- WorldUSA TODAY
Sri Lankan president shakes up defense forces, says attack warnings went unheeded
In a major shake-up of the country's defenses, Sri Lanka's president has demanded that the defense secretary and national police chief resign after security forces failed to heed warnings of threats against churches before the Easter suicide bombings that killed more than 350 people. In a televised speech, President Maithripala Sirisena said Wednesday that he planned to replace the head of the defense forces within 24 hours. Six suicide bombers struck Christians worshipping Sunday in three churches and people at three luxury hotels In carefully coordinated assaults.
NewsReutersSelf-styled U.S. citizen border patrol unravels after leader's arrest
SUNLAND PARK, N.M./TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) - A group of armed Americans who have been stopping migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border abandoned their New Mexico camp on Tuesday, days after its leader was arrested and allies deserted them during a storm of criticism. The abrupt departure of the paramilitary group, the United Constitutional Patriots (UCP), followed allegations they had kidnapped migrants and an ultimatum by the Union Pacific Railroad for them to leave the area in 30 minutes after the company accused the group of trespassing. Larry Hopkins, leader of the UCP, appeared in court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Monday to face firearms charges following his arrest by the FBI at the weekend.
- PoliticsThe Independent
Trump news: President vows to 'fight all subpoenas' as Democrats increasingly call for impeachment
The Trump administration is being accused of “stonewalling” Congress by ignoring a deadline for the Treasury to hand over Donald Trump's tax returns and defying a subpoena requesting ex-personal security director Carl Kline appear before a House investigative committee. “It appears that the president believes that the Constitution does not apply to his White House, that he may order officials at will to violate their legal obligations, and that he may obstruct attempts by Congress to conduct oversight,” said Elijah Cummings, chairman of the House Oversight Committee. President Trump made his feelings on Democrat-led investigations in the wake of the Mueller report perfectly clear in an interview on Tuesday, stating: “There is no reason to go any further, and especially in Congress where it's very partisan - obviously very partisan.
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.
WorldAFPIran FM proposes swap for jailed British national
Iran's foreign minister on Wednesday proposed a prisoner swap for a British-Iranian mother detained in Tehran, saying the United States should drop charges against an Iranian woman it is seeking in Australia. Britain has been trying unsuccessfully to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a dual national who worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation and was arrested in 2016. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif drew a parallel to Negar Ghodskani, an Iranian woman who was arrested by Australia in 2017 and separated from her newborn child as the United States asks for her extradition.
- NewsUSA TODAY
Elizabeth Warren's plan for student loan forgiveness: Don't bank on it
"College students who are graduating this year should not count on having their student loans forgiven," said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of research for Savingforcollege.com. "They should not put their loans into a deferment or forbearance in the hope that the student loans will soon be forgiven. College debt has turned into a political football early during the 2020 presidential race.
- PoliticsTime
Jared Kushner: Mueller Investigation 'More Harmful' Than Russia
Jared Kushner downplayed the significance of Russian interference in the 2016 election, dismissing it as a “couple of Facebook ads” in an interview with TIME and arguing that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation was more damaging to democracy than the influence operation itself. You look at what Russia did, buying some Facebook ads to try to sow dissent and do it, and it's a terrible thing,” Kushner said at the TIME 100 Summit in New York City. But I think the investigations and all of the speculation that's happened for the last two years has had a much harsher impact on our democracy than a couple of Facebook ads.
- 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.
- 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.
- WorldNational Review
Sri Lanka Easter Bombings Were 'Retaliation' For New Zealand Mosque Shootings, Official Says
A top Sri Lankan official said Tuesday that the rash of bombings that killed more than 300 people in churches and hotels in the nation's capital on Sunday were intended as “retaliation” for the recent mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand. “The preliminary investigations have revealed that what happened in Sri Lanka was in retaliation for the attack against Muslims in Christchurch,” state minister of defence Ruwan Wijewardene told parliament. Wijewardene did not explain what led him to that conclusion. Fifty people were gunned down at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15 by a white supremacist who live-streamed the massacre online.
WorldReutersPompeo sees 'bumpy' North Korea talks, but hopes for several more chances
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that U.S. talks with North Korea would be "bumpy," but expressed hope there would be several more chances to discuss how to move forward to the country's denuclearization. In an interview with CBS News, Pompeo said North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons put it at risk rather than making it safe. The outcome hinged ultimately on whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made the strategic decision to give up his country's nuclear weapons, Pompeo said.
WorldAssociated PressTrump threatens more troops to border after Mexico incident
President Donald Trump renewed his threat Wednesday to send more troops to the U.S.-Mexico border following an incident in which Mexican soldiers confronted U.S. personnel. Mexico blamed the incident on confusion, and said it was not looking for confrontation with the U.S. In morning tweets, Trump said, "Mexico's Soldiers recently pulled guns on our National Guard Soldiers," claiming, without evidence, that it was done "probably as a diversionary tactic for drug smugglers on the Border." "Better not happen again!"
NewsUSA TODAYStudent sues Apple for $1 billion, claims face-recognition caused false arrest
A New York college student filed a lawsuit against Apple for $1 billion, claiming the company's alleged use of facial recognition software in its stores falsely linked him to a series of Apple store thefts. Ousmane Bah, 18, claims that he received a summons from a court in Boston saying that he stole $1,200 worth of Apple products in 2018, according to papers filed on Monday in Manhattan federal court. On the day of one of the thefts in Boston, Bah was attending his senior prom in Manhattan, according to the court documents.
WorldReutersRouhani says U.S. must lift pressure and apologize before Iran will negotiate
Iran is willing to negotiate with America only when the United States lifts pressure and apologizes, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday, according to state media. Oil prices hit their highest level since November on Tuesday after Washington announced all waivers on imports of sanctions-hit Iranian oil would end next week, pressuring importers to stop buying from Tehran and further tightening global supply. quot;We have always been a man of negotiation and diplomacy, the same way that we've been a man of war and defense.
- LifestyleDelish
Don't Throw A Memorial Day BBQ Without These Recipes
Kick-off the summer with these perfect Memorial Day food ideas. From Delish
- PoliticsThe Daily Beast
Bernie Sanders Got It Right on CNN: Felons Ought to Be Allowed to Vote
In their CNN town halls Monday night, Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Pete Buttigieg disagreed on whether current prisoners should be able to vote. Sen. Kamala Harris refused to endorse a plan for expanding the franchise to incarcerated people, but supported voting rights for former prisoners. Sanders was specifically asked about Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and “those convicted of sexual assault.” What sane person would want them to vote?
- 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.
- LifestyleBGR News
Today's top deals: $15 Wi-Fi extender, $8 wireless charger, $20 128GB microSD, $10 Philips Hue bulbs, more
Today's roundup of the best daily deals we could find has some truly outstanding deals, but perhaps none are quite as good as the one-day sale that gets you Amazon's best-selling Wi-Fi range extender for just $14.99 after a discount and a $5 coupon you can clip. It works with any router, it has more than 20,000 5-star ratings, and it has never been anywhere close to this price! Other top daily deals on Tuesday include a terrific fast wireless charger for just $7.99, a SanDisk 128GB microSD card for $19.99, Philips Hue white LED bulbs for an all-time low of $10 a piece when you buy a 4-pack, another all-time low price for Philips Dusk-to-Dawn LED light bulbs that automatically turn on at night and off in the morning, $40 off the best-selling 8-quart Instant Pot, a $140 stand mixer that's just as good as a KitchenAid, a blazing-fast internal SSD with 120GB of capacity for under $26, Avengers: Infinity War for just $9.99, Netgear's most popular Orbi mesh Wi-Fi bundle at an all-time low price of just $159.99, and plenty more.
BusinessBloombergJPMorgan's Bob Michele Says 'Enjoy the Ride' as Risk Assets Rally
The chief investment officer at JPMorgan Asset Management said money managers are sitting on too much cash and should be boosting their allocations to high-yield assets after the Federal Reserve's dovish pivot. The firm is putting its weight behind emerging markets as investors from BlackRock Inc. to Fidelity International warn of a break in the rally.
WorldAssociated PressAmbassador: US had no prior knowledge of Sri Lanka threat
The U.S. had no prior knowledge of the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka that killed over 350 people, the American ambassador said Wednesday, despite local claims that foreign officials had been warned an attack was looming. As the investigation into Sunday's Islamic State-claimed attack continues, FBI agents and U.S. military personnel are in Sri Lanka assisting the probe, Ambassador Alaina Teplitz said. While declining to say whether U.S. officials had intelligence on the local extremists and their leader who allegedly carried out the assault, Teplitz said America remained concerned over militants at large.
WorldAFPNorth Korea's Kim in Russia for first talks with Putin
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he was looking forward to his first talks with President Vladimir Putin as he arrived in Russia on Wednesday seeking support in Pyongyang's nuclear deadlock with the United States. Kim's armoured train rolled in to the Tsarist-era station in Russia's Pacific port city of Vladivostok, where the summit will take place on Thursday. The talks, only confirmed at the last minute, will be Kim's first face-to-face meeting with another head of state since returning from his Hanoi summit with US President Donald Trump, which broke down in February without a deal on the North's nuclear arsenal.
- WorldUSA TODAY
Tough trek for Central American migrant caravan heading through Mexico to U.S. border
PIJIJIAPAN, Mexico – Central American migrants hoping to reach the U.S. are finding a much tougher trek than those in previous caravans, meeting unwelcoming townsfolk and a surprise raid by Mexican police and immigration agents who detained hundreds in Mexico's south. While their compatriots were been taken into custody Monday, hundreds of other migrants scrambled away into the brush along the highway in Chiapas state to elude authorities. Many had already learned they would not be received in towns with the same hospitality that greeted previous caravans, and now they know they won't be safe walking along the rural highway either.
- U.S.WLS – Chicago
Jussie Smollett Update: Osundairo brothers filing federal lawsuit in Smollett case
The two brothers who Chicago police said were involved in an allegedly staged attack on "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett are filing a federal lawsuit.
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.
- Entertainmentmotorious
This 1965 Superformance Shelby Cobra Will Break All The Necks
This may be a replica, but it's the only one licensed by Shelby. Just because you want to drive something drop-dead gorgeous and smoking fast doesn't mean you have to take out a second mortgage. This 1965 Superformance Shelby Cobra has the sleek, instantly recognizable looks of the original Shelby Cobra, making it a standout in a sea of cool cars.
