- WorldUSA TODAY
'We are nervous': Sri Lankan PM warns of suspects with bombs at large amid fears of new attacks
Sri Lanka's leader said Thursday that suspects in Easter Sunday's bombing attack that killed at least 253 people, including 30 foreigners, at churches and luxury hotels in the country were still at large and might be carrying explosives. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe spread the warning through the Associated Press as Sri Lankan security services issued a public appeal for three women and one man suspected of involvement in the attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State group. The U.S. Embassy in Colombo, the capital, urged people "to remain vigilant and avoid large crowds," especially at worship services for various faiths from Friday to Sunday.
WorldAssociated PressThe Latest: Putin, Kim discuss ways to bolster security
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says he had "candid and meaningful" talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about how to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. Kim said at the start of his dinner banquet with Putin in Vladivostok before making a toast: "The people of the two countries who share a valuable friendship that was created and strengthened while overcoming every hardship and challenge thrown to us by history have a deep understanding that the ceaseless development of North Korea-Russia ties not only serves our mutual interests but is also indispensable for securing the region's peace and stability."
- NewsAOL.com
13-year-old Houston girl dies after fight at middle school
A 13-year-old girl who was placed on life support after being attacked by three other girls has died, according to ABC 13. Kashala Francis, a student at Attucks Middle School, died Wednesday morning at Texas Children's Hospital, six days after being beaten up after class last week, police and her mother Mamie Jackson said. Doctors discovered a tumor in the back of Francis' head while she was on life support and believed the fight may have worsened her condition.
NewsYahoo NewsElizabeth Warren assures She the People forum that America is ready for woman president
Elizabeth Warren had a singular moment at Wednesday's She the People forum that helped her stand out from the other the other Democrats seeking the support of an audience made up mostly of women of color activists. After answering a series of questions on topics ranging from maternal mortality, affordable housing and criminal justice to bank reform and Native American tribal sovereignty, Sen. Warren, D-Mass., was asked by co-moderator Joy Reid whether voters should feel confident that America was ready for a woman to serve as commander in chief. “We are at She the People, this wonderful organization that is empowering women and women of color, but when I talk with women of color in my own life they'll say, Wow, that Elizabeth Warren has great plans.
WorldReutersRussia offers passports to east Ukraine, president-elect decries 'aggressor state'
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed an order simplifying the procedure for obtaining a Russian passport for residents of separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine, prompting calls for more international sanctions from Kiev. Five years of war between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed forces have killed 13,000 people despite a notional ceasefire signed in 2015. Russia's move is an early test for the Ukrainian president-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who won a landslide victory in Sunday's presidential election and has pledged to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
- BusinessCar and Driver
In-Depth Photos of Our Long-Term 2019 Mazda CX-5 Turbo
We got the expensive one, too, because that's what you're buying. From Car and Driver
- NewsUSA TODAY
#FeelingCute challenge: Texas prison guards fired after probe into 'inappropriate' posts
The investigation was tied to the "#FeelingCute" challenge, the department said last week. The Houston Chronicle — which reported earlier this month that officers were apparently linked to posts with captions such as "Feeling cute, might just gas some inmates today, IDK" — reported on Tuesday that four officers have been fired and two resigned because of the investigation. Texas Department of Criminal Justice statements to the Chronicle and the Associated Press did not provide details on the social media content involved in the firings.
- CelebrityThe Telegraph
Royal baby 2019 due date: The Duchess of Sussex's pregnancy updates, gender predictions and latest news
As the nation waits for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's eighth great-grandchild to arrive, here is everything we know about royal baby Sussex so far, including what we know about how the Duchess plans to give birth. When is the Royal baby due date? Though Kensington Palace have only publicly declared that the royal baby is due in the spring, nine-month pregnant Meghan let slip that she is due at the end of April or May during an engagement in Birkenhead earlier this year.
- WorldThe National Interest
See this Aircraft Carrier? It Was One of the Worst To Ever Set Sail.
On September 15th, 1942 USS Wasp was struck by three torpedoes from the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-19. After five hours the order was given to abandon ship, and Wasp was scuttled by three torpedoes fired by the destroyer USS Lansdowne. This was in large part due to the expansion and effective use of its aircraft carrier fleet.
WorldAFPSri Lanka admits 'major' lapse over deadly Islamist blasts
Sri Lanka's government on Wednesday acknowledged "major" lapses over its failure to prevent the horrific Easter attacks that killed more than 350 people, despite prior intelligence warnings. Overnight, security forces using newly granted powers under the country's state of emergency arrested 18 more suspects in connection with the attack, as the toll rose to 359. Police have so far arrested 58 people, all Sri Lankans, and security remains heavy, with bomb squads carrying out several controlled explosions of suspect packages on Wednesday.
BusinessAFPDeutsche Bank handing over Trump loan documents: source
Deutsche Bank has begun to provide documents on financing for some of President Donald Trump's projects to New York State authorities, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Wednesday. In mid-March, New York Attorney General Letitia James subpoenaed the German bank, demanding records related to loans and lines of credit granted to the Trump Organization. The money was intended to finance projects such as Trump hotels in Washington, DC, Miami and Chicago, another source told AFP last month on the condition of anonymity.
PoliticsAssociated PressFlorida House closer to passing felon voting rights bill
Legislation that would restore voting rights to convicted felons who complete their sentences except murderers and felony sex offenders moved another step Tuesday toward passage in the Florida House. Lawmakers debated a measure into the night that would implement a constitutional amendment approved by voters last November. The main issue is whether legislation is needed at all, and whether the House bill sets up unnecessary hurdles for ex-felons such as requiring that all fines and restitution be paid.
- BusinessUSA TODAY
Schools curb students' appetites for Grubhub, Uber Eats deliveries during school day
Instead of packing lunches, many high school students now pack their cellphones, ordering food delivered to their school with apps like Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats. The deliveries have become so frequent and disruptive that many schools have banned them. "It was getting to the point where you'd have eight, 10, 15 deliveries a day," said Pat Watson, principal at West Bloomfield High School in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.
U.S.FOX News VideosTexts between the FBI's Strzok and Page draw investigator focus
Nine days after the presidential election, FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page exchanged texts that Fox News has learned are under new scrutiny by congressional investigators reviewing the genesis of the Russia probe; chief intelligence correspondent Catherine Herridge reports.
WorldReutersPutin: nothing wrong with us giving passports to east Ukraine residents
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday there was nothing wrong with easing rules for residents of Ukrainian rebel regions to receive Russian passports, a decision that prompted condemnation and calls for more sanctions against Moscow. Speaking to reporters at the end of a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Putin said Poland, Romania and Hungary grant citizenship to their ethnic kin outside their borders and he saw no reason why Russia could not do the same. "How are Russians in Ukraine worse than Romanians, Poles or Hungarians?
BusinessUSA TODAYBoeing 737 Max: Southwest preps for return, expects some traveler anxiety
Southwest Airlines is preparing for the expected return of its grounded Boeing 737 Max 8s as early as this summer and concedes some concerned travelers will initially avoid the plane. "There's certainly going to be some people that, I expect, will probably book away for some period of time,'' Southwest President Tom Nealon said on the airline's quarterly earnings conference call Thursday. Nealon said there is no way to measure how many concerned travelers will avoid the plane or for how long, but he emphasized that Southwest still expects to fill all the returning planes given strong travel demand and the airline's loyal customer base.
- PoliticsTime
Glenn Close, Hasan Minhaj and Naomi Campbell Reveal Their Most Positive Influences at the TIME 100 Gala
Many of the world's most influential people gathered Tuesday night to celebrate at the 2019 TIME 100 gala, so it was only fitting that we ask them who influenced them. “The most influential person in my career is probably Jon Stewart. Giving me a job on the Daily Show was one of those things that…my life was one of those things that…my life was never the same after that, and I owe him a lot,” Hasan Minhaj said of the former Daily Show host.
- WorldThe National Interest
Check Out This Picture: You Are Looking at the Greatest Aircraft Carrier Ever
The latter USS Enterprise served for fifty years, before decommissioning in 2012. Another USS Enterprise, CVN-80, is scheduled for completion by 2025. In May 1938, the U.S. Navy commissioned the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, the seventh ship to bear the name in American service.
- WorldThe Telegraph
Sri Lanka suicide bomber 'studied in the UK', defence minister announces as death toll rises to 359
One of the bombers in the Sri Lankan Easter Sunday attacks studied in the UK and Australia, the country's deputy defence minister revealed on Wednesday. We believe one of the suicide bombers studied in the UK and then later on did his postgraduate in Australia, before coming back to settle in Sri Lanka,” said Ruwan Wijewardene, without naming the suspect. He said one of the bombers was a woman.
- PoliticsThe Daily Beast
Trevor Noah Mocks Trump for Throwing a Tantrum Over How Many Twitter Followers He Has
On Wednesday, the news broke that President Donald Trump had an Oval Office meeting with Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey, wherein he proceeded to badger the bearded tech bro over his follower count. Trump, who boasts close to 60 million Twitter followers—far short of former President Obama's 106 million-plus—reportedly argued that he'd lost a significant number of followers due to purges targeting conservatives. But Dorsey “had to explain to the president that like other Twitter users, @realDonaldTrump periodically loses followers when the site deletes fake or bot accounts,” reported The Daily Beast.
- PoliticsAssociated Press Videos
Conway: Executive privilege on the table for Trump
Kelley Anne Conway, counselor to the president, said Wednesday that 'executive privilege is on the table' for the president as Congress pushes to continue the Russia investigation. (April 24)
BusinessAFPIran's Khamenei says US oil sanctions won't go 'without response'
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday called the end of oil sanction waivers by the United States a "hostile measure" that "won't be left without a response". "US efforts to boycott the sale of Iran's oil won't get them anywhere. The United States announced on Monday it would halt the practice of exempting countries including India, China and Turkey from sanctions on purchases of Iranian oil.
- NewsUSA TODAY
George H.W. Bush grandson considering run for his grandfather's former Congress seat
Pierce Bush, the grandson of late-President George H.W. Bush, may try to follow in his grandfather's footsteps. Bush, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, said in a statement that he is "seriously considering running" in 2020 for the 7th Congressional District, which is located in the Houston suburbs. George H.W. Bush held the seat in the late 1960s.
WorldAssociated PressEU slams Russia citizenship move as new attack on Ukraine
The European Union hit out Thursday against Russia's move to fast-track citizenship applications from people living in conflict areas in eastern Ukraine, slamming it as an attack on Ukraine's sovereignty that would undermine an already-fragile peace agreement. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday to expedite the applications from some Ukrainians living in areas held by Russia-backed separatists in under three months. More than 13,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
- BusinessReuters
UPDATE 3-Visa profit jumps, lower cross-border volume weighs on shares
Visa Inc reported higher expenses and lower spending by people using its cards abroad on Wednesday even as increased overall consumer spending drove quarterly profit 14 percent higher. Shares of the company were trading lower after the bell as investors worried over a slide in cross-border volume growth, which measures the value of transactions made on a Visa card outside a customer's home country. The company and its rival Mastercard had recently come under fire for charging high fees on tourist cards in the European Union.
