5 things to know for July 6: Parade shooting, Uvalde, Trump, UK ministers, Sri Lanka

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

If you’re an American visiting Europe this summer after a travel hiatus during the pandemic, you’re in luck: Meals, hotels and tours are more affordable in dollars than they’ve been in decades. The euro has plunged to about $1.03 — its lowest level since 2002. And predictions are flying around that it could even reach parity, in which one dollar can be equally swapped for one euro.

Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

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1. Parade shooting

The man suspected of killing seven people and wounding dozens of others at a Fourth of July parade in Illinois is expected to make his first court appearance today. The alleged shooter faces seven counts of first-degree murder. A conviction would result in a sentence of life in prison without parole, officials said. The suspect, according to authorities, opened fire from a building rooftop using a rifle similar to an AR-15 as the parade got underway on Monday. The suspect is believed to have planned the attack for weeks, and the rifle used appears to have been purchased legally in Illinois, officials said. However, information released by state and local police shows the suspect previously required officer intervention over threats of violence and mental health concerns — raising questions about how he was able to legally obtain firearms.

2. Uvalde

While the nation reels from yet another mass shooting, the mayor of Uvalde, Texas, told CNN he fears officials are covering up the investigation of the massacre that killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School on May 24. “I’m not confident, 100%, in DPS because I think it’s a cover-up,” Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said of the Texas Department of Public Safety, the lead agency tasked with identifying what led to well-armed officers waiting outside a classroom for more than an hour before engaging the gunman. McLaughlin asked the Department of Justice to investigate the law enforcement response and that work has now begun. He said his goal is to get the truth for the families of the two teachers and the 19 students, aged 9 to 11, who were killed that day.

3. Trump

An Atlanta-area special grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia has subpoenaed a handful of key Trump allies, including his former attorney Rudy Giuliani and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, according to court filings. This latest round of subpoenas marks a new phase of the probe, as the grand jury seeks testimony from witnesses who were members of Trump’s inner circle. The special grand jury will now collect evidence and issue a report on whether Trump or any of his allies should face charges. Separately, the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection announced a seventh hearing scheduled for July 12. The remaining hearings are expected to focus on the assembly of a violent mob in Washington, DC, that Trump directed to march to the US Capitol and on Trump failing to take immediate action to try to stop the violence.

4. UK ministers

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was dealt a huge blow on Tuesday when two of his top ministers announced their resignations, saying they could no longer work for a government mired in scandal. Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced their decisions to quit within minutes of each other, plunging Johnson’s troubled administration into renewed chaos. At least half a dozen other junior-ranking government officials also announced resignations on Tuesday, and more have quit this morning. The immediate cause of the resignations was the bungled handling of a recent controversy involving Johnson’s deputy chief whip and groping allegations. This comes as Johnson seeks to rebuild his standing in the polls after being fined by police for hosting illegal parties during the pandemic while the rest of his country was under lockdown.

5. Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is “bankrupt,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Tuesday, as the country suffers its worst financial crisis in decades, leaving millions in the South Asian nation struggling to buy food, medicine and fuel. Schools have been suspended and fuel has been limited to essential services. In several major cities, including the commercial capital, Colombo, hundreds continue to line up for hours to buy fuel, sometimes clashing with police and the military as they wait. For months, large numbers of Sri Lankans have called for the country’s president to resign over accusations of economic mismanagement. The British government said on Tuesday it is advising against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka due to the economic crisis.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Carlos Santana is ‘doing well’ after collapsing during a concert

“Get well” messages are pouring in for the 74-year-old musician after he suffered heat exhaustion while performing in Michigan on Tuesday.

Subway has redesigned its menu

Here’s a sample: The meatball marinara sandwich is now called “The Boss.” Check out the new menu that recently launched in roughly 21,000 restaurants.

Kate Hudson’s brother reacts to her topless Instagram picture

Oliver Hudson had such a brotherly response to his sister’s topless social media post.

Japanese tea house lets visitors drink from $25,000 antique bowls

This sounds like a lovely experience… until you think about what would happen if you dropped an 18th century, $25,000 bowl.

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ premieres in US theaters this week

Marvel fans, mark your calendars and get ready for an assortment of celebrity cameos. The movie received a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but we’ll let you be the judge.

TODAY’S NUMBER

1 billion

That’s about how many people in China had their personal data leaked in what could be one of the biggest leaks ever recorded in history, cybersecurity experts say. The massive online database containing the personal information of up to one billion Chinese citizens was left unsecured and publicly accessible for more than a year — until an anonymous user in a hacker forum offered to sell the data and brought it to wider attention last week.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“This is truly an historic moment. For Finland, for Sweden, for NATO and for our shared security.” 

— NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, on formally beginning the process of Sweden and Finland joining the alliance on Tuesday. “With 32 nations around the table, we will be even stronger and our people will be even safer, as we face the biggest security crisis in decades,” he added, referencing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

Patrolling the Most Dangerous Beach in the World

This lifeguard took on the huge responsibility of watching Oahu’s North Shore — the holy grail of big wave surfing, but also one of the most dangerous beaches on Earth. (Click here to view)

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