5 things you absolutely must know today

Harper, Wall to call for end of Senate

Stephen Harper and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall will hold a press conference later today at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building to call for the end of the Canadian Senate, according to a National Post source. Neither office could be reached for confirmation on Thursday, according to the Post. The Senate has dealt Harper’s government a series of blows, largely stemming from the excesses some Upper Chamber members have been partaking in at the expense of taxpayers. Harper-appointed Mike Duffy comes to mind. Conservative Senator Don Meredith does, as well; ousted for allegedly having sex with an underage girl. And then there’s Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin. Harper has expressed interest in dissolving the Senate before, but in 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that in order to do so Ottawa would need the unanimous consent of all the provinces. [Source: National Post]

Man opens fire in Louisiana theatre

A 58-year-old man armed with a pistol opened fire inside a “Trainwreck” screening at the Grand Theatre in Lafayette, Louisiana, killing two people, wounding nine, then turning the hand gun on himself. It began about 20 minutes into the film. The man was apparently sitting alone when reports say he shot the two people in the seats in front of him. There were about 100 people in the building at the time. The shooting happened as a jury considers the death penalty for James Holmes, the 27-year-old who killed 12 people in a Colorado cinema three years ago. “We don’t know whether it was a random act, whether it was a domestic situation,” police chief Jim Craft told news sources. [Source: BBC]

Turkey joins war on IS

Turkish fighter jets and ground forces have been deployed in what some sources are calling a coordinated crackdown against Islamic State. And the country’s first showing of military aggression against the extremist group. Hundreds of IS militants have been rounded up in the attacks. According to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s office, fighter jets hit three IS targets with guided bombs early Friday. One of the targets was a suspected headquarters. This move marks a shift from reluctance to join the U.S.-led coalition to something much more promising. The policy shift comes shortly after an IS attack earlier this week that killed a Turkish soldier near Turkey’s border. [Source: The Guardian]

Yellowstone doesn’t want you to take selfies with bison

Yellowstone National Park would like you to quit taking selfies with bison. And, apparently, if recent events signify a trend, the bison don’t want you to, either. Earlier this week, a 43-year-old woman and her daughter turned their backs to the large land beasts in order to take a selfie with seemingly docile bison in the background. It didn’t work out as they thought. But it did work out exactly how you’re thinking it did. “They heard the bison’s footsteps moving toward them and started to run, but the bison caught the mother on the right side, lifted her up and tossed her with its head,” said the Yellowstone park service. She was fine. But her case is not a solitary one. [Source: Death and Taxes]

Cocktail for summer mornings: Spanish coffee

He likes it in the evening. Good for him. I’d say an early morning on the dock or the deck would be a better (or additional) time to enjoy this tasty cocktail.