World News

7 things to know about Monday, July 4th

1

Yesterday, Russia said it was in control of a key city in eastern Ukraine.

  • Where? Lisichansk, the last major Ukrainian bridgehead in the Luhansk region, which borders Russia. Ukrainian forces withdrew after weeks of brutal fighting.
  • What does it mean: The loss gives Russia access to much of the rest of eastern Ukraine, its primary target. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has promised to take back the city.

2

Police in Ohio released video of officers shooting a black man dozens of times.

  • The details: Jayland Walker, 25, was killed by police last week while fleeing a traffic stop in Akron. The shooting sparked outrage and demands for accountability.
  • The last one: Police said yesterday that Walker had been hit more than 60 times. Eight officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid leave pending the investigation.

3

Uvalde’s school police chief has resigned from his position on the city council.

  • Why? Pedro “Pete” Arredondo was responsible for officers’ delayed response to last month’s Texas school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead. He was sworn to secrecy a week after the shooting; he is still on leave from his school district position.
  • What happened that day? Police defied longstanding guidelines and waited more than an hour to confront the shooter, leaving children trapped.

4

A gunman opened fire in a mall in Copenhagen yesterday.

  • What we know: Three people were killed and four were seriously injured, officials said. Police arrested a 22-year-old Danish man and said they did not suspect it was an act of terrorism.
  • This shooting is particularly shocking for Denmark, because mass shootings are rare in the Scandinavian countries, which have strict gun laws.

5

The data privacy risks surrounding abortion are not hypothetical.

Rising prices and skyrocketing rents are making homelessness worse.

Summer is getting hotter, longer and more dangerous.