Nathan Lane recently appeared on "Sunday Today" to reflect on the 1996 comedy "The Birdcage," which helped elevate him from a New York stage performer to a bonafide movie star. He revealed that his co-star Robin Williams had stepped in to avoid an uncomfortable conversation when the two appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" more than a quarter of a century ago. The movie was a smash hit, grossing over $185 million worldwide and normalizing the LGBTQ+ community in Hollywood.
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Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old Nashville resident, opened fire at The Covenant School on Monday morning, killing three children and three adults. Police believe she had carefully planned the attack with detailed maps and surveillance, and was armed with two assault rifles and a handgun. Chief Drake said that while the shooter might have targeted The Covenant School, the investigation is ongoing and no further information has been released.
On Saturday, a U.S. Senate staffer was stabbed in Washington, D.C., suffering life-threatening injuries including potential brain bleeding and a punctured lung. Witnesses said the suspect, Glynn Neal, attacked the staffer without provocation, leaving him "bleeding from the head." Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), for whom the staffer works, released a statement asking for prayers for a speedy recovery. Police are still investigating the incident.
On Monday morning, a mass shooting occurred at The Covenant School in Nashville, resulting in the death of three children and three adults. Police have identified the shooter as a 28-year-old former student, and the investigation into the motive is ongoing. The Nashville community is coming together to support the families of the victims and to remember those who were lost.
California lawmakers have passed a bill giving the California Energy Commission the power to impose fines of up to $2,500 per violation on oil companies found to be engaging in price gouging. This bill is seen as a victory for consumers, who have long complained of unfair gas prices, and for Governor Gavin Newsom, who has made it a priority to tackle the issue. The bill was passed in an unusually fast process, despite opposition from the powerful oil industry.
Tensions in Israel have been escalating over the past weekend due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and proposed judicial reform package. In response, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced a pause to the package to allow time for negotiations with the opposition, which has been cautiously accepted. The public largely opposes the package, which would give the Knesset more control over the judicial system, and the opposition predicts the right-wing bloc would lose a substantial number of seats in a new election. Negotiations are ongoing to reach a compromise.
Michael Barr, Vice Chair for Supervision at the Federal Reserve, and Martin Gruenberg, Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), are set to testify before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday. Barr's testimony details the mismanagement of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank, which led to their collapse and the FDIC's appointment to manage them. Gruenberg estimates that SVB's failure will require $18 billion to cover uninsured deposits, while Signature Bank's failure will require $2.5 billion.
Republican senators have proposed a resolution to revoke President Joe Biden's executive action to forgive some federal student loan debt, arguing that it is unfair to those who have made responsible financial decisions. The resolution, led by Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, has 35 GOP co-sponsors and is currently under review. Opponents of the resolution argue that forgiving student loan debt will help stimulate the economy and provide much needed relief to those struggling to pay off their loans.