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Twelve Conversational Headlines From The Past Week:
- SUSPECT ARRESTED AFTER FIRE AT PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO’S RESIDENCE: A 38-year-old man named Cody Balmer was arrested after setting fire to Governor Josh Shapiro’s official residence in Harrisburg. Police say he used homemade firebombs and tried to trap people inside the home. Luckily, the governor and his family escaped safely. Balmer is facing serious charges including attempted murder and terrorism. Investigators are still looking into his motives.
- JA MORANT DEFENDS GRENADE-THROWING CELEBRATION: ‘IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK’: NBA star Ja Morant sparked controversy with a celebration that looked like he was throwing a grenade during a game. Critics called it insensitive, but Morant said it was just a fun expression and not meant to be violent. He said he’ll keep doing it unless it becomes a bigger issue. The NBA has warned players before about over-the-top celebrations.
- PROTESTER TASED DURING REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE’S TOWN HALL EVENT: A protester was tased and arrested during a town hall hosted by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia. Video shows police using a taser as the crowd reacts. Greene later defended the police response, while critics said it was an example of using too much force. No serious injuries were reported.
- BLUE ORIGIN LAUNCHES ALL-FEMALE CELEBRITY CREW WITH KATY PERRY, GAYLE KING, AND LAUREN SÁNCHEZ: Blue Origin sent its first all-female celebrity crew into space, including singer Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, and pilot Lauren Sánchez. The flight was a short trip aboard the New Shepard rocket. The mission aimed to inspire girls and promote women in space exploration. Some critics questioned the high cost and purpose of celebrity space travel, but the launch was successful.
- TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CALLS ON HARVARD TO APOLOGIZE AS IT DOUBLES DOWN ON FUNDING FREEZE: The Trump administration has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University and is demanding a public apology over what it calls “a climate of antisemitism and ideological intolerance” on campus. Officials are also pressuring the university to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, adopt merit-based hiring practices, and ban masks during protests. The administration claims these changes are necessary for Harvard to receive continued federal support. Harvard has pushed back, defending its academic freedom and campus policies. The standoff signals a growing battle between federal power and higher education institutions.
- BIDEN GOES AFTER TRUMP ON SOCIAL SECURITY IN FIRST PUBLIC POST-PRESIDENCY SPEECH: Former President Joe Biden gave a public speech accusing the Trump administration of trying to destroy Social Security. He said Trump cut jobs and funding at the Social Security Administration, hurting millions of Americans. Biden called the changes “devastating” and urged Congress to protect the program. The speech marked Biden’s return to national political conversations.
- FLORIDA STATE SHOOTER USED HIS DEPUTY MOTHER’S GUN IN DEADLY CAMPUS ATTACK, POLICE SAY: Police say Phoenix Ikner, the suspect in the Florida State University shooting, used a gun that belonged to his mother, a former sheriff’s deputy. The attack killed two people and injured six others. Ikner was shot by police and survived. He had no criminal history, and the motive for the attack is still unclear.
- PRESIDENT OF EL SALVADOR REFUSES TO RETURN MISTAKENLY DEPORTED MAN TO U.S.: President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador is refusing to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a U.S. resident wrongly deported by immigration agents. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled he should be brought back, but El Salvador is holding him in prison, claiming he is a danger. The Biden and Trump administrations have traded blame over the incident.
- SENATOR VAN HOLLEN MEETS WITH MAN WRONGLY DEPORTED TO EL SALVADOR IN POWERFUL EXCHANGE: U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen visited Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, where he’s being held in prison. Abrego Garcia was deported despite being a legal U.S. resident, and the Supreme Court ordered his return. The meeting was emotional and highlighted the real-life impact of immigration policy failures. Van Hollen promised to keep pushing for his release.
- HUNGARY PASSES CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BANNING LGBTQ PUBLIC EVENTS: Hungary passed a controversial new law banning public LGBTQ events like Pride parades. The law defines gender strictly as male or female based on birth, and even allows surveillance to identify people at banned gatherings. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government says it’s about protecting children, but human rights groups say it’s a serious step backward.
- PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS CBS AND ‘60 MINUTES’ SHOULD ‘PAY A BIG PRICE’ FOR COVERAGE: President Trump criticized CBS and its news show “60 Minutes,” saying they should “pay a big price” for recent segments that painted his administration negatively. The remarks follow ongoing tensions between Trump and mainstream media, including a defamation lawsuit. CBS has not officially responded.
- LUIGI MANGIONE INDICTED FOR 2024 MURDER OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO IN FEDERAL CASE: Luigi Mangione has been indicted for the 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Federal prosecutors say Mangione carried out a planned, deliberate killing driven by personal beliefs about the healthcare system. The case is being treated as capital murder, and the death penalty is on the table.
Special Thanks To The Conversation Project Partners:
- Cup Of Coffee: Harold Braxton, Colby Green, Eldon Kydd
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