Benjamin Carroll

Happening Today: Trump, North Korea, ISIS, Easter Candy, Dave Chappelle

What to Know

  • 36 ISIS fighters were killed after the U.S. dropped "the mother of all bombs" on a tunnel complex in eastern Afghanistan, officials say
  • NBC News sized up nutrition labels of some of the most popular Easter candies, with a strong focus on calories, fat and sugar content
  • Dave Chappelle appeared on stage at John Mayer's concert and told a crowd "everybody in comedy is heartbroken" about Charlie Murphy's death

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Trump to Blame for 'Vicious' U.S., North Korean Official Says

North Korea's vice foreign minister blamed President Trump for escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula through his tweets and expansion of military exercises, saying the U.S. was becoming "more vicious and more aggressive" under his leadership than it had been under President Obama. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Pyongyang, Vice Minister Han Song Ryol also warned the U.S. against provoking North Korea militarily. "We will go to war if they choose," he said. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Pyongyang, Vice Minister Han Song Ryol also warned the U.S. against provoking North Korea militarily. "We will go to war if they choose," he said. Tensions are deepening as the U.S. has sent an aircraft carrier to waters off the peninsula and is conducting its biggest-ever joint military exercises with South Korea. Pyongyang, meanwhile, recently launched a ballistic missile and some experts say it could conduct another nuclear test at virtually anytime.

36 ISIS Fighters Killed by U.S. Attack Officials Say

Afghanistan officials say the U.S. attack on a tunnel complex in eastern Afghanistan with the largest non-nuclear weapon ever used in combat by the U.S. military has left 36 ISIS fighters dead. There were no civilian casualties, according to the Ministry of Defense statement, which also said that several ISIS caves and ammunition caches were destroyed. Hakim Khan, 50, a resident of Achin district where the attack took place, welcomed the attack on ISIS, saying: "I want 100 times more bombings on this group." The bomb, known officially as a GBU-43B, or massive ordnance air blast weapon, unleashes 11 tons of explosives.

Sexual Abuse at Elite Boarding School Continued for Decades, Report Shows

Choate Rosemary Hall, the elite Connecticut boarding school, released a report detailing decades of alleged sexual abuse of students that went unreported or was handled quietly. At least 12 former faculty members at the Wallingford, Connecticut, school allegedly abused students between 1963 and 2010, according to the 50-page report by an outside investigator hired by Choate's board of trustees. The report says the alleged sexual misconduct included “intimate kissing,” “sexual intercourse” and “forced or coerced intercourse." No current faculty members have been implicated, and there are no claims relating to current students. Choate, whose notable alumni include former President John F. Kennedy and his brother Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., released a letter Thursday to the school's community calling the report's findings "devastating."

Trump Signs Bill Letting States Block Some Abortion Provider Funding

Further chipping away at his predecessor's legacy, President Trump signed legislation that lets states deny federal family planning money to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. Trump's action erases a rule, finalized shortly before President Obama left office in January, that said states could not block the money. It's the latest Obama regulation that Trump has overturned. Undoing the prohibition also gives Republicans and anti-abortion groups a victory after House Republicans failed to agree last month on a bill they had sought for years to overhaul the health care system. The failed House bill, which Trump supported, would have blocked federal money for Planned Parenthood for a year, in addition to repealing portions of Obama's 2010 health law. Federal law already prohibits government money for abortion, except in cases of rape or incest, or to save a woman's life.

The Most Popular Easter Candies Ranked by Nutrition

'Tis the season for dyeing Easter eggs — and snacking on chocolate ones. Worried you'll wreck your healthy eating streak come Easter Sunday? NBC News sized up the nutrition labels of some of the most popular Easter candies, with a strong focus on calories, fat and sugar content per serving — as well as the serving size. Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs top the list at only 90 calories and 8 grams of sugar per serving. Health-conscious snackers can also choose Tootsie Easter Egg Shaped Pops, which rank at No. 2. Brach’s Tiny Jelly Bird Eggs round out NBC’s list at No. 9, with 250 calories and a whopping 53 grams of sugar per serving.

Dave Chappelle Salutes Charlie Murphy at John Mayer Concert

Dave Chappelle has teamed up with John Mayer to remember comedian Charlie Murphy. Chappelle appeared on stage at Mayer's Columbus, Ohio, concert and told the crowd "everybody in comedy is heartbroken" about Murphy's death from leukemia. Chappelle told Mayer he was "a sight for sore eyes" after learning about Murphy's death. At Chappelle's request, Mayer played his song "You're Gonna Live Forever in Me" in tribute to Murphy. Murphy was a performer on Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show." He was the subject of popular sketches in which Murphy retold his adventures with younger brother Eddie Murphy and celebrities like Prince and Rick James.

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck File Divorce Petitions

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck filed divorce petitions, the first step in formally ending their marriage more than a year after they publicly declared their relationship was over. The actors both filed divorce petitions in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking joint custody of their three children, who range from 5 to 11. The filings were made without attorneys and are virtually identical. Neither lists a date of separation. The couple announced they were separating in June 2015 after 10 years of marriage. The actors met while making 2003's "Daredevil," in which they both played superheroes.

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