6:35pm

Thu May 23, 2013
The Two-Way

Boy Scouts Vote To Admit Openly Gay Members

Credit Win McNamee / Getty Images

The Boy Scouts of America has agreed for the first time to allow openly gay boys as members, but a vote of the organization's National Council left in place a ban on gay Scout leaders.

The Associated Press reports that of the local Scout leaders voting at their annual meeting in Texas, more than 60 percent supported the proposal. The policy change approved by the 1,400-member National Council would take effect Jan. 1, 2014, the organization said.

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6:23pm

Thu May 23, 2013
Around the Nation

Boy Scots Vote To Allow Gay Members, But Not Leaders

Originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 7:23 pm

Members of the Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to allow gay members.

5:40pm

Thu May 23, 2013
It's All Politics

Srinivasan's Confirmation First For D.C. Circuit In 7 Years

Credit Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

For the first time in seven years, the U.S. Senate has confirmed a judge to sit on the important federal appeals court for the District of Columbia. The Senate unanimously confirmed Deputy Solicitor General Sri Srinivasan on Thursday for the seat previously held by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

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5:12pm

Thu May 23, 2013
Shots - Health News

Abortion Opponents Try to Spin Murder Case Into Legislation

Originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 6:07 pm

Credit Matt York / AP

As predicted, abortion opponents on Capitol Hill are wasting no time in their efforts to turn publicity over the recent murder conviction of abortion provider Kermit Gosnell to their legislative advantage.

Their latest goal: a federal ban on most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

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5:12pm

Thu May 23, 2013
Law

Justice Sotomayor Takes Swing At Famed Baseball Case

Originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 5:39 pm

Credit Bill Kostroun / AP

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor's wicked, waggish sense of humor — and knowledge of baseball — were on full display Wednesday, when she presided over a re-enactment of Flood v. Kuhn, the 1972 case that unsuccessfully challenged baseball's antitrust exemption.

The event, put on by the Supreme Court Historical Society, took place in the court chamber, and as Sotomayor took her place at the center of the bench, normally the chief justice's chair, she remarked puckishly, "This is the first time I've sat here. It feels pretty good."

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5:12pm

Thu May 23, 2013
The Two-Way

Head Of IRS Tax-Exempt Division Reportedly Placed On Leave

Originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 6:03 pm

Credit Karen Bleier / AFP/Getty Images

Lois Lerner, the IRS official who oversees the branch of the agency that targeted conservative groups, has been placed on administrative leave a day after she refused to answer questions in a congressional probe of the scandal.

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5:08pm

Thu May 23, 2013
The Two-Way

Alabama Republican Jo Bonner Says He's Leaving Congress

Originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 6:51 pm

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images

Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., says he will leave Congress effective in August to take a senior position at the University of Alabama.

Bonner, who has represented Alabama's 1st District for six terms since 2003, will become vice chancellor of government relations and economic development at Alabama. His sister, Judy Bonner, serves as president of the university.

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5:05pm

Thu May 23, 2013
The Two-Way

After The Storm: Students Gather For One More School Day

Originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 7:23 pm

Under cloudy skies and through intermittent showers, 4-year-old Kamrin Ramirez holds in her little hands two cards, one addressed to Ms. Patterson, the other for Ms. Johnson, her two preschool teachers at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla.

"I write thank you so much," she says.

Plaza Towers was obliterated by Monday's powerful twister, and seven children died beneath the rubble there. Students whose schools were destroyed were able to meet up Thursday with their teachers in other Moore schools.

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5:05pm

Thu May 23, 2013
Science

'Extremely Active' Atlantic Hurricane Season Predicted

Originally published on Thu May 23, 2013 7:23 pm

Credit NASA / Getty Images

Unusually warm ocean temperatures and favorable wind patterns mean the Atlantic is likely to see "an active or extremely active" hurricane season this year, say officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The agency expects between seven and 11 hurricanes and as many as 20 named storms during the 2013 season, which runs from June 1 through November.

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5:03pm

Thu May 23, 2013
Shots - Health News

The Weight Of A Med Student's Subconscious Bias

Credit iStockphoto.com

Quite a few medical school students have something against obese people, and most of those who have such a bias are unaware of it.

That's the conclusion of study appearing in the July issue of Academic Medicine. It was conducted at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. The study's author says the subconscious judgments could affect how patients are treated.

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