Responding to gun violence

Plus Navalny's reported death and the pros and cons of virtual reality [View this email in your browser]( [The Week Evening Review]( Navalny's reported death, virtual reality, and Chicago's gunshot tracker   Good evening, This week's shooting in Kansas City, Missouri, has once again prompted national debate on gun violence in America, but in neighboring Illinois, that clash has been ongoing. More specifically, as today's edition explains, Chicago officials disagree on the use of technology intended to prevent and respond to shootings. Are AI-linked microphones the best way to detect and deter gunfire? Read Joel Mathis on the issue below, and have a safe holiday weekend. Summer Meza The Week Digital     The Explainer Alexei Navalny reportedly dead in remote Arctic prison Russian politician and activist Alexei Navalny has died in an Arctic Circle jail, the country's prison service announced Friday. The 47-year-old was widely viewed as Vladimir Putin's "most vociferous critic," said BBC, and was serving a 19-year sentence on charges "widely considered politically motivated." Navalny was moved to an Arctic penal colony last year and had spent long periods in solitary confinement. What happened?The Yamalo-Nenets district prison service released a statement that said Navalny had "felt unwell" following a walk on Friday. He "almost immediately lost consciousness" and, despite efforts by emergency medical staff to resuscitate him, could not be revived, according to the statement, which said the cause of death was under investigation. Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT said Navalny died as a result of a blood clot. His death is "likely to be seen as a political assassination" ordered by Putin, said The Guardian. A spokesperson for the Russian leader said the Kremlin had no information on the cause of Navalny's death. What has the reaction been?Navalny's lawyer, Leonid Solovyev, told Latvia newspaper Novaya Gazeta Europe that he could not confirm the death and that Navalny's family had asked for him not to comment. "Alexei had a lawyer at his place on Wednesday," said Solovyev. "Everything was normal then." Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, was similarly cautious, telling participants at the Munich Security Conference on Friday that Putin's government is "lying constantly." But, she added, if reports of her husband's death are true, those responsible "will be brought to justice." Speaking during a visit to Germany, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that "obviously, Navalny was killed by Putin, like so many thousands of others." Putin has to be "held accountable for his actions," Zelenskyy said at a joint press conference with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. Reaction from American officials was similarly severe, with Vice President Kamala Harris describing any confirmation of Navalny's death as a "sign of Putin's brutality." That Navalny allegedly died a political prisoner "only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.   Advertisement by Betterment [Betterment is the automated investing app that puts your money to work](   QUOTE OF THE DAY "I don't know what a registry or a library is, any of those things, and I'm not ashamed to say it." Manuel Córdoba, a Colombian politician who was forced to resign after admitting that he had "no idea" how to do his job.     Pros and Cons [The pros and cons of virtual reality]( Apple recently released its Vision Pro, a virtual reality (VR) headset designed to mix the real world and the virtual world. The gadget has returned VR to the limelight, so much so a few buffoons have used the Vision Pro while driving. Not safe, bro. In general, virtual reality, exciting as it is, has been deemed a mixed blessing. Pro: Increases exposure to green spacesScientists have known that human access to nature and green spaces can positively affect health. Virtual reality is now being studied as a means of bringing nature to people who otherwise would not have easy access. "Research shows some health improvements associated with experiencing nature in virtual reality, although these benefits are smaller than those gained by exposure to real nature," Scientific American said. Con: Causes cybersickness Virtual reality can have several side effects, particularly cybersickness. The condition is similar to motion sickness and can cause "new avenues for discomfort, such as disorientation, dizziness, nausea and increased muscle fatigue," said The Conversation. Data found that 80% of VR users have experienced some side effects, and more research is needed to determine whether these instances can have longer-term effects. Pro: Increases access to health care servicesVirtual reality can revolutionize remote health services that include minor appointments and therapy. "For the average family doctor, minor complaints and regular reviews probably make up the majority of their caseload, and these are exactly the sorts of appointments that can be carried out effectively remotely," said Forbes. Con: Raises sustainability concernsThe expansion of virtual reality would be like the "internet on steroids," Todd Richmond, the director of the Tech + Narrative Lab and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, said to TechTarget. While the technology is fairly new, the ultimate goal is to create a metaverse or an expansive virtual reality. For this to come to fruition, a lot more technology will be required. The potential use of cryptocurrencies, which are known to be taxing on the environment, might be required. In addition, there are "growing concerns about the environmental impact associated with the increasing demands for hardware." [Read more](   Advertisement by Betterment [Betterment is the automated investing app that puts your money to work](   Statistic of the day 49: The number of points scored by Iowa Hawkeyes basketball player Caitlin Clark on Thursday to become the highest-scoring women's player in NCAA history. Clark currently has 3,569 career points, surpassing the previous record of 3,527. Her 49 points also set an Iowa Hawkeyes record for the most points scored in a single game. The Associated Press     Talking Points Why Chicago is ending its gunshot tracking system Chicago is grimly famous for gun violence. So why is the city giving up on a high-tech tool in the fight against violent crime? Mayor Brandon Johnson's office this week announced it would end Chicago's contract with ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection firm. ShotSpotter's system uses an AI-linked network of microphones to detect gunfire and quickly route emergency crews to the location — with or without a 911 call. The technology has been "criticized for inaccuracy, racial bias and law enforcement misuse," The Associated Press said. Johnson's decision was fiercely criticized. "If we're not utilizing technology," police superintendent Larry Snelling said, "then we fall behind in crime fighting." The question is whether ShotSpotter effectively aids that fight. A 2021 study found that more than 80% of ShotSpotter alerts turned up "no report of any crime at all," said NPR. 'Unnecessary and hostile encounters'Police have praised the system for "speeding up emergency responses to shootings," The Chicago Tribune said. And ShotSpotter CEO Ralph Clark said his company's tools have "led police to locate hundreds of gunshot wound victims where there was no corresponding call to 911." But the system "sends police officers to predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods for often unnecessary and hostile encounters," critics said, per The Guardian. The company says its technology is deployed in neighborhoods with high crime rates, regardless of race. Yes, the system "comes with a lot of false alarms and wrong locations," The Chicago Tribune said. And those false alarms can lead to a "SWAT team of hyped-up police officers" showing up. But Chicago police credit ShotSpotter with saving "scores of lives." The police superintendent clearly wants more time to evaluate ShotSpotter, the paper said. He should get it. 'Recipe for failure'?That may not happen. Johnson said he wanted to keep the city's contract with ShotSpotter through the summer. But the technology could be "turned off as early as the end of the week," ABC Chicago said, because Johnson's office announced the end of the contract before it had reached a firm agreement with ShotSpotter. Johnson's end-the-contract-but-not-now approach is confusing, The Chicago Sun-Times said. The bigger problem is that the mayor is turning away from ShotSpotter "without having something on deck to replace it." That's a "bad policy and a recipe for failure."     Poll watch Nearly equal shares of Americans support and oppose a ban on TikTok in the United States, according to a new AP/NORC poll. The poll surveyed 1,152 adults and found 31% favored banning TikTok in the U.S., while 35% opposed a ban. However, 56% said TikTok should be banned on government devices.     INSTANT OPINION Today's best commentary 'Should conservatives care about CPAC?'Henry Olsen at National ReviewThe Conservative Political Action Conference has outlived its usefulness, says Henry Olsen. CPAC used to be an important annual event where conservatives of all stripes "gathered to meet, debate and network." But under its embattled chair, Matt Schlapp, it has "devolved into a MAGA carnival where only one part of the conservative movement is welcome and dogma has replaced debate." Something needs to "topple CPAC from its decaying perch," the way Amazon replaced Sears. 'Fani Willis' strange, furious testimony may have blown up her case against Trump'Jeremy Stahl and Mark Joseph Stern in SlateThe "soap opera" of Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis' romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, whom she hired to help prosecute former President Donald Trump, has been devastating for "American democracy," say Jeremy Stahl and Mark Joseph Stern. Willis' "combative testimony" defending herself this week furthered the collapse of her case over Trump's election-interference allegations into a "mess of accusations and recriminations." It is now a "tragedy and a farce at once" that benefits Trump. 'Mike Johnson needs a cognitive test'Dana Milbank in The Washington PostRepublicans are trying to paint President Joe Biden as old and "senile," says Dana Milbank. But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) might be the one who needs a cognitive test. On Monday, the Republican leader flatly dismissed the Senate's bipartisan foreign aid package because it didn't include an immigration crackdown. "Apparently, he just plum forgot that he was the one" who had killed the toughest border security bill in a generation just a week earlier.     Picture of the day Bird watching A photo of a Rupicola Gallito de Roca is captured during the 2024 Colombian Bird Fair in Dagua, Colombia. Joaquin Sarmiento / Getty Images     Good day ✏️ … for talented writers who aren't U.S. citizens. The foundation behind the National Book Awards announced it was dropping the citizenship requirement. The prize will be open to "immigrants and other longtime residents who have made their home in the United States" for the first in the award's 54-year history, The New York Times said.     Bad day 🪰 … for a Delta passenger en route to Detroit. About one hour into the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, maggots reportedly fell onto the unidentified passenger from an overhead bin, forcing the plane to turn back to Amsterdam. The maggots were traced to a rotten fish sitting in an overhead bag.     Puzzles [Daily crossword]( Test your general knowledge with The Week's daily crossword, part of our puzzles section, which also includes [sudoku]( and [codewords](. [Play here](     The Week recommends [Pittsburgh, the city of multitudes]( It has the moniker of City of Steel, but there is much more to Pittsburgh than industry. It is also a rousing city of museums, great food and beloved sports teams. Play ball! (or hockey)Depending on when you visit, you can catch a football, baseball or hockey game. The Pittsburgh Steelers play at the Acrisure Stadium, while the Pittsburgh Pirates' home base is PNC Park, and the Pittsburgh Penguins can be found at PPG Paints Arena. If it happens to not be a game day, you can still swing by PNC Park for a stadium tour. Soak in the cultureConsider popping by the Andy Warhol Museum. Warhol was born and raised in Pittsburgh, and the museum has the world's largest collection of his work and archival materials. His art is on display alongside pieces by contemporary artists that "resonate with Warhol's life and work," and the museum promises that "you will always see something different" during each visit. Eat like a localPierogies are a Pittsburgh staple, and everyone has their favorite place for these Polish dumplings. The Pittsburgh City Paper polled its readers on the best pierogies, and Pierogies Plus took the top spot, followed by Apteka and Cop Out Pierogies. The most famous sandwich place in Pittsburgh is Primanti Bros., which tops its grilled meat sandwiches with fries and sweet-and-sour coleslaw. And Bar Marco opened more than a decade ago but remains "one of the hottest spots in Pittsburgh — and not just because it's located in an old firehouse," Pittsburgh Magazine said. [Read more](     WORD OF THE DAY Sora OpenAI's new text-to-video AI model, which the company said can "create realistic and imaginative scenes from text instructions." The model allows users to create "photorealistic" videos up to a minute long based on the prompt input.     In the morning Tomorrow, you can read print magazine articles in our Saturday Wrap, featuring the debate over prosecuting school shooters' parents, the great moon race, and why Ryan Gosling relates to Barbie's Ken. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading, Summer     Evening Review was written and edited by Theara Coleman, Nadia Croes, Catherine Garcia, Harold Maass, Scott Hocker, Justin Klawans, Kelsee Majette, Joel Mathis, Summer Meza, Devika Rao, Rafi Schwartz, Anahi Valenzuela and Peter Weber, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly and Julia Wytrazek. Image credits, from top: Mladen Antonov / AFP / Getty Images; Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images; Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune / Tribune News Service via Getty Images; Ken Redding / Getty Images   © Future US, Inc • [theweek.com]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( [Privacy Policy]( The Week is published by Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.