We’ve reached the end of an extremely difficult week. Hopefully, you’ll get to spend some of the weekend with the ones you love. Now, here’s what you need to know 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. Las Vegas shooting
One national gun control measure may actually pass after the worst mass shooting in modern American history. The White House, Dems, GOPers in Congress — and even the NRA — say they’re on board to do something about bump-fire stocks. These devices, now legal, allow semi-automatic weapons to simulate automatic weapon fire. Bump stocks were on 12 of the 23 weapons found in the Las Vegas shooter’s hotel room. CNN’s Chris Cillizza says the NRA’s support is a ploy to stop more gun control measures before they start.
And there is still no sign of Stephen Paddock’s motive for indiscriminately shooting at thousands of people at a country music festival, killing 58. But we have learned a few other things. One, he was shooting at more than just people; he also fired on a fuel tank at the nearby McCarran International Airport. Authorities say there was “zero” chance of an explosion. Secondly, someone named Stephen Paddock reserved a room at a Chicago hotel overlooking Grant Park during Lollapalooza back in August, but no one ever checked in.
Read an in-depth account of the shooting from CNN’s Mallory Simon of 10 Las Vegas survivors and their six hours of hell.
2. Iran nuclear deal
So, President Trump intends to decertify the Iran nuke deal, but what exactly does that mean? It doesn’t mean Trump is just scrapping the deal, which he constantly blasted on the campaign trial. Trump is expected to say the Obama-era pact is not in the US interest and that Iran hasn’t “lived up” to its spirit, triggering a 60-day review by Congress. CNN’s Stephen Collinson says decertification allows the President to save face, dent Barack Obama’s legacy and leave the pact’s fate (and the political fury over possibly pulling out of it) in Congress’ hands. Critics say Trump is putting US national security at risk for purely political purposes.
3. Tropical Storm Nate
Tropical Storm Nate is headed to Mexico after killing 20 people in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras. The storm will make another landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula before hitting open sea again. Nate is then expected to get stronger and hit late Saturday or early Sunday somewhere along the Gulf Coast — possibly New Orleans, where the drainage pumping system isn’t at full strength — as a Category 1 hurricane.
We’re nearing the tail end of the peak part of hurricane season, and this one has been a doozy. Puerto Rico is still suffering in the aftermath of Maria, with water and electricity in short supply. Now, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says his company’s solar power unit could fix the island’s power crisis for the long term.
4. Russia probe
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators met this past summer with the former British spy whose dossier on alleged Russian efforts to aid the Trump campaign spawned months of investigations that have hobbled the Trump administration, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Information from Christopher Steele, a former MI-6 officer, could help investigators determine whether contacts between people associated with the Trump campaign and suspected Russian operatives broke any laws.
CNN has learned that the FBI and the US intelligence community last year took the Steele dossier more seriously than the agencies have publicly acknowledged. James Clapper, then the director of national intelligence, said in a January statement that the intelligence community had “not made any judgment that the information in this document is reliable.”
5. Spain
Leaders in the Catalonia region wanted to declare independence next week, but Spain’s highest court says not so fast. The country’s Constitutional Court suspended a meeting of Catalonia’s regional parliament set for Monday, where the region’s president was expected to formally make the declaration. Voters in Catalonia overwhelming OK’d a referendum on independence almost a week ago (despite violent clashes with police). But Spain’s government says the vote was illegal. It’s not clear at this point if the Catalan parliament will still meet, in defiance of the court’s action.
THIS JUST IN …
Prize winner
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded this morning to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I cannot be more remorseful about the people I hurt, and I plan to do right by all of them”
Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, apologizing after a New York Times story detailed numerous sexual harassment accusations against him. But he also plans to sue The Times over the article.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
More bucks to binge
Your Netflix fix is going to cost you a little bit more. The streaming and DVD-by-mail company is raising the price of its standard and premium services.
‘Almost Like Praying’
Lin-Manuel Miranda doesn’t want you to forget about Puerto Rico, so he and 22 of his musical friends got together and put out a song so you won’t forget.
Musical majesty
Nominees for next year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction are out, and they include Bon Jovi, Kate Bush, Nina Simone, LL Cool J and 15 others.
Out of this world
Running out of exotic places to visit? Maybe you can grab a seat on an Amazon-affiliated company’s rocket that will take tourists to space by 2019.
Home sweet home
Want a different kind of place to live? How about a 2,100-square-foot home, made of shipping containers, in a starburst-like design, smack in the middle of the desert.
The nitty-gritty
Want to write about Detroit? That’s cool. But a native wordsmith says, please, leave the word “gritty” out of it.
WHAT’S FOR LUNCH
Blown away
The monthly jobs report comes out later this morning. Economists expect Hurricanes Harvey and Irma will have a big impact on the numbers.
NUMBER OF THE DAY
$811,800
That’s how much seven trips by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on government planes cost taxpayers.
AND FINALLY …
Eat like a Brit
No better way to end a difficult week than with cute kids, especially when they’re trying out 100 years’ worth of British food. (Click to view)