Yellowstone's floods and Montana’s governor

Plus, Ukraine's path to EU membership.

Unprecedented flooding in Yellowstone National Park causes a disaster in Montana; Ukraine gets a path to joining the EU.   Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin. TOP NEWS Yellowstone floods reach Montana William Campbell/Getty Images This week, severe flooding wiped out roads, bridges, and infrastructure in Yellowstone National Park, threatening the livelihoods of nearby communities. [BBC] On Monday, intense rainfall and rapid snowmelt caused rivers to overflow, forcing the park — which spans Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana — to close for the first time in 34 years. [Reuters / Ruffin Prevost] As conditions worsened in Montana, Gov. Greg Gianforte's office refused to disclose his whereabouts. Gianforte returned Thursday evening from a personal trip amid criticism for his absence. [NBC News / Corky Siemaszko] Parts of the park could remain closed for months. Local businesses that make most of their yearly income from millions of visitors during the summer are worried. [CBS News / Analisa Novak] Most of the park's wolves, bears, and other wildlife can withstand severe flooding. However, climate change, which likely causes more frequent extreme rainfall events, is pushing animals' limits. [Vox / Benji Jones] Thursday, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Montana, providing federal funding to help the state recover. [Montana Free Press / Arren Kimbel-Sannit] How Ukraine could join the EU The European Commission on Friday said Ukraine should become a candidate to join its 27 members. [CNN / Luke McGee] Gaining membership could take years, since Ukraine must first undergo political and economic reforms. Turkey has been a candidate since 1999. [Reuters / Robin Emmott and Max Hunder] The recommendation is likely to boost morale as Ukraine fights off Russia. The move is also a setback in Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempts to curb Western influence in the country. [Associated Press / David Keyton, John Leicester, and Efrem Lukatsky] Next week, EU leaders will likely discuss making Ukraine an official candidate, the first step in becoming a member. Although many leaders have voiced support for Ukraine, it's unclear whether all 27 states agree. [Washington Post / Emily Rauhala, Adela Suliman and Quentin Ariès] MISCELLANEOUS Leaked audio from internal TikTok meetings reveals China had access to US user data. [BuzzFeed News / Emily Baker-White] Friday, a UK court approved WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition to the US over leaked documents. [BBC / Charley Adams] Senate gun reforms negotiations stalled Thursday over the "boyfriend loophole," which currently allows certain domestic abusers access to guns. [CBS News] Airlines canceled or delayed 4,600 flights on Friday. An Americans Airlines spokesman said most disruptions were weather-related. [USA Today / Zach Wichter] Support our journalism   Reader contributions help keep Vox and newsletters like Sentences free for all. Support our work with a one-time gift today. Give CROSSWORD OF THE DAY Congress member who is Rick Caruso's opponent in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral race Solve today's new Vox crossword puzzle, and stay tuned for more puzzles coming out Monday through Saturday. VERBATIM "In a moment of unprecedented disaster and economic uncertainty, Gianforte purposefully kept Montanans in the dark about where he was, and who was actually in charge."  [Sheila Hogan, the executive director of the Montana Democratic Party / The Hill] LISTEN TO THIS What if we saw the gunshot wounds? John Temple was the editor of Rocky Mountain News in April 1999, when two students committed mass murder at Columbine High School. The photos he published that day would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize and enrage Daniel Rohrbough's mom.   Listen now   ▶ Read more from Vox Juneteenth isn't just a celebration of freedom. It's a monument to America's failures. What if there had been no adults in the room on January 6? Meta is getting data about you from some surprising places Leaked Amazon memo warns the company is running out of people to hire What gas prices do — and don't — tell us about the economy This email was sent to vox@quicklydone.com. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe. If you value Vox's unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution.   View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service.   Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved.