MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian lawmakers backed tighter Internet controls on Tuesday to defend against foreign meddling in draft legislation that critics warn could disrupt Russia’s Internet and be used to stifle dissent. The legislation, which some Russian media have likened to an online “iron curtain,” passed its first of three readings in the 450-seat lower…

New U.K. research has found that women who have undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections may be more likely to experience negative premenstrual symptoms (PMS). Carried out by researchers at Oxford University, the study was part of a long-term partnership with period-tracking app CLUE. The team gathered data from 865 CLUE users who logged information on the…

Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot dead in the US city of Los Angeles Sunday, sparking an outpouring of grief from fellow celebrities as the city’s mayor blamed "senseless gun violence." According to local media reports, Hussle was shot in front of his own clothing store Sunday afternoon at close range, by a man who fled in a getaway…

KANSAS CITY, MO. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has released the list of 10 host sites for the third annual NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round, the national office announced on April 15. The event will be played May 11 – 13 and features 10 four-team double elimination tournaments. The 40 qualifiers…

MONTREAL — Quebec prosecutors are working with the RCMP on the possibility of new criminal charges against SNC-Lavalin tied to a contract to refurbish Montreal’s Jacques Cartier Bridge, court documents show. In December, Quebec court approved a request by prosecutors to retain until June thousands of documents seized by the RCMP in connection with an…

Blade Runner – Black Lotus, a new Blade Runner anime series, has been announced and will air on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and Crunchyroll. Created in partnership with Alcon Television Group, Black Lotus is set in the year 2032 and will feature “some familiar characters” from the Blade Runner universe. Shinichiro Watanabe, who directed the 2049 anime…

A poor Canada Post employee in Sydney, N.S., is going to be lugging around a much heavier bag in the coming weeks, but the reason is so heartwarming and pure. Miriam Dunn says she’s expecting hundreds — if not thousands — of birthday cards for her 92-year-old dad, after a tweet she sent out earlier…

TORONTO — Bond rating agency Moody’s has downgraded the province of Ontario’s credit rating. The agency announced the downgrade from Aa3 to Aa2 on Thursday, citing the province’s $14.5-billion deficit in 2018-2019 and projections that it will continue to post deficits in the coming years. Moody’s said the combination of increased debt and slow revenue…

New statistics indicate that international sanctions have pushed North Korea’s economy to the brink of collapse, although analysts have pointed out that previous predictions of economic crisis triggering the collapse of the regime in Pyongyang have failed to materialise.  The North Korean economy contracted by 3.5 percent in 2017, a sharp reverse from the 3.9…

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Deven DuCharme and Virginia Wesleyan’s Kristina Karagiorgis have been selected as the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III National Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.   DuCharme, a senior outfielder from Hudson, Wis., hit .524 (11-for-21) with eight runs, two doubles, a triple, five homers, three walks and…