Our Top Stories for the Week of June 27, 2022

Updated July 1, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

It’s been a busy week, from landmark political decisions to forward steps with G7 and NATO. Who has time to keep track of it all? That’s why we’ve boiled it all down to our top stories of the week.

Landmark Decisions Made In The United States

Photo Source: iStock

President Biden Sign New Gun Control Bill: On Saturday, June 25, 2022, Joe Biden signed the new gun bill after a The House and Congress passed the bipartisan legislation. The bill tightens controls on young buyers and encourages states to pass “red flag” laws to remove firearms from people deemed a threat. Other reforms in the bill include stricter background checks for buyers under the age of 21, Federal funding of $15 billion (£12.2 billion) for mental health programs, and school security improvements.^[1]
US Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade: On Saturday, June 25, the supreme court of the United States Overturned Roe V. Wade, the controversial court case that allowed women to seek abortion in the United States. Numerous demonstrations in favor of abortion were planned across the nation. Contrarily, opponents of abortion applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to overrule the 50-year-old ruling.^[2]
Justice Breyer Retires From Active Duty: On Wednesday, June 26, 2022, Justice Stephen Breyer of the United States Supreme court announced that he would step down from active duty. The Justice is invoking his retirement under statute 28 USC 371(b), which allows him to retire while retaining his title. According to Breyer, President Biden has been informed of his plan to retire since February 2022.^[3]

Sources: [1] BBC [2] BBC [3] Fox News

Return to Top of Page

Significant Changes In The Course Of The Russia-Ukraine War Amid G7 And NATO Politics

Photo Source: iStock

The UK And Other G7 Countries To Ban Russian Gold: On Sunday, June 26, 2022, after a landmark G7 meeting, the UK Prime minister announced that his government would ban the import of Russian gold as it aims to “starve the Putin regime of funding.” The UK is one of the major trading centers for Russian gold. Once implemented, the move will affect $13.5 billion worth of Russian export. Other G7 nations are also set to announce the ban.^[1]
Kyiv Hit By Russian Missile: On Sunday, June 26, the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv was hit by a Russian missile. The building affected was a residential apartment where one person was killed in the attack, six others were injured, and the fire caused about 300 square meters of damage. According to an Airforce spokesperson, the attack was carried out from Belarusian airspace.^[2]
Ukraine Engages In Prisoners Of War Exchange: On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Ukraine and the Russian-backed separatist regions agreed to exchange 144 prisoners of war. The prisoners included the Azov men, whom many Russian politicians advocated for their death sentence. Many Russian military bloggers reacted negatively to the exchange. Some politicians may introduce new legislation that will prevent such deals in the future.^[3]
Putin Warns Finland And Sweden Against NATO Agenda: On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, the Russian president warned Sweden and Finland as they Joined NATO, the largest military alliance in the world. He said the two countries are free to join any coalition they want, but such a move will severe diplomatic relations with Russia. He raises concerns about NATO installing military apparatus in the two countries, warning that Russia will be forced to respond symmetrically.^[4]
The US Plan Increases Military Presence In Europe: On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, the United States president announced that through NATO, it would reinforce its military presence in Europe, especially in the eastern European region, where it can have a significant impact on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. New US military reinforcement will be delivered to the UK, Spain, and Romania. NATO still holds that the Russian Federation is the most significant danger to security in the Euro-Atlantic region.^[5]

Sources: [1] BBC [2] CNN [3] The Guardian [4] The Guardian [5] BBC

Return to Top of Page

Other Judicial And Natural Occurrences

Photo Source: iStock

Toyota To Recall Defective Vehicles And Cut Production: On Saturday, June 25, a Car manufacturing giant, Toyota, announced that it would recall the first 2,700 units of its first mass-produced electric vehicle. The vehicles were introduced just two months before the recall was issued over fears that the wheels are unstable and may unbolt over time. Besides the recollections, Toyota also announced that its production for July would be drastically reduced.^[1]
More Than 22 People Dead In A South African Bar: On Sunday, June 26, 2022, a South African National broadcaster reported that more than 22 people were found dead in a local south African bar. The fatalities are still being investigated, although the deaths were suspected to be due to a stampede. The community wants the bar closed down as people in the community mourn their loss.^[2]
Jordanian Gas Leak Kills At Least 12 People: On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, Chlorine gas leaked from a container in the Jordanian port of Aqaba, killing more than 12 people with about 260 more injured. Of the 12 people that died, 8 were Jordanian, while the rest were of other nationalities. Authorities have deployed emergency aids through various means. The area is undergoing sanitization to avoid further deaths.^[3]
Japan Faces Severe Heatwave: On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Japan reported the worst heatwave ever recorded in the country, with temperatures rising to 40.2 degrees Celsius. The scorching heat has raised alarms over possible power outages due to increased energy demand. The government informed the citizens that the possibility of heat shock is high as the heatwave continues. Therefore people should use air conditioners to avoid complications.^[4]
R Kelly Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison: On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Celebrity singer R Kelly who was convicted in September 2021, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for racketeering and sex trafficking. Judge Ann Donnelly, who carried out the sentencing, recounted how the singer used sex as a weapon and through his managers. Close contacts trafficked women and children through several states for over 20 years. In addition to the sentencing, R Kelly has Pending trials in Illinois and Minnesota for sex abuse.^[5]