In Brief: Knives on a Plane; Military Jet Deaths; Tsunami Victims Remembered

The Transportation Security Administration will soon allow airline passengers to carry several previously banned items in their carry-on bags.

Starting April 25, permitted items will include small knives, billiard cues, ski poles, hockey and lacrosse sticks, two golf clubs and toy bats.

The blades on the knives must be shorter than 2.36 inches (6 cm) in length and are less than half an inch wide. Knives with locking blades or fixed grips and razors and box cutters are still not permitted and must be stored in a checked bag, USA.gov reports.

The changes are being implemented to allow TSA agents to focus on finding items that present more of a threat, such as explosives.

THREE PEOPLE died when a military plane from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island crashed in Lincoln County, Washington, on Monday.

A witness told KREM 2 News that he heard an "incredible boom" at about 8:30am and saw a large amount of smoke. He added that he often sees military fighter jets training in the area, performing difficult maneuvers.

Stan Dammel, the manager of nearby Odessa airport, told KREM 2 that when he flew over the crash site all he could see was scattered debris and a charred patch of ground.

MILITARY BASES in Japan paused at 2:46pm local time in remembrance of the nearly 19,000 people who died two years ago during the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

U.S. and Japanese flags were lowered to half-mast as service members at Naval Air Facility Misawa, in the northeast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, saluted in somber commemoration. Moments of silence were also observed by soldiers at Camp Zama, airmen at Yokota Air Base and sailors on various ships in the Navy’s 7th Fleet.

Military officials said they followed the lead of the Japan Self-Defense Force, which held similar moments of remembrance, Stripes.com reports.

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