Gunman opens fire at St. Louis school, 2 dead

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·5 min read
3

Two people were killed in a shooting at a high school in St. Louis. A new British prime minister has been chosen. And the nation's report card is in.

👋 Hello! Laura Davis here. It's time for Monday's news!

But first, sad news about Leslie Jordan: The larger-than-life Southern character actor and Emmy award winner best known (by me) for his role as Beverly Leslie in "Will & Grace" has died. He was 67. Read more here.

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2 killed, 6 injured in shooting at St. Louis high school; suspect dead

A gunman broke into Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis Monday morning, fatally shooting a woman and a teenage girl and wounding six others. The shooter was shot dead by police inside the school, Police Commissioner Mike Sack said. Officers were in the process of notifying the victims' families, and the shooter has not been positively identified. Law enforcement officers arrived at the school "within a couple minutes" and "immediately" entered the school, Sack said. After students told police the shooter had a "long gun," officers ran toward the sound of shots, eventually ending the attack after an exchange of gunfire. More updates here.

Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, in St. Louis.
Law enforcement investigate the scene of a shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School Monday, Oct. 24, 2022, in St. Louis.

DOJ charges alleged Chinese spies after double-agent operation

Justice Department officials unsealed charges Monday against 13 Chinese operatives involved in three separate influence campaigns, including two intelligence officers accused of a brazen attempt to obstruct a federal criminal investigation. Here's what we know.

  • The obstruction case: Federal authorities said the case represents a stunning attempted intervention in the U.S. justice system in which the two Chinese intelligence officers allegedly led an effort to steal files and other information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York, related to the ongoing investigation and prosecution of Chinese-based telecommunications company Huawei.

  • Alleged bribe to a double agent: The suspects in the obstruction case, who remain at large, allegedly paid a $41,000 Bitcoin bribe to a U.S. government employee, who was actually working as a double agent for the FBI.

  • The two other cases: One involved an effort to force the repatriation of a Chinese national living in the United States. The other involved a long-running operation to recruit U.S. residents to act as agents for China.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, F.B.I. Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco hold a press conference at the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday in Washington, DC. The Justice Department announced it has charged 13 individuals, including members of the Chinese intelligence and their agents, for alleged efforts to unlawfully exert influence in the United States for the benefit of the government of China.

What everyone's talking about

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Reading and math test scores fell across US during the pandemic

Pencils down. The nation's report card is in. As kids catch up from pandemic-related learning loss, national test scores published Monday show how much ground there is to make up. The National Assessment of Educational Progress released scores for 4th and 8th graders showing the largest math declines since NAEP testing began in 1990, and no state or jurisdiction was left untouched. Reading scores declined, too, but there are glimmers of hope. How did your state fare?

🍎 'Effort beats skill.' 'Never give a gun to a duck.' What’s the best advice you ever got from a teacher? Here's what people from across the nation told us.

Rishi Sunak named British prime minister, first leader of color

He used to be Britain's finance minister. And now, he's going to be prime minister. Rishi Sunak made a political comeback Monday when he was picked to be prime minister by Britain's ruling Conservative Party – just seven weeks after he was beaten to office by Liz Truss. After Truss' Oct. 20 resignation, Sunak, 42, will be the fifth British prime minister in six years, and the third in less than two months. He is Britain's first leader of South Asian descent, its first Hindu prime minister, the nation's first leader of color, and the youngest prime minister of modern times. Sunak will take over on Tuesday.

Rishi Sunak leaves a campaign office in London, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. Sunak, the former British Treasury chief, has been picked by his Conservative Party to replace Liz Truss as prime minister.
Rishi Sunak leaves a campaign office in London, Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. Sunak, the former British Treasury chief, has been picked by his Conservative Party to replace Liz Truss as prime minister.

Real quick

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May Diwali’s light brighten your day

It's Diwali time. Members of the Indian community are celebrating Diwali (aka Deepavali or Dipavali), the festival of lights, which begins Monday. The holiday lasts five days and is arguably the most wonderful time of the year for millions across the globe. As one of the most important festivals in the Hindu, Sikh and Jain religions, Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. To prepare for the holiday, Indian families clean and decorate their homes, dress up in traditional garb, and indulge in an elaborate spread of treats. Learn more about Diwali here.

October 23, 2022 : People crowd at a flower market on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Bangalore, India.
October 23, 2022 : People crowd at a flower market on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Bangalore, India.

A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: St. Louis school shooting, US charges alleged Chinese spies, Rishi Sunak UK prime minister, nation's report card, Diwali. Monday's news.