The Pope’s in New York. New Hampshire likes Trump and Sanders. And has the government shutdown been called off?
It’s Friday, and here are five things to know for your New Day.
POPE FRANCIS
Busy: After you make history with the first papal address to a joint session of Congress, what do you do for an encore? If you’re Pope Francis, you give a speech at the United Nations, visit the 9/11 memorial, swing by a Catholic school in Harlem and celebrate Mass with a few thousand people at Madison Square Garden. Whew. That’s what’s on tap for Francis today, his first full day in New York.
DUCK BOAT ACCIDENT
Deadly: Why did a duck boat tourist vehicle slam into a tour bus, killing four people? That’s what investigators will try to figure out starting today. All of the victims were international college students from North Seattle College. In addition to the deaths, they were many injuries. Forty-four people were hospitalized, with 12 of those listed as being in critical condition.
HAJJ STAMPEDE
Tragedy: Saudi Arabia is reviewing how it handles crowds during the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, after more than 700 people were killed in a stampede. The tragedy occurred yesterday during a tradition known as “stoning the devil,” one of the last rituals of the Hajj. For reasons not yet known, there was a sudden surge in the crowd, causing a large number of people to fall as pilgrims walked to a pillar used in the ritual. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud later ordered a review of the country’s plans during Hajj.
CAMPAIGN 2016
Leaderboard: Trump. Fiorina. Rubio. Carson. That’s the current top tier of candidates in the GOP, according to a new CNN/WMUR poll of New Hampshire voters. Only one of the top four, Sen. Marco Rubio, has held an elected office, something GOP primary voters don’t seem to care for at all this election cycle. On the Democratic side of things, New Hampshire is definitely “feeling the Bern.” Sen. Bernie Sanders has jumped out to a double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton, 46% to 30%.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Stopped?: Did Pope Francis stop the next government shutdown? Well, after the Pope addressed a joint session of Congress (and said the lawmakers needed to find ways to get along), House Speaker John Boehner said he would separate a measure to defund Planned Parenthood from a must-pass bill to keep government agencies open. Coincidence? Anyway, Boehner will pitch the plan today in a closed-door meeting, which will include conservatives certain to be angry over Boehner’s move.