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Death Toll in Oklahoma Lowered to 24 — Search for Survivors Continues
Officials in Oklahoma have lowered the number of deaths suffered to 24 in the massive tornado that swept through the town of Moore Monday night. Originally, the figure had been as high as 51, probably a result of double-counting.
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Massive Tornado Destroys Area Near Oklahoma City; At Least 51 Killed [UPDATED]
An enormous tornado with a debris cloud two miles wide tore through the metropolitan area just south of Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon.
UPDATE 9:28 p.m. EST: At least 51 people were killed in the storm, including seven children from Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, according to KFOR in Oklahoma City. The news station reported that 75 student and staff were inside the school when the storm struck. Officials said Monday night that the search of the rubble remaining of the school had turned to a recovery mission.
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Racing Legend Dick Trickle Commits Suicide
Richard "Dick" Trickle died Thursday at the age of 71. His body was discovered next to his pickup truck at a cemetery in Lincoln County, North Carolina, after the longtime NASCAR and short-track driver shot himself, according to police.
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NBA Player Jason Collins Comes Out as Gay
Twelve-year NBA veteran center Jason Collins writes in an essay in Sports Illustrated: "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay man playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation."
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FBI Releases Images, Video of Boston Marathon Bombing Suspects
Special Agent Rick DesLauriers of the FBI, who is leading the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombings, just held a press conference in which he revealed that there are two suspects. The FBI released photographs and video of two men believed to be responsible for the attacks.
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Conflicting Reports Regarding a Possible Arrest in Boston Bombings [UPDATED]
2:45 p.m. (EST): The Boston Police Department has announced that "there has not been an arrest in the Marathon attack." Investigations are ongoing.
2:35 p.m.: CNN is retracting their previous report that an arrest has been made in the Boston Marathon bombings. Other sources are reporting that officials are close to identifying a suspect after reviewing area surveillance video, but no arrests have been made.
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Letters Containing Ricin Sent to President, Two Senators [UPDATED]
1:10 p.m. (EST): A third letter, this one sent to Senator Joe Manchin (D.-W.V.), has been found to contain ricin.
12:45 p.m. (EST): FBI spokesman Paul Bresson has confirmed that the substance found in the letter to the president was ricin.
The Secret Service says that a letter containing a suspicious substance and addressed to President Obama was received on Tuesday at a White House mail facility. This comes just after a letter sent to Senator Roger Wicker (R.-Miss.) was found to contain the poison ricin.
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Twin Explosions at Boston Marathon Finish Line [UPDATED]
9 p.m. (EST): The final press conference of the day with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis and various other officials just concluded. The FBI is now leading investigations of the events. Davis confirmed that three people were killed in today's blasts.
CNN is reporting that one of the victims killed was an 8-year-old boy. The Wall Street Journal had reported that as many as five other unexploded devices were found around Boston, but investigators now doubt that they were actually bombs.
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10-Year-Old Girl Foils Abduction Attempt by Asking Stranger for Code Word
On Monday in a town outside Toronto, 10-year-old girl foiled an attempted abduction by requesting a code word she had worked out with her parents.
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UPDATE: New Pope Elected — Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina Chooses the Name Francis I
On Wednesday afternoon, white smoke emanated from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that the conclave of cardinals has successfully elected the next pope. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the first Latin American pope ever, and he has chosen the name Pope Francis I.
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Baby Penguin Named Casanova Born and Awwwwwww [VIDEO]
Last month at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey, Casanova was born.
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Student Shot at Atlanta Middle School
A 14-year-old student at Price Middle School in Atlanta was shot in the head or neck on Thursday afternoon. The student was taken to the hospital; his condition has not been officially released, but reports say that he is alert, conscious and breathing.