The whole world is reaching out to Manchester after the concert attack. Here’s what you need to know to to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
1. Concert attack
The UK raised its threat level to “critical” — the top of its threat scale — and British Prime Minister Theresa May warned that another attack “may be imminent” after the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester that killed 22. The raised threat level — which hasn’t been this high since 2007 — means armed soldiers will be deployed to key sites around the country.
Police ID’d 22-year-old Salman Abedi as the suspected suicide bomber and made a few raids and at least one arrest. ISIS claimed responsibility for the atrocity but didn’t offer any evidence.
The victims of the attack, many of them just children, were remembered at a vigil outside Manchester’s city hall, where a defiant poet reminded residents that their city is more than just the site of a terror attack.
Grande, who tweeted that the attack had left her “broken,” returned home to Florida after announcing she was postponing her current tour.
2. Russia investigation
Oh, where do we begin? Let’s start with testimony from John Brennan, the ex-CIA director, who told the House intelligence committee that the Russians brazenly interfered in our 2016 presidential election and that they actively contacted members of President Trump’s campaign. Brennan said while he wouldn’t call it the “C” word — collusion — he found it all very troubling.
Brennan wasn’t the only big name testifying. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He wouldn’t comment on reports that the President asked him to publicly deny evidence of cooperation between his 2016 campaign team and Russia. But he did say he’s told the Trump administration that politicizing intelligence was inappropriate. He also condemned all the leaks coming out of the intel community right now, saying they are jeopardizing people’s lives.
Having a hard time keeping up with all of the players in this ever-expanding drama? Don’t worry, we’ve created a who’s who for you.
3. President Trump
The President and the Pontiff met up at the Vatican this morning, in the third leg of Donald Trump’s first overseas trip as commander in chief. These two men have very different views of the world — and they’ve been tweeting about it — but, publicly at least, the meeting wasn’t as awkward as some feared. They talked privately for about a half hour, then the Pope met members of Trump’s family and Cabinet before the two men exchanged gifts. Next up in the President’s itinerary: Brussels, where he’ll meet with EU officials.
4. Budget
We’ve had a closer look at President Trump’s proposed budget, and boy are there some eye-popping numbers: a nearly 30% cut for the State Department, a 31% cut for the EPA and an almost 20% cut for the Labor Department. But there are some nice increases for defense (10%), homeland security (6.8%) and veterans affairs (5.8%). Democrats pounced on all the cuts to the social safety net and environmental programs. Economists panned the budget’s assumptions that everything will be fine because the US economy under Trump will grow at a lofty 3% every year, something they say just isn’t realistic. One other thing to remember — Trump’s budget plan in its current form is pretty much DOA in Congress.
5. Venezuela
Quick, name the country that currently has the most asylum seekers to the US. Mexico? El Salvador? China? Nope. It’s Venezuela, and it’s obvious why. The South American country is struggling through food and medicine shortages that have sparked protests against President Nicolas Maduro’s government that have gone on for months. Between 2015 and 2016, asylum applications from Venezuelans to the United States have soared 160% and are on track to double again this year.
Breakfast Browse
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
Dancing king
“Dancing with the Stars” has a new champ, and once again it’s an ex-athlete, which really doesn’t seem to be fair, but whatever.
RIP, Roger
Roger Moore, who died at age 89, may not have been everyone’s favorite Bond, but the iconic film series may not have survived without him.
Road reroute
If your summer plans include a trip down California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway, you’ll have to make a detour. Part of the road is buried under a massive landslide.
Super moves
They say it never rains in Southern California. Well apparently it does, because weather woes have slowed work on LA’s new NFL stadium, which was supposed to host Super Bowl LV, so that big game’s headed to Tampa.
And finally …
When Google met Alexa
A Google Home device makes nice with an Amazon Echo unit, which, while cute, probably signals the start of some kind of robot uprising. (Click to view)