles returned to their bases safely,” a statement reported on Egyptian state television said. The killings of the Egyptian Christians is believed to have been carried out by a Libyan affiliate of ISIS.
DENMARK SHOOTING
Denmark on edge: Another European country is grappling with the possibility of terrorism at home. The serenity of Denmark’s capital was shattered over the weekend when a gunman opened fire at a free speech forum before shooting several people outside a synagogue and then firing at police. The gunman killed two people. The police later shot and killed the gunman. Danish prosecutors say two men arrested for suspected links to the gunman made prior arrangements to help him hide, the men’s attorney told CNN. The two men have pleaded not guilty.
SOUTHERN STORM
Dixie dangers: Move over Boston, the South is muscling in on your dominance of recent weather stories. Sure, you’re setting snowfall records right and left, but winter is more of a novelty for folks situated along the Mason-Dixon line. More than a dozen states are in the path of this storm system — from Kansas and Oklahoma to Virginia and North Carolina. Little Rock, Arkansas, should see lots of ice and sleet. Kentucky will be buried in snow.
MEGADROUGHTS
Dust Bowl: NASA says the western half of United States can look forward to ‘megadroughts’ before the end of the century, if greenhouse gas emissions aren’t drastically cut. We’re talking droughts that will likely last for 20, 30, even 40 years, according to Ben Cook, a climate scientist for NASA. If you want something to compare it to, the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s lasted about 10 years. The results of global warming could cause lake reservoirs to dwindle to ponds, leaving cities to ration water to residents who haven’t already fled east.
NUTELLA FOUNDER DIES
Candyman: You probably wouldn’t recognize his name, but you know his candies and other tasty treats. Michele Ferrero, the founder and patriarch of the Nutella and Ferrero Rocher empire, died over the weekend. He had been sick for months and was 89 years old. His company makes the Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread, the Ferrero Rocher confections wrapped in gold foil and Tic Tac mints.
Those are your five biggies for the day. Here are a couple of others that are brewing and have the Internet buzzing.
Four decades: Saturday Night Live celebrated its 40th anniversary last night. Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake kicked it off.
Take that FNC: Weekend Update anchor Jane Curtain returned to the desk with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Seatmates: If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does this say about Taylor Swift and Sarah Palin?
Saying goodnight: Alums Chris Kattan and Eddie Murphy share a hug.
After Party: How’s this for a jam? Sir Paul McCartney, Jimmy Fallon, Taylor Swift, Jim Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and company (and a lot of smartphones).
