Lewiston, Maine is reeling.

Lewiston

The Story

Lewiston, Maine is reeling.

What happened?

Last night, police said at least 16 people were killed after shootings at a bowling alley and bar in Lewiston — Maine’s second-largest city. At least 50 others were injured. There’s an active manhunt underway as authorities search for a 40-year-old man who’s a “person of interest” and considered “armed and dangerous.” According to a state bulletin, he’s a firearms instructor and believed to be a member of the Army Reserve. Police urged residents in Lewiston and two neighboring towns to shelter in place and lock their doors. 

What else do we know?

The White House said President Biden offered “full federal support in the wake of this horrific attack.” Public schools are closed in Lewiston today. The mass shooting has left the community in shock, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) saying “​​our state mourns.” Sen. Angus King (I-ME) also said he’s “deeply sad for the city of Lewiston.”

theSkimm

The US has seen more than 500 mass shootings this year alone. Now, the country is mourning another tragedy that’s likely to reignite the debate on the gun violence epidemic.

The Latest

The war is entering its 20th day. Here are some developments:

• Israel is calling for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to resign after he said Hamas’s deadly October 7th terror attack “did not happen in a vacuum.” Israel said it won’t be issuing any more visas to UN officials, even as the UN has played a role in mediating the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians.

• Al Jazeera said the wife, son, daughter, and grandson of one of its correspondents, Wael al-Dahdouh, in Gaza were killed during an Israeli airstrike. The news comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reportedly asked the Qatari government, which funds the news outlet, to pull back Al Jazeera’s coverage of the conflict, saying it could further inflame tensions in the region.

Who’s stepping up…

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Yesterday, the lesser-known lawmaker was catapulted into stardom after Republicans unanimously voted for him to become the House’s 56th speaker. It’s been a rollercoaster ride as the House GOP kept swiping left on nominees like Reps. Tom Emmer (R-MN), Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Steve Scalise (R-LA). Now, after three weeks of a power vacuum, Republicans think Johnson — a deep conservative who went into the floor vote with former President Trump’s blessing — is the man for the job. Johnson’s already known for wanting to overturn the 2020 election results, opposing same-sex marriage, and backing nationwide abortion restrictions. His next challenge: whether he can steer the party toward taking any legislative actions — at a time when the country’s eyes are on the Middle East and a looming government shutdown. 

What’s reading the room…

Scholastic. Yesterday, the educational company ended a policy that would've allowed schools to opt in or out of selling a collection of books focused on topics like race and sexuality. Scholastic — which holds about 120,000 book fairs every year — included 64 titles in the collection called "Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice." Some of the books included the biography of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and a novel about a Lakota girl. The company said the collection was needed in order to address book bans — which are enacted or pending in more than 30 states. However, many educators and authors called out Scholastic for caving into censorship. Now, Scholastic said it will not offer the 64 titles in book fairs next year and is looking to "find a better way” to combat the book bans. 

What’s off the table in Japan…

Sterilization surgery. Yesterday, Japan’s top court ruled it unconstitutional for the government to require transgender people to get sterilization surgery before legally changing their gender identity. The World Health Organization said Japan is one of 18 countries to require sterilization surgery for anyone who wants to change their gender identity. Before someone in Japan is allowed to change their gender, they are required under law to show proof of a gender dysphoria diagnosis and meet five other requirements. The court didn’t rule if transgender people must have transition surgery before being allowed to legally register as the gender they identify. That issue could be next up on the docket.

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