Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The White House has released

US Intelligence Finding that Russia has recently launched several North Korean ballistic missiles into Ukraine.

As NPR's Tamberg-Heath explains, the information was declassified as the administration continues

to push Congress for billions of dollars to assist Ukraine in its war effort.

White House National Security spokesman John Kirby says the missiles can travel as much as

550 miles.

And their use on December 30th and January 2nd marks a significant and concerning escalation in support

from North Korea to Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.

We expect Russia and North Korea to learn from these launches, and we anticipate that Russia

will use additional North Korean missiles to target Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and to

kill innocent Ukrainian civilians.

Kirby declined to answer questions about how many additional North Korean ballistic

missiles Russia may have at its disposal.

But he again called on Congress to pass additional funding to supply weapons and air defense systems to Ukraine.

Tamar Keith, NPR News, the White House.

A middle school student is dead and five others are wounded including a school administrator after a

student at a school in Perry, Iowa armed with a shotgun and a handgun opened fire

this morning. Police identifying the gun in a 17-year-old Dylan Butler, a student at the school.

The shooter was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities also found disabled a homemade explosive device.

Shooting took place before the start of classes, still not clear as what

prompted the attack.

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