Nine killed in a South Carolina church shooting. The search for the New York prison escapees widens. And a woman will soon be the new face of the $10 bill.
It’s Thursday, and here are five things to know for your New Day.
CHURCH SHOOTING
Hate crime: A horrific night in Charleston, South Carolina. Last night, nine people were killed at a historic African-American church after a man walked into the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and opened fire.
Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen said, “I do believe this is a hate crime.” Police are looking for the man, described as a slim, white male in his 20s wearing a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans.
PRISON BREAK
Search widens: There’s been no sign of convicted killers Richard Matt or David Sweat since they escaped from prison almost two weeks ago. So police said yesterday they are going to widen the search area and start looking for them in other areas surrounding Dannemora, New York, where the Clinton Correctional Facility is located.
TBILISI ZOO ANIMALS
Tiger killed: Police in Tbilisi, Georgia, shot and killed a white tiger yesterday that had killed a man. The tiger was one of hundreds of wild animals that escaped from a zoo after severe flooding destroyed their enclosures over the weekend. The tiger attacked the man in a warehouse. Some of the escaped animals have been recovered, but others died in the floods or were killed by police.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Papal letter: Pope Francis will deliver a long-awaited letter on the environment today. The letter, or encyclical, will focus on creation care — a Christian idea that God gave humans the Earth to cultivate, not conquer. Francis said yesterday that he hoped people would “welcome with an open heart” the contents of the letter, but conservatives and climate change skeptics have already been critical of the upcoming encyclical.
U.S. CURRENCY
New look: Your $10 bill will have a whole new look in a couple of years. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced yesterday that a woman will be featured on a redesigned $10 bill in 2020. What’s so special about 2020?
That’s the 100th anniversary of the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote. The public’s help will be sought in this, and folks can weigh in on social media with the hashtag #TheNew10. And what of Alexander Hamilton, who is currently featured on the $10 bill? He will be part of the new bill’s design, but it’s too early to know what that will look like.
Those are your five biggies for the day. Here are a few others that are brewing and have the Internet buzzing.
Slow jams: You know it must be election season when politicians start “slow jamming” the news. This time it’s Jeb Bush.
Just like a video game: Ski videos are more fun when old school, 8-bit color graphics are added.
To the hole: Man makes the most epic dunk ever (with the help of a swing set).
Weird science: Pouring molten metals into water is cool!