Facing the music in Flint. Feeling snubbed in Saudi Arabia. Counting chickens on the campaign trail. It’s Thursday, and here are the 5 things you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
1. Campaign 2016
After the New York primaries, you get the feeling that this crazy, chaotic nominating process for both parties has reached the beginning of the end. Hillary Clinton’s campaign is already talking about possible VPs — and yes, women will be on the short list — while Donald Trump’s camp predicts he’ll win 1,400 delegates, which would put him well past the 1,237 needed to lock up the nomination (and avoid a contested convention). Even if all this happens, there’s still a general election to get through, so we’re not off the hook yet.
2. Flint water crisis
“Only the beginning.” Those were the words of Michigan’s attorney general, who said charges against three men announced yesterday won’t be the only ones filed related to the water crisis in Flint. The three government employees — Mike Glasgow, Stephen Busch and Mike Prysby — face serious prison time if convicted. But residents who’ve been dealing with all of this want more — they want Gov. Rick Snyder indicted. Here’s the crisis in 2 minutes.
3. Migrant crisis
It’s almost too horrible to comprehend: up to 500 migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. The U.N.’s refugee agency says it happened last week when a large ship, overcrowded with people, sank in the sea between Libya and Italy. There were 41 survivors, rescued over the weekend by a merchant ship and taken to Greece.
4. Obama-Saudi Arabia
So how did President Obama’s trip to The Kingdom go yesterday? Well, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman didn’t meet him at the airport (considered a snub by many). And while the pair did meet later — in a meeting the White House said “really cleared the air” — a prominent member of the Saudi royal family said “a recalibration” of the U.S.-Saudi relationship was needed. Yeah, it sounds like couple’s therapy, but the conflict in Yemen, the fight against ISIS and the role of Iran are just some of the issues that have strained ties between the two allies.
5. $20 bill
Andrew Jackson is out. Harriet Tubman is in. That’s what Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced yesterday about the $20 bill, which will be redesigned with Tubman gracing the front of the bill and Jackson relegated to the back. Change is coming to the $10 bill as well, with a montage of women involved in the American suffrage moment to be honored on the back of that bill. Alexander Hamilton will keep his place on the front of the $10 bill. (Wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain Broadway musical, would it?)
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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Long live the queen
Queen Elizabeth is 90 today, the first British monarch to ever reach that milestone. She’ll celebrate with a “walkabout” — those Brits know how to party.
Struck out
Curt Schilling is out at ESPN. The baseball analyst was fired last night after sharing an anti-transgender meme on his Facebook page.
A kind of magic
A team of researchers from three countries studied Freddie Mercury’s voice and discovered that — surprise! — the Queen front man was a fantastic singer.
Smuggler’s blues
The feds discovered a half-mile long drug tunnel under the Cali-Mexico border that had lights, ventilation systems and even an elevator.
Pregnancy blues
From the “things we didn’t know we needed” department: Bluetooth-enabled pregnancy tests are now on sale. Yes, really.
Number of the day
$35,000
The price for a love letter allegedly written by the late rapper Tupac Shakur.