News Brief: 10 Killed in Shooting at Adult Education Center in Sweden; US Tariffs Hit China, Beijing Responds

A major police operation is underway at Risbergska School, following reports of a serious violent crime, in Orebro, Sweden, on Feb. 4, 2025. TT News Agency/Kicki Nilsson/via REUTERS

Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some urgent stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s happening nationally and around the world.

Ten people are reportedly killed following a shooting spree at an adult education center in Sweden, the gunman believed to be one of the dead; China takes significant countermeasures in response to hefty new U.S. tariffs; and immigration advocacy groups turn to the legal system to fight the Trump administration’s recently enacted border policy.

Also, a Senate committee holds a vote on the nominee to head our country’s Health Department, and following a first-of-its-kind lawsuit, the governor of New York signs a controversial abortion medication bill to shield doctors in her state from criminal charges.

We’ll dive deeply into each one of these critical stories and we begin here. The peaceful nation of Sweden has just been rocked by the worst school shooting in that country’s history, a number of people dead, several more injured, and here’s what we know.

10 Killed in Shooting at Adult Education Center in Sweden

Police in Sweden say that as many as 10 people have been killed during an attack at an adult education center in the city of Orebro, which is located in central Sweden.

During a news conference, authorities say they believe that the shooter is one of the dead, and they say he was not previously known to law enforcement. Police also say that no officers were injured during the violence.

They also say that all of the victims were found inside the school building.

The school serves students over the age of 20, and the shooting took place in a part of the campus area where several schools for both children and adults are located.

Both primary and upper secondary school courses are offered at the school, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training, and programs for people with intellectual disabilities.

One video from the shooting rampage showed a large police presence, a number of emergency vehicles, and students sheltered in nearby buildings. Meanwhile, other areas of the school were evacuated following the incident.

The country’s prime minister says the incident is the worst school shooting in Sweden’s history, but at this time, further information—including the suspect’s identity, his motive, and the names of the victims—remain unknown.

This is a developing story and one which we’ll continue to follow very closely.

As we continue, President Donald Trump’s 10 percent tariffs on all goods imported from China have taken effect and that country has now counter-punched with significant tariffs of their own, and here’s what we know.

US Tariffs Hit China, Beijing Responds

China’s Ministry of Commerce says they’re putting into effect consequential tariffs of their own on a number of U.S. products, including a 15 percent tariff on both coal and liquefied natural gas products, as well as a 10 percent tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery, and certain large cars.

The communist regime also says it’s now going to investigate the tech company Google on suspicion of violating antitrust laws.

Meanwhile, all products coming into the United States from China are subject to the new fees, including electronics, consumer goods, and health care items. Additionally, food, agriculture, energy, and automotive parts are among the other industries that are also impacted.

Also, from now on, previously allowed exemptions for low-value items below $800 are no longer permitted. However, the new taxes do not apply to items intended as donations to relieve human suffering, or to certain media products—including films, publications, and other informational materials.

In case you missed it, Trump recently signed an executive order to impose tariffs on China as a response to its manufacture and distribution of chemicals that criminal networks can turn into fentanyl. The order accuses the Chinese Communist Party of subsidizing, incentivizing, and supporting those criminal networks.

Meanwhile, the White House says that Trump is scheduled to speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the next few days regarding a number of topics, possibly including the Panama Canal.

We turn our focus now to national security and in Washington, a coalition of advocacy groups has just filed a lawsuit in federal court to put a halt to the Trump administration’s new border policy. More now on this consequential story.

Immigration Advocacy Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Asylum Shutdown at Border

The suit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of three groups in Arizona and Texas. It challenges Trump’s Jan. 20 emergency proclamation that blocks illegal immigrants from entering the United States until the federal government reclaims “operational control of the border.”

That proclamation temporarily suspends the entry of illegal immigrants via the U.S. southern border until a time when the president determines that “the ongoing invasion” has concluded. The entry ban also keeps asylum seekers from entering the country while they wait for their applications to be processed.

The lawsuit argues that Trump’s proclamation violates a number of decades-old laws and treaties that would ordinarily allow anyone who sets foot on U.S. soil to apply for asylum. It also claims that the ban unlawfully overrides the authority of Congress and exceeds the president’s authority.

For their part, the Trump administration argues that the asylum system is being exploited by both illegal immigrants and human traffickers at the southern border as a loophole for illegal entry into our country.

Meanwhile, border czar Tom Homan—who’s leading a massive operation to deport those who are in the United States unlawfully—says that the system is overwhelmed with false asylum claims, allowing illegal immigrants to stay and work in the country for years without deportation.

In related news, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has just announced the arrest of dozens of illegal immigrants, including multiple gang members and individuals with criminal convictions including prostitution, robbery, drug possession, fraud, and more.

More from Capitol Hill now and a pair of the president’s most controversial Cabinet nominees just cleared major hurdles on their way to Senate confirmation, and here’s what we learned.

HHS Secretary Nominee RFK Jr. Advances to Full Senate Vote

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has just moved one step closer to becoming secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) after the Senate Finance Committee voted 14–13 to advance his nomination to the full Senate floor. That vote is expected to take place sometime next week and he’ll need a simple majority to be confirmed.

To refresh your memory, Kennedy recently appeared before a pair of Senate committees, where he clarified his stance on vaccines, abortion, and more. Those hearings also showcased a sharp division between Republicans and Democrats regarding Kennedy’s views.

Most Republicans praise Kennedy for his past advocacy work and his emphasis on addressing the nation’s chronic disease epidemic. Meanwhile, some Democrats criticize the nominee for his positions on vaccine efficacy.

If confirmed, he’ll head a department that manages 13 agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health.

Additionally, in a 9–8 closed-door vote, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has just approved former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s bid to become our nation’s next director of national intelligence.

Her nomination now heads to the Senate floor for a full vote, where the highly scrutinized pick is likely to be confirmed to the crucial cabinet-level position.

Another story we’re following very closely right now takes us to New York, where the governor has just signed a controversial law designed to protect doctors who prescribe abortion medications and more now a story that is garnering a great deal of attention.

NY Governor Signs Bill to Protect Abortion Pill Providers

Gov. Kathy Hochul has just signed a bill that aims to hide the names of doctors who prescribe certain abortion medications such as mifepristone to people in states where abortion is banned.

The law is now in effect, and it allows doctors to request that the name of their medical practice be printed on prescription labels, instead of their own names, for a number of abortion pills.

Hochul says she’s taking the action in order to ensure that New York remains a “safe haven for anyone providing or receiving reproductive care.” She pointed out that fundamental rights are under attack all across the country, and that New York is committed to safeguarding those rights on what she calls “the frontlines of this battle.”

By the way, the new bill was introduced just days after a New York doctor was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury for allegedly prescribing an abortion pill to a pregnant minor through remote, online consultations.

Regarding that case, Hochul says she will not cooperate with any requests by Louisiana to extradite that doctor, and that she’ll continue to do everything in her power to protect the indicted health care professional.

The governor went on to say that Louisiana authorities had likely identified the doctor through the prescription label for the abortion pill allegedly sent to the minor’s mother, and that after today, “that will no longer happen.”

That lawsuit is the first instance in which criminal charges have been filed against a physician accused of prescribing and sending abortion medication to a resident living outside of his or her area of practice.

And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re gonna call it a wrap for the Wednesday edition of the Epoch Times News Brief.

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And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote, and this one comes to us from the late John McCain, who said:

“Our shared values define us more than our differences. And acknowledging those shared values can see us through our challenges today if we have the wisdom to trust in them again.”

McCain was an American statesman and naval officer who represented the state of Arizona in Congress for over 35 years.

For all of us here at the Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.

The Epoch Times News Brief program is written each day by David Ross.

Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and unbiased daily synopsis of many of the news stories you need to know about.

Enjoy the remainder of your day and we’ll see you right back here next time for another edition of the Epoch Times News Brief.

For now, it’s imperative that we all continue to watch out for one another and have an absolutely superb day today. Bye for now.