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Twelve Conversational Headlines From The Past Week:
- TRUMP INVOKES ALIEN ENEMIES ACT TO DEPORT MIGRANTS DESPITE COURT ORDER: President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expedite the deportation of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. Shortly after the president’s proclamation, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued a 14-day temporary restraining order halting the deportations.
- TRUMP AND PUTIN SET TO SPEAK THIS WEEK AS RUSSIA-UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS CONTINUE: President Donald Trump has announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, aiming to advance ceasefire discussions in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. This conversation follows a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine has accepted, placing the onus on Russia to respond.
- GERMANY UPDATES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR U.S. AFTER CITIZENS DETAINED: Germany has revised its travel advisory for citizens planning to visit the United States. The updated advisory comes after reports of German citizens being detained at U.S. borders.
- DRAKE’S LABEL MOVES TO DISMISS LAWSUIT OVER KENDRICK LAMAR’S ‘NOT LIKE US,’ CALLS IT A LOST RAP BATTLE: Universal Music Group (UMG) has filed a motion to dismiss Drake’s defamation lawsuit concerning Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” Drake’s lawsuit alleges that the song, which labels him a “certified pedophile,” has harmed his reputation and safety. UMG’s motion argues that diss tracks are integral to rap culture and are typically viewed as provocative expressions rather than statements of fact. They assert that allowing the lawsuit to proceed could negatively impact artistic expression within the genre.
- NASA ASTRONAUTS BUTCH WILMORE AND SUNI WILLIAMS RETURN TO EARTH AFTER 9 MONTHS STRANDED IN SPACE: NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams have safely returned to Earth after an unplanned nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Initially scheduled for an eight-day test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, their mission was extended due to technical issues with the capsule’s propulsion system, leading NASA to incorporate them into the ISS crew rotation.
- U.S. GOVERNMENT RELEASES THOUSANDS OF DECLASSIFIED PAGES ON JFK ASSASSINATION: This release also includes documents related to the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., reflecting a broader effort to declassify records concerning pivotal events in American history. The National Archives has made these documents accessible online and at their College Park, Maryland, location, with ongoing digitization efforts to facilitate public access.
- PARENTS OF MISSING PITTSBURGH STUDENT URGE DOMINICAN POLICE TO DECLARE HER DEAD: This decision follows extensive search efforts that have led local authorities to conclude that Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student who went missing on March 6 during a spring break trip to Punta Cana, likely drowned, with no evidence of foul play identified. The Konanki family expressed that initiating the legal declaration of death will allow them to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence.
- TEXAS BILL TARGETS ‘FURRIES,’ BANNING NON-HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN SCHOOLS: Texas State Representative Stan Gerdes has introduced the Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education (FURRIES) Act, aiming to prohibit “non-human behavior” in public schools. Governor Greg Abbott has endorsed the FURRIES Act, linking it to his advocacy for school voucher programs. He argues that parents should have the option to transfer their children to schools without such distractions, emphasizing a focus on fundamental education.
- TESLAS SET ON FIRE AND SHOT AT WITH GUNS IN LAS VEGAS, POLICE REPORT: On March 18, 2025, at approximately 2:45 a.m., an individual dressed in black approached a Tesla Collision Center in Las Vegas, deploying Molotov cocktails and discharging a firearm, leading to two vehicles being fully engulfed in flames and others sustaining bullet damage. The assailant also spray-painted the word “RESIST” on the center’s doors.
- PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO DISMANTLE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, aiming to transfer educational authority back to states and local communities. While the executive order sets the process in motion, the complete dissolution of the Department requires Congressional approval.
- EGG PRODUCT SEIZURES AT BORDER NOW OUTPACE FENTANYL INTERCEPTIONS: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported a significant increase in egg product seizures at the nation’s borders. Since the start of the fiscal year, there have been nearly 6,000 interceptions of egg products, marking a notable rise compared to previous years. In contrast, CBP data indicates that fentanyl seizures have been comparatively lower during the same period. There have been about 400 fentanyl seizure events so far this fiscal year, highlighting a shift in the types of contraband intercepted at U.S. borders.
- JACKIE ROBINSON ARTICLE ON MLB LEGEND’S ARMY HISTORY REMOVED FROM DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WEBSITE: The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) recently removed, then restored, an article highlighting Jackie Robinson’s military service during World War II. This action occurred amid a broader initiative to eliminate content related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from official platforms, following an executive order by President Donald Trump.
Special Thanks To The Conversation Project Partners:
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