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Uprising’s guest expert Courtney Morris, assistant professor of African American and Women’s Studies at Penn State University, analyzes today’s news headlines:

Sixteen people have died and 12 are still missing in Utah after flashfloods swept through parts of the state following torrential rain. Many among the dead are children. Philip Barlow, the mayor of Hilldale, Utah, where the floods hit hardest, called it “a 100-year flood.” Many of the victims were among those who went out to watch the downpours – a popular activity in the area – when they were caught by the unexpected deluge. Meanwhile in Northern California, after several days of raging fires that have claimed nearly 600 homes, firefighters are reporting some progress. The so-called Valley Fire impacted communities west of Sacramento and at least one person has died and several firefighters are being treated for second-degree burns. When the fire broke out, it spread with what experts are calling “mind-boggling speed,” burning through 40,000 acres in less than 12 hours. California’s fourth year of drought, coupled with last week’s triple digit temperatures created the perfect conditions for the fire. Click here for a Washington Post article, and here for an NBC News article about the story.

A fourteen year old Muslim boy was arrested this week in Irving, Texas. His crime: making a homemade clock that a teacher, and several police officers decided was an attempt at making a bomb. Ahmed Mohamed was told by his teacher that his clock “looked like a bomb,” and later that day he was taken out of class, handcuffed, fingerprinted, and booked. The boy is known for his science prowess. His father, who emigrated from Sudan, told press, “He just wants to invent good things for mankind… But because his name is Mohamed and because of Sept. 11, I think my son got mistreated.” The Council on American Islamic Relations is investigating the incident. Click here for a Washington Post article about the story.

Eleven people from the Republican Party, vying for the presidential nomination, will take to the stage tonight. The latest GOP debate is sure to be as entertaining and controversial as the earlier ones. The Washington Post points out that establishment candidates, Jeb Bush and Scott Walker are entering the debate having fallen several percentage points in popularity. Meanwhile the outsiders who have never held political office, such as Donald Trump, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina, are rising. As a measure of money raised, Jeb Bush leads the pack. A poll by the Post and ABC earlier this week found that 60% of Republicans prefer an outsider to win the nomination. Click here for a Washington Post article, and here for an MSNBC article about the story.