A suicide attacker blows up a tanker lorry at the police headquarters in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, killing at least nine people. Three people are killed in a separate shooting in Baghdad. (CNN)
Apple Inc. publishes a letter, signed by CEOTim Cook, to Chinese customers, to address the growing controversy over the company's warranty policies in the country. (CNN)
Suspected militants throw a grenade at a vehicle carrying paramilitary security officers in southern Pakistan, killing three people and wounding three others. (AP via ABC News)[permanent dead link]
A Palestinian, Naji Balbisi, dies from injuries he suffered during a clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, a day after his cousin, Amer al-Najjar, died in the clashes after they tried to firebomb a checkpoint. (CNN)(The Times of Israel)
In Jackson, Mississippi, Jeremy Powell, 23, a suspect in the stabbing death of a 20-year-old male, and Eric Smith, a Jackson Police Department homicidedetective, who had been conducting the police interview with Powell, are found dead in a 3rd floor room of the department, according to Jackson Police Chief Rebecca Coleman. (AP via NBC News)
North Korea warns that it cannot protect their embassies in Pyongyang as of April 10. It is advised that all foreign countries consider asking the staff of their embassies to leave. (The Telegraph)(AFP via NDTV)
Doan Van Vuon, a fish farmer who became a cult hero in Vietnam after fighting off an illegal eviction with homemade guns and mines, is jailed for five years for "attempted murder in a case that has stirred public anger over state-backed land grabs." (Reuters)
A bombing in Qalat, capital of the southern Zabul Province, kills three U.S. soldiers and two U.S. civilians, along with an Afghan doctor. An American civilian dies in another attack in the east of the country. (BBC)(Al Jazeera)
Tony Blair, who continued many of Thatcher's policies, expresses irritation at the response to her death, claiming people are being disrespectful. Blair appears on CNN to reveal his admiration for his predecessor, calling her "a huge figure, a towering figure." (BBC)(CNN via YouTube)
Borussia Dortmund score twice against Málaga in a dramatic period of injury time and wins 3–2, securing the semi-final berth. The British match officials are lambasted for their incompetence, with replays showing that at least two of the game's goals – including the winner – were scored illegally. (The Guardian)(BBC)(UEFA)
Singer Madonna is accused by the office of MalawiPresidentJoyce Banda of "bullying state officials" after she reportedly exaggerated her charity's contribution and complained about her treatment on a recent visit to the country. (BBC)
The G8foreign ministers condemn "in the strongest way" North Korea's recent threats and vow to apply stronger measures if the country does not step down its rhetoric. (CNN)
Professor Craig Calhoun, Director of the London School of Economics, calls on the BBC to pull a scheduled edition of its Panorama documentary strand, North Korea Undercover in which three journalists travelled undercover to the country with a group of students. Calhoun argues that the group was placed at risk by the BBC's actions. (The Guardian)
North Korea issues an "ultimatum" to South Korea, demanding blanket apologies and an immediate cessation of anti-DPRK activities. Some protesters in Seoul were noted burning portraits of North Korean leaders on Monday, while North Korea celebrated the birthday of the late Kim Il-sung. The new threat comes amid what is otherwise perceived as an easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean authorities say that an attack may occur without warning at any moment. (Reuters)(RT)
Two rockets fired from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula hit the Israeli resort of Eilat, but land in open areas, causing no damage. Three more rockets hit open areas in neighboring Jordan. (Reuters)
An explosion at a fertilizer plant in the city of West, Texas, United States, kills 15 and injures more than 100 people and damages many nearby buildings, including residences, a nursing home, and a middle school. (Reuters)(BBC)
Hundreds of protesters arrive at Ludgate Circus near the end of the procession route, protesting variously by turning their backs to the coffin, chanting slogans or standing in silence. (The Guardian)
Boston and its suburbs are on lockdown as a result of the manhunt. People were not allowed to go out until the lockdown was lifted, and businesses were also closed. (Boston Herald)(NBC News)
Shortly after officials announce that they have lost track of the suspect and lifted the lockdown, a tip leads police to the back yard of a home in the Boston suburb of Watertown, Massachusetts, where the second suspect is captured after an exchange of gunfire and a brief standoff. (The Guardian)
11 people are kidnapped in Afghanistan after the helicopter they were in was forced to land. The Taliban takes responsibility for the abductions. (Los Angeles Times)
The NigerianRed Cross claims that 185 people have been killed in Borno State in the north of country over the past few days as a result of fighting between militants and government state forces. The local military claim the numbers are inflated. (Voice of America)
The European Union lifts all sanctions and trade embargoes on Myanmar excluding arms trade and other trade of equipment that could be used for internal repression, citing the improvement of political freedoms. (AP via Fox News)
Law and crime
Clothing retailer Ralph Lauren agrees to pay $1.6 million for claims of bribery to public officials in Argentina from 2005 to 2009. (Bloomberg)
An Israeli military intelligence analyst states that Syria has used chemical weapons repeatedly over the past month. He also criticizes the international community for not responding to the use of the weapons. (The New York Times)
The U.S. government wins an early round in its litigation against The Bank of New York Mellon over the latter's allegedly fraudulent practices in the trading of currencies. (Reuters)
The central bank of Mexico announces that it is holding its benchmark interest rate at 4%, where it has been since a half-point cut announced in March, despite recent reports of inflating consumer prices. (Reuters)
The Taliban announces the start of their spring offensive, signaling plans to step up attacks as the weather warms across Afghanistan, making both travel and fighting easier. (AP via News24)
A plane crashes in Southern Afghanistan killing four military personnel. (BBC)
After release of a previous suspect without charge, an adversary of his, Everett Dutschke of Mississippi, has been arrested for mailing letters containing ricin to the President of the United States, a senator, and a federal judge. (BBC)
International relations
North Korea announces that it will place AmericanPae Jun-Ho on trial for unspecified "crimes aimed to topple the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". (al Jazeera)
At least three people die and fourteen are injured when an apartment building in the French city of Reims collapses after a suspected gas explosion, leaving people trapped under debris. (AFP via News24)[permanent dead link]
In Valley Springs, California (a rural town of about 2,500 people) authorities are searching for an intruder who fatally stabbed an 8-year-old girl, Leila Fowler, at her home. After her 12-year-old brother discovered him, the intruder fled. (NBC News)
Prosecutors discuss a plea deal (avoidance of the death penalty in exchange for a likely sentence of life in prison without parole) for the surviving Boston bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Police have taken DNA from Tamerlan Tsarnaev's wife and are exploring the brothers' connection to two deceased Russian extremists. (NBC)
Police in Dhaka clash with factory workers protesting the disaster and advocating for capital punishment to be administered to the factory's owner. (BBC)
An Israeli air strike on Gaza City kills Hitham Maskhal, a well known Palestinian militant and injures another in the first such attack since the November ceasefire. Both suspected Palestinian militants were part of the militant group which fired rockets at the southern Israeli city of Eilat two weeks ago. (BBC)
