8 Things You Need To Know This AM — Jul 19 2016

1. Here At Home: Lt. Brian Rice has been acquitted of all charges connected to the death of Freddie Gray.

Rice had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office. Prosecutors alleged that Rice had caused Gray's death last year by failing to fasten him in a seat belt in the back of the police van, where he suffered severe spinal-cord injuries. (Read More)

2. Major News: Russian athletes could be banned from competing in the 2016 Olympics over a doping cover-up by the Russian government.

The call comes after a Russian involved in the 2014 Sochi Games cover-up came forward to detail how performance-enhancing drug use by the Russian Olympians was concealed. (Read More)

3. World News: Over 100,000 Venezuelans visited Colombia this weekend in search of food and supplies they wouldn't find at home.

The Venezuelan government opened the previously closed border between the two countries for a single Sunday for a second time on July 17. (Read More)

4. Talking Points: Omarosa Manigault, best known as a former contestant on The Apprentice, is now Donald Trump's director of African-American outreach.

She said of the presumptive nominee, "Donald Trump is focused on improving the economic conditions of African-Americans in this country..." (Read More)

5. Just Wrong: Gov. Mike Pence wrote a review of Mulan in 1999, in which he criticized the idea of women in the military.

Pence suggested the film proved men and women serving in the military together wouldn't be able to resist pursuing romantic relationships, saying, "Moral of story: women in military, bad idea." (Read More)

HBO has announced that in addition to premiering later than it traditionally has, the series' seventh season will contain seven episodes instead of ten. (Read More)

7. A-List: Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson have officially broken up.

Reps for the two actors, who have been together for a decade, said in a statement, "Diane Kruger and Josh Jackson have decided to separate and remain friends." (Read More)

8. On The Trail: A portion of Melania Trump's RNC speech appears to have been plagiarized.

Melania Trump's highly anticipated debut on the Republican National Convention stage has landed her in hot water. A section of her speech in which she praises her own parents is now under scrutiny for its similarities to first lady Michelle Obama's 2008 convention speech. (Read More)