It’s Friday and we’re ready to say goodbye to a horrible week. Here are the 5 things you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
1. Orlando mass shooting
Every day brings fresh revelations about Omar Mateen — what he did before the Pulse nightclub attack and during. Yesterday, we learned he texted his wife two hours into the massacre, asking if she’d seen the news. When she tried calling him back after learning what was going on, he didn’t respond. He also vented on Facebook during the attack. We also learned that about a month ago, Mateen tried to buy body armor and 1,000 rounds of ammo from a gun store. It turned him down and called the FBI.
2. Jo Cox killing
There are so many reasons Jo Cox’s death is so stunning. A) She’s the first British lawmaker to be killed in office in more than two decades. B) She was gunned down in public, in a nation with some of the tightest gun laws. C) And it may have been over Brexit. Cox had pushed for Britain to stay in the EU, an unpopular position with some right-wing groups, including one called Britain First. Her attacker reportedly yelled “Put Britain first” before shooting her.
3. Disney alligator attack
Disney says it’ll start putting up alligator warning signs as soon as possible after a gator grabbed 2-year-old Lane Graves. There are “No Swimming” signs at that lagoon, but none about gators. Officials have caught or killed at least five gators from the lagoon and think the one responsible for Lane’s death is dead, but they’re not totally sure. The boy’s family is back home in Nebraska.
4. Sports
Team USA is in the Copa America semis after a nail-biting 2-1 win against Ecuador. This is a big deal, folks: It’s only the second time in the cup’s history that the U.S. has made it this far . Meanwhile, in the NBA Finals, King James played Superman, scoring 41 points in the Cavs’ win over the Golden State Warriors. Sunday night, the Cavs could become the first team to climb out of a 3-1 hole to win a Finals series.
5. Meat Loaf
Rocker Meat Loaf collapsed on stage last night while belting out the song he’s best known for: “I’d Do Anything for Love.” At first, fans at the Edmonton show it was all part of the act. But when the 68-year-old singer didn’t move and stage hands rushed to his side, they realized it was serious. The singer had postponed a concert in Calgary earlier in the week “due to illness.” We don’t have an update on his condition just yet.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
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Pets and pistols
It’s easier to get a gun in America than a lot of other things, like a passport … or a puppy.
If you can’t beat ’em …
Tired of hating on the 1% and ready to join them? Here’s how much you need to make to be among the financial elite in your state.
Not a good sign
The Philadelphia Eagles’ new QB couldn’t get out of a gas station bathroom, so he’ll have all kinds of trouble escaping the clutches of NFL defensive linemen.
E.T. ain’t phoning home
If aliens are out there, it’ll be about 1,500 years before we make contact with them because, you know, the universe is kind of vast.
Please and thank you
Good manners aren’t just for the real world, they’re for the virtual one to, as a British grandma demonstrates with her oh-so-nice Google requests.
Number of the day
$91 million
The revenue Philly expects to raise from its new soda tax, approved yesterday.
AND FINALLY …
Vocal sunshine
Jazz singer Haley Reinhart transforms Soundgarden’s ’94 grunge classic “Black Hole Sun” into a sultry torch song.