TODAY'S TALKING POINTS 10-27-15

TODAY'S TALKING POINTS

The U.S. made China angry by sailing a warship through the South China Sea. The USS Lassen traveled through waters claimed by several countries, but China maintains that it's just their territory — and they don't want the U.S. to casually pass through it. They saw the move as a threat to their sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Russia’s spy ships are hanging out near vital underwater data cables and U.S. officials are worried that Russia might be planning to cut them during conflict. That could be a huge deal since the wires reportedly carry 95% of Internet communication, including more than $10 trillion in global business per day.

Congress and the White House reached a two-year budget deal. The bill, which would raise government spending by $80 billion, still needs to undergo a vote in the House and Senate. If it's approved, it means we could avoid hearing the words "government shutdown" for a while.

A disturbing video shows a white officer violently arresting a black student in South Carolina. A school resource officer was caught on camera flipping over the student's chair with the student still in it, and dragging her to the front of the room. It's unclear what led up to the incident other than the student was asked to leave class and she refused. The officer, who was the subject of two lawsuits, is under investigation. The clip sparked outrage, and #AssaultAtSpringValleyHighwas trending across the nation by Monday night.

Major U.K. employers pledged to use “name-blind” recruiting to end discrimination. The commitment is a major one: The pledge is aimed at entry-level jobs, meaning young people may have a better shot at getting a foot in the door of companies that employ 1.8 million people across the pond. Prime Minister David Cameron announced the change after noting that “people with white-sounding names are nearly twice as likely to get callbacks for jobs than people with ethnic-sounding names.”

It’s official: Bacon is bad for us. The World Health Organization added processed meat to the 478 other things that might give you cancer. There’s good news for cheeseburger lovers, though: One nutritionist said it’s OK to have a 3-ounce portion of red meat once a month. In the meantime, you could try eating more like a Greek.