| Fox News apologises for '3 Mexican countries' headline Posted: 01 Apr 2019 12:16 PM PDT  Fox News apologised for airing an on-screen graphic inaccurately reporting Donald Trump was planning to reduce aid to "three Mexican countries" last week.While airing a segment on the early morning "Fox & Friends" on Sunday, a full-width headline at the bottom of the screen read: "Trump Cuts Aid to 3 Mexican Countries," rather than President Trump's actual statement announcing cutting foreign aid to three countries in South America: Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala in response to migrants crossing the US border with Mexico.Ed Henry, a co-host for Sunday's program, corrected and apologised for the error on-air."We want to clarify and correct something that happened earlier in the show," Mr Henry said. "We had an inaccurate graphic on-screen while talking about this very story. We just want to be clear, the funding is being cut off to the three Central American countries. We apologize for the error — it never should've happened."Several people on Twitter jumped on the glaring on-air error. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been a frequent target by the network, criticised the geographical error. "These are the same folks who assert their superiority by belittling the intelligence and good faith of others," she tweeted.> "3 Mexican Countries." > > Just a reminder that these are the same folks who assert their superiority by belittling the intelligence and good faith of others.https://t.co/7JA1kCdIoS pic.twitter.com/CwINMXAarO> > — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) > > March 31, 2019Others believe the error signals the lack of diversity and inclusion among the Fox News network.> Newsrooms make mistakes all the time and Fox News issued a correction. > > But this highlights an underlying problem in the news business. Did a Latino write that chyron? I would be surprised if that was the case. > > How about someone with a basic understating of geography? https://t.co/wxeCk91BRx> > — Camilo Montoya-Galvez (@camiloreports) > > March 31, 2019"Newsrooms make mistakes all the time and Fox News issued a correction," Camilo Montoya-Galvez, a CBS journalist, tweeted. "But this highlights an underlying problem in the news business. Did a Latino write that chyron? I would be surprised if that was the case. How about someone with a basic understating of geography?"
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| India Opposition Candidate Pledges 2.2 Million State Jobs by March 2020 Posted: 31 Mar 2019 11:08 PM PDT  Better employment opportunities is the top priority of India voters, according to a survey by the Association for Democratic Reforms, an election watchdog. Lack of employment opportunities and rising prices were the most pressing challenges for more than 70 percent of people surveyed by Pew Research Center last year. The Congress party is seeking to wrest power from Modi's ruling coalition in the elections that will take place in seven phases between April 11 and May 19, with results to be announced on May 23.
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| Woman in viral shoulder-hug photo defends Biden Posted: 01 Apr 2019 08:17 AM PDT  Stephanie Carter, the wife of former Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter, is coming to Joe Biden's defense amid claims the former vice president touched and kissed a woman inappropriately at a political event in 2014.
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| Avocado shortages, virgin margaritas: Border shutdown would hit American palates Posted: 01 Apr 2019 03:15 AM PDT  From the avocados on avocado toast, to the limes and tequila in margaritas, the United States is heavily reliant on Mexican imports of fruit, vegetables and alcohol to meet consumer demand. Nearly half of all imported U.S. vegetables and 40 percent of imported fruit are grown in Mexico, according to the latest data from the United States Department of Agriculture. Americans would run out of avocados in three weeks if imports from Mexico were stopped, said Steve Barnard, president and chief executive of Mission Produce, the largest distributor and grower of avocados in the world.
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| Vietnam stepmother of accused Kim assassin 'happy' over new sentence Posted: 01 Apr 2019 12:50 AM PDT  The stepmother of a Vietnamese woman accused of killing the half brother of North Korea's leader said Monday she was delighted her stepdaughter escaped the death sentence, urging her to "hang on" until her expected release in May. Doan Thi Huong dodged the death penalty on Monday after a Malaysian judge reduced her murder charge to causing injury by dangerous means over the killing of Kim Jong Nam with a nerve agent in 2017.
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| 'Something no human has seen before': The first-ever photograph of a black hole will likely be unveiled next week Posted: 02 Apr 2019 02:30 PM PDT !['Something no human has seen before': The first-ever photograph of a black hole will likely be unveiled next week]( "'Something no human has seen before': The first-ever photograph of a black hole will likely be unveiled next week") They've captivated us for decades, but we've never actually photographed a black hole before – until now.
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| Venezuela: Maduro calls on armed groups to keep order amid electricity rationing Posted: 01 Apr 2019 08:09 AM PDT  President announces 30-day rationing plan and says pro-government colectivos must 'defend the peace of every block' Nicolás Maduro said: 'We are facing a group of monsters who want to destroy Venezuela.' Photograph: AFP/Getty Images Venezuela's authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro has called on armed pro-government groups to help subdue unrest as he announced a 30-day electricity rationing plan set to inflict further pain on the population. In a televised address, Maduro said he had no choice but to take drastic measures while his government rebuilt key sections of Venezuela's national grid following a succession of crippling power failures since 7 March. Experts and Maduro's political opponents say the repeated collapse of Venezuela's electricity system – which has left millions without light or water – is a consequence of years of neglect, corruption and incompetence. But in his late-night appearance Maduro repeated the Socialist party line that Venezuela had suffered a series of "brutish attacks" masterminded by his political opponents and their supporters in the White House. "We are facing a group of monsters who want to destroy Venezuela," Maduro said, claiming their aim was to topple his government by "making the people and the country go mad". Amid growing fears that Venezuela's crisis could be moving into a violent new phase, Maduro instructed "revolutionary and patriotic" government supporters and armed pro-government gangs known as colectivos to mobilize "to defend the peace of every barrio, of every block". "They will not take away our peace," Maduro vowed. Last week Maduro's second-in-command, Diosdado Cabello, appeared in a menacing video flanked by dozens of masked men and women who he referred to as "peace defenders" but who many fear have been tasked with violently repressing dissent. There were signs on Sunday that such groups had begun responding to the government's calls. As further blackouts struck Venezuela and citizens took to the streets to protest, photographs and videos circulated appearing to show armed men confronting demonstrators in the capital, Caracas. Two protesters were reported to have been shot after burning blockades were set up in streets near the presidential palace. "We're here fighting for water and power, we've gone twenty-some days without water," Yofre Gamez, 32, told Reuters as shots rang out. In the western state of Zulia, perhaps the worst affected by the electricity crisis, opposition leaders claimed a 70-year-old woman had been shot dead by members of one colectivo during a protest. Footage also circulated on social media that appeared to show paramilitaries and police special forces searching a housing estate for protesters in Barquisimeto, Venezuela's fourth largest city. Maduro's challenger, Juan Guaidó, claimed such paramilitary groups were trying – but failing – to suppress popular opposition to Hugo Chávez's successor, who has led Venezuela into economic crisis. "We must stay strong and stay in the streets," tweeted Guaidó, who most western governments have recognized as Venezuela's legitimate leader. The Venezuelan human rights group Provea said Maduro's so-called "peace squads" were actually paramilitary gangs tasked with spreading violence and shooting protesters. "Maduro's peace means violence against the people," Provea said. As Venezuelans braced for weeks of hardship and uncertainty, Maduro urged them to have faith in his government – and in God. "God must accompany us with his blessings in this, the most difficult of battles that we must face," Maduro said, before being applauded by senior political and military leaders.
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| Tucker Carlson says Chris Hayes is 'what every man would be' if feminists took power Posted: 02 Apr 2019 11:03 AM PDT  "So it's official: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a moron and nasty and more self-righteous than any televangelist who ever preached a sermon," Carlson said.
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| 13-year-old boy sells Xbox to buy car for his single mother Posted: 02 Apr 2019 07:53 AM PDT  A 13-year-old Nevada boy brought his single mother to tears after stepping up to help her during a "low point" in her life.
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| Rideshare safety concerns after University of South Carolina student's murder Posted: 01 Apr 2019 05:41 PM PDT  University of South Carolina student from New Jersey who was found murdered about a day after she was reported missing may have entered the killer's car thinking he was an Uber driver, police said.
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| 13 Striking Buildings by Zaha Hadid Posted: 02 Apr 2019 01:47 PM PDT |
| The Latest: Election observers urge Turkey to honor results Posted: 01 Apr 2019 07:27 AM PDT  ISTANBUL (AP) — The Latest on Turkey's local elections (all times local):
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| Pope rounds off Morocco visit with mass for thousands Posted: 31 Mar 2019 09:46 PM PDT  Pope Francis has called for tolerance and peace at a mass for thousands of Catholics during a rare visit by a pontiff to Morocco, after warning the faithful there against trying to convert others. Ten thousand worshippers, many migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, packed a sports complex in Rabat on Sunday as the pope rounded off his two-day stay in the Muslim North African state. "Often we are tempted to believe that hatred and revenge are legitimate ways of ensuring quick and effective justice," the 82-year-old pontiff told those gathered.
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| We Might Be About to See the First Ever Photo of a Black Hole Posted: 01 Apr 2019 01:42 PM PDT ![We Might Be About to See the First Ever Photo of a Black Hole]( "We Might Be About to See the First Ever Photo of a Black Hole") An announcement next week by the European Southern Observatory might contain the first-ever photo of a black hole's event horizon.
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| May's Cabinet Confronts Brexit Crisis After Commons Stalemate Posted: 02 Apr 2019 12:31 AM PDT  Theresa May is expected to confront her most senior ministers with the potentially explosive option of delaying Brexit by months, as the U.K. struggles to find a plan for leaving the European Union. With Britain due to exit the EU on April 12, politicians are no closer to agreeing to a divorce deal. On Monday night, members of Parliament rejected all the options that were put forward to replace May's unpopular plan, which itself has been voted down three times in the House of Commons.
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| U.S. Air Force again halts deliveries of Boeing KC-46 tanker aircraft Posted: 02 Apr 2019 10:24 AM PDT ![U.S. Air Force again halts deliveries of Boeing KC-46 tanker aircraft]( "U.S. Air Force again halts deliveries of Boeing KC-46 tanker aircraft") Back in February, deliveries of the aircraft were halted by the U.S. Air Force because of the same issue in one of the aircraft. Deliveries resumed in March after Boeing ramped up the inspection process. "Our inspectors identified additional foreign object debris and areas where Boeing did not meet quality standards," U.S. Air Force spokesperson Captain Hope Cronin said.
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| University of Arizona will charge 2 students over protest of Border Patrol event on campus Posted: 02 Apr 2019 02:16 PM PDT  Video showed two Border Patrol agents giving a classroom presentation, while people outside called them "Murder Patrol" and "an extension of the KKK."
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| AOC fires back at Liz Cheney over 'dead people' comment: 'I see you get your news from Facebook memes' Posted: 02 Apr 2019 03:46 AM PDT  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has hit back at Liz Cheney after the Republican congresswoman accused her Democratic colleague of misunderstanding the history of the US constitution. Ms Cheney, daughter of former president Dick Cheney, on Monday shared a video of Ms Ocasio-Cortez in which she claimed the Democratic party used to be so popular politicians in the 1940s had to amend the Constitution in order to stop Franklin D Roosevelt being re-elected. The comment was mocked by critics who pointed out Roosevelt died two years before Congress ratified the 22 Amendment, which prevented presidents from serving more than two terms."We knew the Democrats let dead people vote. According to @AOC, they can run for President, too," Ms Cheney tweeted in reference to a conspiracy theory espoused by Donald Trump."I see from your dead people comment that you get your news from Facebook memes," responded Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who linked to a Newsweek article she said would "clarify your misunderstanding" of the 22nd Amendment.Despite the crticism, Ms Ocasio-Cortez was at least partially justified in her claim Roosevelt's popularity forced a constitutional change.Lawmakers were already pushing for the 22nd Amendment when Roosevelt won an unprecedented fourth term in 1944. He died less than three months after his inauguration the following year, before a Republican-controlled Congress ratified the amendment in 1947.
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| Kellyanne Conway bristles at 'really inappropriate question' about husband on Fox News Posted: 01 Apr 2019 10:21 AM PDT  "What are you, Oprah now?" Conway said to "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace. "I think it's a really inappropriate question."
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| 2020 Ford Escape Revives the Hybrid and Adds a Plug-In Variant Posted: 02 Apr 2019 07:45 AM PDT  Here are details on the new Escape's available gas-electric powertrains.
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| Comedian advances to runoff against incumbent in Ukraine presidential race Posted: 01 Apr 2019 06:51 AM PDT  Comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who plays Ukraine's president on television, has won the first round of the struggling country's presidential election and is set to face the incumbent in a runoff this month. The political newcomer had garnered more than 30 per cent of Sunday's vote with four-fifths of the ballots counted on Monday afternoon. President Petro Poroshenko, known as 'the chocolate king' for his expansive candy business, was in second place with 16 per cent. Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko was expected to miss the runoff with 13 per cent of the vote, even though she has claimed that her own parallel vote count has her advancing to the second round. On Sunday night, she suggested she would dispute the results and called for supporters to come to polling places to prevent alleged falsifications for Mr Poroshenko A simmering conflict with Russia-backed separatists in the east continues to plague Ukraine, which last year became the poorest country in Europe. There has been agonisingly slow progress on reforms undertaken after a pro-Russian president was ousted by protests in 2014 and Crimea was annexed by Russia. Surveys in March suggested that Mr Zelenskiy would handily defeat Mr Poroshenko if they faced each other in the second round. The leading candidate has promised to tackle corruption but shunned a detailed platform and campaign in favour of a feel-good comedy tour. President Petro Poroshenko speaks at his campaign headquarters after the vote on Sunday Credit: Efrem Lukatsky/AP Mr Poroshenko declared that he would win the runoff, calling Mr Zelenskiy a marionette of Ihor Kolomoisky, the self-exiled oligarch who owns the channel that runs his programmes. Mr Zelenskiy responded by calling Mr Poroshenko a marionette of the former deputy head of his security council, a reference to a corruption scandal in which the official's son was found to have sold the defence ministry overpriced equipment smuggled in from Russia. The comedian has been hit by his own scandals. A company he owns was found to have made money in Russia after he said he had no business there, and an investigation on Thursday found he owned an undeclared 15-room villa in an Italian resort favoured by Russian oligarchs. Mr Zelensiky has said he would sit down with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, to solve the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Asked by journalists on Sunday night what he would say to Mr Putin, he said he would force him to give back Ukrainian territory and demand compensation for occupying it. Mr Putin's spokesman said on Monday that the leader would explain that Russia is not occupying Ukrainian territory, adding that Crimea was "not open for discussion". Spanish and Canadian warships docked in Odessa on Monday as part of a Nato mission to the Black Sea following last year's Kerch Strait crisis. Russia in November seized three Ukrainian ships near annexed Crimea and captured 24 sailors who are now on trial in Moscow. Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko votes on Sunday Credit: Pyotr Sivkov/TASS/Barcroft Mr Poroshenko is expected to focus on Mr Zelenskiy's lack of experience and try to embarrass him in debates in the second round. An influx of cash subsidies to pensioners could also help mobilise support. His challenger tried to appeal to disaffected voters by focusing on the president's business empire and corruption allegations against him. Only nine per cent of Ukrainians support their government, according to polls. Reports emerged on Sunday that Mr Zelenskiy might form a parliamentary coalition with Ms Tymoshenko, which would set her up to become prime minister. Both candidates denied they were in talks. Much of the country's opposition would support Mr Zelenskiy and try to turn the second round into a referendum on Mr Poroshenko, whose disapproval rating is up to 50 per cent, analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said. "I would bet on Zelenskiy in second round, there are risks but he has more of a chance," Mr Fesenko said. "It will depend on the turnout of his voters and how unified the opposition is, but there is a lot of dissatisfaction with Poroshenko."
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| Larger class sizes may not be the answer: Today's Toon Posted: 01 Apr 2019 02:31 PM PDT  Want to keep up with USA TODAY's editorial cartoons? Bookmark this page. We'll update it frequently.
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| Jury reaches verdict in retrial of suspect in Karina Vetrano murder Posted: 01 Apr 2019 06:21 PM PDT  Closing arguments were given Monday in the retrial of a man accused of murdering Queens jogger Karina Vetrano, after the judge denied a defense request for a mistrial over an anonymous letter claiming the prosecution withheld evidence.
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| EU's Barnier: no-deal Brexit more likely by the day, three options left Posted: 01 Apr 2019 11:53 PM PDT  Britain has become more likely in the recent days to crash out of the European Union without a divorce agreement, the bloc's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday. "Over the last days a no-deal scenario has become more likely, but we can still hope to avoid it," Barnier said, adding the EU was ready to accept Britain staying the EU's customs union or a relationship akin to the one the EU has with Norway.
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| Chilling surveillance video shows South Carolina student entering car of accused killer Posted: 02 Apr 2019 03:23 AM PDT  Surveillance video posted on Facebook shows a University of South Carolina student climbing into the vehicle of the person accused of killing her.
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| India Opposition Leader Gandhi Pledges to End Poverty by 2030 Posted: 02 Apr 2019 04:23 AM PDT  Led by Rahul Gandhi, the party released its election manifesto in New Delhi on Tuesday, promising to rid India of poverty by 2030, waive farm loans, introduce a single sales tax and reserve a third of government jobs for women. With joblessness at a 45-year high of 6.1 percent, Gandhi pledged to fill 400,000 posts at a federal level and urge state governments to fill 2 million vacant jobs by the end of March 2020.
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| The Echo Dot is discounted today, but get this $20 Alexa speaker instead Posted: 01 Apr 2019 06:14 AM PDT  Amazon's newest Echo Dot is on sale right now at a $10 discount, which drops the price to $40. That's definitely a good deal, but you still shouldn't buy one. Why? Because the eufy Genie Smart Speaker with Amazon Alexa is pretty much the same thing and it only costs $19.99! It's nice and compact just like the Echo Dot. It also gives you hands-free access to all your favorite Alexa skills. So why would you pay double for a Dot when the Genie is just as good?Here are the highlights from the product page: * eufy Genie is a voice-controlled smart speaker with Amazon's intelligent Alexa voice assistant. Just say the wake word "Alexa" and Genie plays music, controls your smart home devices, answers your questions, sets calendars, reports the weather and news and more.(2.4GHz Wi-Fi Network Support Only, No Bluetooth) If you have more than one Eufy Genie or Echo in your home, Spatial Perception Technology intelligently selects the Eufy Genie or Echo closest to you to answer your request. * Built with a 2W speaker that delivers dynamic audio and room-filling sound, so you can truly enjoy your favorite playlists from streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Pandora and iHeartRadio. Call or message almost anyone hands-free with your Eufy Genie and instantly connect to other Alexa-enabled devices in your home using just your voice. * Enables a true voice-controlled smart home experience. Use Genie to control all Alexa-compatible Eufy smart products, such as RoboVac 11c and Lumos LED Smart Bulbs, in addition to other brands that work with Alexa. * Easy setup with the free EufyHome app. Use the Amazon Alexa app to access 10000+ skills and services, such as Sirius XM, Domino's Pizza, Uber, ESPN, NPR News, and much more. Plus, Genie is always getting smarter. Future updates include: Alexa messaging and calling. (EufyHome requires a smartphone or tablet running iOS 8.0 (and above) or Android 4.3 (and above) to operate.) * What You Get: eufy Genie, AC power adapter (5ft/1.5m), AUX cable (5ft/1.5m), user manual, safety instruction card, our worry-free 12-month warranty and lifetime technical support.
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| UPDATE 1-Tesla boom lifts Norway's electric car sales to record market share Posted: 01 Apr 2019 07:23 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Tesla boom lifts Norway's electric car sales to record market share]( "UPDATE 1-Tesla boom lifts Norway's electric car sales to record market share") Almost 60 percent of all new cars sold in Norway in March were fully electric, the Norwegian Road Federation (NRF) said on Monday, a global record as the country seeks to end fossil-fueled vehicles sales by 2025. Exempting battery engines from taxes imposed on diesel and petrol cars has upended Norway's auto market, elevating brands like Tesla and Nissan, with its Leaf model, while hurting sales of Toyota, Daimler and others. In 2018, Norway's fully electric car sales rose to a record 31.2 percent market share from 20.8 percent in 2017, far ahead of any other nation, and buyers had to wait as producers struggled to keep up with demand.
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| British PM seeks new Brexit delay to approve deal Posted: 02 Apr 2019 12:31 PM PDT  Prime Minister Theresa May said Tuesday she would ask the EU to delay Brexit again to avoid Britain crashing out of the bloc next week, signalling she could accept a closer relationship with Europe to break months of political deadlock. In a move which enraged the Brexit-supporting wing of her Conservative Party, she also offered to work with the leader of the main opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, who favours closer ties with the European Union. Corbyn responded saying he was "very happy" to meet.
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| Candace Cameron Bure still supporting 'Fuller House' co-star Lori Loughlin: We're 'family' Posted: 02 Apr 2019 09:47 AM PDT  Candace Cameron Bure has unconditional love for her "Fuller House" co-star Lori Loughlin amid college admissions scandal.
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| 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Photos Posted: 01 Apr 2019 01:51 PM PDT |
| Michael Brown's mother making run for Ferguson City Council Posted: 02 Apr 2019 07:37 AM PDT  FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Michael Brown's mother could soon have oversight over the police department connected to her son's death, if voters in Ferguson, Missouri, elect her to the City Council.
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| UPDATE 3-U.S. House Judiciary Committee poised to subpoena full Mueller report Posted: 01 Apr 2019 05:50 AM PDT ![UPDATE 3-U.S. House Judiciary Committee poised to subpoena full Mueller report]( "UPDATE 3-U.S. House Judiciary Committee poised to subpoena full Mueller report") The Democratic-led U.S. House Judiciary Committee said it will vote on Wednesday on whether to authorize subpoenas to obtain Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full report investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Lawmakers will also consider subpoenas for underlying evidence from Mueller's investigation and from five former aides to President Donald Trump, including White House counsel Donald McGahn and political adviser Steve Bannon. Democrats have become increasingly frustrated over U.S. Attorney General William Barr's plan to share only a redacted copy of the nearly 400-page investigative report with Congress.
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| India’s missile test sent dangerous space trash hurling near ISS: NASA chief Posted: 02 Apr 2019 10:57 AM PDT  NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said India's test of an anti-satellite weapon was a 'terrible thing,' creating debris posing a risk to the ISS.
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| Michigan 12-year-old fills potholes by himself to help neighbors Posted: 02 Apr 2019 03:43 AM PDT  Michigan 12-year-old Monte Scott was sick and tired of the potholes in his neighborhood, so he took it upon himself to fix them.
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| Israel loosens restrictions on Gaza fishermen Posted: 01 Apr 2019 04:10 AM PDT  Israel loosened restrictions on fishermen off the blockaded Gaza Strip on Monday by allowing them to travel up to 15 nautical miles into the Mediterranean in one area, the largest distance in years. The decision comes after Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules Gaza, said it had been engaged in Egyptian-brokered talks with Israel on easing parts of the blockade in return for calm. Israel has not commented on the negotiations.
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| Bye-bye, 'Whole Paycheck'? Amazon's Whole Foods Market cutting prices starting Wednesday Posted: 02 Apr 2019 11:25 AM PDT  Prices will be reduced by an average of 20% on select items throughout Whole Foods Market starting April 3.
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| Nissan's Iconic RB26 Engine Returns To Production Posted: 01 Apr 2019 06:07 AM PDT  The iconic engine unit that powered Nissan's R32, R33, and R34 Skyline GT-R can once again be bought new! The Nissan Skyline GT-R remains a household name for one very simple reason. While now ageing, the iconic R32, R33, and R34 Skyline GT-Rs are officially supported by Nissan's Nismo Heritage Parts program.
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| Easter 2019: Forbidden eggs, Eostre and how the date is decided Posted: 02 Apr 2019 12:56 AM PDT  Easter weekend is fast approaching with all the fondant-filled Creme Eggs, sticky hot cross buns and sugar-coated Mini Eggs our stretchiest waistbands can withstand. 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. Jump to it, bunny: Your complete guide to Easter decorations When is Easter 2019? This year, Good Friday falls on April 19, Easter Sunday on April 21 and Easter Monday on April 22 - three weeks later than they did last year. While the holiday is a movable feast, it always falls somewhere between March 21 and April 25 every year. It is calculated as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the first day of spring. The full moon is known as the Paschal (Passover) Full Moon. Methods for calculating Easter are fiendishly complicated and a uniquely baffling synthesis of mathematics, astronomy and theology. As Christians believe Jesus was crucified during the Jewish Passover festival, Easter is celebrated around the same time. Nonetheless, different Christian groups were already marking it on separate dates by the end of the 2nd Century. Q&A; | Maundy Thursday These date-led disagreements even set the course of history for the British Isles at the Synod of Whitby in 664AD when the preferred date of the Roman - rather than the Celtic - church became the standard. The decision is said to have catapulted Britain into the European sphere of influence. Though disputes over Easter's exact timing have been used as proxies for deeper power struggles for centuries, most now accept that it falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox - which the Church approximated as March 21. This year, Easter Sunday falls on April 21, the longest stretch following March 21's full moon – which falls on a Sunday. In 2016, the Archbishop of Canterbury suggested Easter should fall on the same Sunday every year and the Most Rev Justin Welby said Anglican leaders would join discussions with other church leaders to fix the date for the first time, theoretically putting an end to almost 2,000 years of controversy. The 10 best destinations for Easter sun What do eggs have to do with Easter? Eggs illustrate new life, just as Jesus began his new life on Easter Sunday after the miracle of his resurrection. When eggs are cracked open they are said to symbolise an empty tomb. Originally, eating eggs was forbidden in the week leading up to Easter (known as Holy Week). They were saved and decorated in the run-up to the celebration and given to children as gifts. Sometimes they were coloured red, in recognition of the blood sacrificed by Jesus when he was crucified. Green was also used to symbolise spring re-growth after the winter. The first chocolate eggs appeared in France and Germany during the 19th century. As chocolate-making techniques improved, the Easter egg as we know it was popularised. Where does the Easter Bunny fit in to all of this? Rabbits and hares have been associated with spring for hundreds of years. It is thought that the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, Eostre – who many believe the Christian event is named after – had a hare as her companion, symbolising fertility and rebirth. It's hardly surprising that rabbits and hares have become associated with fertility as they are both prolific breeders and regularly give birth to large litters in early spring. The legend of the Easter Bunny is thought to have originated among German Lutherans, where the 'Easter Hare' judged whether children had been good or bad in the run-up to Easter. Easter bunnies and eggs are symbols of spring and fertility. Over time it has been incorporated into Christian celebrations, becoming especially popular in Britain during the 19th century. Many children believe that the Easter Bunny lays and hides baskets of coloured eggs, sweets and toys in their homes or around the garden the night before Easter Sunday – much like Father Christmas delivering gifts on Christmas Eve. This has given rise to the tradition of the Easter egg hunt which is still popular among children today. Why do we eat hot cross buns? A hot cross bun is a spiced, sweet bun marked with a cross on top. They are traditionally eaten on Good Friday as the cross represents the crucifixion of Jesus, while the spices are said to remind Christians of the spices put on his body. Hot cross buns appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1733 but they are believed to have existed long before. Enriched, sweetened bread dough dates back to the Romans. Long before Christianity, loaves and buns were baked with symbols on them, one of which was a cross. Small, spiced cakes were also baked to honour the Saxon goddess Eoestre and celebrate spring, but it was the Tudors who began to link the spiced currant buns we know today with feast days, celebrations and - eventually - Lent. Delicious recipes to cook this Easter Wild garlic and parsley soup Jose Pizarro's roast rack of lamb with braised peas and lemon-thyme salsa Hot cross bun panna cotta Paul Hollywood's Easter simnel cake How is Easter celebrated around the world? In many central and eastern European countries decorating eggs with beautiful patterns is especially popular. In Switzerland, Easter eggs are delivered by a cuckoo and, in some areas of Germany, a fox. The egg-giving tradition arrived in the United States in the 18th century via protestant German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area. Traditional Easter foods from around the world On Easter Monday, the President of the United States holds an annual Easter egg roll on the lawn of the White House for young children. In the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland it is a day of remembrance for the men and women who died in the Easter Rising which began on Easter Monday 1916.
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| Ukraine comedian leads presidential election, runoff likely Posted: 31 Mar 2019 06:07 PM PDT  KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Early results in Ukraine's presidential election showed a comedian with no political experience with a sizable lead over 38 rivals but far from a first-round victory, while the incumbent president and a former prime minister were close contenders to advance to the runoff.
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