The Stars and Stripes will fly once again in Cuba. The investigation into the big China blast continues. And is another vice-president about to run for president?
It’s Friday, and here are five things to know for your new day.
CUBA
Grand opening: The U.S. Embassy in Cuba reopened on July 20, when diplomatic ties between the two countries were restored, but the big party that comes with that won’t happen until today. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Havana to unveil the new U.S. Embassy sign and a Marine guard will raise the U.S. flag. Kerry will be the first secretary of state to visit the island nation in more than 70 years.
CAMPAIGN 2016
Al’s in?: Yes, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton has struggled as of late, but is she so vulnerable that’s she’s left an opening for the vice-president to get in the race? No, not Joe, but that other Democratic vice-president: Al Gore. Social media was brimming with speculation yesterday after Buzzfeed reported that Gore and his supporters were talking about another run at the presidency, but two people close to him pushed back on that report and a Gore spokeswomen said there was “no truth” to it.
CHINA BLASTS
Not over: Potential threats remain in Tianjin, China, after this week’s explosions that erupted from a chemical storage warehouse. Residents are concerned about the chemicals released into the air, fears compounded by the fact that officials haven’t produced a detailed list of exactly what chemicals were being stored at the warehouse. At least 50 people are dead, but it’s anyone’s guess how much higher the death toll will rise. Dozens of firefighters are missing, along with dozens of employees from the Tianjin Port Group Co.
OFFICER ATTACK
‘Walking on eggshells’: An Alabama police detective gets beaten up by an angry motorist during a traffic stop. The detective didn’t use his gun because he feared becoming the next Darren Wilson. That’s how a police union president explains what happened last week in Birmingham. The detective was hospitalized after being pistol-whipped by the suspect, who’s charged with attempted murder. The union president suggested this is the flip side of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. “We have officers walking on eggshells because of how they’re scrutinized in the media.”
ISIS
Hit list: There’s a list of names posted online this week of 1,400 Americans who are reportedly “targets” of ISIS. Military officials and security analysts doubt the list — posted by a group calling itself the Islamic State Hacking Division — is legitimate and much of the information it contains appears to be outdated, but it’s still enough to leave people spooked. The list contains the purported names, locations, phone numbers and passwords for American government and military personnel.