5 things to know for July 19: School shootings, Biden, Extreme weather, Gas, Ukraine

CNN
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A growing number of school districts across the United States are turning to sophisticated technology to help bolster security after a series of mass shootings. Some have added gun detection systems, self-locking doors and high-tech surveillance to protect classrooms like bank vaults. Other schools, including some in Texas, have announced requirements for students to wear see-through or mesh backpacks that would make it difficult to conceal weapons.

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Angry parents and residents affected by the Uvalde Elementary School massacre confronted the school board on Monday and demanded the dismissal of the district’s police chief. Parents also asked what new safety measures will be put in place, adding that some children are not ready to return to class. Monday’s meeting came a day after a Texas House investigative committee released a preliminary report outlining a series of law enforcement failures in their response to the shooting that left 19 people dead and two teachers. The district superintendent said the board is considering the report in determining whether to fire Police Chief Pedro « Pete » Arredondo, who is currently on administrative leave. Separately, Monday marked the start of the penalty phase of the criminal trial of the Parkland school gunman who killed 14 students and three adults in 2018. Prosecutors have asked the jury panel to sentence the gunman to death, while that his lawyers have asked for a life sentence in prison.

Most Americans are unhappy with President Joe Biden and his handling of the economy, according to a new CNN poll. Biden’s approval rating in the poll stands at 38%, with 62% disapproving — and his approval ratings for handling the economy are even lower. The public’s outlook on the state of the country is the worst since 2009, while its view of the economy is the worst since 2011 – and those perceptions are worsening ahead of November’s crucial midterm elections. The focus is now on whether Biden will run for re-election amid a debate over his age and performance.

Extreme heat is engulfing parts of western Europe, with wildfires raging in France and Spain, a worsening drought in Portugal and the third hottest day on record in the UK on Monday. As for today’s outlook, Paris is expected to reach 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit. In the UK, where some areas hit over 100 degrees on Monday, officials today warned it ‘is expected to be even hotter’. The United States is also facing extreme heat in the southern plains with more than 100 million Americans under heat alert. Some cities in Texas and Kansas are on track to tie records today with temperatures hovering around 110 degrees Fahrenheit, according to forecasts.

Gasoline at less than $4 a gallon is back, at least in some regions. Nearly 1 in 5 gas stations charge less than $4 for a gallon of regular gas, according to a recent survey. That’s about 24,000 stations nationwide, mostly in the Southeast and in oil-rich states like Texas and Oklahoma. Although the news is somewhat positive, it could be more of an intermission, according to energy experts. Overall, the national average has fallen 10%, or 50 cents, since hitting a record high of $5.02 a gallon seven weeks ago – but it still sits at a high of 4 $.52 per gallon. All 50 states have an average price above $4, with South Carolina having the cheapest average of $4.02. California, on the other hand, has the highest average at $5.90 per gallon.

Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska will meet US First Lady Jill Biden today as part of her high-profile trip to the United States. Biden and Zelenska first met in person in May when Biden took a stealth trip to Ukraine. During their hour-long closed-door meeting, Zelenska shared with Biden her concerns about the emotional health of Ukrainian children. Today’s meeting comes as Ukrainian officials say an influx of Western weapons is changing the balance on the battlefield and allowing Ukraine to inflict ‘significant casualties’ on the Russians, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. CNN has identified nearly 20 strikes far behind Russian lines so far this month – some of them causing large explosions and multiple detonations.

Massive Waves Wreck Hawaiian WeddingI

The ocean decided to make a splashing appearance… Watch the moment wedding attendees took shelter in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

70 cows released on Florida Turnpike cause road disaster

Cattle on the loose! Both northbound and southbound traffic lanes were closed for hours due to this gloomy chaotic situation.

The world’s best restaurants for 2022 revealed

Bon appetit, dear readers. Here are the 50 best restaurants on the planet.

Google shares have become much cheaper

Good news for ordinary investors: This massive stock split reduced the price of a share from just over $2,200 to around $110.

100 million year old dinosaur footprints found in restaurant

Most people find annoying birds in restaurant courtyards…this lucky diner found dinosaur footprints.

187 minutes

That’s how long then-President Donald Trump let the violence play out on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. On Thursday, the House Select Committee investigating the insurgency will hold its second Prime-time hearing that will examine Trump’s inaction « minute by minute. » while the chaos unfolded, according to Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria, who will lead the session. Matthew Pottinger, who served on Trump’s National Security Council before resigning immediately after the riot, will also testify publicly at the hearing. Pottinger is expected to appear alongside former Trump White House aide Sarah Matthews.

« By the time we get to the end of Biden’s first term, I will most likely retire. »

– Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, told CNN on Monday that he plans to retire by the end of President Biden’s current term, which ends in January 2025. Fauci, 81, is currently chief medical adviser to Biden and served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for decades. Fauci said he doesn’t currently have a specific retirement date in mind, but has the « energy and passion » to pursue other career opportunities when he eventually leaves.

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Monkeys rob tourists

Watch these cheeky monkeys hilariously steal items from humans as a tactic to receive food. (Click here to see)