News Roundup and Comment

Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, trouble in the classroom, tariffs, the Pope, a pharmaceutical tax dodging scheme and a Wisconsin judge is arrested for allegedly trying to help an undocumented immigrant. It's all part of this week's News Round-Up. Here's a brief selection of stories mentioned: --Jim began this edition of Crosstalk with a story concerning the court case titled: Mahmoud v. Taylor. It concerns parents who want to opt their children out of Montgomery County (Maryland) Board of Education's mandated storybook readings involving pronouns, transgender children and pride parades. Jim provided audio from a Supreme Court hearing dealing with this case. --Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Kremlin is ready to reach a deal with the U.S. on Ukraine although he also said some elements need to be fine tuned.--Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, has condemned Hamas for delaying the release of Israeli hostages, saying that the group should disarm itself.--Israel's military campaign against Hamas has triggered a major financial crisis for the terrorist group as they are now struggling to pay their gunmen. --Mediators from Qatar and Egypt have presented a new cease-fire framework to Hamas including a multi-year truce, the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The truce is to last 5 to 7 years.--President Trump said after a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he and the Israeli leader are aligned on every issue.