Battle for Sinjar begins. Unrest roils college campuses. And Christmas’ cup war heats up.
It’s Thursday, and here are five things to know for your new day.
ISIS OFFENSIVE
The avengers: We watched in horror last year when ISIS rolled through the Iraqi town of Sinjar, slaughtering men and boys and selling the girls and women into slavery. Well, today, the Yazidis of Sinjar teamed up with their neighbors, the Kurds, and — backed by coalition air support — launched an offensive to reclaim their home. Sinjar is a big deal. It links Mosul – ISIS’ prized possession — with cities it holds in Syria. Win back Sinjar and you’ve divided the “caliphate” ISIS wants to establish across the region.
COLLEGE PROTESTS
Winter of discontent: Seems like the ouster of Mizzou president was the shot heard ’round campuses. Kick-out-the-prez fever has gripped New York’s Ithaca College where students want Tom Rochon gone. He’s trying to stave that off by creating a chief diversity officer gig. On tap for today? A #MillionStudentMarch. Organizers want to see students rally nationwide to demand free tuition, a $15 minimum wage and their student debts wiped clean.
CAMPAIGN 2016
The force is strong with this one: The ‘deportation force,’ that is. Donald Trump says he’ll use it to kick 11 million undocumented immigrants out of the U.S. He says it’s all very fair and humane; they can even come back if they go about it the right way. His critics hope “deportation force” works out as well for Trump as “self-deportation” did for Mitt Romney.
TASER DEATH
Stunned: A man dies in police custody. A family sues. An all-too-common headline these days. Only this time, it plays out in a graphic video. It shows cops repeatedly Tasing an uncooperative, handcuffed Linwood Lambert outside a hospital in South Boston, Virginia. A medical examiner says Lambert died of “acute cocaine intoxication.” His family says it was excessive force. A hearing in the $25 million wrongful death case will take place today.
CHRISTMAS CONTROVERSY
Tempest in a coffee cup: How is this a thing – this misplaced brew-haha? Starbucks debuts a plain, red holiday cup; an Arizona pastor disses them as Jesus haters and Trump suggests a boycott. Dunkin’ Donuts splashes the word “Joy” across its cups (like it’s always done) and gets an attaboy. It’s all very tiring and makes you long for the days when Christmas divided folks over one question: real tree or fake?