Monday, June 6th, 2022
Gun Talks Progress, Storm Hits Florida & ‘Maverick’ Military Boost?
All the news you need in about 10 min:
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Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want to review the latest happenings...
Gun Reform Negotiations
U.S. Senators say they’re making big, bipartisan progress toward new gun reform. However, the reform package will almost certainly fall short of what President Biden and other Democrats have been asking for. Sen. Chris Murphy told CNN that lawmakers don’t plan to bring any bill to the floor that would ban assault weapons or include comprehensive background checks. Those ideas don’t have enough support since most Republicans say they would keep law-abiding citizens from getting guns. Other items are still on the table, like investments in mental health care and school safety, red flag laws, and some changes to the background check system.
Read More: WaPo, WSJ, Reuters, CNN, Sen. Murphy
Weekend Mass Shootings
Police are searching for suspects in a few mass shootings over the weekend. The first one happened in Philadelphia’s busy South Street entertainment district on Saturday night. A fight broke out, and a few shooters fired into a crowd of hundreds of people. At least three people died, and a dozen more were hurt. A few hours later, 14 people were shot near a bar in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. Also, three people were hit by cars as they were trying to run away. Police think there was more than one shooter there, too. Parties in Arizona, Virginia, Texas, and South Carolina were also interrupted by gunfire, and dozens of people were shot.
Read More: ABC News, NY Times, AP, Fox News
Navarro Charged with Contempt
A grand jury indicted former trade adviser Peter Navarro for refusing to abide by a subpoena from the House committee that’s investigating the Capitol riot. The charges are about the subpoena the House committee issued months ago, demanding Navarro show up for testimony and provide documents to investigators. Navarro has been fighting the subpoena, saying he shouldn’t have to comply because of executive privilege. Now, he’s facing two counts of criminal contempt of Congress. If he’s found guilty, he could spend up to two years in jail and face fines of up to $200,000.
Read More: NY Times, WSJ, Politico, NPR
Airstrikes Hit Kyiv
The capital of Ukraine is dealing with the first major strikes there in weeks. Kyiv has been getting pummeled by Russian missiles. Russia says it’s going after supplies that western nations like the U.S. recently sent Ukraine and that it's hitting its targets, claiming it has destroyed donated tanks. Ukrainian officials say Russia hit a railcar repair facility. That’s a problem because Russia has also blocked export routes through the Black Sea. The railway system has been the main way Ukrainians have been getting shipments in and out of the country.
Read More: Reuters, AP, The Guardian, CNBC
Russia’s Latest Warning
Russia’s President Putin says more targets will be hit if weapons deliveries keep arriving in Ukraine. He specifically mentioned long-range missiles coming from the U.S. Last week, President Biden announced a plan to send new advanced rocket systems to Ukraine. It’s a move Russia says is “pouring oil on the fire.” Still, the precision weapons and trained troops are expected to reach the Ukrainian battlefield in about three weeks.
Read More: Axios, Reuters, CNN, USA Today
78 Years Since D-Day
Today marks 78 years since D-Day, the day allied troops invaded Normandy, France to fight the Nazis in World War II. It was the largest invasion of land and water in history, and some historians consider it the single most important day in the 20th century and a huge turning point in the war. Many WWII veterans and their families got together for a series of events over the weekend to pay tribute to those who helped bring peace and freedom to Europe and look at the monuments marking key moments of the fight. More events are happening today.
Read More: CNN, AP, Euronews, Normandy Tourism
Tropical Storm Alex Path
Tropical Storm Alex became the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Just before it was named, the system hit South Florida with heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding. The city of Miami closed several roads and at least one beach. The danger from flooding was high all weekend. As of this morning, there have been no reports of deaths in the U.S. However, the storm killed at least three people in Cuba. Now, Tropical Storm Alex is heading toward Bermuda where tropical storm warnings are already in place.
Read More: AP, Weather Channel, CNN, Accuweather, NHC
FTC Crypto Scams Warning
A new government report found Americans lost more than $1 billion to crypto scams in 2021. The FTC did the analysis and found that $1 out of every $4 reported lost was crypto-related. That’s more than any other payment method and 60 times more than what was reported in 2018. A lot of people first saw the scams on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. The FTC warned these types of scams are only becoming more common, so the agency offered some advice. For example, avoid anything that promises guaranteed profits and big returns or requires you to buy cryptocurrency.
Read More: Business Insider, Axios, Gizmodo, CNN, FTC
Apple WWDC Preview
Apple’s annual developer conference starts today. It’s usually where Apple reveals its newest software and new versions of some popular devices. This year, reports say we can expect a look at Apple’s latest iPhone operating system, iOS 16. It’s rumored to have a revamped notification center, a new lock screen, and more social features for iMessage. There may be a new Macbook Air laptop unveiled as well. However, all eyes are on virtual and augmented realities. Some think a new mixed reality headset is coming. Apple’s event will be live-streamed on its website, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
Read More: The Verge, CNN, Bloomberg, 9to5Mac, Apple
Weekend Box Office
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ did it again. The sequel’s second weekend in theaters is now among the top ten highest-grossing second weekends in box office history in North America. It already broke records for its Memorial Day weekend debut. The U.S. military is hoping the movie’s popularity might convince more people to join the armed forces. As Fox News reports, the original ‘Top Gun’ movie in 1986 created a 500% increase in applications from young men who wanted to be naval aviators. Now, the commander of Air Force recruiting says he and his colleagues are expecting the new movie to do the same.
Read More: Deadline, Variety, CNN, Fox News
Men’s French Open Winner
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal broke another record at the French Open, becoming the oldest champion in the history of the tournament. He won it two days after his 36th birthday. Perhaps more surprising, Nadal had been dealing with chronic pain in his left foot. To be able to play, he needed pain-killing injections before every round that made his foot numb. Still, he came out on top, winning his 14th men’s singles title at the French Open and his 22nd grand slam overall, solidifying his record there, too.
Read More: ESPN, NY Times, NY Post, CBS News
Women’s French Open Winner
On the women’s side, Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek won the French Open for the second time by beating American Coco Gauff. That extended her winning streak to 35 matches. That’s one better than the best Serena Williams ever had, and it equals the longest streak so far this century. Next up, the tennis world is focused on Wimbledon, which starts later this month.
Read More: Bleacher Report, USA Today, CNN, AP
Money Monday: Car Insurance Rates Up
The cost of car insurance is rising. The Wall Street Journal reports rates are going up as much as 20% in some locations. Insurance companies think it’s necessary to deal with inflation since it’s costing them more now to repair or replace vehicles. Also, the amount of driving and number of crashes have rebounded since the pandemic lows. Car insurance rates depend on a lot of things, from your age to your driving history to the type of car you drive to where you live. Right now, some states are approving price increases faster than others. Bankrate says the most expensive state for full coverage car insurance is now New York. The cheapest is Maine.
Read More: WSJ, CNET, Bankrate