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Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, May 27, 2022:
TEXAS SHOOTING UPDATE: DOJ INVESTIGATION
The Department of Justice announced it will review the law enforcement response to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 students and two teachers dead. The review was requested by Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin after local officials provided conflicting reports about how they handled the incident. Law enforcement has come under heavy criticism not only for lacking clarity in its accounts of the shooting, but for reports describing a delay in the police response while the shooter was in the school for over an hour. AP
SHOOTINGS PLAGUE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
As the nation’s gun reform conversation continues, so does gun violence itself — at least 12 mass shootings were reported over the Memorial Day weekend. In Oklahoma, a woman was killed and seven others were wounded — including a 9-year-old — following a shooting at a Memorial Day festival in the town of Taft. Six minors were injured in a shooting in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. Other mass shootings — defined as those in which “four or more people are shot or killed, not including the shooter” — occurred in Merced County, California; Port Richmond, Pennsylvania; and Mecosta County, Michigan. Meanwhile, a 10-year-old in Florida was arrested after sending a text message making a fake threat to carry out a school shooting. WASHINGTON POST
EU REACHES OIL EMBARGO AGREEMENT
European leaders have agreed on an embargo of Russian oil, possibly the biggest economic sanction against Russia yet after its invasion of Ukraine. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said the ban immediately covers 75% of Russian oil imports and rises to 90% by year-end, placing “maximum pressure on Russia to end the war.” Meanwhile, Russia’s relentless pursuit of eastern Ukraine continues as troops encircle the city of Severodonetsk. Among the many fatalities was Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, a French journalist who was riding in an armored bus that was hit by an explosive. Ukraine says 32 media workers have been killed since the invasion began Feb. 24. CNBC
PELOSI’S HUSBAND ARRESTED FOR DUI
Paul Pelosi, husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, was arrested and charged in Northern California for driving under the influence. The 82-year-old’s arrest came after his 2021 Porsche was hit by a 2014 Jeep driven by a 48-year-old man when Pelosi was reportedly trying to cross a highway near the town of Yountville. The other driver was not arrested, no injuries were reported, and Paul Pelosi was released after he paid his $5,000 bail Sunday morning. At the time of her husband’s arrest, Speaker Pelosi, who declined to comment on the matter, was in Rhode Island, where she delivered a commencement speech at Brown University. AP
MONKEYPOX CHECK-IN
The World Health Organization’s top expert on monkeypox said there is little concern that monkeypox could become a global pandemic, but added that many unknowns about the virus remain. WHO’s Dr. Rosamund Lewis emphasized that most cases are in men who have sex with men, but anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, is at potential risk. Lewis said it’s unknown whether the virus is transmitted by sex or just the close contact associated with sexual activity. As of last weekend, there were 435 confirmed cases in 24 countries outside of Africa, a continent where some countries see thousands of cases each year. AP
AAPI AWARENESS: MISSION FOR EDUCATION
Last year, shootings at three Atlanta-area spas claimed the lives of six women of Asian descent, magnifying the need for increased protection for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Immediately following, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) was established to provide funding for impacted AAPI communities, and two weeks after TAAF launched, it had raised $1.5 billion. TAAF funds will also support AAPI history education and culture. Cheddar’s Lawrence Banton spoke with TAAF CEO Norman Chen about the foundation’s goal of growing AAPI acceptance in the United States. CHEDDAR
MONA LISA CAKE ATTACK
The Mona Lisa was undamaged after a Louvre Museum visitor threw cake at the glass protecting the painting in an apparent climate-related protest. The 36-year-old man, disguised in a wig and lipstick, jumped out of a wheelchair to attack Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece with what the Louvre described as a “patisserie.” As guards led him away, he called out in French, “Think of the Earth! There are people who are destroying the Earth! Think about it. Artists tell you: Think of the Earth. That’s why I did this.” Paris police detained the protester and handed him over to a police psychiatric unit. AP
“That’s the last time we do a birthday party at the Louvre,” said the perpetrator’s friend.
‘TOP GUN 2’ BREAKS BOX OFFICE RECORD
“Top Gun: Maverick” brought in $156 million in its first four days after release, breaking a Memorial Day weekend debut record previously held by “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” which opened with $153 million in 2007. It’s a career-best for the film’s star, Tom Cruise, who never before had a film crack $100 million in its opening weekend. The sequel to the 1986 action hit co-stars Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris and Val Kilmer. “Top Gun: Maverick,” which follows Cruise as he trains a new group of ambitious pilots for a major assignment, has gained critical acclaim on top of its commercial success, scoring a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A+ on CinemaScore. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
If you take 36 years to do a sequel, it HAS to be this good.
ANOTHER WILD WEEKEND IN SPORTS
To put it simply, a lot happened over Memorial Day weekend in the world of sports. The NBA Finals matchup is now set, as the Boston Celtics are set to take on Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors when Game 1 tips off on Thursday. In the NHL playoffs, four teams remain in the hunt for the Stanley Cup: the Edmonton Oilers face off against the Colorado Avalanche, while the repeat champions Tampa Bay Lightning take on the New York Rangers. Overseas, Real Madrid reigns as the king of soccer in Europe after defeating Liverpool in the Champions League final, and at the French Open, all eyes are on today’s quarterfinal matchup between two of tennis’ greatest players ever, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. THE ATHLETIC
CHEDDAR EXPLAINS
How Advertisers Convinced Us We Need Deodorant
Body odor is natural, but it’s not exactly welcome. Thankfully, we have all kinds of deodorants and antiperspirants to help eliminate the stink. But believe it or not, there was a time when people weren’t so ready to accept these solutions. In fact, it took a pretty savage marketing campaign to convince us we had a problem at all. Cheddar’s Joseph Ruddleston explains. YOUTUBE
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