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Iceland volcano disrupts European flights
Ash from a volcano eruption in Iceland has prompted aviation officials to restrict flights over parts of Norway and the United Kingdom.
Norway's aviation authority AVINOR closed roughly the northern half of the country's airspace on Wednesday evening, from Trondheim to the north. And U.K. air traffic control provider NATS said early Thursday it was restricting flights in northern Scotland.
NATS warned the ash cloud is expected to move south, hinting that the flight-restriction zone could expand.
Some Norwegian flights were canceled or delayed because of the airspace closure, according to information from AVINOR's Web site.
The ash cloud came from an eruption of a volcano beneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier early Wednesday. The eruption - the latest in a series that began on March 20 - blew a hole in the mass of ice.
2nd police officer suspended in videotaped beating
[Updated at 7:56 p.m.] Watch the news conference from Wednesday evening.
[Posted at 6:29 p.m.] A second Prince George's County, Maryland, police officer has been suspended in the case of a University of Maryland student whose beating by officers wielding nightsticks was caught on video, officials announced Wednesday.
The Prince George's County Police Department had announced the suspension of one officer on Tuesday, and more suspensions are expected soon, according to police Lt. Andy Ellis.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular CNN.com stories during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Man sells old video game for $31,600: While reading a story on this site about rare video games, Tanner Sandlin of Austin, Texas, recognized one of the games - Air Raid for the Atari 2600. He found the thirteenth known copy of the game in his garage and put it on eBay.
Playboy rejects Kate Gosselin: Kate Gosselin has had some tough blows this year and Hugh Hefner has dealt her another one.
Student body odor prompts action at MIT: Hygeine seems to have worsened among stressed students at MIT, prompting action from students. WHDH reports.
Toyota suspends sales of Lexus GX 460: Toyota asked dealers to temporarily suspend sales of the new 2010 Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports issued a safety warning on the SUV.
Man says God led him to girl lost in swamp: The man who rescued an 11-year-old girl lost in a dense Florida swamp said Wednesday that God led him directly to her, and that finding her was no surprise.
589 killed, thousands injured in China quake
A rapid series of strong earthquakes hit a mountainous and impoverished area of China's Qinghai province early Wednesday, killing 589 people, state-run media reported, quoting local quake-relief headquarters.
At least 10,000 others were injured, the Xinhua news agency reported, and many victims, including schoolchildren, were buried under debris. Rescuers were struggling to clear debris with their hands and save those trapped below.
Stocks soar to major milestones
A look at highlights from the day's business news:
Stocks rally
Stocks rallied Wednesday, with the Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq composite indexes crossing significant milestones for the first time in more than a year and a-half, after quarterly results from JPMorgan Chase and Intel and strong retail sales figures.
The Dow Jones industrial average surged 104 points, or 0.9 percent, to end at 11,123.11, the highest level since September 2008. Financial and tech shares led the advance.
The S&P 500 index gained 13 points, or 1.1 percent, to close at 1,210.65, marking the first time the index has closed above the 1,200 mark in almost 19 months.
The Nasdaq composite added 39 points, or 1.6 percent, to end at 2,504.86. It was the first time since June 2008 that the index has ended above 2,500.
Students protest JPMorgan CEO as speaker
Students from the 2010 graduating class of Syracuse University are protesting the school's decision to have JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon speak at this year's commencement because of his company's role in the financial crisis.
More than 900 Syracuse seniors have signed an online petition titled "Take Back 2010 Syracuse University Commencement," which states that the signers do not want "to restore the public image of the banking industry."
White House: Stimulus tied to 2.2 million jobs
The government's Recovery Act is responsible for between 2.2 million and 2.8 million jobs through the first quarter of 2010, according to the latest stimulus report from President Obama's chief economic adviser.
The report, from the White House's Council of Economic Advisers, says the $787 billion economic stimulus is on track to create or save 3.5 million jobs by the end of the year.
Sources: Obama could make high court pick by early May
The White House search for a new Supreme Court justice is progressing smoothly, say government sources close to the selection process, who expect President Obama to make a decision by early May.
The three favorites for the seat continue to receive the most attention among the small group of officials in charge of narrowing a "short list" of about ten names. Solicitor General Elena Kagan, and federal appeals judges Diane Wood and Merrick Garland currently have the edge over others being considered, said those sources.
Jordan protests to Israel over expulsions
Jordan has called in Israel's ambassador for an official protest over a controversial decision to expel Palestinians that Israel says are living illegally in the West Bank, the Jordanian state news agency reported Wednesday.
The Jordanian government considers the Israeli move "a flagrant violation of international law and conventions" and a violation of Israel's obligations as the occupying power in the West Bank, the state news agency Petra announced.
Government: More than 22,000 dead in Mexico drug war
More than 22,000 people have died in drug-related violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war on the nation's narcotrafficking cartels in December 2006, a government report said Tuesday.
The Mexican government does not routinely release the death toll in the drug war. Recent media reports had given an unofficial tally of 18,000 dead.
Fed sees signs of improvement
The economy showed modest signs of life in recent weeks, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday in its latest summary of regional economic conditions.
Economic activity expanded "somewhat" in 11 of the central bank's 12 districts, according to the latest edition of the Fed's Beige Book, released Wednesday. St. Louis was the exception, reporting "softened" economic conditions.
Black farmers still waiting for funding of bias settlement
Black farmers hoping for government settlement money in a racial bias case better not bet the crop this Spring, until Congress finds a way to pay for the $1 billion deal. A meeting Wednesday at the White House may not have provided much encouragement.
Senators fight airlines over carry-on baggage fees
Senate Democrats are taking aim at carry-on baggage fees after Spirit Airlines became the first U.S. carrier to propose charging passengers to store luggage in overhead bins.
On Wednesday, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced a bill that would amend the tax code to eliminate a loophole that he and four other Senators say allows airlines to avoid taxes on certain fees.
Friday set as day to honor dead miners
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin asked his state's miners to report for work Friday, but to use the day to re-evaluate safety procedures rather than to produce coal.
"This is not a day off," he told reporters in a conference call from the capital city of Charleston. "We're asking for a day to honor every miner that has fallen, the 29 miners that we did lose."
India politician shot dead at public meeting
Unknown attackers shot a local politician at the podium of a public meeting in northern India Wednesday, police said.
Hanuman Sharan Shukla, member of a local district council, was gunned down at an event in Uttar Pradesh state's Gonda district, area police inspector Bharat Yadav told CNN.
Former Jerusalem mayor arrested in corruption probe
The former mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Luplianski, was arrested Wednesday in connection with an investigation into allegedly corrupt real estate deals in Jerusalem, Israeli police said.
Three-year-old shredding his way to be next Shaun White?
Wesley Muresan, a 3-year-old snowboard, is finding lots of fans on the Web
He shreds the snow, slides on the rails and grabs his board as he goes for big air like a pro.
Well, big, maybe isn't the right word - but it's big for him - considering he stands 3 feet tall and weighs 34 pounds.
YouTube: Watch Wesley's tricks | YouTube: Watch him "shredding"
CIA deputy director steps down
Steve Kappes, the No. 2 man in the CIA, is retiring, CIA Director Leon E. Panetta said on Wednesday.
Holder: No need to read Miranda to bin Laden if captured
Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday there would be no need to read Miranda rights to Osama bin Laden if the al Qaeda leader were captured.
Holder told a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that enough evidence exists against bin Laden to convict him in a trial, so that advising him of his rights to protect the legal admissibility of subsequent interrogation was unnecessary.
Sports Update: Stanley Cup playoffs begin
Sidney Crosby will lead the Penguins as they try to defend their Stanley Cup win.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs get under way Wednesday with a four-game slate, while the NBA’s regular season closes down for the year. Baseball, soccer and tennis fill out the rest of the sporting docket (all times Eastern).
– Monte-Carlo Masters (6 a.m., Tennis Channel): Early-round coverage from Monte-Carlo, the first of three ATP Masters Series events played on clay courts, is already under way. Five-time defending champions Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are among the big names in action today. If you can’t watch it live, Tennis Channel airs a replay at 6 p.m.
– Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal (3 p.m., ESPN2): The always-heated North London derby has been a one-sided affair in recent years, with Spurs going winless against the Gunners over the past decade. But Tottenham’s hopes for a spot in next year’s Champions League may depend on the club’s first Premier League victory over Arsenal since a 2-1 triumph at White Hart Lane in November 1999.
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