Weekly News Briefs: June 13

Local

Hopes for new legislation to ban assault rifles after worst shooting in U.S.

Georgia State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, said she wants to revive the conversation about banning assault rifles, like the one used in the Orlando shooting. Oliver had created similar legislation last year, but Georgia Republicans had stopped it saying it violated people’s second amendment rights. The weapons her wanted legislation would ban are assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, and armor-piercing bullets, according to AJC. The Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, used an AR-15, one of the weapons Oliver’s legislation hopes to ban in the state of Georgia.
National

50 dead in Orlando terrorist act against gays

In what the authorities called the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States, 50 people lost their lives, and another 53 were injured. Omar Mateen, a 27-year-old American citizen with Afghan descent, had been living in Florida and had been brought to the FBI’s attention twice as a possible homegrown terrorist, according to the Telegraph. Members of his church and his ex-wife identified Mateen as very quiet, kept to himself, but his wife also said he had outbursts of hate and rage and was often violent towards her. During the shooting, Mateen called the police and pledged his allegiance to ISIS, and they later praised his actions in an ISIL radio bulletin.

Global

Violence between Russian and English fans in Marseille streets

After a Russia- England soccer match ended in a 1-1 tie, Russian hooligans attacked British fans in the French stadium, Stade Vélodrome. In the game that marked the beginning of the Euro tournament, violent Russian and English attacks continued in the streets of Marseille surrounding the stadium, clashing with French police and  leaving more than 20 fans injured and one 51-year-old man fighting for his life in the hospital. UEFA has announced they will investigated the incidents and have threatened to disqualify both England and Russia from the tournament. According to Al Jazeera, so far there have been over 15 arrests since Friday, who were seen throwing broken bottles, rocks, and punching other fans.

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