Good morning. The search for the Brown University shooter is over. Last night, the police discovered the body of a man, 48, they believe opened fire on an exam study session at Brown University. They said they found him inside a storage unit in New Hampshire with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The breakthrough ended a wrenching five-day search. It also appeared to resolve another university shooting: Officials believe the same man was responsible for the killing earlier this week of an M.I.T. professor. There’s more on that below. Then we answer your questions about the news. A gray Nissan
The breakthrough came from an anonymous tip. It directed officials to a post on Reddit: “I’m being dead serious. The police need to look into a gray Nissan with Florida plates, possibly a rental,” the Reddit user posted, according to an affidavit. The day after the post was made, the writer approached the authorities. He told them he had encountered a suspicious man in the Brown building where the shooting occurred. The man, whom the police referred to as John, said that he saw the suspect in a bathroom of the campus building around two hours before the first shots were reported. John said they made eye contact, and that the suspect’s clothing was wrong for the weather. John said he then followed the man after he left the building to a Nissan vehicle with a Florida plate. Instead of entering the vehicle, the suspect walked around the block, with John behind him. John said it was like “a game of cat and mouse.” At one point, the two men spoke. “Your car is back there, why are you circling the block?” John asked the suspect, according to the affidavit. The suspect responded, “Why are you harassing me?” John left soon after. The information “blew this case right open,” the Rhode Island attorney general said. They tracked the plate to a rental agreement. And with that, they had a name: Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a Portuguese national and a former graduate student at Brown. Then came another breakthrough. The officials linked the car to the killing earlier this week of a professor at M.I.T., Nuno Loureiro, who was 47. He and the suspect had once attended the same academic program in Portugal. The authorities tracked the car to a storage unit the suspect had rented in New Hampshire. When they swarmed it, they found his body, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Read what we know about the suspect — and follow the latest updates here.
Trump’s America: F.A.Q.President Trump has been clear about at least one thing from the start of his term in January: He wants to remake the federal government and leave his imprint on the country. The Times asked readers to send us questions about what Trump’s policies might mean for the American public — for them. We heard from more than 1,000 people. They had questions about how tax cuts, immigration, prices and many other issues could affect their lives. For answers, we reached out to Times reporters. What follows is a sampling of those questions, and our responses. Who benefited from the recent tax cuts? Are taxes changing for all Americans? Answered by Andrew Duehren Covers tax policy Most people will pay at least somewhat lower taxes because of the cuts Republicans passed in July. The law extends tax cuts first put in place in 2017, so this year’s tax cut won’t feel like much of a change for many people. Republicans did add some new breaks that could help Americans who work overtime, earn tips or live in high-tax states, or who are 65 or over. Overall, though, higher-income Americans will still benefit the most. My grandson is looking for his first job. Is there a future in manufacturing in the United States? Answered by Farah Stockman Covers manufacturing Yes, there is, especially for young people with skills in automation and robotics, seen as crucial to making the sector globally competitive. As factories become more high-tech, new jobs are opening up in robot repair and mechatronics (a field combining mechanical engineering with electronics). Mechatronics technicians earned a median salary of $70,760 last year with a two-year associate degree. Those with more education and experience can earn well over $100,000. My child is starting first grade next year. I’m curious to know what has changed in the way teachers are teaching American history in K-12. Answered by Dana Goldstein Covers education The answer very much depends on where you live. In recent years, more than 20 states, mostly Republican-leaning, passed laws restricting what can be said in the classroom about race, gender, sexuality and American history. In Florida, under Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, civics classes now emphasize the Christian beliefs of the founding fathers. In Texas, teachers are supposed to avoid history lessons that might prompt students to feel “guilt” or “anguish” on account of their race or sex. I was deployed overseas and worked with people eager to move to the United States. Are refugees still being let into the country? Answered by Madeleine Ngo Covers immigration and economic policy Refugees are still being admitted to the country, but the Trump administration has slashed the number that are accepted, and has prioritized slots for mostly white Afrikaner South Africans. In October, the Trump administration lowered the ceiling of refugee admissions to 7,500 for this fiscal year. That’s down from the 125,000 cap the Biden administration set last year. Why is my electric bill higher now than it was a year ago? Answered by Brad Plumer Covers technology and policy efforts to address global warming It depends on where you live. Electricity prices have been rising faster than inflation in roughly half of all states in the last few years. In California and Maine, wildfires and storms have imposed steep costs on utilities. The Northeast has struggled with high natural gas prices. In the Mid-Atlantic, soaring demand from data centers combined with a wave of power plant retirements is raising prices. Many utilities are also spending more to upgrade their aging grids. I’d like to know more about all the different ways President Trump’s orders will affect the transgender community. Will my trans daughter still be able to get health care and to travel freely? Answered by Amy Harmon Covers how shifting conceptions of gender affect everyday life in the United States The Trump administration has adopted policies that limit the participation of transgender people in many areas of public life. If your trans daughter wants to serve in the military, she can’t. If she has a passport with an “F” marker, she will receive one with an “M” when it is time to renew. It may be more difficult for trans minors to access gender medicine because several high-profile clinics have closed, leading to longer waiting lists at those that remain open. For more:
Read more reader questions and reporter answers here.
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Do you recognize the smiling actress in the bowler hat? What about the gentleman standing in front of the Canadian flag? Or that (kind of creepy) doll with the sharp teeth? Each year, around this time, the Morning newsletter team puts together a game that shows you 52 faces of people who were notable this year, across the broad world of Times coverage, and asks if you can name them. Some are politicians. Others are athletes. One, as we said, is a creepy doll. Play this year’s edition here. Good luck! And remember to use the hints if you’re unsure.
College campuses should have tech-free spaces for students to better focus on their studies, Colleen Kinder writes. If Republicans want to be the party of the working and middle class, they should close tax loopholes for rich people like me, Mitt Romney writes. The Times Sale starts now: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year.
A panda problem: There have been giant pandas in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo for more than half a century. Now, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, twin 4-year-old pandas on loan from China, are scheduled to go home. A line to say goodbye stretched for more than a mile. Origin story: Bhavitha Mandava, an N.Y.U. student, was scouted on the subway. She’s now one of the world’s top models. Alisha Haridasani Gupta tells the tale. Say cheese: Eating high-fat dairy may be tied to a lower risk of developing dementia, a new study finds. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about new plaques under Trump’s presidential “walk of fame.” They denigrate some of his predecessors.
19— That is the number of people Florida has executed this year, a state record, up significantly from its previous record of eight executions, set in 1984 and matched in 2014. The 19th took place last night.
Motorsports: Greg Biffle, one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers, and his wife and two children were among seven people killed in a plane crash at an airport near Charlotte, N.C. He was 55. N.F.L.: The Seattle Seahawks scored a two-point conversion in overtime |
