Blasts throughout Brussels. That’s the breaking news this Tuesday morning. Here’s everything else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door:
BRUSSELS ATTACKS
Planes and trains: Explosions tore through the Brussels airport and one of the city’s subway stations today. The number of dead and injured keep rising. Airport operations are suspended; the transit system’s been shut down and people are being told to stay home. The blasts happened just a few hours ago. So, a lot of things are still unclear. But we know Brussels has become a fertile recruiting ground for jihadi fighters. The Paris attacks were plotted here and fugitive Salah Abdeslam hid out here. Click here to follow the latest updates.
PARIS ATTACKS
The house is infested: It seemed like good news when cops nabbed Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam last week. But it’s like finding a nest of cockroaches you didn’t know you had. Officials are now warning of the possibility of fresh attacks by a new wave of ISIS terrorists. The latest suspect investigators are trying to catch: Najim Laachraoui. But he’s just one. Cops are nowhere closer to quashing them all before they multiply.
FEDS VS. APPLE
You know what? Nevermind: You know how the feds had been dogging Apple to dream up a backdoor to get into the San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone? Well, tell Siri to scratch that courtroom showdown from the Calendar. The feds now say they’ve found this “outside party” to unlock Syed Farook’s phone. Looks like the government doesn’t need you either, Apple.
CUBA
Q & (a few) A: Cuban leader Raul Castro — clearly not used to dealing with reporters — was confused and annoyed yesterday as he took questions during President Obama’s visit to Havana. Asked why his government was jailing dissidents, he said he’d release them “immediately.” When pressed again, he ended the session, saying “enough.” Obama seemed to relish putting Castro on the spot, winking at reporters. But he wasn’t entirely forthcoming either. He said the U.S. sanctions against Cuba will end — but couldn’t say when.
CAMPAIGN 2016
Again with the hands: Yep, The Donald brought them up once again saying he’s got the steadiest ones. “Look at those hands. Far steadier than hers,” he said, referring to Hillz who accused him of being a flip-flopper on foreign policy. You know, like when Trump said yesterday that America should “rethink” its involvement in NATO and then said the U.S. should “decrease” it? The five remaining candidates appeared on CNN last night talking about foreign policy and their futures, ahead of Western Tuesday.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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Number of the Day — $25.1 million
Punitive damages a jury added to the $115 million it had already awarded Hulk Hogan in the Gawker sex-tape case. Talk about a piledriver!
Subtle, so very subtle
Avoiding all stereotypes about rap stars and pro athletes, Snoop Dogg and Adidas have paired up to design money-inspired football cleats.
Tap this
$12,000 for four months of drinking beer and traveling the world? Best. Internship. Ever!
Champagne supernova in the sky
It lasted only 20 minutes and took place 1.2 billion light years away, but NASA managed to get it on camera: a star exploding.
Something fishy
A zebrafish in Technicolor? We’ve only been waiting for this FOREVER!
Scratch that
Hey grownups! Look what your coloring book craze has wrought: A global pencil shortage.