- WorldReuters
Israel, Hamas trade blows as Gaza tensions simmer
Gaza militants fired rockets into southern Israel and Israeli aircraft carried out strikes in the Hamas-ruled territory overnight Tuesday, though the level of violence appeared to abate after Palestinians said a ceasefire had been reached. After a day of intense cross-border fighting, Palestinian officials said Egypt had mediated a truce late on Monday. The respite didn't last long, however.
- WorldNational Review
Trump Officially Recognizes Golan Heights as Israeli Territory
President Trump on Monday signed an order recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, abruptly shifting long-standing U.S. policy on the matter. We're celebrating the Golan Heights. It's something that I've been hearing about for many years,” Trump said during remarks to reporters at the White House alongside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- BusinessCar and Driver
The Ford Bronco Will Have a Removable Roof and Doors and Will Go on Sale in Late 2020
The new Ford Bronco SUV will come with either two or four removable doors and have a removable hardtop. The Bronco will go on sale in late 2020, according to Automotive News. According to Automotive News, which gleaned info from dealers who attended a Ford event last month where future products were shown, the Bronco will hit dealer lots in late 2020.
NewsAFP Relax NewsArcheologists believe Norway find is rare Viking ship burial
Archeologists believe they have found a rare Viking ship burial site in a region of Norway known for its Viking-era treasures, Norwegian officials said Monday. Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), experts found a ship-shaped anomaly near other Viking burial mounds in the Borre Park in Vestfold county, southeast of Oslo. This could point to the existence of a mound that was later removed," Terje Gansum, leader of the department for cultural heritage management in Vestfold county, said in a statement.
EntertainmentUSA TODAY'Fuller House' cast after Lori Loughlin college scandal: 'A loving family sticks together'
The "Fuller House" castmates say they're a family who "sticks together" just weeks after news broke of co-star Lori Loughlin's alleged involvement in a college bribery scandal. Loughlin, who plays Aunt Becky on the Netflix series, was arrested for allegedly paying $500,000 to guarantee her two daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, admission to the University of Southern California as members of the crew team, though neither was an athlete. Though the cast did not mention Loughlin by name, they appeared to comment on the matter during their acceptance speech Saturday at the 2019 Kids' Choice Awards.
BusinessAFPEthiopian Airlines 'believes in' Boeing despite crash: CEO
Ethiopian Airlines "believes in" Boeing despite the crash of its 737 MAX 8 plane that killed all 157 people on board and led to the model's grounding, the carrier's CEO said on Monday. "Let me be clear: Ethiopian Airlines believes in Boeing. "We will work with investigators in Ethiopia, in the US and elsewhere to figure out what went wrong," he added.
- WorldBloomberg
China's Former Top Internet Regulator Jailed for 14 Years
Lu Wei was found guilty of taking bribes on Tuesday by the Ningbo People's Intermediate Court in the eastern province of Zhejiang, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. He was found to have accepted some 32 million yuan ($4.6 million) from companies and individuals seeking help with regulatory issues and promoting their businesses online, the report said. Lu was convicted after a one-day trial in October.
WorldAssociated PressThai parties jostle for power after 1st election since coup
The two top parties began angling for the upper hand in forming a new government in Thailand on Monday after partial results showed no group won a majority of seats in the country's first national election since a 2014 military coup. The allegations highlight continuing deep divisions in Thailand, which has been wracked by political instability for nearly two decades. The junta-appointed Election Commission announced the results of 350 constituency races but said full vote counts, which are needed to allocate 150 other seats in the House of Representatives, won't be available until Friday after apparent counting problems.
WorldReutersNorth Korean officials return to inter-Korean liaison office: South Korea
North Korea sent back its officials to an inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border city of Kaesong on Monday, reversing a decision two days ago to withdraw the officials, South Korea's Unification Ministry said. A group of four to five officials showed up at the office earlier in the morning saying they came to work "as usual," the ministry said in a statement. Though the presence of the North's head of the office was not confirmed, the two sides held a consultation and will "continue to operate the office as usual," the ministry said.
- PoliticsReuters
Republican leader McConnell welcomes more information on Russia probe
The U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday he was disturbed by Russia's ongoing efforts to interfere with U.S. democracy and looked forward to reviewing additional information from the special counsel's report, which was summarized by Attorney General William Barr. quot;I appreciate the Attorney General's commitment to continue to review the record in this matter over the coming days, in conjunction with Special Counsel (Robert) Mueller, with the goal of producing as much information as possible, consistent with the law. I look forward to reviewing that information," McConnell said in a statement.
- PoliticsThe Independent
Trump-Mueller: President claims he is victim of 'evil and treasonous acts' as shellshocked Democrats seek release of full report
Donald Trump – who for the past two years was accused of possibly betraying his country to Russia – has claimed he was the victim of “evil and treasonous” acts that no other president should be forced to endure. As shellshocked and downbeat Democrats scrambled to determine how best to proceed with the fallout of Robert Mueller's conclusion that the president did not collude with Moscow, Mr Trump and the White House took the opportunity to enjoy something resembling a victory lap. “I think Democrats and the liberal media owe the president and they owe the American people an apology,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, told breakfast television.
- WorldThe National Interest
In 2017, Did a Russian Anti-Aircraft Missile Hit a New Israeli F-35 Stealth Fighter?
Did a Russian anti-aircraft missile hit one of Israel's new F-35 stealth fighters back in late 2017? Pro-Russian media are claiming that an Israeli F-35I was hit and damaged by a Russian-made S-200 surface-to-air missile during an Israeli air strike in Syria earlier this month. Israel says one of its F-35s was damaged—after colliding with a bird.
- EntertainmentThe Telegraph
Easter 2019: Forbidden eggs, Eostre and how the date is decided
Of course, the Christian festival is far more than its associated confectionery. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ who, according to the New Testament, died on the cross on Good Friday and came back to life three days later. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday, which also marks the end of Lent's 40-day period of fasting. From the origins of the Easter bunny to the celebrations' ever-changing dates, here is your essential guide to the holiday.
- BusinessAFP
Anti-stall system likely activated in crash: Ethiopian Airlines CEO
An anti-stall system believed to have caused a fatal October jet crash in Indonesia was probably also involved in this month's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that killed all 157 people onboard, the carrier's CEO said on Monday. Tewolde GebreMariam told The Wall Street Journal an automatic anti-stalling system specific to the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft was "to the best of our knowledge" activated on the fatal March 10 crash of Flight ET 302 minutes into its journey to Nairobi. Although he is not a part of the official crash probe and gave no details on how he knew of the system's activation, Tewolde's comment adds pressure on Boeing to fix the popular aircraft model, which was grounded worldwide after the disaster.
WorldAssociated PressNorway opens probe into why cruise ship ventured into storm
Norwegian officials have opened an investigation into why a cruise ship carrying more than 1,370 people set sail along the country's often wild western coast despite storm warnings, forcing a major evacuation by helicopter. One person is in critical but stable condition in an intensive care ward, hospital officials said, adding that eight others were still hospitalized after the weekend ordeal. The Viking Sky had left the northern city of Tromsoe and was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it had engine problems and issued a mayday call on Saturday afternoon.
- BusinessKGO – San Francisco
Uber and Lyft drivers demand changes before companies IPO
Dozens of Lyft and Uber drivers protested outside The Omni Hotel in San Francisco. Drivers are asking both Lyft and Uber to provide a living wage and greater transparency.
- WorldBloomberg
May Faces Endgame as U.K. Leader Is Losing Control of Brexit
Theresa May will face up to her own desperately weak political position on Monday as members of Parliament move to take over Brexit policy and her own ministers plot to oust her. The U.K. prime minister is under pressure from colleagues inside her Cabinet to name a date when she will step down, with some arguing this would help her win support for her Brexit deal, people familiar with the matter said. May is hoping for one more chance to put the divorce agreement she's negotiated with the European Union to a vote in the House of Commons this week.
- BusinessReuters
UPDATE 1-Airbus close to signing aircraft deal with China - sources
European planemaker Airbus is close to signing a deal worth billions of dollars with China following a delay of more than a year in the negotiations, industry sources said on Monday. The deal is part of a package of trade deals coinciding with a visit to Europe by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Airbus declined to comment.
LifestyleAFP Relax NewsAll black everything: Ford offers Black Appearance Package for 2019 Ford Rangers
Ford has announced the new Black Appearance Package available for the 2019 Ford Ranger lineup. Since the 2019 Ford Ranger pickup went on sale in January of this year, over half of the models have been outfitted in either the Sport Appearance Package or the Chrome Appearance Package. As of Monday, another option is now available: the Black Appearance Package.
PoliticsUSA TODAYRepublicans call for Rep. Adam Schiff to resign, step down from intelligence committee
WASHINGTON – As the nation learned special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia, Republicans celebrated and then took aim at many of the president's foes. One of the biggest targets thus far: Rep. Adam Schiff, who heads the House Intelligence Committee. "Adam Schiff should resign," White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Monday morning on Fox News.
- U.S.WLS – Chicago
CPS school provides students with free prom dresses
Disney II Magnet School is home to the Wish Upon A Star Boutique, a "store" with hundreds of donated dresses and suits students can have for free.
PoliticsReutersMueller report finds no evidence that Trump campaign colluded with Russia: Justice Department
In a major political victory for Trump, who quickly hailed the announcement as "complete and total exoneration," Mueller's nearly two years of investigation ended with a finding that no one in Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated with the Russian government," according to a summary of Mueller's findings. The long-awaited report into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to help the Republican defeat his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, marked a major milestone of his presidency as he prepares for his 2020 re-election battle. Mueller himself did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump broke the law by interfering with the various probes into the 2016 election that have cast a pall over his presidency, but presented his evidence to Barr to make a determination.
- BusinessCar and Driver
View Photos of the Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato
Renderings give a tantalizing glimpse of the car with which Aston is celebrating its 100th anniversary. From Car and Driver
WorldAssociated PressErdogan proposal to make Hagia Sophia a mosque irks Greece
The Greek government voiced opposition Monday to the suggestion from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Istanbul's Hagia Sophia — a Byzantine-era cathedral that now serves as a museum — could be reconverted into a mosque. In a television interview Sunday ahead of Turkey's March 31 local elections, Erdogan indicated that it was possible to "change its name from museum to Hagia Sophia Mosque." There have been increasing calls for the government to convert the symbolic structure back into a mosque, especially in the wake of reports that the gunman who killed Muslim worshippers in New Zealand left a manifesto saying the Hagia Sophia should be "free of minarets."
