Here's what's happening across the United States and around the world today.
France: extremist's arrest thwarts imminent attack on church
PARIS (AP) — France's top security official says police have arrested an Islamic extremist in Paris as he was planning an imminent attack on one or more churches.
The country's interior minister says the man is also accused of killing a young woman shortly before he was arrested on Sunday.
The 24-year-old computer science student had lived in France for several years and had been flagged by security officials last year.
A French security official says the suspect was arrested after he apparently had shot himself and called for an ambulance.
Italy: refugee camps in Niger, Sudan to stem migrant flow
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Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Matteo Renzi says the European Union must rapidly devise a long-range, comprehensive policy to stop the flood of migrants setting out from Libya, including establishing refugee camps in Niger (nee-ZHEHR'), Sudan and elsewhere in Africa with U.N. assistance.
Italy has been rescuing hundreds of migrants daily from distressed boats in the Mediterranean. Some 800 people are believed dead in a shipwreck last weekend alone.
Renzi told Parliament today, on the eve of an EU emergency summit on migrants, that Italy's "noble, generous reaction alone isn't enough."
Renzi says, "We are asking Europe to be Europe, not just when it's time to devise a budget."
He says broad, long-term EU strategy, with wider sea patrols and a robust presence in southern Libya, would help combat "21st-century slave drivers" of migrants.
Anti-human trafficking bill expected to pass Senate
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan bill aimed at helping the victims of sex trafficking is expected to pass the Senate today, now that lawmakers have ended a dispute over abortion that sidetracked the bill for weeks.
Its approval also clears the way for a vote on attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch.
Her nomination was put off by Republican leaders until the trafficking bill could be resolved.
Senate panel set to back fast-track trade bill Obama seeks
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate panel is expected to advance one of President Barack Obama's top trade initiatives despite strong opposition from labor unions and other left-leaning groups.
The Senate Finance Committee is to vote on legislation that would continue to allow the president to send to Congress trade deals that it can endorse or reject, but not change.
Obama wants fast-track powers to help push free-trade proposals such as the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Penalty phase begins in Boston
BOSTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors have begun laying out the government's case for executing convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-HAHR' tsahr-NEYE'-ehv).
On Tuesday, the prosecution described Tsarnaev as a man who didn't care that he had killed four people, including the police officer shot during the manhunt.
The defense contends that the 21-year-old's older brother masterminded the bombing and that Dzhokhar fell under his influence.
Looking for answers
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Justice Department is looking for answers as it begins a civil rights investigation into the death of a man in Baltimore who mysteriously suffered a fatal spinal-cord injury after he was handcuffed and put in the back of a police van.
Some 1,000 people protested Tuesday, gathering at the site where Freddie Gray was taken into custody April 12. He died a week later.
Taliban announce their spring offensive in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban say they are starting their spring offensive this week, an annual campaign in their war against the Afghan government.
Wednesday's statement, emailed to media, says the offensive will begin Friday.
The Taliban say their Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is "determined to prolong the ongoing jihad," or holy war.
In past years, spring and the melting of snow on the mountains along the border with Pakistan has marked a significant upsurge in fighting between the Taliban and NATO forces along with their local allies.
This fighting season is the first year the insurgents will face just Afghan forces on the battlefield after the withdrawal of most international combat troops at the end of last year.
NEW: Unseasonal rainstorm kills at least 30 in eastern India
PATNA, India (AP) — Government officials say an unseasonal storm with heavy rain and hail has killed at least 30 people, injured more than a hundred and caused heavy damage to the winter wheat crop in eastern India.
Most of the deaths were caused Tuesday night by tin roofs blown off of poor people's huts by winds reaching 60 miles per hour in northeastern parts of Bihar state.
Authorities launched relief efforts in 10 districts hit by the storm. The area is about 360 kilometers (225 miles) northeast of Patna, the state capital.
Rents soar in San Francisco, up 3.7 percent nationwide
WASHINGTON (AP) — Home rental prices are soaring in San Francisco, while pockets of the Midwest and South are also posting big annual increases.
Real estate data firm Zillow says that prices nationally climbed a seasonally-adjusted 3.7 percent in March from 12 months earlier.
The influx of tech money fueled San Francisco rents up 14.8 percent, while nearby San Jose jumped 12.3 percent. The upward trend is also hitting a range of other metro areas. Denver, Louisville, Kansas City, Nashville, Toledo, Ohio and Jackson, Mississippi each reported prices rising by more than 8.5 percent.
Prices have fallen over the past year in Chicago, Minneapolis and New Orleans.
At the end of last year, 36 percent of Americans rented. That's up from 31 percent before the Great Recession, according to the Census Bureau.
The last marathoner
BOSTON (AP) — About 20 hours after this year's Boston Marathon began, the last runner crossed the finish line.
Maickel Melamed of Venezuela, endured rain, wind and cold to complete the 26.2-mile race early Tuesday.
The race began Monday morning. Melamed, who is 39, has muscular dystrophy.
He says he completed the marathon to give hope and inspiration to others.
New York aims to cut waste by 90 percent by 2030
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City is set to mark Earth Day today by announcing the ambitious goal of reducing its waste output by more than 3 million tons by 2030.
The Zero Waste plan will include an overhaul and expansion of the city's recycling program and provide incentives to businesses and residents to reduce waste.
The plan is part of an update to the sustainability program known as PlaNYC, which Mayor Bill de Blasio is rebranding OneNYC.
The city aims to reduce the amount of its waste by 90 percent from its 2005 level of 3.6 million tons.
New York's garbage is shipped out of the city to one of five states.
Detective: Key man in bourbon theft promoted the victim
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A detective says a Kentucky distillery worker who's accused of leading a bourbon theft ring wore shirts promoting the distillery where he worked as he delivered stolen liquor.
Sheriff's Detective Jeff Farmer says Gilbert "Toby" Curtsinger also delivered purloined barrels covered by a tarp in a pickup truck.
Farmer says the ring that prosecutors say was led by Curtsinger operated for years and turned into a lucrative business.
Curtsinger was among nine people indicted Tuesday in Kentucky on charges of spiriting away large volumes of whiskey, by the bottle and the barrel.
That's what's happening. Read more stories to jump start your day in our special Breakfast Buzz section.
