Inching further towards the mid-way point of the year, 2022 has been full of a surplus of notable events. From the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation upon the Supreme Court, let’s evaluate the top stories of May 2022.
New Mexico Endures Wildfires
Two Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fires reportedly united, impacting Northern New Mexico. Firefighters worked to contain the blaze, but the force of the combined fire swiftly surpassed professionals forecasting. No one has been hurt or killed by the fires, but two deaths did occur from a previous wildfire during the month of April.
Mississippi Mudbug Festival Shooting
Several gunmen opened fire at the Mudbug Festival in Jackson, Mississippi leaving one person killed and five injured. The individual that was killed is presumed to be one of the shooters, shot in response to the shooting by law enforcement.
Regarding the tragedy, Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones stated the following, “It’s very devastating and very tragic, […] This is what’s to be considered a very family-oriented event, where families come to enjoy entertainment and food. You have individuals with no regards for the lives and safety of those attending the event. I think that is a very cowardly and selfish act to involve so many innocent people that are here to have fun and enjoy themselves.”
Nancy Pelosi Visits Kyiv, Ukraine
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi paid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a visit, which was entirely unannounced. Pelosi is the highest ranked US official to have visited the country since the Russia’s invasion in February.
Leading an official congressional delegation at the country’s capital in Kyiv, Pelosi aimed to carry the message that the US stands with Ukraine. Pelosi pronounced, ““We are visiting you to say thank you for your fight for freedom, that we’re on a frontier for freedom and that your fight is a fight for everyone. And so our commitment is to be there for you until the fight is done.”
Tennessee Halts Executions
Following a missed protocol procedure leading to the lethal injection of Oscar Smith, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has stopped all executions through the end of the year. Reportedly, the state had tested their lethal injection drugs for potency and sterility, but not endotoxins, which breaches procedure.
The Met Gala
The Met Gala returned to its conventional pattern of being held on the first Monday of May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Renowned as the most prestigious night in fashion, the extravaganza followed the theme of “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” which came after 2021’s “In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion.”
Built as a charity event to raise funds for the Met’s Costume Institute, the gala is a staple for fashion lovers around the world. The event is renowned for its esteemed guestlist of fashion moguls, celebrities and artists. Attendees for the night included the likes of Blake Lively, Normani and Billie Eilish wearing designers such as Gucci, Versace and Chanel.
CNBC Sustainable Future w/ Matt Damon and Gary White
Tania Bryer chats with Matt Damon and Gary White about their nonprofit organization, Water.org, in a special CNBC interview. Water.org aims to provide access to water and sanitation to those who need it. Tania chats with both Matt and Gary about their brand-new book The Worth of Water: Our Story of Chasing Solutions to the World’s Greatest Challenge, and the influences behind the piece.
Supreme Court Leaked Decision Chooses to Overturn Abortion Rights
May 2, POLITICO published the first draft majority opinion of the Supreme Court that reveals a reversal of the monumental Roe v. Wade 1973 decision. Overturning the landmark ruling would place verdicts about abortion into the hands of state representatives. A decision involving the court has never been exposed while a case in still unresolved, especially one of such magnitude.
Regarding the judgment to override the original Roe v. Wade decision, Justice Samuel Alito stated the following in the leaked draft, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.”
European Union Plans Russian Oil Ban
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a potential ban on oil from Russia to increase pressure on the country amidst their invasion of Ukraine. European Union (EU) countries have arranged preparations to veto Russian coal imports, as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia have already expelled Russian imports.
Dave Chappelle Harassed During Hollywood Bowl
A man ran up on stage towards Dave Chappelle while he was performing a comedy routine at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The man, named Isaiah Lee, was charged with a felony assault with a deadly weapon. Lee had a fake gun that would expel a knife blade but did not harm Chappelle.
Lionsgate Announces Hunger Games Prequel Movie
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a Hunger Games prequel novel, is set to obtain its own brand-new film debuting on the big screen on November 17, 2023. The story follows the story of President Coriolanus Snow in his younger years prior to becoming such a staple in the modern narrative.
Amber Heard Testifies in Defamation Trial
The defamation suit between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard began on April 11 and continued prominently into the month of May. Approaching the fourth week of the trial, the jury heard from Depp regarding his recollection of their marriage, and on May 4 Heard began her own testimony. The case is set to be concluded on May 19.
Animal-to-Human Heart Transplant Revelation
In January of 2022, David Bennett, 57, underwent a final resort surgery to save his life through use of a pig’s organ. Bennett underwent a heart transplant and was doing well for about two months following the procedure, until he suddenly passed away. Now, University of Maryland doctors have found that within the pig heart there was viral DNA carrying porcine cytomegalovirus. It is uncertain if the virus contributed to the death of Bennett, but this finding raises ongoing questions about animal-to-human transplants.
Kevin Samuels Passes Away
57-year-old YouTuber Kevin Samuels has passed away due to unknown reasons. He was reportedly found unresponsive in his Atlanta apartment on May 5. Samuels was known more his conservative relationship advice approach.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky Tease Potential Engagement
A$AP Rocky released the music video for his track “D.M.B.,” which portrays the love story between himself and superstar Rihanna. At the end of the video, Rocky sports a grill that says, “Marry me?” with Rihanna, too, wearing a matching grill that states out, “I do.”
The video broke the internet, with everyone and their mother speculating a possible engagement between the two. It has not been confirmed, nor denied, that Rihanna and Rocky are engaged, but the duo is expecting their first child together.
Menstrual pain may prevent many women from working, Spain
Half of women experience painful periods at least once every six months. Some of the symptoms they may have are nausea, fainting, and vomiting. The country’s policymakers will implement a three-day sick leave for severe menstrual pain, which affects most women who experience their period. According to a scientific study, 84.1% of women report have very considerable menstrual pain, which can prevent them from carrying out their activities and therefore they could be absent from work.
Mercedes-Benz India has launched the new generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class
On May 10, 2022, one of the most anticipated releases of Mercedes-Benz was launched. The German car manufacturer
has launched the new C-Class in three different versions: The C 200 with petrol engine is priced at $71,089.26 (Rs 55 lakh – Indian Currency) meanwhile, the C 220d and 330d with diesel engine are priced at 72,390 $.64 (Rs 56 lakh) and $78,854.09 (Rs 61 lakh), respectively. Mercedes-Benz claimed that it received more than 1,000 pre-launch reservations for the fifth-generation C-Class.
Lacrosse team files racial discrimination claim by sheriff’s deputies during traffic stop, Georgia
There is huge outrage over a traffic stop in Georgia. Last month, US authorities searched and detained a bus carrying the Lacrosse team belonging to Delaware State University, a historically black institution. The team specifically complains about racial profiling by sheriff’s deputies. On the contrary, the agents maintain the version that they stopped the driver for driving in the wrong lane. But after the bus stopped, officers searched the students’ belongings for any type of drug-like chemical. Instead, the team maintains that those searches were conducted on racial grounds.
Student Saniya Craft recorded parts of the trip on her device, thinking it would be part of her blog about her lacrosse team. However, she did not expect that she would end up storing evidence of what she believes to be racial profiling by sheriff’s deputies. Authorities consider it appropriate to open a federal investigation into the incident that occurred to the Delaware State University lacrosse team in Georgia.