In our news wrap Friday, the deadlock in Congress over funding the Department of Homeland Security is showing no signs of ending, the Trump administration has sued Harvard University again, CBS News is shutting down its storied radio service and Chuck Norris, the fighting front-man of Hollywood action films, has died.
We start today’s other headlines on Capitol Hill, where a stalemate over the funding of the Department of Homeland Security is showing no signs of ending. A fifth attempt to fund the agency failed in a Senate vote today. For more than a month now, the lapse has especially impacted the TSA, wreaking havoc on airports around the country. Separately, senators are sticking around Washington for a rare weekend session to debate some of President Trump’s priorities, namely the SAVE Act. That’s the GOP bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Sponsors say the idea is simple and popular, but Democrats and a few Republicans say the legislation goes too far. The Trump administration has sued Harvard University again. The Justice Department’s newest lawsuit accuses Harvard of allowing antisemitism to spread on its campus and seeks to recover billions of dollars in government grants that were given to the school. It is the latest escalation in a lengthy battle between the government and the Ivy League institution. Last year, a federal judge sided with Harvard in a separate suit, ruling that efforts to cut funding were unconstitutional and ordered that money restored. The government has appealed. CBS News said it is shutting down its storied radio service as part of a new round of layoffs that amount to 6 percent of its overall work force. CBS News Radio will stop operating in may after almost 100 years of broadcasting. Some of its most famous moments included Edward R. Murrow’s World War II broadcasts from Europe and FDR’s historic fireside chats, which ran during the Depression. CBS News leadership, including editor in chief Bari Weiss, called the move a necessary decision, citing economic challenges and changes in listening habits. More than 4,000 people in towns north of Hawaii’s capital have been told to evacuate. Rising floodwaters could lead to the potential failure of a more-than-century-old dam there. Emergency sirens blared early this morning along Oahu’s north shore. Residents of Waialua and Haleiwa were told to leave. This is the second significant storm to hammer the Hawaiian Islands in just a week. Last weekend’s storm triggered dangerous flooding that washed away roads and damaged homes. The state’s National Guard has been activated to respond to this latest round of floods. As the war with Iran sends oil prices climbing, stocks on Wall Street continued plummeting. The Dow Jones industrial average has now logged four straight weeks of losses, its worst stretch since 2023. The Nasdaq lost more than 2 percent, as both major indices are approaching correction territory. The S&P 500 also ended the week lower, losing more than a percent. The world-famous K-pop group BTS will make its long-awaited comeback with a free concert in Seoul tomorrow. The band has been on a hiatus for roughly four years, as the members completed mandatory military service and did some solo projects. Workers have built up the venue at one of Seoul’s most famous cultural heritage sites. The hour-long concert is expected to draw tens of thousands of fans and will be livestreamed on Netflix. And a passing of note. Chuck Norris, the fighting front man of Hollywood action films, has died. His mastery of competitive martial arts began in Korea during an Air Force deployment. After his service, Norris dominated the sport, winning six karate world championships in a row. He brought those skills to the big screen, alongside his friend and frequent sparring partner Bruce Lee. Their coliseum face-off in 1972’s “Return of the Dragon” is an iconic showdown. Then, in the 90s, Norris took on his most famous role. You have the right to remain silent. Norris starred in the TV series “Walker, Texas Ranger” for nearly a decade. His tough guy persona would resonate with a new generation online. Memes about him called Chuck Norris Facts went so viral, he published his own fact book full of them. Norris was also an outspoken conservative and backed a number of Republican candidates over the years. His family gave no cause of death, but said it was a sudden passing. Chuck Norris was 86 years old.
