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IMPORTANT
| | | Another Tragic Day | Oklahoma Mass Shooting Sends Already-Grieving Nation Reeling At least five people were killed in a mass shooting that unfolded in a Tulsa medical building Wednesday night, authorities confirmed. The shooter, who has not yet been identified but is believed to be from the area, died of a self-inflicted gunshot. Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum thanked local police for their quick response: “The men and women of the Tulsa Police Department did not hesitate.” The tragedy is the latest in a string of high-profile mass shootings in the U.S. that have put gun reform — and the role of law enforcement — back on the national agenda. (Sources: CNN, Tulsa World) |
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| | | Back In Business | Shanghai Reopens After Grueling Lockdown “This is a day that we dreamed of for a very long time,” Shanghai city official Yin Xin said as the city erupted in celebrations. Shanghai’s 25 million-plus population marked the occasion with fireworks and dancing in the streets after a strict two-month lockdown following the national government’s zero-COVID policy. Some restrictions, like half-capacity in offices and no indoor dining, will continue, but the city has largely sprung back to life. Other cities around China, including capital Beijing, remain under similar restrictions. The economy is expected to bounce back only modestly, but for now, Shanghai residents are happy enough. (Sources: AFP, BBC) |
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| | | Logging Off | Facebook Announces Fall Exit for Sheryl Sandberg She’s leaning out. Sandberg, chief operating officer at Facebook and one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent women, will leave the company after 14 years. While she’ll continue on the board of parent company Meta, she’s looking forward to “the next chapter” of her life, she wrote in a Facebook post. During her tenure, Sandberg oversaw both a massive expansion in Facebook’s global reach and concerns over the power of unregulated social media — and was instrumental in crafting Facebook’s response. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called her exit “the end of an era,” and confirmed a restructuring in management will be needed. (Sources: The Verge, The Guardian) |
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| | | | | Defamed | Jury Rules in Depp’s Favor in Heard Defamation Case Amber Heard must pay ex-husband Johnny Depp $15 million in damages, a Virginia jury ruled on Wednesday. The jury found that Heard had defamed Depp in a Washington Post op-ed focusing on her experience as a domestic violence survivor. The couple divorced in 2016, but have faced off in courts in the U.K. and the U.S. following allegations that Depp had abused Heard. While it’s a major loss for Heard — and, watchers say, for the #MeToo movement — she did win on one challenge: The court found she was defamed by Depp’s lawyer, who accused her of staging “a hoax.” (Sources: Hollywood Reporter, NYT) |
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| | | Briefly | Here are some things you should know about today: Cheers. Queen Elizabeth II thanked citizens of the U.K. for their support of her record 70 years on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee. Street parties and other celebrations kick off in the U.K. this weekend. (Source: BBC) Indicted. The 18-year-old suspect in last month’s racist attack in a Buffalo, New York, grocery store faces domestic terrorism charges and 10 counts of first-degree murder. (Source: NBC) It’s getting worse. The World Health Organization says the COVID-19 pandemic in secretive North Korea is likely to be worsening rather than improving, but it is still difficult to accurately monitor the situation. (Source: AP) |
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INTRIGUING
| | | About Time | Report on Status of Black Californians Suggests Reparations The nearly 500-page report also recommended holding police accountable for racial violence and expanding voter registration to redress other wrongs that “continue to physically and mentally harm African Americans today.” The report also specified that California should create an agency for Black Californians descended from slaves in the 19th century to assist in accessing reparations. A call for all Black Californians to receive reparations was voted down by the state. California is the first state to undertake such a study — commissioned by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020 amid the Black Lives Matter protests — despite mounting calls for reparations across the country. (Sources: LA Times, NPR) |
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| | | | | Lyrical Lava | A Volcano’s Secret Song Reveals All The hills are alive with the sound of… lava. Researchers studying Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano found that the seismic waves created when chunks of rock from the crater’s rim fall into the magma below are indicators of when an eruption may be imminent. It’s hoped that these “lava songs” will lead to accurate predictions of the next “big one.” Kilauea erupted for a decade, beginning in 2007, and its spewing became a tourist treat — and a gold mine for researchers. The data they gathered may not be applicable to volcanoes everywhere in the world, but scientists say it’s an important “new perspective.” (Source: Science) |
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| | | Home Economics | White House Wipes Student Debts From Scandal-Plagued School Consider it forgiven. That’s the message from the White House to former students at the controversial for-profit schools owned by Corinthian Colleges. The colleges closed suddenly in 2015 after the government cut off federal funding, but students still found themselves on the hook for debts. President Joe Biden has vowed to reform the student loan industry, though a temporary freeze on federal student loans is expected to expire in August. For-profit education institutions are also in the administration’s crosshairs. These colleges, and the corporations that own them, will “never again get away with such abuse,” promised Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. (Source: USA Today) |
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| | | Freedom | Would-Be Reagan Assassin Gets Official Release Four Decades On John Hinckley Jr., who fired shots at then-President Ronald Reagan in an effort to win the affections of actress Jodie Foster, has been granted an unconditional release after decades of incarceration. The aspiring singer-songwriter shot the former president in 1981, in an attack that injured Reagan and paralyzed his press secretary James Brady. A jury found Hinckley not guilty due to insanity and he spent more than 30 years in psychiatric hospitals. Though he was released into his mother’s care in 2016 and has lived alone since her death last summer, the ruling makes it official as of June 15. (Source: Rolling Stone) |
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| | | Game On | Ukraine Bests Scotland on Long Road to World Cup Qualifying The blue-and-yellow triumphed over Scotland 3-1 in Glasgow Wednesday, keeping their World Cup dream alive. Ukraine had the upper hand in the match despite the Scots’ best defense efforts and an exciting late-game goal. But Ukraine found themselves among friends, with Scottish fans joining some 3,500 supporters in belting out the Ukraine national anthem ahead of the game, a sign that only war is bigger than football. Ukraine will play Wales this weekend to win a spot in the Qatar World Cup group qualifying round. With Ukraine the favorite, it’ll be a tough match for Wales, even with the home advantage. (Sources: SKY, NBC) |
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