5 things to know for June 6: Shootings, North Korea, Ukraine, January 6, Baby formula
CNN
By Alexandra Meeks, CNN
Summer vacations, though fun and beneficial for mental clarity, have become unattainable for many Americans amid surging airfare and gas prices. About 61% of respondents in a recent poll said gas will be a major factor in their vacation plans this year. And with prices at the pump steadily rising, it’s no surprise that many people are postponing trips.
Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
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1. Shootings
There were at least 10 mass shootings in the US since Friday, following several back-to-back massacres in recent weeks. In Philadelphia, three people died and 11 others were injured over the weekend after gunfire rang out at a popular entertainment district, officials said. Three others were killed and at least 14 were injured in a shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Eight people were shot at a high school graduation party in Summerton, South Carolina, with one person killed. Several other shootings forced various law enforcement entities to remain on alert across the country. This comes as bipartisan talks on gun legislation are ongoing — but previous attempts in Congress to pass major gun regulation measures have either stalled or failed.
2. North Korea
South Korea and the US responded to North Korea’s launch of eight missiles yesterday by firing eight more missiles into waters off the east coast of the Korean peninsula earlier today. Seven were fired by South Korea and one by the US, officials said. The move demonstrated that “even if North Korea provokes with missiles from multiple locations, (South Korea and the US have) the ability and readiness to immediately strike with precision,” according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. The missile exchange comes as North Korea intensifies its provocations in the region amid heightened concerns that Kim Jong Un and his military are preparing to conduct a nuclear test. North Korea’s launch yesterday was its 17th missile test this year.
3. Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin is warning that Moscow will strike new targets if the US supplies long-range missiles to Ukraine. Delivering new arms to Kyiv would only “drag out the armed conflict for as long as possible,” Putin said yesterday. Meanwhile, Putin claims Russia’s actions in Ukraine “have nothing to do” with the looming global energy and food crisis, and has instead blamed Western economic policies. He also blamed European countries for not listening “to our urgent requests to preserve long-term contracts for the supply [of natural gas]” — another factor that he said led to inflation. In Ukraine, some of the “fiercest battles” are being fought in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, the region’s top official said today, adding that the evacuation of 15,000 civilians remains impossible because of intense fighting.
4. January 6
Former President Donald Trump is mobilizing his MAGA allies to defend him ahead of the upcoming public hearings by the House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. Trump’s team has asked some prominent Republicans to cover for him and push back on the committee while the public hearings play out, according to GOP sources familiar with the request. Committee members have teased that the prime-time hearings could be focused on Trump’s direct role in undermining the election results. The committee has been working toward a thesis that Trump’s obsession with losing the election and his peddling of false claims about the results is what laid the groundwork for the violent and deadly riot at the Capitol. The first public hearing will take place Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
5. Baby Formula
The baby formula manufacturing plant that has been at the center of the nationwide shortage restarted production Saturday. Abbott, located in Sturgis, Michigan, said in a statement it has started with the production of specialty formulas for babies who can’t tolerate more common ones, with the first batches expected to be available to consumers around June 20. Similac and other products made at the plant will take longer to become available, the company said. The Sturgis plant has been shut down for months following an FDA inspection that found dangerous bacteria — which can be deadly to infants — in several areas at the facility.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Queen Elizabeth II makes surprise appearance to cap off jubilee
Thousands flocked to London from around the world to cheer on the 96-year-old monarch. Watch some highlights from the spectacular celebration here!
Woman gets free couch from Craigslist. See what she found inside the cushions
Was it luck? Or was it fate? This incredible discovery sounds like a movie plot.
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2022
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Euphoria” took home the most awards at the eventful show last night. Check out the full list of winners.
Minjee Lee wins US Women’s Open
One trophy is great, but two is even better. Lee received $1.8 million for her second major win, the largest prize in women’s golf history.
She was her family’s breadwinner on a McDonald’s salary. Now she’s gone into space
Meet the first Mexican-born woman to reach the edge of space. Historic!
HAPPENING LATER
Boris Johnson will face a vote of confidence
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will face a vote of confidence later today, triggered by discontented lawmakers in his own party for hosting gatherings during the Covid-19 lockdown. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee, said in a statement that the number of Conservative Party parliamentarians calling for the vote had reached the necessary threshold. If 180 Conservative lawmakers — a simple majority — vote against Johnson, he will cease to be leader of the governing Conservative Party and will be removed from office.
IN MEMORIAM
Alec John Such, a founding member and original bass player of the band Bon Jovi, has died, according to a tweet from the group yesterday. He was 70 years old. Bon Jovi was formed in New Jersey in 1983 and has had hits with songs including “Livin’ On a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
TODAY’S NUMBER
250,000
That’s approximately how many migrants Immigration and Customs Enforcement is monitoring in the US using GPS ankle monitors and government-issued phones, according to the agency’s latest statistics. The Biden administration has rapidly increased the number of people in the program known as “alternatives to detention” to better manage the increasing number of asylum cases. However, critics on both sides of the immigration debate say the program raises several big questions about privacy and funding that should concern every American.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“We need to come together and help do whatever we possibly can to bring BG home quickly and safely!! Our voice as athletes is stronger together.”
— NBA star LeBron James, urging US officials via a tweet to bring WNBA star Brittney Griner home after being detained in Russia for more than 100 days. Griner has been able to receive written correspondence from family and friends during her detention, her agent tells CNN — but she has not been able to speak with her loved ones in the US.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
‘Here Comes The Sun’ on a Kalimba
Start your morning on the right note. Enjoy this adorable cover of The Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” on a Kalimba, or thumb piano. (Click here to view)
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