Teen shooter kills 4 at Oregon elementary school before being shot by a witness
Authorities say a 16-year-old opened fire at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, killing three children and a teacher. He was shot by a person at the scene who pursued him into the school. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz says authorities found the suspect dead inside the school minutes after the shooting Thursday was first reported. Krantz says the three children killed were aged 5, 8 and 11. A 7-year-old child and a teacher were injured and taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police say the attacker forced his way into the school by shooting at locked doors. A Bend police spokesperson says he was shot and went down inside the school shortly after officers arrived.
Talarico compares his campaign to the biblical David after GOP invests over $158M against him
James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, is rallying supporters as he aims to become the first Democrat to win statewide in over 30 years. The state lawmaker started as an underdog but is now seen as a real contender against Republican Ken Paxton. At a packed rally Thursday, Talarico compared himself to David — who fought Goliath — as his campaign faces more than $158 million in spending by Republican leadership and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. Talarico himself raised record amounts of money in one of the more expensive and competitive Senate races.
Alaska's Sullivan and Peltola clash over Iran and high prices in testy Senate debate
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s major U.S. Senate candidates clashed over Iran and consumer prices during a televised debate in the high-stakes contest that could play into control of the chamber. Two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan says the war needs to end soon, but wants the Strait of Hormuz to open and a deal to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman, says a deal is “so far out of sight” and lamented the deaths of 20 military personnel. President Donald Trump visited the state in support of Sullivan days ago.
Policing of France's school protests clouds Macron's final months and sparks uproar
PARIS (AP) — In France, teenagers are protesting for better-resourced schools, leading to clashes with one of Europe's largest internal security forces. This unrest is happening as President Emmanuel Macron's decade in power, which ends in May, has been marked by protests that have hurt his popularity. The latest protests have resulted in mass arrests, with many teenagers detained and injured. Police face criticism for using non-lethal weapons, causing serious injuries. A police union has even filed a complaint against the state for endangering officers. Investigations into police misconduct are growing, highlighting tensions between the state and citizens in a country known for its protest culture.
Drone strikes in the Black Sea raise fears of Russian escalation to test NATO's response
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Drone attacks on cargo ships in the Black Sea this month have raised concerns among NATO members. The attacks, near Romania and Bulgaria, threaten global shipping routes and have resulted in deaths and missing crew members. Russia is suspected, but evidence is lacking. NATO members fear these incidents could draw other countries into the war for Ukraine. Romanian airspace has been repeatedly violated by Russian drones. NATO is discussing security measures, but its defense clause may not cover these attacks. The situation highlights the growing threat and the need for increased counter-drone capabilities in the region.
Israel's Arab-led parties could decide the election if anyone would partner with them
BAQA AL-GHARBIYYE, Israel (AP) — Arab parties could win enough seats in Israel's Oct. 27 election to help decide who the next prime minister is. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rivals have all ruled out any alliance with them. Activists say the long-marginalized community has faced heightened discrimination and incitement since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of Gaza. Israel's Palestinian citizens make up around 20% of its population. They have citizenship, including the right to vote, but their close ties to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza lead many Jewish Israelis to view them with suspicion.
Ukraine abandons truce and attacks Russian oil refinery as Zelenskyy says he feels betrayed by Trump
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine attacked a Russian oil refinery, abandoning a brief truce involving energy-related targets that it said Moscow did not heed. The strike happened Thursday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he felt betrayed by President Donald Trump. The drone strike started a fire at the refinery about 300 kilometers (180 miles) southeast of Moscow. The attack could further complicate Kyiv’s relations with Trump, which have soured again in recent days. Zelenskyy said he was outraged by Russia’s continuing aerial bombardment of his country’s energy infrastructure in apparent defiance of Trump’s demand on Sunday for both sides to halt those attacks. On Thursday, Trump openly declared his dislike of Zelenskyy in an interview with Newsmax.
Commercial goods are no longer entering Gaza, raising fears of worsening shortages in the territory
JERUSALEM (AP) — No commercial goods are entering the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities said, attributing the suspension to local vendors they said are fed up with Hamas raising taxes on them. The Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian affairs in Gaza said on Thursday that local vendors in Gaza asked them to stop coordinating imports because they were fed up with Hamas raising taxes on them. The head of Gaza’s private truckers union disputed that account, saying Israel had made the decision. The move stands to immediately reduce Gaza’s supplies, because the closed-off territory is completely reliant on whatever goods Israel allows in through border crossings.
FBI agents and analysts fired for roles in Trump classified files probe sue to get their jobs back
WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI employees fired for their roles in the investigation of President Donald Trump’s retention of classified documents at his Florida estate are suing to get their jobs back, calling their terminations unlawful acts of “political retribution.” Thursday's complaint adds to the legal challenges to mass terminations under FBI Director Kash Patel of agents who participated in investigations of the Republican president or are seen as opposed to Trump administration interests. The suit was filed in federal court in Washington on behalf of nine agents, intelligence analysts and staff operations specialists fired in February. Patel says employees he has fired had “weaponized” the FBI.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says US is trying to break Canada as Alberta votes on separation path
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has campaigned for national unity as advance voting is underway in oil-rich Alberta in a referendum that could set the province on a path toward a future vote on separation from Canada. Monday’s vote is not a direct referendum on independence. Albertans will decide whether to remain in Canada or instruct the government to begin the legal process toward a future separation referendum. Carney said Thursday it couldn't be worse timing and warned the U.S. is trying to break Canada to own it. His warning came as U.S. President Donald Trump wages a trade war and his repeated threats to make Canada the 51st U.S. state have strained relations.
