1. Berkeley Protests
At least seven students were arrested Thursday during a massive protest at University of California, Berkeley. The protests broke out after controversial conservative pundit Ann Coulter claimed she was forced to cancel a speaking engagement at the college. Officers were applauded Thursday for arresting one student wearing a mask, which authorities warned would not be tolerated at the event.
JUST IN: 2 arrests made at UC Berkeley; 1 person for carrying knife & 1 for wearing a mask to evade officerspic.twitter.com/RIFe8rLSRk
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 27, 2017
2. Government Shutdown Averted?
It’s been a tough week for members of Congress, who have been working tirelessly (and so far, unsuccessfully) to agree on a budget and prevent a government shutdown. Key issues of contention surrounding the $1 trillion budget include taxes, trade, healthcare, and the proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that U.S. lawmakers may seek to pass a bill that would temporarily extend the deadline from Friday at midnight to Friday, May 5. Supporters of the bill asserted that it would allow Republicans and Democrats “a little breathing room” to wrap up negotiations.
3. ICYMI: Trump Administration Responds to Michael Flynn Controversy
In a press conference Thursday, Press Secretary Sean Spicer offered a bold response to media inquiries concerning the Trump administration’s vetting of fired National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn is under investigation for possibly accepting payments from foreign entities (read: Russia) heading into retirement. Lately, Trump and his team have received a flood of criticism from opponents who have called the president’s judgment into question. But the tables turned Thursday when Spicer shared that the Obama administration reissued Flynn’s security clearance in 2016. In other words, Spicer’s comments suggest that Trump’s decision to hire Flynn reflects more on the judgment of the former administration than that of his own.
4. North Korea: The Latest
A top U.S. Navy officer warned this week that tensions with North Korea are the “worst [he’s] seen.” Speaking to lawmakers Thursday, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., who oversees operations in the Pacific region, said he has “no doubt” Kim Jong Un is working to develop nuclear missiles that could target the United States and South Korea.
“The crisis on the Korean peninsula is real—the worst I’ve seen,” Harris Jr. said, according to Fox News. “There is some doubt within the intelligence community whether Kim Jong Un has that capability today or whether he will soon, but I have to assume he has it, the capability is real, and that he’s moving towards it.”
5. Pope Francis Travels to Egypt Today
Pope Francis arrived in Egypt Friday to spread a message of peace to leaders of the embattled country. In a tweet Thursday, the pontiff requested prayers for his journey.
Please pray for my journey tomorrow as a pilgrim of peace to Egypt.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) April 27, 2017
The pope’s visit comes after a series of Islamic terror attacks against Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority. Faithwire previously reported that Coptic leaders have accused the country’s leaders of “abandoning” them amid sustained oppression.
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