RT America -- June 12, 2014

The Iraqi city for Kirkuk fell to Kurdish militants Thursday, marking the third straight day the military failed to keep a major city in the hands of government forces. Although the fighters that took Kirkuk are not associated with the hardline Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the incident further showcases an Iraqi government unable to operate effectively in the country. Further complicating the situation is US military hardware used by the Iraqi army falling into the hands of insurgents and being taken across the border into Syria. RT's Ameera David examines the escalating crisis with Daoud Khairallah, an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University.

Violence gripped Chicago this past weekend when 30 people were shot. Only four were fatally wounded, but the high number of incidents is thrusting the Windy City's struggles with crime back into the spotlight. A 2012 audit by the Chicago Crime Commission found there are more than 600 gang factions in the city with a combined membership of 70,000. RT's Ameera David discusses the unprecedented violence in Chicago with retired Los Angeles Police Department Detective Sergeant Dennis Fanning.