Mother of suspected shooter warned school in Georgia. And opposition leader flees Venezuela

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Today’s top stories

The mother of the suspected shooter in the Apalachee High School shooting in Winder, Georgia, where four people were killed and nine others injured, called the school to warn officials about her son. Over the weekend, text messages that Marcee Gray, the suspect’s mother, sent to her sister about the call she made to the high school surfaced. The school remains closed while the investigation continues.

• 🎧 About half an hour before the shooting, Gray spoke to the school counselor for about 10 minutestells Chase McGee of Georgia Public Broadcasting First. The school administration took the call seriously and went to the classroom where their son was supposed to be, but he was not there. He later tried to enter the room but was prevented from doing so because the door was locked. Witnesses say the school did not order a lockdown as quickly as it could have. There was also confusion because another student with a similar name happened to be in the same class but was not there when the administration arrived.
• ➡️ High School Teacher described on social media how she protected her students during the shooting.

Venezuela’s opposition leader Edmundo González, who claimed victory in July’s presidential elections, has fled to Spain.where he was granted political asylum. This happened after Venezuela’s authoritarian regime ordered his arrest. President Nicolás Maduro controls all areas of power in Venezuela and is supported by the military.

• 🎧 González joins a growing group of Venezuelans living in exile who have gone to Spain, including four former presidential candidates, says NPR’s John Otis. When politicians leave the country, it usually means they’re gone for good. The opposition hoped the U.S. and other countries would recognize him as Venezuela’s new president, but now that he’s fled, that seems out of the question.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits London today and discusses growing political differences between the US and Britainparticularly on Israel and other foreign policy issues. This comes ahead of a trip to the White House by the new British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. The US is counting on British support in its efforts to arm Ukraine and work towards a ceasefire in Gaza. On Israel, the UK has recently taken some actions that differ from those of the US.

• 🎧 According to NPR’s Lauren Frayer, Britain has suspended some of its arms exports to its ally Israelbecause of its behavior in Gaza. Britain has declared that there is a risk that Israel could violate international humanitarian law by using British-made weapons. Funding for the UN aid agency for the Palestinians has also been restored. Blinken is expected to make the trip to reaffirm the special relationship between the two countries.

Climate Solutions Week

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Radio-walkie-talkie

Climate change affects our diet and our diet affects the climate. NPR is dedicating a week to stories and conversations about the search for solutions.

In the fight against man-made climate change, California farmers now want to grow less thirsty plants like agave. Extreme heat and worsening droughts have become more common in the state, affecting U.S. production of fruits and nuts such as avocados and almonds. Growing agave, a key ingredient in tequila and mezcal, is a relatively new idea in the U.S. Here’s how some farmers are using the plant.

And the wine industry in Napa Valley is beginning to grapple with the fact that the grapes grown for Cabernet are being damaged not only by rising temperatures but also by new technologies designed to adapt to climate change.

From our hosts

This essay was written by A Martinez, Morning edition And First host

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NPR

When LL Cool J released his debut album radioThere was no prominent West Coast rap scene that a freshly minted teenager like me could easily access. Songs like “I Need A Beat,” “I Can’t Live Without My Radio,” and “Rock The Bells” made me dream, not of being able to rap like him, but of one day being able to exude even a tiny fraction of his confidence and swagger. It’s only been 40 years and I’m still waiting for The happen.

His voice and his lyrics inspired me because LL Cool J was also a teenager, just 17, when radio came out. That blew my mind and got me hooked on rap music, with LL being one of the main entry points into that world. I mean, did I buy a Jeep in 1993 just because I heard his song “Back Seat”? Maybe, probably, but don’t tell my mom that and definitely don’t show her the lyrics to that song.

LL Cool J is now 56 years old and I spoke to him about his first new album in over a decade. And in that chat, I got the answer to the question that was burning in my mind, and it sounds like I was “going back to California.”

3 things you should know before your trip

1. “Mr. Greedy,” a prolific penguin father, died at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore last week at the age of 33, almost doubling the average life expectancy of its species from 18 years.
2. A Miami-Dade police officer is on leave after he handcuffed and detained Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill hours before his team’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
3. A salmonella outbreak linked to eggs of the brand According to US authorities, at least 65 people in nine states have become ill due to exposure to Milo’s Poultry Farms and Tony’s Fresh Market.

This newsletter was published by Manuel Obed.

Copyright: NPR