Switching plans. Laying low. Changing sides. It’s Monday, and here are the 5 things you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
1. Terrorism
They were going to hit Paris again. That’s what the Belgian prosecutor’s office said yesterday of the terror network in Belgium, responsible for the Paris terror attacks in November and last month’s suicide bombings in Brussels. The terrorists had been casing high-profile targets in Paris, but when they found out investigators were closing in on them, they switched plans and hit Brussels instead. Mohamed Abrini, believed to be the so-called “man in the hat” in the Brussels airport attack, was arrested late last week.
2. Ex-NFL star killed
A former Super Bowl and college football champion was shot and killed in New Orleans over the weekend. Will Smith, who played 10 seasons for the Saints, was shot Saturday night after a traffic accident. Smith’s vehicle had been rear-ended; police said he “exchanged words” with the other driver before that person pulled out a gun and shot the former NFL star. Cardell Hayes is charged with second-degree murder in relation to the incident. An added wrinkle: Hayes filed a lawsuit against New Orleans years ago after police killed his father. One of the cops named in the suit dined with Smith just before he was killed.
3. Campaign 2016
Where is The Donald? That’s what everyone wants to know. Donald Trump, for the first time in more than four months — four months! — didn’t call or appear on any of the Sunday morning talk shows yesterday. And, he was only out in public last week for a couple of rallies and to visit the 9/11 museum. Many observers think Trump is trying to run out the clock. He does hold a big lead in New York, home of the next primary. And he doesn’t want a repeat of Wisconsin, where pundits say self-inflicted wounds lead to a double-digit loss.
4. India temple fire
Authorities in southern India are looking for at least 10 people connected to a temple that caught fire early yesterday. More than 100 people were killed in the blaze at the Puttingal temple, which reportedly was started by fireworks. Revelers were celebrating the Hindu new year at the temple, which has a long history of using fireworks — sometimes illegally — in celebrations. Five workers from the fireworks company have been detained.
5. Korean peninsula
Defecting from North Korea to South Korea seems to be the thing to do lately. Today, officials in the South announced a senior colonel with the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau — let’s just call them the North’s spy masters — had defected. Last week, 13 North Korean nationals defected to the South.
