Midday Roundup: Young American couple among Brussels dead

Attack toll. An American couple died in last week’s terror attacks in Brussels, the U.S. State Department said Sunday, bringing to four the number of victims with U.S. connections. Justin Shults, 30, and Stephanie Shults, 29, graduated together from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management and took job opportunities in Belgium. They were dropping off Stephanie’s mother at the airport when the bombs went off. Last week, siblings Sascha and Alexander Pinczowski, who lived in New York but were not U.S. citizens, also were confirmed as victims of the bombings. Early this morning, Belgian officials announced four people who were injured in the attack have died, bringing the total death toll to 35.

Sanders sweep. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., won a clean sweep in Saturday’s Democratic caucuses with victories in Hawaii, Alaska, and Washington. But even with those wins, a canyon-sized gap remains in the delegate count. Hillary Clinton has more than 1,700 delegates, while Sanders has just over a thousand. Sanders contends that with the race shifting to more liberal states, his White House hopes are alive and well.

Court fight. The American Civil Liberties Union and gay-rights groups have filed suit against North Carolina, challenging a new law blocking a Charlotte ordinance that would have forced businesses to allow transgender customers to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice. The lawsuit argues the new law singles out LGBT people for discrimination. Gov. Pat McCrory released a Q&A Saturday saying the law does not stop private businesses from accommodating transgender people, and it protects basic privacy rights of residents.

In memorium. Mother Mary Angelica, the Roman Catholic nun who founded Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) in a monastery garage in 1981, has died. She was 92. Born in 1923 as Rita Rizzo, Mother Angelica joined the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration at age 21. She joined other nuns in moving south from Cleveland, Ohio, to open a new monastery in Alabama in 1962. With only $200, she began broadcasting a religious talk show. That show grew into what is now known as the EWTN Global Catholic Network, which has 11 TV networks that broadcast Catholic programming to more than 259 million households around the world. Although she had been in failing health for years and no longer appeared on her trademark Mother Angelica Live show, old episodes remained a programming staple on EWTN. “We want you to know how much God loves you, and that’s a lot,” she told viewers at the end of an episode taped in November 2000.

Super movie. It was a super weekend at the box office for the latest superhero flick. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice crushed the competition, raking in $170 million domestically and more than $424 million worldwide. The movie by director Zack Snyder had the fourth-best opening weekend of all time. Disney’s Zootopia finished second with $23 million.

WORLD Radio’s Kent Covington and The Associated Press contributed to this report.