TGIF! Nobody gets much done on Fridays anyway, so wake up slowly with these news headlines.
1. Air strike one
The U.S. struck an ISIS camp in Libya early this morning, killing more than 20 suspected recruits. Many of the recruits were believed to be from Tunisia. The attack was intended to kill a senior Tunisian operative who is connected to two major attacks in Tunisia last year, though it is not yet clear if the operative, Noureddine Chouchane, is among the dead. — The New York Times
2. Air strike two
A Kenyan military official said that the intelligence chief of Al-Shabaab was killed in an air strike this morning in Somalia. Ten “midlevel” Al-Shabaab and 42 recruits were also killed. The Kenyan military conducted the raid, calling it a “major blow” to the terrorist group. Here’s hoping. — CNN
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3. No, nothing is sacred
Now it’s Donald Trump versus the Catholic Church. After Pope Francis remarked that Trump “is not Christian” — remarks prompted by Trump’s vows to deport immigrants en masse and build a wall on the Mexican border — Trump called the Pope’s comments “disgraceful” and “unbelievable.” Trump is fighting a tough battle ahead of the South Carolina primary and may believe that attacking the Pope could net him some evangelical voters. The price he’ll pay in the afterlife is anyone’s guess. — The New York Times
4. Pope says maybe to birth control
Huge news for observant Catholic ladies, especially in mosquito-infested countries: On Thursday, the Pope said that in extreme circumstances — presumably in the middle of a Zika virus outbreak, for example — contraception may be the “lesser of two evils.” Other Catholic Church officials have been saying that Latin America health officials’ directives to women to avoid pregnancy during the outbreak changes nothing about the Church’s stance on contraception. Hmm, we know who we’d be listening to. — Slate
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5. Nevada debates
Another day, another town hall, this time in Nevada — Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton met at a debate in Vegas last night. Immigration was a major topic, given Nevada’s large immigrant population. Clinton promised to introduce immigration reform in her first 100 days of office; Sanders promised to make it a “top priority.” The conversation also covered feminism, health care and socialism. All in all, not quite the reality show of the Republican debates. — NBC News
6. Other shoe, dropped
An Illinois voter has filed a lawsuit challenging Ted Cruz’s eligibility to be president, and a Cook County judge has agreed to hear it. Others, meaning Donald Trump, have raised the question about the exact definition of “natural born citizen” before, and it was only a matter of time before someone legally challenged it. Lawrence Joyce, who filed the suit, seems not so much concerned with the actual legality of the issue but whether the Democrats will raise the issue in, say, October. So Joyce is heading them off at the pass even after the Illinois Board of Elections dismissed Joyce’s concern earlier this month. It remains to be seen if this issue will have the full backing of the entire birther movement, who are obviously very concerned about these issues for all candidates. — Slate
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