Happy Monday morning and, if you’re celebrating, Happy Eid. I’m AJ and I’ll be filling in for Doug while he’s on vacation. Here are the 5 things you need to know today to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
1. Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton has pneumonia. Video of Clinton getting into a waiting van after a 9/11 commemoration event showed her stumbling, which tipped off concerns about her health, which led to her doctor revealing the diagnosis. The incident has dredged up a common question from this election: How much should we know about a candidate’s health? Neither Clinton nor Donald Trump has released extensive health information.
2. Syria civil war
The U.S. and Russia have shaken hands on a plan to reduce airstrikes and curb civilian casualties in Syria (if this sounds like déjà vu it kind of is — a similar negotiation was put together in February, but it promptly fell apart). If all goes according to plan, the Syrian government and its opposition will both respect a ceasefire that goes into effect at sundown today. But over the weekend, it was more of the same: Airstrikes killed at least 90 people.
3. North Korea floods
North Korea usually presents itself as a utopia, but now it’s making a rare admission: All is not well in the country’s northeast. Severe flooding there is doing some serious damage. “Tens of thousands” of buildings have been destroyed, 133 people have been killed and 395 others are missing.
4. Ohio heroin epidemic
One hundred and twelve people have died of heroin overdoses in Akron this year alone. That’s a ridiculously high number, and authorities say heroin laced with carfentanil and fentanyl — the drug that killed Prince — is probably to blame. Two extremely disturbing viral photos continue to bring awareness to the epidemic. They show a pair of adults who overdosed in a car while a small child looked on. Be warned, they’re tough to look at.
5. Weekend update
Is #BasketOfDeplorables the #BindersFullOfWomen of 2016? Hillary Clinton accidentally inspired the hashtag when she said “half” of Donald Trump’s supporters are “deplorables.” … A rather amazing report regarding the December 2015 San Bernardino attack revealed that regular cops, not SWAT, made the first tactical moves on the scene. … Americans around the world took time out to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
Colin Kaepernick’s gesture grows
The first weekend of the NFL season brought new displays of protest and patriotism — and plenty of criticism.
Here she comes…
We have a new Miss America, and she has a pretty excellent name.
Mourning a hero
Actress and transgender activist Alexis Arquette has died.
Mourning an icon
Greta Friedman, the nurse being kissed by a sailor in the iconic V-J Day in Times Square photo, also passed this weekend at 92.
And finally …
Try not to get too hypnotized
It’s not just a cool video of dominoes — it’s a meditation on the fact that great things sometimes require a little push. (Okay, it’s also just a cool video of dominoes.)