What happened: Small towns in Oklahoma started the cleanup process Monday after tornadoes flattened homes and killed four people, including an infant. The storms that began late Saturday in Oklahoma injured at least 100 people, damaged a hospital and left more than 40,000 customers without power at one point, state officials reported. Damage was extensive in Sulphur, a town south of Oklahoma City. “You just can’t believe the destruction,” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said during a visit to the town. “It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed.” White House officials said President Joe Biden spoke to Stitt and offered the full support of the federal government. The latest >
What’s going on: Protests over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza are disrupting college campuses across the U.S. as graduation ceremonies approach. While many campuses appeared to be largely quiet over the weekend, University of California, Los Angeles administration addressed “violence” on campus as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters clashed. The university increased security after “some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators,” a university representative said. The University of Southern California reopened part of its main campus after a brief closure this weekend over what the university called a “disturbance.” About 275 people were arrested Saturday at various campuses including Arizona State University, Indiana University in Bloomington and Washington University in St. Louis. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said President Joe Biden “knows that there are very strong feelings” but plans to leave managing the protests to local authorities. The latest >
Creator speaks out: A popular TikTok creator warned that banning the video-sharing app in the U.S. would cut off an important resource and community platform, especially for families like his with children who have special needs. Jason Linton, who has 13.8 million followers on TikTok where he shares content about life with his adopted multiethnic family, said the potential ban would be devastating. Linton’s son has special needs, and he uses the app to raise awareness while getting support from other parents. “It cuts off a resource that we have to get information and also to share information with our community,” Linton said in a Sunday interview on “NewsNation Prime.” Watch >
Clock ticking for TikTok: The video-sharing app faces a Jan. 15 deadline to cut ties from its Chinese ownership or be banned in the U.S. over national security concerns. Some lawmakers fear TikTok’s parent company ByteDance could share American users’ data with China’s government. Here’s how TikTok came to this juncture >
Back to work: For many older Americans, the golden years are still green. As in: They need to keep bringing in the green to make ends meet. About a quarter of Americans above the age of 50 say they expect to never retire, according to a new AARP study. And a new survey from Resume Builder shows that 12% of retired Americans will return to work this year. A retired educator who now works for a Florida nonprofit says, “If I don’t laugh, I will cry, and I don’t want to cry.” Full report >
Navalny death: U.S. intelligence officials determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely didn’t order the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny in February, an official familiar with the determination told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. While U.S. officials believe Putin was ultimately responsible for Navalny’s death, the intelligence community reportedly has found “no smoking gun” that Putin was aware of the timing of Navalny’s death or directly ordered it. Navalny, 47, known as Putin’s most persistent foe, died Feb. 16 in a remote penal colony above the Arctic Circle while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he said were politically motivated. Soon after Navalny’s death, U.S. President Joe Biden said Putin was ultimately responsible but did not accuse Putin of directly ordering it. At the time, Biden said the U.S. did not know exactly what had happened to Navalny but that “there is no doubt” that his death “was the consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.” Full breakdown >
Russian journalists jailed: Two Russian journalists were arrested by their government on “extremism” charges based on accusations of working for a group founded by Navalny. Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges. Gabov and Karelin each face a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years for alleged “participation in an extremist organization,” according to Russian courts. The latest >
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING 👀
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Three Louisiana police officers were wounded by gunfire Sunday in a standoff with a man who was later killed by a police sharpshooter, authorities said. What we know >
The Florida teen due to be sentenced for an attack on a teacher’s aide last year is suing his school for allegedly failing to help him deal with numerous problems. What his attorney says >
A Las Vegas substitute teacher caught on video fighting a high school student is no longer in custody. Latest on the investigation >
Six electric school buses in Pennsylvania will soon transport most of the Steelton-Highspire School District’s students who ride buses to school. The district’s reaction >
A Tennessee woman who had her car stolen twice in a matter of months says she feels victimized again after learning police sold her vehicle at auction. Full report >
An Oregon pub where women’s sports are celebrated and the only thing on TV plans to expand nationwide. Their vision >
Philadelphia’s first 24/7 cheese vending machine has opened. Watch how it works >
An Illinois woman is in “complete shock” after winning $1 million on a lottery ticket that a gas station customer recently gifted her. What she said when she claimed her prize >
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Two Connecticut barbers are being hailed as heroes after a security camera captured them springing into action to stop a little girl from running into a busy intersection. “I saw the little child running full speed towards the intersection. I just couldn’t sit here and look to see what’s going to happen,” Osvaldo Lugo said in a Sunday interview on “NewsNation Prime.” Read more and watch the interview >
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📺 TODAY’S TAKE 📺
Sen. John Fetterman questions how effective the pro-Palestinian encampments and protests on college campuses have been. “It’s a great American value to protest, but I don’t believe living in a pup tent for Hamas is really helpful,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said in an interview with Chris Stirewalt on “The Hill Sunday.”