- WorldThe Telegraph
Sri Lanka 'bombing mastermind' named as Moulvi Zahran Hashim
Sri Lankan intelligence has named the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks as Moulvi Zahran Hashim, an extremist local cleric who incited his followers to violence with fiery sermons on his social media channels. The revelation comes after senior government officials accused the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) a little-known group promoting Islamist terrorist ideology, as the perpetrators of the horrific suicide bombings which have now killed 310 people, including eight British citizens. India's CNN News 18 channel first reported the possible involvement of Hashim in the massacre, claiming that Indian intelligence sources had indicated to the Sri Lankans that he was planning to attack the Indian High Commission in Colombo in early April.
- WorldReuters
UPDATE 1-Iran lawmakers authorize firm action against US "terrorist" acts
Iran's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday requiring the government take firm steps to respond to "terrorist actions" by U.S. forces, state TV reported, retaliating against Washington's blacklisting of the country's elite Revolutionary Guards. President Donald Trump on April 8 designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist group, in an unprecedented step that drew Iranian condemnation and raised concerns about retaliatory attacks on U.S. forces. Tehran reacted to the designation, which took effect on April 15, by naming the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) a terrorist organization and the U.S. government a sponsor of terrorism.
- 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.
WorldAFPTurkish police hold ruling party member, five others after opposition chief attack
Turkish police on Monday were holding six people, including a member of the ruling AKP party, after a mob attack on opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu that sparked widespread criticism. Kilicdaroglu, 70, of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was assaulted on Sunday in a crowd as he attended a funeral in Ankara for a soldier killed fighting Kurdish militants in the southeast. The attack came days after the opposition CHP won Ankara and Istanbul from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP in March 31 local elections, seen as a major setback for the ruling party after a decade-and-a-half in power.
- 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.
- BusinessThe Guardian
Demoted and sidelined: Google walkout organizers say company retaliated
Now two Google employees, Meredith Whittaker and Claire Stapleton, are alleging that Google is retaliating against them and other employee activists. “Google has a culture of retaliation, which too often works to silence women, people of color, and gender minorities,” reads a letter from Whittaker, Stapleton and 10 other employees that was published internally on Monday and seen by the Guardian. Stapleton, a nearly 12-year veteran at Google, wrote that two months after the walkout, she was demoted, had a previously approved project cancelled, and was “told to go on medical leave, even though I'm not sick”.
- 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.
- CelebrityUSA TODAY
'Today' show's Dylan Dreyer opens up about miscarriage and secondary infertility struggle
In the midst of blissful baby news from colleagues Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, "Today" show meteorologist and 3rd hour co-host, Dylan Dreyer opened up about a less-talked-about side of pregnancy: secondary infertility. The 37-year-old mom said that she and husband Brian Fichera had been trying for six months to conceive a second child before they sought help from doctors. It's the start of National Infertility Awareness Week and @DylanDreyerNBC is sharing her own family's struggle with secondary infertility and miscarriage to help shed the stigma.
- 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.
WorldAssociated PressThe Latest: Japan confirms 1 fatality in Sri Lanka blasts
Japan is confirming one of its citizens was killed in the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka and at least four were wounded. Foreign Minister Taro Kono offered his condolences to all the victims of the attacks and expressed Japan's commitment in "combatting terrorism" and solidarity with Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's defense minister has blamed the attacks on religious extremists but no group has yet claimed responsibility.
- PoliticsNational Review
Calculating Kamala Harris
If you want to know which way the wind is blowing in the Democratic primary, just watch Kamala Harris. Asked about impeaching President Trump on Saturday, the California senator and presidential candidate said: “I believe that there is room for that conversation, but right now what I want is, I want Mueller to come before Congress to testify. “I believe that Congress should take steps towards impeachment,” Harris said, following the lead of Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, who had called for impeachment last Friday.
ScienceReutersNASA probe records first likely 'marsquake' detected on red planet
NASA's robotic probe InSight has detected and measured what scientists believe to be a "marsquake," marking the first time a likely seismological tremor has been recorded on another planet, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California reported on Tuesday. The breakthrough came five months after InSight, the first spacecraft designed specifically to study the deep interior of a distant world, touched down on the surface of Mars to begin its two-year seismological mission on the red planet. The faint rumble characterized by JPL scientists as a likely marsquake was recorded on April 6, the lander's 128th Martian day, or sol.
- BusinessCar and Driver
View Photos of the Vonnen Porsche 911 Hybrid
A pricey yet clever means to add big electric power to your Porsche. From Car and Driver
WorldFOX News VideosWWII shipwreck discovered off Australian coast
The SS Iron Crown, an Australian freighter sunk by a Japanese submarine during World War II, has been discovered.
- CelebrityThe Telegraph
Neo-Nazi linked to group who said Prince Harry was a race traitor for marrying Meghan pleads guilty
Two teenage neo-Nazis, linked to a group that called Prince Harry a "race traitor" for marrying Mehgan Markle, are facing jail after admitting terror charges. Polish national, Michal Szewczuk, 19, admitted two counts of encouraging terrorism and five of possessing documents that could be useful to a terrorist, when he appeared at the Old Bailey. The charges relate to a neo-Nazi group called the Sonnenkrieg Division, which posted extreme racist material on the GAB social media platform.
- WorldBloomberg
Libya PM Says Foreigners Are Arming Strongman's Tripoli Push
The leader of Libya's internationally recognized government said foreign backers have been arming strongman Khalifa Haftar since he launched an offensive to take the capital, Tripoli, and warned of a proxy war. Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj declined to identify the countries. But states including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia have provided weapons in the past to the leader of the self-styled Libyan National Army, the country's largest and most organized force.
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.
- TechnologyBGR News
Fast charge your iPhone to 80% in under an hour for $29
Want to fast charge your iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or iPhone XS Max with accessories from Apple? You'll pay $29 for an 18W wall adapter and another $19 for a USB-C to Lightning cable, for a grand total of $48. That's a lot of money to spend when you've already spent as much as $1,499 on your iPhone.
- WorldTime
What to Know About National Thowheeth Jama'ath, the Group Suspected in the Sri Lanka Easter Attacks
Sri Lankan officials have said the Islamist militant group National Thowheeth Jama'ath is responsible for Easter Sunday bombing attacks in the island nation that killed at least 290 people and injured 500 more. Rajitha Senaratne, the country's health minister, said the seven suicide bombers who carried out the attacks were Sri Lankan citizens affiliated with the domestic group, but that authorities suspect foreign ties as well. Very little is known about National Thowheeth Jama'ath, according to Alan Keenan, a senior Sri Lanka analyst with the International Crisis Group.
- PoliticsUSA TODAY
Mueller report: 5 things to know about Russian interference in U.S. elections
Special counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign spelled out in elaborate detail a sophisticated, Kremlin-led operation to sow division in the U.S. and upend the election by using cyberattacks and social media as weapons. “I think those are things we need to look at hard,” McFaul said. Mueller's 448-page report, released to Congress and the public on April 18 after a nearly two-year investigation, provided the most comprehensive description to date of Russia's efforts to boost Donald Trump's campaign during the 2016 presidential election.
BusinessAFPUS stocks lifted to records amid earnings deluge, oil gains again
The surge came as European bourses notched modest gains in the first day back after the Easter recess, while oil prices continued to push higher after the US announced it would crack down on Iranian exports. Investors had been cautious heading into first-quarter earnings period, owing to expectations for an overall drop in profits. But Tuesday's slate of stock market winners included defense giant Lockheed Martin, soft drinks company Coca-Cola, toymaker Hasbro and social media company Twitter.
- WorldMeredith Videos
Saudi Arabia Executes 37 People For Terrorism-Related Crimes
Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry says 37 Saudi citizens were beheaded on Tuesday, all accused of terrorism.
- 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.
- NewsUSA TODAY
Cardi B rejects plea deal in strip club brawl case, facing up to one year in jail
Cardi B, charged with multiple counts of assault and reckless endangerment in connection with a brawl in a Queens strip club last summer, appeared in court in New York on Friday and rejected a plea deal that would have kept her out of jail. The Queens District Attorney's Office said the platinum-selling and Grammy-winning rapper rejected a deal that would have allowed her to plead guilty to one misdemeanor count and be released under certain conditions instead of serving time in jail. It was not clear why she rejected the deal.
- WorldThe National Interest
Can Zelensky Make Ukraine Great Again?
Nikolas K. Gvosdev Politics, Eurasia Is the ouster of Petro Poroshenko a turning point in Ukraine's crisis or just another disappointment? Outgoing Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko is to be commended for presiding over an election that was generally free and fair and, more importantly, in accepting the outcome. Privately, however, he may be breathing a sigh of relief that he will not have to take responsibility for some of the major decisions Ukraine is facing—decisions which will prove to be difficult and unpopular.
