Gun violence prevention bill, Washburn Fire, 'heat dome': 5 things to know Monday
Biden to tout passage of gun violence prevention law
President Joe Biden will hold an event at the White House on Monday to celebrate the passage of a landmark gun violence prevention bill. Biden announced the event last month when he signed the bill into law, saying he would "mark this historic achievement" alongside members of Congress who voted for the bill and families victimized by gun tragedies. Lawmakers passed the gun safety legislation after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman opened fire at an elementary school, killing 19 children and two teachers. The White House event comes a week after a Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, that left seven dead and dozens wounded.
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Fire threatens iconic Yosemite sequoia grove
Yosemite National Park's largest and most iconic sequoia grove remains threatened by a wildfire as rough terrain and hot weather have proved difficult for battling the blaze. The Washburn Fire was first reported Thursday in Yosemite's Mariposa Grove, which houses over 500 mature sequoias, including the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant. It quickly spread amid hot and dry weather conditions: the fire grew to 2,000 acres on Sunday, up from 466 acres recorded on Friday, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. The Washburn Fire also threatened the small nearby community of Wawona, forcing people to evacuate their homes and campsites Friday night.
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Utah court to hold hearing in response to judge blocking abortion trigger law
A hearing is set for Monday in response to third District Judge Andrew Stone blocking Utah’s trigger law abortion ban from going into effect on June 27 for 14 days to allow time to hear a challenge to the law. Planned Parenthood of Utah and the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah filed a lawsuit on June 25, contending the 2020 law violates the state constitution's equal protection and privacy provisions. Under the law, which bans most abortions with some limited exceptions, anyone found guilty of performing an abortion could face up to 15 years in prison. Utah’s Planned Parenthood resumed abortions at several locations since the judge halted the law, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
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At least 15 dead after Russian missile strike in Ukraine
At least 15 people were killed and more than 20 were believed buried in the rubble Sunday after Russian rockets pummeled apartment buildings in eastern Ukraine. Rescuers helped by heavy equipment looked for survivors under the debris in Chasiv Yar, where three buildings in a residential area were destroyed late Saturday. Chasiv Yar is 12 miles southeast of Kramatorsk, a major Russian target. After taking control of the Luhansk province, the Russians have set their eyes on seizing the Donetsk, which would give them full command of the Donbas.
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Temperatures from powerful 'heat dome' lead to record-breaking highs
At least 10 heat records were broken in cities across the Southwest and central U.S. over the weekend, and more could fall Monday and later this week amid continued forecasts of searing heat. Cities and towns in Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas all saw record highs on Friday and Saturday. Some broke temperature records set nearly a decade ago and others exceeded previous highs by up to six degrees. The high temperatures are largely the result of a "heat dome" – a persistent region of high pressure trapping heat over the area. While the daily records broken weren't necessarily widespread the conditions created by the heat dome have still been conducive to approaching and meeting record numbers in many areas, Accuweather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer told Paste BN.
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