WorldReutersFBI arrests leader of armed group stopping migrants in New Mexico
The arrest came two days after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) accused the group of illegally detaining migrants and New Mexico's Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered an investigation. Hopkins, 69, also known as Johnny Horton, was arrested in Sunland Park, New Mexico, on a federal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. "We're not worried about it, he's going to be cleared," said Jim Benvie, a spokesman for the United Constitutional Patriots (UCP), blaming his arrest on political pressure from Lujan Grisham.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Sri Lanka bombings: 'international network' linked to attack as local Islamist group blamed
Apreviously obscure Islamist extremist group known only for vandalising Buddhist statues has emerged as the prime suspect behind suicide bomb attacks that killed close to 300 in Sri Lanka. All seven bombers were Sri Lankan but the the scale and coordination of the attacks has led investigators to decide the homegrown group acted with the help of a more sophisticated international terrorist network, such as Islamic State. Sri Lankan officials admitted they had been tipped off earlier this month that the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) group was due to attack churches, but the warning failed to stop carnage.
- NewsThe Independent
Armed militia on US border 'training to kill Hillary Clinton, George Soros and Barack Obama'
The head of a far-right New Mexico militia group known for detaining undocumented families at gunpoint has been accused of claiming to train a group to assassinate Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and billionaire Democratic donor George Soros. The accusations follow after Larry Mitchell Hopkins, a 69-year-old who lives in a borer town near El Paso, was arrested on charges of possession of firearms and ammunition. The FBI now claims that Mr Hopkins told witnesses during a 2017 investigation that his militia was planning to assassinate the three Democratic figures, according to Reuters.
WorldAFPSerbia pledges 1 million euros for Notre-Dame restoration
Serbia on Monday said it will donate one million euros to help restore Notre-Dame Cathedral, after pro-government tabloids said the fire was "God's punishment" to France. The gift comes after two tabloids, Alo and Informer, said the blaze was divine retribution after Kosovo's flag was displayed inside the cathedral during World War I centennial commemorations in Paris last year. Serbia does not recognise the independence of Kosovo, a former southern province that broke away in a 1998-99 war.
- WorldBloomberg
How 11 People Are Trying to Stop Fake News in the World's Largest Election
One of the operations most vital to Facebook Inc. at this moment is a world away from its Menlo Park, California, headquarters, and in more ways than one. This is Boom Live, one of seven tiny fact-checking firms at the heart of Facebook's efforts to rebuild some of its credibility during India's elections. Based on the early tallies, more than 60 percent of India's 900 million eligible voters are expected to cast ballots between now and May 19, as the center-left Congress Party tries to seize power from the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party.
- NewsUSA TODAY
Should Catholics keep their faith? Sex abuse scandals prompt more to personally question ties to church, poll finds
Amid the latest spate of allegations of sexual abuse of young people by priests, an increasing percentage of Catholics are re-examining their commitment to the religion, according to a poll released Wednesday. The Gallup poll found that 37 percent of respondents said "recent news about sexual abuse of young people by priests" has them personally questioning whether to remain Catholic — a 15 point increase since 2002. The polling, conduct in January and February, came as Pope Francis met at the Vatican with Catholic leaders from around the world to respond to a new wave of sex abuse allegations in numerous countries.
BusinessAFPOil prices shoot to 2019 highs on US Iran sanctions move
World oil prices struck fresh 2019 highs on Tuesday after the US cracked down on Iranian oil exports while stock markets were buoyed by a raft of positive US corporate results. Oil prices shot up on Monday after the White House announced it would end six-month waivers that had exempted numerous countries from US sanctions for buying Iranian oil. They continued upwards on Tuesday, with Brent North Sea crude reaching $74.70 per barrel, the highest point since November, before falling back slightly.
- BusinessThe National Interest
Here's An Idea: The Air Force Builds 200 B-21 Stealth Bombers
The B-21 has disappeared into the “black” world of military technology, and will only reemerge when the bomber is ready. On October 27, 2015, nearly thirty-four years to the day after Northrop Grumman was awarded the contract to develop the first stealth bomber, the U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop a contract for a new bomber: the B-21 Raider. In invoking the Doolittle Raid, the Air Force is drawing attention to attack's audacious nature, the strategic and tactical surprise, and the epic distances General Doolittle and his “raiders” flew to accomplish their mission.
- BusinessCar and Driver
How Does the Geely Geometry A Measure Up to the Tesla Model 3?
Major Chinese automaker Geely has launched a sub-brand it's calling Geometry. The electric Geometry A is the first production model, and Geely says it's got the Tesla Model 3 in its sights. Tesla might be struggling with bringing the long-promised $35,000 version of the Model 3 to market, but Chinese automaker Geely is suffering from no such problems with the Geometry A, the first production car from what is set to be a wider EV sub-brand.
- NewsTime
San Diego Church-Goers Tackle a Woman Brandishing a Handgun and a Baby
An armed woman carrying a 10-month-old baby walked into a San Diego church during Easter services on Sunday and threatened to blow up the building, according to police. The baby and the woman's 5-year-old daughter were both taken into protective custody. “The female walked up on stage and made threats that she was going to blow up the church while waving the handgun,” the San Diego Police Department said in statement shared on Twitter.
WorldReutersU.S. prepares to end Iran oil waivers; Asian buyers to be hardest hit
The United States is expected to announce on Monday that buyers of Iranian oil need to end imports soon or face sanctions, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters, triggering a 3 percent jump in crude prices to their highest for 2019 so far. Officials in Asia opposed the expected move, pointing to tight market conditions and high fuel prices that were harming industry. The source confirmed a report by the Washington Post that the administration will terminate the sanctions waivers it granted to some importers of Iranian oil last year.
WorldAssociated PressIranian parliament labels entire US military as terrorist
Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that labels all U.S. military forces as terrorist, state TV reported, a day after Washington ratcheted up pressure on Tehran by announcing that no country would any longer be exempt from U.S. sanctions if it continues to buy Iranian oil. The bill is a step further from the one last week, when lawmakers approved labelling just U.S. troops in the Middle East as terrorist, in response to the U.S. terrorism designation for Iran's Revolutionary Guard earlier this month.
- NewsThe Independent
Tiger attacks zookeeper in front of visitors: 'He is a wild animal and was acting on instinct'
A beautiful spring morning at the Topeka Zoo in Kansas turned tragic when a male Sumatran tiger attacked a keeper, inflicting wounds that sent her to a hospital. Although keepers are never supposed to be in the same space as the tigers, they found themselves together in the outdoor habitat that morning for reasons under investigation. "There's some sort of error that occurred here," said Brendan Wiley, the zoo's director, told a news conference.
- NewsBloomberg
Elizabeth Warren's Student Loan Relief Would Lift Black, Latino Borrowers
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren's new student-loan forgiveness plan includes specific policies that would help black and Latino students, two groups that tend to carry disproportionately high levels of educational debt. Her proposal, which is estimated to cost $1.25 trillion over a decade, creates a minimum $50 billion fund for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority-serving institutions to help close gaps in per-student spending. It would also prohibit public colleges from considering citizenship status or criminal history in admission decisions.
- WorldThe Telegraph
How Sri Lankan jihadists' connections to Syria may hold key to understanding terror attack
The path from Sri Lanka to Syria is not a well-trodden one. It is thought that only several dozen Sri Lankan Muslims travelled to the Middle East to join Islamic State. The number is far lower than most other surrounding South Asian countries, which have had a large number of their nationals make the journey.
WorldAFPLibyans charge France with double dealing over Haftar
Libya's unity government has bitterly criticised France for its stand in the offensive on Tripoli by the forces of Khalifa Haftar, accusing Paris at least tacitly of backing the military strongman. Last week, unity government interior minister Fathi Bach Agha charged that France was supporting "the criminal Haftar", and announced the GNA was cutting security ties with Paris. His comments triggered surprise, and a swift denial from the French embassy that the allegations were "unfounded".
- BusinessReuters
US STOCKS-Futures pull back ahead of earnings; oil stocks jump
U.S. stock index futures dipped on Monday as investors returned from their Easter break and took a cautious stance at the beginning of what is expected to be the busiest week of the first-quarter earnings season. The S&P 500 closed slightly lower last week, ending its three-week winning streak, but hovered about 1% away from a record high hit in September on U.S.-China trade hopes and a largely upbeat earnings season. More than a third of the S&P 500 companies, including Boeing Co, Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc, will report this week determining whether investors should be concerned about the start of an earnings recession or whether back-to-back quarters of negative growth can be avoided.
- ScienceUSA TODAY
After SpaceX Crew Dragon accident, timeline for domestic astronaut launches is murky
The Crew Dragon that flew in space recently was being readied for launch again as soon as June to test that emergency abort system. The used Crew Dragon, with no one on board, was to fire powerful SuperDraco engines to push the spacecraft away from a Falcon 9 rocket about a minute after its launch from Kennedy Space Center. The capsule's apparent explosion on the ground offers a stark reminder of the risks astronauts face, and did not inspire confidence that the Crew Dragon is ready to fly crews.
- CelebrityAOL.com
Easter Bunny hops into all-out brawl in Florida
An unidentified man in an Easter Bunny costume was involved in an all-out brawl in downtown Orlando on Sunday night. Click Orlando reports that the fight began when a man bumped into a woman on the street near SAK Comedy Lab, which quickly escalated into a physical altercation. Footage of the tussle shared on Instagram shows the Easter Bunny hopping into the fight, initially trying to separate the man from the woman before resorting to throwing punches of his own. The Orlando Police Department quickly intervened in the strangely festive fight.
- Lifestylemotorious
Land Rover's Unsung Heroes Hit Big Anniversaries For 2019!
We remember when these models were new! Check out the significant milestone anniversaries these Land Rovers have for 2019 Four anniversaries sure to resonate with Land Rover enthusiasts the world over will be celebrated at the upcoming 2019 Land Rover Legends show. The event is due to take place over the weekend of Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May at Bicester Heritage, a former WWII RAF station in Oxfordshire UK, which has hosted numerous historic motoring events in recent years.
PoliticsYahoo NewsTrump 'not even a little bit' worried about impeachment. Should he be?
President Trump on Monday said he's “not even a little bit” worried about being impeached, implying that he has been cleared by the Mueller report. “Only high crimes and misdemeanors can lead to impeachment,” the president tweeted. “There were no crimes by me (No Collusion, No Obstruction), so you can't impeach.
- LifestyleCar and Driver
The 2020 Nissan 370Z Commemorates 50 Years with a $2600 Special Anniversary Edition
The Nissan Z celebrates turning 50 with a special edition that honors its racing history. The new-for-2020 appearance package features a distinct two-tone livery of the 240Z race car from 1970. UPDATE 4/23/19: Nissan has released pricing for the 2020 370Z's 50th Anniversary Edition package.
WorldReutersGoogle, Facebook, Twitter have to do more to fight fake news: EU
The monthly reports follow a pledge made by the tech giants and advertising trade bodies in October last year to combat the spread of fake news and avoid more heavy-handed regulations. The EU has warned of foreign interference during campaigning for the European Parliament elections and national elections in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine in recent and coming months. "Further technical improvements as well as sharing of methodology and data sets for fake accounts are necessary to allow third-party experts, fact-checkers and researchers to carry out independent evaluation," the EU executive said.
WorldAssociated PressThe Latest: UK intercepts total of 36 migrants in Channel
British officials have intercepted a total of 36 migrants trying to cross the English Channel in small boats. The Coastguard and the Border Force said the migrants were stopped in three separate incidents as they sought to reach England. The second involved a small boat with 15 Iraqi men, women and children on board.
WorldAFPTwo Muslim brothers were Sri Lanka hotel suicide bombers: sources
Muslim brothers carried out two of the hotel suicide blasts in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, part of a wave of bombings that killed more than 320 people, police sources told AFP Tuesday. The sons of a wealthy Colombo spice trader were among suicide bombers who hit three churches and three luxury hotels, investigators said. The brothers, whose names have not been revealed, were in their late twenties and operated their own "family cell", an investigation officer said.
