What to Know
- Police in Paris said a man was shot outside the Louvre after he attacked a soldier with a machete
- President Trump's pick for education secretary, Betsy DeVos, may have to rely on the vote of Vice President Mike Pence to get confirmed
- Lady Gaga would reveal little about her Super Bowl halftime show, but said it will celebrate "inclusion" and the "spirit of equality"
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“Terrorist” Attack at Louvre Museum
A soldier opened fire on an alleged attacker outside the world-famous Louvre museum in Paris, police said Friday. Michel Cadot, the head of the French capital's police force, spoke on Friday. "We are dealing with an attack from an individual who was clearly aggressive and represented a direct threat," Cadot told reporters, adding the man had been armed with a machete and shouted the Arabic phrase "Allahu akhbar."
Trump’s Education Pick on Thin Ice
Donald Trump's nomination of school choice activist Betsy DeVos as education secretary is on thin ice after two Republican senators vowed to vote against her. DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor who spent more than two decades promoting charter schools, has emerged as one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks. Her nomination could die if she loses the support of one more Republican. If all other GOP senators support DeVos, and all Democrats oppose her, she would end up with a 50-50 vote in the Senate and Vice President Mike Pence would have to break the tie to confirm her. A vote is expected Friday morning.
U.S. to Israel: Stop Settlements
Local
The White House warned the Israeli government Thursday to stop announcing plans to build new settlements in the occupied West Bank, signaling a breach in the extraordinarily warm relationship between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu's office announced Wednesday that for the first time in two decades, Israel planned to build 3,000 new settlement homes in the disputed territory. In a statement, the White House said “the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful.”
Military: Civilians Killed in U.S. Raid
An unknown number of civilians, including children, were killed during a U.S. military operation targeting al Qaeda militants this week. One Navy SEAL also died during the operation in Yemen. Nawar al-Awlaki, the daughter of an American-born al Qaeda leader, Anwar al-Awlaki, was among those killed. The military said in a statement that it is still trying to determine the number of civilian casualties during the "ferocious" gunfight.
Reddit Bans White Nationalist Forum
Reddit has banned a forum for white nationalists from its social news website, citing the company's rules against posting personal information and online harassment. Reddit spokesman Anna Soellner said in a statement that the company banned its "r/altright" forum on Wednesday for repeated violations of its content rules. Thousands of users subscribed to the forum named for the "alt-right" fringe movement, which has been described as an offshoot of conservatism mixing racism, white nationalism and populism.
Nordstrom to Drop Ivanka Trump
Nordstrom said Thursday it will stop selling Ivanka Trump clothing and accessories. The Seattle-based department store chain said the decision was based on the sales performance of the first daughter's brand. The move comes amid a weekslong campaign known as "Grab Your Wallet," which has been calling for a boycott of retailers that carry Ivanka Trump or Donald Trump merchandise.
Gaga Talks Super Bowl Halftime Show
Lady Gaga said she hopes her Super Bowl halftime show will celebrate "inclusion" and the "spirit of equality" during a time of national division. "This performance is for everyone. I want to, more than anything, create a moment that everyone that's watching will never forget," she said in a press conference Thursday. Lady Gaga wouldn't reveal what songs she would sing, how many costumes she'll wear or any staging details, but promised a "tremendously athletic" show and no reappearance of her infamous meat dress.
Day Care Note Goes Viral
A day care has no qualms about telling parents like it is. In a notice posted on the front of the day care, the message is simple: "Get off your phone!" A parent, Juliana Farris Mazurkewicz, posted a picture of the sign to Facebook — and it has since been shared more than a million times. See what else the sign has to say.
