5 Things for August 22: Afghanistan, Navy Wreck, Barcelona, Baltimore, Secret Service

CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 8/22/2017, 7:09 a.m.
The Eclipse of the Century is over, but we've got memories to last a lifetime. Here's what else you need …
US destroyer John S. McCain

By Doug Criss, CNN

(CNN) -- The Eclipse of the Century is over, but we've got memories to last a lifetime. Here's what else 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. Afghanistan

America's longest war will go on a little longer, but President Trump, in a prime-time address to the nation, didn't say how much longer that will be. Nor did the President say how many more troops will be sent to Afghanistan, where the US has been fighting for 16 years, sacrificing the lives of thousands of American men and women and spending more than $800 billion. What Trump did say is that the US will "fight to win," focus on beating back the Taliban and other terrorists groups and not engage in nation-building. Trump campaigned on getting the US out of Afghanistan, but now he's taking his generals' advice.

2. Navy warship collision

The US Navy is going to hit pause, briefly, as it tries to get to the bottom of a slew of ship collisions that have left sailors dead and missing. The chief of Naval operations is expected to order a one-day safety stand-down across the entire Navy, with units taking turns suspending their work over a couple weeks.

The order comes after the destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker near Singapore. Ten sailors are missing, and divers are searching flooded areas of the ship for them. It's the Navy's second major collision in three months. The USS Fitzgerald collided with a container ship in June near Japan, killing seven sailors. The ship's leadership was removed from duty.

3. Barcelona

The man suspected of driving the van used in the Barcelona terror attack is dead. Police shot and killed Younes Abouyaaqoub in a town west of Barcelona. He was wearing an explosive belt and armed with knives when he was killed. Police say Abouyaaqoub, a 22-year-old Moroccan national, was at the wheel when a van plowed through a crowd in a tourist district, killing 13 people.

4. Baltimore police

Well, here we go again. There's apparently a third body-camera video out that allegedly shows a Baltimore police officer engaged in "questionable activity." The video appears to show an officer re-enacting the seizure of evidence. Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is investigating and says at least 43 criminal cases will be tossed out as a result of the footage. Two other videos out this summer appear to show Baltimore officers planting or manufacturing evidence. That's resulted in more than 100 cases being delayed or dismissed.

5. Secret Service

The Secret Service is having problems paying some of the agents who protect the President and his family. The agency's director told USA Today that more than 1,000 agents have already hit caps for salary and overtime for 2017. Director Randolph "Tex'' Alles told the newspaper part of the problem is that Trump has a large family that travels a lot, but he later seemed to walk that back a bit, telling CNN it's a problem that pre-dates the Trump era. Alles has met with members of Congress to talk about boosting the caps for agents.

NUMBER OF THE DAY

$417 million

That's how much a jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay a California woman who said she developed ovarian cancer after decades of using the company's baby powder. Johnson & Johnson says it will appeal.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.

Swift return?

Taylor Swift hasn't dropped new music in a couple of years (hard to believe, right?), but a cryptic video snippet may mean T-Swizzle is back.

Bye-bye, Ben

If you want to hear Big Ben chime over the next four years, this video will have to do, because the London icon is officially out of commission for repairs.

Flip it and reverse it

If Missy Elliott's fans get their way, they'll topple a Confederate monument and replace it with a statue of the rapper/dancer.

Who writes the songs?

Lennon and McCartney. Ashford and Simpson. Lerner and Loewe. Now add singer Taryn Southern and artificial intelligence to the list of great songwriting duos.

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH

Here's what's happening later.

Rally time

Another Trump rally is set for tonight. This time it's in Arizona, which just happens to be the home of two of the President's biggest GOP critics, as well as immigration lightning rod ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

AND FINALLY ...

Just doing his part

The restaurant biz is tough, but a burger bar owner in China is lucky his golden retriever is around to help drum up new business. (Click to view)