Obama and Netanyahu publicly feud. An investigation finds a pattern of discrimination in the Ferguson Police Department. And opening statements in the Boston Marathon bomber trial start today.
It’s Wednesday, and here are the 5 Things to Know for Your New Day:
OBAMA VS. NETANYAHU
International spat: U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have never been buddies, but they didn’t fight in public, either. Now it’s getting nasty after Netanyahu challenged the White House on its approach to a possible nuclear deal with Iran. Speaking to the U.S. Congress, the Israeli leader painted Obama as naive about the dangers of the Middle East. The President slammed Netanyahu for not offering a viable alternative to the intricate nuclear talks between world powers and Iran.
ALABAMA SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Back and forth: Alabama’s Supreme Court has ordered probate judges in the state to stop issuing licenses for same-sex marriages. This comes just a few weeks after a federal court cleared the way for same-sex marriages to begin in the state. The bottom line of the court order: Marriage is between one man and one woman under Alabama law. “Nothing in the United States Constitution alters or overrides this duty,” it says. Stay tuned.
FERGUSON JUSTICE REPORT
Black and white: We have some early details on the Justice Department’s civil rights investigation into the Ferguson Police Department. It concludes that FPD and the city’s municipal court engaged in a “pattern and practice” of discrimination against African-Americans, a law enforcement official told CNN. Here are some of the findings: From 2012 to 2014, 85% of people subject to vehicle stops by Ferguson police were African-American; 90% of those who received citations were black; and 93% of people arrested were black. This while 67% of the Ferguson population is black. The findings in the investigation could be made public as soon as today.
BOSTON MARATHON BOMBER TRIAL
24 months later: Opening statements will begin today in the trial of accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokar Tsarnaev. Three people died in the blasts and more than 260 people were maimed and injured. A fourth person, an MIT police officer, was ambushed and killed in his patrol car three days after the bombings as Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan, allegedly ran from police. The 26-year-old Tamerlan was killed in a gun battle with officers. Tsarnaev is charged with 30 counts — 17 of the counts carry a possible death sentence. Tsarnaev has pleaded not guilty.
MATERNITY TOURISM
American-born: Federal agents have raided more than three dozen “maternity hotels” in Southern California, authorities said. These are places where foreign women give birth, allegedly for the sole purpose of having a U.S.-citizen baby. The “maternity tourism” sites included apartment complexes in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties. The operations catered largely to women from China, who paid $15,000 to $50,000 for lodging, transportation and food, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The United States grants American citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil.
Those are your five biggies for the day. Here are a few others that are brewing and have the Internet buzzing:
Hey, that’s my car: A buffalo at Yellowstone Park slams into the front of a Nissan Xterra. Damage to the SUV? Nearly $2,800.
#DearMe: An anti-bullying video with a great message: What advice would you give to your younger self?
Musical interlude: The History of Duets with Jimmy Fallon and Kelly Clarkson.
Unexpected hook up: Classic pop-rock acts Chicago and REO Speedwagon jam together.
Doggy tricks: Lexus the German Shepherd knows a trick or two or three or …