It’s the end of the week, but the news never stops. Luckily, you’ve got us to sum it all up for you. Here are the top stories everyone will be talking about today:
1. Not again
One person was killed and three others were wounded in yet another school shooting last night. This time it happened on the Northern Arizona University campus near a dormitory. The shooter was taken into custody, and the campus is not on lockdown at this time. This incident comes just one week after the shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. Campus shootings are becoming disturbingly routine. — People
2. Trouble in paradise
Kevin McCarthy was the GOP’s front runner to replace John Boehner as House Speaker. That is, until yesterday when they had a special closed-door meeting to officially nominate him and he said, “Nope!” A source close to McCarthy says it comes down to numbers, meaning he didn’t think he could get the 218 necessary congressional votes to secure the spot. Rumors are swirling that he’s actually trying to cover up an affair, but again that’s simply rumor. Now, the GOP is scrambling to figure out who else they can choose, and they’re coming up empty. Leader-less is not a good look for them. — CNN
More:A Republican’s take on the second GOP debate
3. Obama is in for an icy reception
President Obama will travel to Oregon today to meet with families of the Oregon shooting victims. Surprisingly, the visit is not expected to go well. The region is known as Oregon’s “Bible belt,” and many are opposed to Obama and his views about gun control. Some families have even declined to meet with Obama and think the shooting could have been prevented if more people had guns on campus. It just goes to show how deeply this country is divided on guns, even in places that have been directly affected by them. — ABC News
4. Women against weapons
Speaking of guns, former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is launching an initiative to prevent gun violence against women and families. The Women’s Coalition for Common Sense will feature a national advisory committee that includes Madeleine Albright and other powerful female figures, and they’ll focus on encouraging legislation that keeps guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. Giffords survived an assassination attempt in 2011 but suffered a severe brain injury from the shooting. She’s devoted herself to speaking out about gun control ever since. — USA Today
More:Kim Kardashian makes a great point about gun control in four simple tweets
5. Well, this is awful
Spencer Stone, a U.S. airman who helped stop a terrorist attack on a train in France over the summer, was stabbed last night outside of a bar in Sacramento. The incident was unrelated to what happened in France, and police say it’s not terror-related. They’re currently looking for two male suspects. Stone was stabbed four times and is in serious but stable condition. We’re glad he’s OK and hope his life is much less eventful from here on out. — Fox News
6. So necessary
A group of 32 Democrats penned a letter to the TSA criticizing their treatment of transgender passengers. The letter is a response to an incident last month in which a transgender TV producer live-tweeted her humiliating treatment by TSA officers after the body scanner flagged her for an “anomaly.” The “anomaly” was her genitalia and she tried to explain that to officers, but they detained her, searched her and continually referred to her as male. She ended up missing her flight. Formal legislation hasn’t been proposed, but the letter urges TSA officials to review their practices and to treat transgender people with the dignity and respect they deserve. — BuzzFeed
More:Meet a courageous transgender 5-year-old
7. Friday night lights
The peak of the Draconid Meteor Shower will be visible tonight at dusk. The name comes from the way the meteors appear to emanate from the northern constellation Draco the Dragon, which is just above the Little Dipper. The meteors will be faint, but they’re best viewed from the northern hemisphere, so we should be able to see them. The best time to view them is immediately after sundown. Oh, and in other space news, new photos show evidence that Mars once had lakes and flowing water — possibly for millions of years. The excitement is almost too much. — AccuWeather
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