Crosstalk: March 27, 2017

Jim Schneider ended the week by presenting listeners with news stories from around the world during this news round-up broadcast. Stories included:

--Breaking News—The GOP health care replacement bill is being pulled amid faltering support.

--The announcement by a top lawmaker that Intelligence agencies disseminated surveillance on the Trump transition team is fueling Trump's push to root-out those who allegedly spread the classified information throughout government and to news organizations.

--Fox News reporter removed after report alleging Great Britain had spied on President Trump.

--President Trump to attend the Brussels NATO summit.

--President Trump's administration has issued a presidential permit to pipeline builder Trans Canada to build the Keystone XL pipeline.

--The EPA issued a 100 million dollar grant to Flint, Michigan, to help repair its corroded and lead-tainted system of water pipes.

--President Trump Tuesday names Amul R. Thapar to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.

--Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he plans to lead a Democrat filibuster of Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch.

--Democrats critical of Republicans for criticizing a federal judge but they are doing the same regarding Judge Gorsuch.

--When asked for his view on the separation of powers, Judge Gorsuch responded with his belief that it's the genius of the Constitution.

--Illinois Senator Dick Durbin questioned Judge Gorsuch about his role in a case defending those companies being forced by the Obama administration to pay for abortion causing drugs in their employee health care plans. Gorsuch defended such companies explaining that sincerely held religious beliefs cannot be abridged by the government without a very compelling reason and that no such reason existed for the Obama administration to make them fund abortions.

--Gorsuch assured the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that he would remain independent of outside influence and would not pre-judge cases, side with one party based upon ideology or allow any of his personal preferences or loyalties to surface in the courtroom.

--The NCCA warned North Carolina that repealing HB-2 too soon could result in the loss of championship events through 2022.

--North Carolina may have lost out on numerous high profile performances and sporting events but economic indicators show that the boycott against the state over HB-2 has failed.

--California has a ban on publicly funded travel to bathroom bill states yet they're not going to block UCLA's trip to the 'big dance' this week.

--A judge grants an Oregon resident the right to become gender-less.

--Pro-family groups leased a big, orange tour bus to highlight the fact that a person's gender is decided by biology not by politics. Before the bus could leave New York, 2 attackers smashed several windows, punched holes in the side

and spray-painted political demands on the side of the bus.

--New Zealand's weightlifter, Laurel Hubbard, beats her nearest competitor by nearly 20 kilograms. The problem is that Lauren is a biological male, not a female.

--The Human Right Campaign (HRC) honors Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin for her tireless work in advocating for LGBTQ rights.

--More than 300 pro-family citizens jammed into a city council meeting as members in Parkersburg, West Virginia, considered a surprise, transgender bathroom bill.

--A Pennsylvania school district that was sued for deliberately allowing a girl into a boys locker room causing embarrassment and humiliation for a boy already changing his clothes, doubled down on its advocacy for transgenderism.

--The U.S. Army had to pay to get a high ranking transgender Pentagon official to appear at its military academy on Transgender day of Remembrance.

--A new counselor in the city of Uruma, Japan, may be the world's first female-to-male trans-person elected anywhere.

--The U.S. aircraft carrier U.S.S. Carl Vinson is being shadowed by a Chinese and a Russian spy ship.

--The Philippines is threatening to protest the launch of a building project on the Scarborough Shoal.

--China issues warning to U.S. bomber flying in the East China Sea.

--President Trump is shifting more authority over military operations to the Pentagon.

--Perennial talks about the Russian threat have prompted peaceful Swedes into war preparations unmatched in decades.

--Rabbi advises to invest in Israeli real estate.

--The U.S. Holocaust Museum is going to award Angela Merkel with a top honor.

--U.S. issued a strongly worded statement accusing a U.N. body of long standing bias against Israel.

--Israel drawing up plans on how to evacuate up to a quarter of a million civilians from communities on its border should full-scale war break out.

--In a 52-47 vote, the Senate confirmed David Freedman as ambassador to Israel.

--Justice Samuel Alito is warning that, '...A wind is picking up that is hostile to those with traditional moral beliefs.'

--A federal appeals court ruled that a Texas school board does not violate the U.S. Constitution by starting meetings with student led prayers.

--Abortion chain offers a luxurious, spa-like atmosphere.

--A Florida woman was told to take down her Blue Lives Matter flag.

--Maryland's governor said that he cannot promise parents of children in Montgomery County Schools, where a freshman was allegedly raped by two older teenagers, that their children will be safe.

--Parents accused of racism and xenophobia after young men (one in America illegally) are accused of raping and sodomizing a 14 year old in a school bathroom.

--Illegals deported 4 times charged in a sexual attack on 2 year old girl.

--Los Angeles mayor defying the Trump administration by expanding protection for illegal aliens.