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US News

Student and Teacher Killed in Wisconsin School Shooting

What's going on: Authorities are working to determine the motive behind the deadly shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, yesterday. Madison Police said a student and teacher were killed after a 15-year-old girl opened fire in a study hall classroom. Six others suffered injuries, including two students who are in critical condition. Police said the suspected shooter, who was a student at the school, died from an apparent “self-inflicted gunshot wound.” An official for the K-12 school, which has about 390 children, said that students followed lockdown protocols, despite being “scared.” Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said a second-grader called 911 to report the shooting, adding, “It makes my heart skip a beat to think about that.”

Tell me more: Yesterday’s attack marked the 323rd shooting at an elementary or secondary school this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. The incident comes just days after the anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, one of the deadliest mass killings in US history, and a little over a year after a Christian school shooting in Nashville left six dead. Barnes called Monday a “sad, sad day” for both the city and the nation, while President Joe Biden described the shooting as “shocking and unconscionable.” As the news unfolded, lawmakers around the nation began the all-too-familiar drumbeat of offering prayers and debating gun control.

Related: How To Talk To Kids About School Shootings (Today)

Politics

There's An Effort to Revoke the Polio Vaccine's Approval — Could It Actually Happen?

What's going on: Since its development, the polio vaccine has been credited with saving millions of people from a disease that once caused paralysis or death. But seven decades later, its future is being questioned. Last week, The New York Times reported that RFK Jr.’s lawyer, Aaron Siri, filed a petition in 2022 asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revoke the polio vaccine’s approval for children and infants. The reason? Siri, representing the Informed Consent Action Network (which calls itself a “medical freedom” nonprofit), said the agency didn’t carry out enough safety studies. (It’s worth noting that vaccines undergo rigorous testing before approval and continued monitoring afterward.) While Kennedy — a known vaccine skeptic — has said he doesn’t want to take immunizations away, health experts can’t help but wonder: Could vaccines like the polio injection actually be revoked? 

What it means: If the Senate does confirm Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (a role he's actively campaigning for), he could take the very rare step of weighing in on vaccine petitions. That could potentially include those filed by Siri, who’s vetting candidates for top jobs at DHHS. Still, any changes to vaccine authorizations would likely face opposition. Yesterday, President-elect Donald Trump said he’s a “big believer” in the polio vaccine and that it won’t be going anywhere, but he’s open to reviewing the mandate for it. There’s also a lot of red tape, meaning removing an authorized drug from the market would take a while and likely trigger legal challenges. How Kennedy and Siri move forward could also offer insight into how vaccine skeptics might be able to effectively challenge decades-long immunization policies. It’s alarming health experts as some vaccination rates in the US are already in decline.

Related: Make America Healthy Again: Will It Work? (Intelligencer)

International

Germany's Latest Government Shakeup Has Everyone Asking: Is Europe OK?

What's going on: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence on Monday, adding to the country’s — and Europe’s — growing crises. The vote came after the government collapsed last month, leaving Scholz’s coalition in shambles. Since then, the chancellor has struggled to pass legislation at a time when Germany faces stagnant economic growth, migration concerns, and questions about whether it can continue to support Ukraine’s war against Russia. Not helping: His low approval ratings and public challenges to his leadership. A rare snap election will now take place on February 23, and a caretaker government will be in charge of Europe’s largest economy in the meantime.

What it means: The elections could open the door for right-wing parties, like the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), to swoop in and gain control, with a new chancellor likely replacing Scholz. The potential rightward shift signals a larger trend in Europe. Just last summer, France narrowly avoided a far-right takeover, and its political landscape remains far from stable. As one expert told The New York Times, “these multiple crises are hitting the EU at the worst possible time.” Meanwhile, Germany’s also bracing for the return of President-elect Donald Trump, who has threatened to issue new tariffs and end the US’s partnership with NATO.

Related: Russia's Head of Nuclear Defense Forces Was Assassinated in Moscow. All Eyes Are on Ukraine (BBC)