U.S. and world news for Feb. 14

Shooting at Michigan State University: There was a mass shooting last night on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Three students were killed and five remained hospitalized this morning in critical condition. The gunman was located in the city of East Lansing and committed suicide. The initial police investigation found no connection between 43-year-old shooter and the university.

Haley declares: Former South Carolina Governor and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley this morning announced that she’s a candidate for the Republican nomination for president. She becomes the first Republican to openly challenge Donald Trump for the nomination. Haley, who is 51, says there’s a need for a generational change, a reference to Trump’s age of 76.

Inflation eases: Inflation continues slowing a bit according to the Consumer Price Index. Prices increased 6.4% over the last 12 months according to statistics released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, January’s price increase was 0.5%, up from the 0.1% recorded in December.

Ukraine asks for jets: Ukraine again this morning appealed to western nations to send it fighter jets to help it defend itself from the Russians. Ukrainian officials made the request at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Russian denial: Russia this morning denied that it is trying to overthrow the government of Moldova. Moldova is a neighbor of Ukraine. Moldova’s president says Russia is planning attacks on government buildings, plans to take hostages and has groups of saboteurs at work in the country.

Airliner deal: The Tata Group, which owns Air India, has signed a deal to buy more than 200 airplanes from U.S. manufacturer Boeing as well as 250 airplanes from European manufacturer Airbus at an estimated cost of $200 billion. President Biden this morning issued a statement saying, in part, “This purchase will support over one million American jobs across 44 states, and many will not require a four-year college degree. This announcement also reflects the strength of the U.S.-India economic partnership. Together with (India’s) Prime Minister Modi, I look forward to deepening our partnership even further as we continue to confront shared global challenges””creating a more secure and prosperous future for all of our citizens.”