Kidnapped at gunpoint
Four Americans were kidnapped by armed men after crossing the border into Mexico. Another cross-country winter storm is on the horizon. And the data is in: More teachers than usual exited the classroom after last school year.
👋 Hey! Laura Davis here. Let's get going with Monday's news!
But first: The cat's out of the bag 🐱. An x-ray at an airport security checkpoint revealed a cat inside a passenger’s carry-on bag.
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4 Americans kidnapped at gunpoint in Mexico
Four American citizens are missing after being assaulted and kidnapped from a vehicle by unidentified armed men in Mexico, the FBI said in a statement. Shortly after the Americans crossed the border on Friday through the city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas, gunmen fired upon the passengers in the vehicle. The four Americans were then placed in another vehicle and taken away by the men, the FBI said. Keep reading.
Number of teachers quitting hits new high
More teachers than usual quit their jobs after last school year, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of data from eight states. That could be a problem for students who are struggling to catch up from COVID-19 learning losses. In Washington state, more teachers left the classroom after the past school year than at any point in the past three decades. The turnover increases were not massive – but they were meaningful. This data also suggests that spiking stress levels, student behavior challenges and a harsh political spotlight have all taken their toll on many American teachers. Keep reading.
What everyone's talking about
- She turned 95. She spent her day jumping out of an airplane in Hawaii.
- 'Jared from Subway': How authorities uncovered the popular spokesman's sinister side.
- Hoda Kotb returns to 'Today,' says daughter Hope was hospitalized.
- Why did Alex Murdaugh escape the death penalty? Perhaps it's because he's white and rich. | Opinion
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Winter storm will stretch from Plains to Northeast as power outages linger
Another cross-country winter storm will develop this week on the heels of a system that caused havoc across much of the nation in recent days, leading to 13 deaths in the South and Northeast. It'll keep snowing in California and other parts of the West, as well as the Great Lakes area, and some areas will see temperatures dip below freezing once again. More than 200,000 homes and businesses remained in the dark nationwide as of Monday morning from storms over the past several days, according to tracking website Poweroutage.us. More weather updates.
👉 Dramatic photos show aftermath of historic snowfall, winter storms blanketing California
Nuclear chief warns of 'urgent need' to protect Ukraine power plant
Underscoring the "urgent need" to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone at the site, intensified fighting and stressful working conditions at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant threaten to compromise safety and security, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi warned Monday. The agency team at the site of Europe's largest nuclear plant has reported increasing military action nearby, he said, adding that there has been "open discussion" about offensives and counteroffensives. "My simple question is: Are we waiting for a nuclear emergency before we react?" Grossi said.
👉 Live Ukraine updates: Russia resorting to 60-year-old battle tanks; Kremlin military split widens.
A break from the news
- 🤷 What is trauma bonding? Why you may be misunderstanding this cycle of abuse.
- 💼 Want to make your own survival kit? Here's what to buy.
- 💕 Stepdad gets the official seal of approval from his stepkids after 26 years.
Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at Paste BN. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to Paste BN here.
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