Republican candidates debate. Police kill a theater attacker. And Jon Stewart bows out of “The Daily Show.”
It’s Thursday and here are the 5 things to know for your New Day
GOP DEBATE
Ready. Set. Go: Can anyone trump The Donald? The GOP frontrunner and nine of his GOP rivals duke it out tonight in the inaugural GOP primary debate of the 2016 election cycle. Trump holds a double-digit lead over the rest of the pack. The question is: Can he hold it? Some folks say it’s just a matter of time before Trump takes a dive, but so far his poll numbers have only gotten stronger. An eager audience awaits.
THEATER ATTACK
Attacker dead: Police want to know more about Vincente David Montano — the man who went after moviegoers with a hatchet before police gunned him down. Officers shot Montano after he aimed and fired an airsoft pistol at them. The weapon looks like a semiautomatic pistol but fires plastic or BB pellets. Montano had a history of mental health issues.
MH370
Investigation puzzle: Is it a key clue or a minor detail? Malaysia’s prime minister said that a small chuck of plane wing found in the Indian Ocean belongs to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 which disappeared in March 2014. An air safety expert called it a key development in the investigation, but just a small step. He likened it to having one piece to a 1,000-piece puzzle.
HOOKUP SENTENCE
Let’s think about this: A 19-year-old man put on the sex offender registry after having sex with a 14 year-old girl, who lied about her age, may get a new sentence. The judge has agreed to reconsider, which may knock the man off the registry. The young man was given a 90-day jail sentence, five years probation and was placed on the sex offender’s registry in Indiana and Michigan for the next 25 years. Even though the girl lied, that’s not a defense under current law. The teens met on a dating hookup app.
JON STEWART
Thank you and goodnight: Jon Stewart bows out of the “The Daily Show” tonight after 16 years behind the “fake news” anchor desk. The pioneering program used political satire and comedy to slay the dragons of American culture and in the process became a news source for a new generation. Comedy Central’s flagship show goes on hiatus until the end of September when Trevor Noah takes the reins.