Sri Lanka Terror: At least 207 people are dead and 600 wounded this morning in coordinated bombings that targeted Catholics celebrating Easter in churches and tourists at high-end hotels in Sri Lanka. The attacks ended years of calm that have followed decades of civil war.

 The government declared a curfew. The attackers have not identified themselves or their purpose.

  At least 11 foreigners are among the 190 dead so far.The deadliest explosion appeared to be at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, a city about 20 miles north of the capital Columbo. Also bombed were St. Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo and Zion Church in the eastern city of Batticaloa.

  When word of the bombings spread to other churches, services were ended and worshippers left.

  Explosions also ripped through three hotels in Colombo: the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand, and the Kingsbury.

The Russia Thing:With President Trump claiming exoneration, the part of the Special Counsel report that hasn’t gotten enough attention is what the investigation was launched to understand; Russian election-influencing.

  The report says the Russians targeted not only the Democratic Party and  the 2016 Clinton campaign, they  also went after vulnerable election technology firms and county officials who administer the vote. They also attacked the mid-term elections and can be expected to haunt the 2020 campaign. 

  The NY Timesalso reports that immediately after the election, the Russians were seeking back-channel connections with Trump associates, including son-in-law Jared Kushner, to establish a friendly relationship with the new administration.

  It was both a business and a diplomatic outreach. The Timesreports that, “Mr. Trump’s on-the-fly campaign, lack of preparation for victory and disorganized transition created a vacuum that, as Russia sought out avenues of access and influence, was quickly filled by a number of people from outside established foreign policy circles, many of whom appeared eager to portray themselves as access brokers or to generate business opportunities.”

Illegal Citizen:The FBI has arrested the head of a right-wing militia who was seen on video armed and detaining migrants crossing the US-Mexico border. Larry Mitchell Hopkins, 69, was arrested in New Mexico as a felon in possession of a weapon.

  They didn’t say what was his previous crime. 

  The group, United Constitutional Patriots, has been featured in a Facebook clip standing over migrants sitting on the ground in the desert.

  A spokesman for the United Constitutional Patriots, told the New York Times the group has been camping in the region for the past two months and plans to stay until President Trump builds his border wall. “If these people follow our verbal commands, we hold them until Border Patrol comes,” the spokesman said, describing the action as a “citizen’s arrest”.

Shoot the Messenger:Police in Northern Ireland arrested two men for the shooting death of a 29-year-old journalist in Londonderry on Thursday night. 

Authorities say they arrested an 18- and 19-year-old under the UK’s controversial Terrorism Act. 

  Cellphone video released by police shows journalist Lyra McKee taking photos with her phone shortly before she was shot, possibly by a stray bullet. 

  The shooting occurred during rioting in Derry’s Creggan neighborhood, a stronghold for the New Irish Republican Army and Saoradh, dissident groups trying to create a united Ireland. Police were in the neighborhood at the time searching for weapons they suspected would be used in an Easter weekend attack. 

  Saoradh said in a statement on Friday that McKee’s death was accidental and that the gunmen were defending their community against state-sponsored violence.

French Lessons:Amid fire and looting, France’s yellow-vest protesters were in the streets again yesterday claiming that the $1 billion pledged for rebuilding Notre Dame Cathedral would be better spent helping the poor. An estimated 7,000 protesters were dispersed with tear gas and water cannon.  

Fists of Fury:Martial arts actor Chuck Norris has spent his career convincing fans that he doesn’t need a weapon to pacify America. He’s got his hands and feet.

  Some fans are dismayed that Norris has decided to become the face of the gun company Glock during the era of mass shootings. There has yet to be a mass martial-arts killing.

  Norris said, “The values that I have built my life and brand on—tough, real, constant and powerful—are echoed in everything that Glock does and creates.” Of course, they are also paying him money.

  Justice is also delivered quickly in the internet age and Norris became the instant target of ridicule. One wisecracker posted,  “I heard you sleep with a Glock on your nightstand so the Glock doesn’t get scared”.

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