The Morning Scoop - New Storm Hits Joplin as City Digs Out

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MAY 25, 2011

Tornadoes Hit Joplin Again Tornadoes tore once again through the central U.S. on Tuesday night, killing nine people in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas. Five of the deaths took place near Oklahoma City, where a weather-monitoring station recorded 151 mile-per-hour winds. The storm also blew through Joplin, Missouri, where residents, still digging out from Sunday's record twister that killed at least 124, had to take cover. The Daily Beast's Terry Greene Sterling reports from Joplin on the search for survivors days after the rare EF-5 tornado ravaged the city. Read it at The Daily Beast Dem Upsets in NY House Race The Republican Party can't be very happy with Chris Lee, the Craigslist Congressman, right now. Democrat Kathy Hochul has pulled off an unlikely victory in a special New York House election to replace Lee on Tuesday night, upsetting her Republican competitor in a red-leaning district. The race, in New York's 26th District, drew national attention when it began to be viewed as a referendum on Rep. Paul Ryan's budget plan, which would make controversial changes to Medicare. Jane Corwin, the GOP's candidate, defended Ryan's plan, while Hochul used it as her main line of attack. Poll watchers said they had seen heavier-than-normal turnout, although one commissioner said the amount of people was "nothing astronomical." Read it at The New York Times Justice Dept: Edwards Can Be Prosecuted The U.S. Justice Department has given the go-ahead for prosecution of former vice-presidential candidate John Edwards for alleged violations of campaign laws while he tried to cover up his affair with Rielle Hunter, sources said Tuesday. A source close to Edwards said the former North Carolina senator is aware of the possible indictment and is considering a plea deal to avoid a long and costly trial. Edwards has been subject to a long investigation into whether he gave illegal campaign donations to Hunter, then his mistress who later gave birth to his daughter. The government's case is expected to weigh heavily on Andrew Young, a former aide of Edwards who originally claimed to be Hunter's daughter's father before the 2008 Iowa caucuses. Read it at ABC News Ash Cloud Closes German Airspace The Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen airports grounded all air traffic Wednesday as ash from the Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland entered their airspace. Poland could also be affected, but the rest of northern Europe is resuming normal flight schedules after canceling 500 flights on Tuesday. The volcano, meanwhile, has stopped erupting ash. Read it at BBC Congress Stands for Netanyahu 29 Times The U.S. Congress really likes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: It gave him 29 standing ovations at his address on Tuesday. That's more than the 25 it gave President Obama during the 2011 State of the Union. In the speech, Netanyahu announced, "Israel will not return to the indefensible boundaries of 1967"—one of his biggest applause lines of the night. He also rejected a right of return for Palestinian refugees and said Jerusalem will not be divided. Read it at ABC News Google to Launch Mobile Payments Will allow phones to be used like debit cards. Palin Unveils Secret 2012 Weapon Million-dollar movie defends her Alaska record. Arnold's Housekeeper's Ex Speaks Out Says he just learned he wasn't father. San Diego Family's Death Ruled Murder-Suicide Motive and suspect still unknown. Hines Ward Wins Dancing with the Stars Kirstie Alley finishes second. Sign up for The Yes List email, our weekly cultural recommendations. For more of The Daily Beast, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The Palestinian Right to Dream by Peter Beinart As Congress applauded Netanyahu's tough speech, a young Ramallah man talked about creating a Palestinian Tahrir Square, using nonviolence—and the hope that American Jews would back such a civil rights approach. Political reality suggests otherwise, writes Peter Beinart, but Palestinians should be allowed to dream. Casey's Bombshell Accusation by Diane Dimond Just hours into the murder trial, Casey Anthony's team had called the death of her 2-year-old an accident and her father an incestuous child abuser. Diane Dimond on the shocking opening arguments. Jersey Shore Takes Italy by Barbie Latza Nadeau Snooki, The Situation, and the gang are filming their fourth season in Florence, and though fans may be excited, Deena's antics have already got businessmen complaining to the mayor, and a U.S. university is threatening to expel students participating in the show.

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