That didn't last long

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·5 min read
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After just six weeks in office, Britain's prime minister has resigned. Games in four sports line up in a phenomenon known as the "Sports Equinox." Not into sports? There's another big show about to start: the Orionids meteor shower!

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

But first, he's wingin' it: After being kept as a pet, Harley, a 21-year-old macaw, arrived at Cincinnati Zoo having never learned to fly. So, keepers gave him lessons.

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British Prime Minister Liz Truss resigns after 45 days

Well, that didn't last very long. British Prime Minister Liz Truss announced Thursday that she will be stepping down. The Conservative Party leader, 47, lasted just 45 days in office – the shortest term in British political history.

So, what happened? Here's what we know.

  • Weeks of turmoil: A botched economic plan unveiled by the government last month triggered financial turmoil and a political crisis that has seen the replacement of Truss’ Treasury chief, multiple policy U-turns and a breakdown of discipline in the governing party. All the while, her ratings plummeted.

  • What's next? Because Britain elects a party, not a specific leader, she will replaced by another lawmaker from the Conservative Party. The process will take place within the next week. Truss will remain as prime minister until then.

📸 45 photos of Liz Truss' 45 days as Britain's prime minister.

Larry the Number 10 cat looks on as Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss (R) comes out to greet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen outside 10 Downing Street in central London on Oct. 1, 2022.
Larry the Number 10 cat looks on as Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss (R) comes out to greet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen outside 10 Downing Street in central London on Oct. 1, 2022.

After bomb threats rattled HBCUs, no word from FBI on arrests

By the end of Black History Month in February, there had been at least 57 bomb threats at historically Black colleges and universities this year — leaving administrators and students on edge and rekindling a history of violence aimed at Black students. The FBI said in March that it was investigating six subjects in the bomb threat cases. But no arrests were made, and the menacing behavior continued into the next school year. As frustration sets in, we look at what is being done – and what isn't.

Charnequa Kennedy is the director of North Carolina Central University’s counseling center.
Charnequa Kennedy is the director of North Carolina Central University’s counseling center.

What everyone's talking about

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A new era of segregated schools?

Whether the fights over curriculum are tied to a long-term political agenda or legitimate concerns about classroom instruction, some experts say we might be setting students up to fail at being good citizens. When one child learns about complex issues like the roots of racism in America and another doesn’t get classroom instruction on the dark chapters of American history, are they both equipped to confront the reality of living in this country in the 21st century? Some experts fear we’re about to find out.

Protesters in support of transgender rights rally outside the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 30, 2021.
Protesters in support of transgender rights rally outside the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 30, 2021.

Get your remote control ready

It doesn't get much better than this for sports fans. All four of the major professional North American men's sports are in action today, a convergence of scheduling known as a Sports Equinox. Similar to a solar equinox, when the sun lines up perfectly with the Earth's equator to signal a new season, games from the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL all align on Thursday, the 27th time it's happened. The first-ever Sports Equinox was on Sunday, Oct. 17, 1971, when Game 7 of the World Series between the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates intersected with games on the field, the court and the ice. And if you're not able to take advantage of it today, don't worry – it's happening again very soon.

The Houston Astros, with help from Chas McCormick's home run, took Game 1 of the AL Championship Series on Wednesday night with a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees. Game 2 is tonight.
The Houston Astros, with help from Chas McCormick's home run, took Game 1 of the AL Championship Series on Wednesday night with a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees. Game 2 is tonight.

Real quick

🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here.

💫 Eyes to the sky! Orionids on the horizon

Bundle up, grab a warm drink and head outside. One of fall's top astronomical spectacles will appear in the night sky this week: the peak of the Orionid meteor shower early Friday. The Orionids are active each year from about Oct. 2 to Nov. 7. This meteor shower is known for its brightness and speed – each meteor can streak up to 148,000 mph. Under a dark sky with no moon, the Orionids should produce a maximum of about 10 to 20 meteors an hour, and bright fireballs might even be seen, according to EarthSky.org. Here's how you can catch the show.

To see the Orionid meteor shower, look to the east and southeast sky between midnight and dawn.
To see the Orionid meteor shower, look to the east and southeast sky between midnight and dawn.

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: Liz Truss resigns, HBCU bomb threats, sports equinox, Orionid meteor shower. It's Thursday's news.