At Least 19 Tornadoes Hit 3 States

A pack of severe storms barreled through Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa on Sunday, bringing tornado touchdowns in all three states. The emerging photos are terrifying and devastating

By Abby Ohlheiser

8:23 PM ET

Obama's Approval Rating Survives Scandal Week

Here's one place where the president didn't have a dramatic week: in his approval ratings.

Comments | 205 Views

By Connor Simpson

9:02 AM ET

What We Know About the Record Breaking Powerball Jackpot's Mystery Winner

The frenzy for last minute tickets is over. The numbers have been picked out. Somewhere, a single person is $590 million richer. Last night's record Powerball jackpot has a winner but we have no idea who that person is yet. 

Comments | 2,661 Views

By Sara Morrison

May 17, 2013

Commuter Trains Collide in Connecticut

Two Metro-North trains collided Friday evening, leaving at least 60 people injured, five of them critically. No deaths have been reported yet.

Comments | 819 Views

By Sara Morrison

May 17, 2013

Michael Phelps Denies He's Planning a Comeback

Michael Phelps, who retired from swimming following last year's London Olympics, is coming back! Unless he isn't.

Comments | 4,708 Views

By Sara Morrison

May 17, 2013

Federal Speedy Trial Act Won't Apply to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

This Sunday will mark 30 days since suspected Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was found hiding in a man's boat. According to the Federal Speedy Trial Act of 1974, "the information or indictment must be filed within 30 days from the date of arrest or service of the summons." So, where's the indictment?

Comments | 5,322 Views

By Philip Bump

May 17, 2013

What the Cold Spring Looked Like in Cities Across the U.S.

If April seemed a bit on the cold side to you, you're not alone. The month was the 23rd coldest on record in the United States. Here's what winter looked like in 180 different US cities.

Comments | 1,433 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 17, 2013

Syrian Electronic Army Adds Financial Times to Its Social Media Hacks

The Financial Times became the latest news agency to fall prey to the Syrian Electronic Army, the hacking group which has claimed the social media scalps of the AP, The Onion, the BBC, and NPR, perhaps signaling that news outlets should be more like The Onion and come clean about how they're getting hacked.

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By Dashiell Bennett

May 17, 2013

Powerball Jackpot Reaches Another New Record: $600 Million

Lottery officials with the multi-state Powerball game have raised the expected total for tomorrow night's jackpot to $600 million, the largest in the game's history

Comments | 1,228 Views

By J.K. Trotter

May 17, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Friday Columns

Héctor Carrillo on gay marriage in Brazil, Stephen L. Carter on the scope of the First Amendment, Melanie Springer Mock on the pitfalls of Christian adoption, Sarah Posner on Obama's 'Watergate', and Alexandra Petri on the manners of live theatre.

Comments | 1,023 Views

By Philip Bump

May 17, 2013

New York Busts Up a Massive Ring of Terror-Linked Cigarette Smugglers

The link between drug smuggling and terror usually spurs images of Afghan poppy fields under the wary eye of men in fatigues. Sometimes, though, it's garbage bags filled with money from selling illegal cigarettes in Brooklyn.

Comments | 3,889 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 17, 2013

Amtrak's WiFi Upgrade Allows More People to Complain About Amtrak WiFi

Amtrak, America's much-maligned railroad service, have given rail passengers a gift: upgraded WiFi on its very expensive Acela trains and will upgrade the rest of its trains by summer. But even the revamped Internet access won't be good enough to stream Netflix — and because we're brats, we'll still find this unacceptable. 

Comments | 614 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

May 17, 2013

The Greatest, Drunkest Hits of Toronto's (Alleged) Crack-Smoking Mayor

Some simmering rumors have risen to the surface after Toronto Mayor Rob Ford appears to have been caught on camera smoking crack cocaine with drug dealers. But this is just the latest resume item for the man who might North America's most ridiculous mayor.

Comments | 7,778 Views

By Jen Doll

May 17, 2013

The Mystery of the 'Immaculately Conceived' Baby Anteater

Staffers at a zoological conservation center in Greenwich, Conn., are very confused — as are the rest of us — because their female giant anteater, Armani, has managed to conceive a baby, apparently without the presence of a male anteater. What?

Comments | 9,211 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 17, 2013

Couch-Surfing on Viral Video Fame, 'Hatchet Hitchhiker' Arrested for Murder

"Kai the hitchhiker," a homeless YouTube star famous for telling people how he "smashed" someone over the head with a hatchet, had been parlaying his Internet fame into an endless wave of couch-surfing at fans' apartments. But now he's charged with murder, and, well, that complicates things.

Comments | 3,275 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

May 16, 2013

The IRS is the New Death Panel During the 37th House Vote to Repeal Obamacare

Because no Scandal Week would be complete without some good, old-fashioned tilting at the windmill of Obamacare, the House today voted (again) to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Comments | 2,661 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 16, 2013

Third Military Man in Charge of Stopping Harassment Arrested for Doing Just That

The U.S. military has now had three men in charge of programs to limit harassment or violence against women accused of similar crimes revolving around harassment and violence against women in the same month. It's only May 16th.

Comments | 2,047 Views

By Philip Bump

May 16, 2013

This Is Exactly How Massive the Texas Fertilizer Explosion Was

Authorities in Texas provided an update on their investigation into the fertilizer plant explosion in West Texas. The short story is that the cause of the fire is undetermined. The long story is that the investigation has been as massive as was the explosion.

Comments | 4,503 Views

By J.K. Trotter

May 16, 2013

How Columbia's 'Illegal' White-Only Scholarship Disappeared

An arcane court case has revealed that an Ivy League university awarded a racist fellowship for 77 years. As it turns out, the school may have known about the "Caucasian" clause all along — even though its recipients did not. Columbia says it's trying to get back the money for "a diversity of students," but what happened in between? And why are we just learning about this now?

Comments | 3,070 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 16, 2013

This Is How Everyone on 'The Office' Will Die

Today in viral videos, The Office gets a Six Feet Under sendoff, Diddy goes Downton, and possibly the only time that quadruplets can be delightful.

Comments | 819 Views

By Philip Bump

May 16, 2013

Bring Your Own Chlorine! CDC Finds 58% of Pool Water Has Traces of Poop

Hey, great news, everyone. It's finally starting to warm up, which means it's almost time to open up those swimming pools. And we'd recommend you get to the pool quickly, before all of the other swimmers contaminate it with fecal bacteria.

Comments | 6,345 Views

By J.K. Trotter

May 16, 2013

How Did U.S. Marshalls Lose Suspected Terrorists in Witness Protection?

A public memorandum issued on Thursday by the Justice Department's Inspector General indicates that the U.S. Marshal Service was unable to locate two "known or suspected terrorists" participating in the Witness Security Program. Not the good news Attorney General Eric Holder was likely hoping for.

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By J.K. Trotter

May 16, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Thursday Columns

Sheila Krumholz on the real IRS scandal, Anne Taylor Fleming on Angelina Jolie's choice, Danielle Charette on divestment talks at Swarthmore College, Daniel Larison on justifying U.S. intervention in Syria, Charles M. Blow on D.C.'s scandal lust.

Comments | 1,228 Views

By Jen Doll

May 16, 2013

The Kale Is Dead, Long Live the Kale!

Kale, kale, surely you've heard of kale. Anyone who's anyone is eating it. Any restaurant worth its pink Himalayan salt is selling it. When we speak of trendy foods, kale is it!

Comments | 4,298 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 16, 2013

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Confessed to Boston Bombings in a Note on the Boat

Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev reportedly wrote a note claiming responsibility for the attacks on the marathon one month ago — and stating that he and his brother were motivated by a desire for Muslim retribution for the U.S. role in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Comments | 64,869 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

May 15, 2013

Mark Sanford Is 'Humbled' to Be in Congress

After winning a closely-watched South Carolina special election, Mark Sanford was sworn into Congress on Wednesday

Comments | 205 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

May 15, 2013

Student Arrested for Science Experiment Won't Face Charges After All

Kiera Wilmot, a 16-year-old Florida high school student who was arrested last month for what was essentially a failed science experiment, won't face criminal charges.

Comments | 2,252 Views

By Philip Bump

May 15, 2013

Chart of the Day

Hundreds of New Yorkers Are Still Living in Hotels After Sandy

The 41-floor New Yorker Hotel on Eighth Avenue in New York City has 912 rooms. That's only one room short of what it would take to house the 913 New Yorkers still living in hotels in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Comments | 819 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

May 15, 2013

'Angry' Obama: IRS Chief Is Out, and New Safeguards Are Coming

As expected, President Obama's remarks Wednesday evening on the investigation into the IRS's targeting of "Tea Party" and "Patriot" groups were short, but not without consequence: the acting commissioner of the IRS, Steven Miller, has resigned in the wake of the scandal.

Comments | 3,684 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 15, 2013

The Amateur's Guide to Dabs

Dabs, wax, earwax, honey, honey oil, shatter—whatever you want to call Butane Hash Oil, it's how people are getting stronger, faster, more expensive, and arguably more dangerous THC highs. All the talk also reminds us how far out of the wake-and-bake loop we are. Here's what you need to know about them:

Comments | 1,638 Views

By Jen Doll

May 15, 2013

The Huggers Among Us: A Guide to Greetings

A fiery debate rousing the Internet today is the one over hugs. You may not have known this, but hugs can be divisive. There are, of course, as many types of huggers as there are types of humans. Read on for a few Hug Types you might find familiar. 

Comments | 5,117 Views

By Connor Simpson

May 15, 2013

Joe Scarborough Is Outraged the White House Followed His Advice on Leaks

The MSNBC host is in high dudgeon because people who might leak confidential info to reporters will clam up because they fear a federal investigation into leaks that he called called for last summer.

Comments | 5,731 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 15, 2013

Dr. Dre's USC Institute Lets You Major in 'Garage' Band Innovation

With a $70 million donation for a new arts academy, it sounds like Dre and his Beats partner Jimmy Iovine are building a hub for the entertainment world, a kind of mini-undergrad version of Stanford, that overwhelming birthplace of tech geniuses and startup gurus — for anyone who thinks they can beat Spotify at its own game.

Comments | 819 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

May 15, 2013

Ariel Castro's Lawyers Want to Convince the World He's Not a Monster

Despite what appears to be overwhelming evidence to the contrary, attorneys for the alleged kidnapper and rapist said Wednesday they plan to mount the best defense they can, starting with a not guilty plea and a change of venue request for an eventual trial. 

Comments | 5,527 Views

By J.K. Trotter

May 15, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Wednesday Columns

Lynn Oberlander on the law behind the Justice Departmen's AP subpoena, Neal Gabler on the impact Barbara Walters made on journalism, Jenée Desmond-Harris on the politics of African American names, Sadhbh Walshe on the cost of Angelina Jolie's preventative surgery, and Tara Murtha on the misunderstandings of the Kermit Gosnell verdict.

Comments | 1,638 Views

By Jen Doll

May 15, 2013

So, You Think You Want to Go to a Food Festival?

Here's a warning: That food festival you're hell-bent on attending might be terrible. It might, on the other hand, be an utterly delicious frolic. All this really depends on you.

Comments | 1,228 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 15, 2013

Man Dribbling a Soccer Ball from Seattle to São Paulo Killed by a Truck in Oregon

Richard Swanson, a 42-year-old embarking on what was supposed to be an inspirational, life-changing adventure, had his journey abruptly brought to its end on an Oregon highway Tuesday night in a depressing, life-ending accident made all the more grisly because it was caught on his digital tracker.

Comments | 3,070 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

May 15, 2013

Boston Fire Chief Slammed Over His Response to Marathon Bombing

Nearly every one of the senior deputies in the Boston Fire Department have lodged a formal complaint of "no-confidence" against Chief Steve Abraira, saying he failed to take the lead in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attack.

Comments | 3,275 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

May 14, 2013

Army Coordinator at Sexual Assault Prevention Office Accused of 'Abusive Sexual Contact'

An Army coordinator for a sexual assault prevention office at Fort Hood was accused of "abusive sexual contact" on Tuesday.

Comments | 1,842 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser and Philip Bump

May 14, 2013

Watch Minnesota Join the Wave Of Marriage Equality

On Tuesday, Minnesota became the 12th state in the nation to legalize gay marriage. Watch it join the marriage equality wave on our updated map GIF. 

Comments | 1,023 Views

By Connor Simpson

May 14, 2013

Why Gosnell Didn't Get the Death Penalty

Dr. Kermit Gosnell will live. The 72-year-old Philadelphia physician struck a deal with prosecutors on Tuesday that will allow him to avoid the death penalty and stay alive. This is how he did it. 

Comments | 1,638 Views

By Philip Bump

May 14, 2013

Chart of the Day

The Temperature in One South Dakota Town Just Rose 70 Degrees in 24 Hours

On Sunday, the low temperature was 22 degrees in Aberdeen, South Dakota — that's ten degrees below freezing. The next day, according to the National Weather Service, the high hit 92.

Comments | 1,842 Views

Millennials Are Driving Less, but What Happens as They Get Older?

This question lurks behind every celebrated trend story about the Millennial generation: Will this group really push systemic change (as the baby boomers did) in how Americans live, work and relate to each other (sharing cars, for instance, as opposed to owning them)? Or is this moment — with its associated driving patterns — a hiccup in history?

Comments | 2,047 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

May 14, 2013

Is the 'Press Photo of the Year' Actually Photoshop Art?

Photographer Paul Hansen is fighting back against claims — from hackers calling it a composite, bloggers calling it a "fake," and still others questioning the meaning of news photography in a digital age — that his winning image for the "World Press Photo of the Year" contest is nothing but a computer-aided forgery. Even the World Press judges are doing some forensic second-guessing.

Comments | 3,070 Views

By J.K. Trotter

May 14, 2013

Kuwaiti Police Sweep Cafes, Arrest 215 People for Being Gay

More than two hundred gay men and lesbians were recently arrested in Kuwait after an intense investigation of "Internet cafes and suspicious places" across the country, The Kuwaiti Times reported early Monday morning.

Comments | 2,661 Views

By Connor Simpson

May 14, 2013

Even MADD Doesn't Just Want to Drop the Legal Limit for Drunk Driving

In an effort to cut down on the number of alcohol related accidents, the National Transportation Safety Board wants to lower the legal limit for driving from a 0.08 to 0.05 blood alcohol content in all states. That doesn't mean post-dinner-out driving standards will be more exacting anytime soon, though — indeed, the fight is just now underway, and from some of the most unlikely of lobbyists.

Comments | 1,228 Views

By Jen Doll

May 14, 2013

Anything Women Can Do Guys Can Do, Too: A Trend-Story Story

Men can blow dry hair and wear makeup just like women can. There has been progress for makeup-wearing men. Will we ever reach a place when the "What, men are doing this, too?" trend story can retire? 

Comments | 2,047 Views

By Connor Simpson

May 14, 2013

Freedom: BlackBerry's BBM Is Coming to the iPhone

Considering there's a large swath of people who hate iMessage for its frequent downtime and unreliability, you would think BlackBerry would be smart enough to launch its long-popular BlackBerry Messenger app for the iPhone. Oh, they're doing that now? And for Android, too? Good. Finally. Now here's how they're going to make money off you.

Comments | 3,684 Views

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