TODAY'S TALKING POINTS 08-013-15

TODAY'S TALKING POINTS An Islamic State affiliate reportedly killed a Croatian captive. Images surfaced online Wednesday that purported to show the grisly aftermath of the beheading of 30-year-old Tomislav Salopek, who had been abducted in Egypt. The terrorist group previously threatened authorities with his death if they didn't free Muslim women from Egyptian jails. If confirmed, his death would be the first of a foreign captive abducted in the country at the hands of the extremist group, and it would mark a major escalation as the country struggles to improve its battered tourism industry. The Islamic State group also claimed responsibility for a truck bomb detonated at a Baghdad market Thursday, which killed at least 50 and injured 75. Massive explosions rocked the Chinese city of Tianjin. Flammable material stored at a warehouse exploded before midnight local time Wednesday, killing at least 44 and injuring more than 500. Officials reported a series of explosions that left a ghostly mushroom cloud and shook the ground with tremors that were reportedly felt miles away. The value of China’s currency fell even lower. After Tuesday’s record devaluation, China cut the reference rate for the Yuan by more than 1% — the lowest the currency has been against the dollar in years. This is a good thing for U.S. residents who buy products with a Made in China stamp, because the devaluation makes imports cheaper, but it could also lead to fewer U.S. jobs. New York inmates say they were beaten after killers escaped. A New York Times investigation revealed that corrections officers at Clinton Correctional Facility embarked on a “campaign of retribution” against other prisoners after the June jailbreak of convicted killers Richard Matt and David Sweat. Jimmy Carter's liver surgery revealed cancer. The 90-year-old former U.S. president will undergo treatment in Atlanta.