This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.
Nashville School Shooting
At least six people, including three children, have died as the result of the mass shooting at a private Christian school in Nashville this morning. The shooter, a 28-year-old female who identified as a man, was killed in a confrontation with police. Authorities say the shooter entered The Covenant School through a side entrance and made her way to the second floor.
A reunification area was established at Woodmont Baptist Church for parents to meet their children who attend The Covenant School. Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police gave some new information about the shooter during local law enforcement’s second press conference of the day:
“We have identified the suspect,” Drake said. “We are having an ongoing investigation as it pertains to her at this time.”
“From my initial findings, is that at one point she was a student at that school,” he added. “But, unsure what year, all of that, but that’s what I’ve been told so far.”
Israeli Protests
Massive protests and a nationwide strike erupted in Israel on Sunday. The demonstrations followed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu removing a cabinet member opposed to his bid to reform the nation’s Supreme Court.
Netanyahu, who is seeking to expand the Israeli parliament’s lawmaking authority by curbing the Supreme Court’s power, on Sunday fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who had called for a pause in the reforms. Left-wing protesters responded by blocking streets and bridges and lighting fires on roadways.
Critics of Israel’s Supreme Court say it has too much power and is not answerable to the people. Under the proposed reforms, the Knesset would have an increased role in the selection of judges and the power to override Supreme Court decisions overturning laws.
The high court would also be forced to apply the law to cases rather than ruling based on its own “reasonability” test. Supporters say that the new system of government would provide more checks and balances, similar to the framework in the United States, but even supporters of the changes warn that forcing them through could spark more severe protests and potential violence.
By evening local time, Netanyahu announced that he would be postponing the reforms until the summertime and seeking to find common ground for the time being.
Manhattan Grand Jury Hears From Another Trump Witness
A Manhattan grand jury was scheduled to hear from David Pecker, the former chief executive of American Media and publisher of The National Enquirer, as it considers charges against former President Donald Trump over alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. At a rally over the weekend, Trump took aim at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Zombie Drug Hits Nation, Schumer Demands Federal Action
Lawmakers are warning that a new “zombie drug” known as xylazine, or Tranq, is ripping through the nation. The drug has been detected in 48 states and dozens have already overdosed in New York, leading Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to request that the Drug Enforcement Administration send a special team to stop the flow of narcotics. For its part, the DEA has said, “Xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, fentanyl, even deadlier.”
SVB Bought By North Carolina-Based Bank
North Carolina-based First Citizens BancShares Inc. has agreed to buy a large part of Silicon Valley Bank, the largest financial institution to fail since the 2008 banking crisis. First Citizens will purchase around $72 billion of SVB’s assets at a discount of $16.5 billion. Some $90 billion in securities and other assets will remain “in receivership” with the FDIC. The FDIC said in a statement that it estimates the cost of the failure of the bank to its Deposit Insurance Fund is around $20 billion.
Extreme Weather Threatens Southeast
Authorities are warning of severe flooding throughout the southeast as a new batch of thunderstorms, hail, and heavy rain pummeled the region into Monday afternoon. Nearly 20 million people from Houston to the Georgia coast could be impacted by the storms.
DeSantis Signs School Choice Bill
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a school choice bill into law on Monday. Among other measures, the legislation will expand school choice vouchers to all students in the state and advance eligibility for school choice scholarships to all Florida residents who are eligible to enroll in a K-12 public school. The governor made the following remarks at the signing:
BREAKING: DeSantis announces signing of universal school choice expansion
"[It] will represent the largest expansion of education choice not only in the history of this state, but in the history of these United States. That is a big deal […] The results speak for themselves." pic.twitter.com/TDvqGpIsbn
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 27, 2023
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