An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: This year’s deadliest school shooting; another Trump hearing; a quizzical space image; and more

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Good morning. It's Thursday, Sept. 5, and there were some exceptional entries for The Post's 25th annual Travel photo contest — see the winners here. Now let's get to the news.

Two students and two teachers were killed in a school shooting in Georgia.

Yesterday: A 14-year-old student opened fire at Apalachee High, authorities said. Nine were injured. It was the deadliest school shooting of 2024 — The Post tracks them here.
The investigation: The FBI said it was tipped off a year ago about the suspect, who is in custody. During the shooting, a mom and her daughters exchanged frantic texts.

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Republican Liz Cheney said she will vote for Kamala Harris in November.

Why? The former congresswoman said Donald Trump is a "danger." She is the latest on a growing list of Republicans who've said they won't vote for Trump.
The bigger picture: That fear factor is hurting Trump's election chances, polling shows. The far-right Project 2025 proposal has become a top Democratic attack.
In related news: Trump has a new photo book, "Save America" — find a review here.

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A court hearing on the future of Trump's Jan. 6 case takes place today.

What to expect: Arguments over how Trump's 2020 election subversion case can proceed after the Supreme Court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from prosecution.
Also today: Jury selection begins in Los Angeles for the second criminal trial of President Joe Biden's son Hunter. He is accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes.

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Biden is preparing to block the purchase of U.S. Steel.

What's happening? The company was set to be bought by Japan's Nippon Steel for $14.9 billion. But Biden's decision to block it, not yet made public, cited national security concerns.
Another angle: Many analysts called the decision political. Harris needs the support of a union that opposes the deal to help win Pennsylvania, a critical swing state.

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The world is burning an alarming amount of plastic.

The data: Around 12% of all plastic waste produced in cities is burned in the open air, a new study found. India burns the most — we list the top 10 contributors here.
Why it matters: Plastic burning has been linked to heart disease and respiratory issues.
Related news: Maui wildfire survivors say insurers are failing to clean up the toxic damage to their homes.

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NASA's Webb telescope detected a giant question mark in space.

The "Question Mark Pair" galaxies, observed in deep space with the James Webb Space Telescope. (Space Telescope Science Institute)

What is it? Two galaxies, 7 billion light-years from Earth. One is white, while a red one has been distorted by gravity. A third forms the dot.
Closer to Earth: Boeing's Starliner is set to return home tomorrow without its astronauts, who remain stuck in space.

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Hundreds of iconic "Game of Thrones" props are being auctioned.

Like what? Bloody clothes from the Red Wedding scene, the bell from Cersei Lannister's walk of shame, even the Iron Throne — although (spoiler!) it was melted in the series finale.
Let the battle commence: More than 2,000 items from the HBO series are beings sold, with starting bids ranging from $500 to $20,000. It starts Oct. 10 in Dallas.