White House on Sherrod Brown: 'He'll find a way to apologize'  —  The White House responded Wednesday to Sen. Sherrod Brown's criticism of President Barack Obama's treatment of fellow Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren.  —  White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Brown is “a stand-up guy.”

‘Absolute disastrous mess’: 6 dead, 146 injured after Amtrak train derails  —  Story highlights Philadelphia (CNN)  —  Latest developments  —  • A sixth person has died as a result of the Amtrak train crash in Philadelphia, a doctor at Temple University Hospital said Wednesday morning.

Introducing Instant Articles  —  As more people get their news on mobile devices, we want to make the experience faster and richer on Facebook.  People share a lot of articles on Facebook, particularly on our mobile app.  To date, however, these stories take an average of eight seconds to load …

Yes, I Would Have Ousted Saddam from Power  —  Jeb Bush is taking extreme fire for answering, in response to a question that set the predicate of “knowing what he knows now,” that yes,he would still have gone into Iraq in 2003, as his brother did when president.

Two Former Leaders of the Free World Sitting Around Chatting  —  Bill Clinton and David Letterman go down memory lane.  —  t williamfleitch  —  When former President Bill Clinton was introduced as a guest on Late Show With David Letterman on Tuesday night, he was greeted with an extended saxophone solo …

The Great Democratic Crack-Up of 2016 … Maryland might seem a peculiar venue for a blood feud over the future of the Democratic Party.  It is the second-bluest state in the United States, after Massachusetts, according to Gallup; its registered Democrats, more than 30 percent of whom are black …

10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government  —  The state-owned oil company of Azerbaijan secretly funded an all-expenses-paid trip to a conference at Baku on the Caspian Sea in 2013 for 10 members of Congress and 32 staff members, according to a confidential ethics report obtained by The Washington Post.

Moody's downgrades Chicago debt to ‘junk’ with negative outlook  —  Moody's downgraded Chicago's credit rating down to junk level “Ba1” from “Baa2.”  —  The announcement, which the ratings agency released Tuesday afternoon, cited a recent Illinois court ruling voiding state pension reforms.

Oath Keepers Founder: Traitor McCain Should Be ‘Hung By The Neck Until Dead’  —  The founder of the Oath Keepers, a loose-knit group of current and former law enforcement officials and military who pledge to defend the Constitution, called for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to be “hung by the neck until dead” …

John Kerry and John McCain: Once friends, now foes  —  A decades-old friendship between two Vietnam vets and former Senate allies is on the rocks.  —  Getty  —  When John Kerry was nominated to be Secretary of State in early 2013, his confirmation was never in real doubt.

Missing U.S. helicopter carrying Marines reportedly spotted in Nepal  —  U.S. Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 UH-1Y Hueys bring relief supplies to Khopachagu, Nepal, May 11.  HMLA-469, or “Vengeance”, has flown 54 flight hours, delivering 68,307 pounds of food and shelter supplies to the rural areas of Nepal.

The Execution of Clayton Lockett  —  On the morning of his execution, Clayton Lockett hid under the covers.  —  Before a team of correctional officers came to get him at 5:06 a.m., he fashioned a noose out of his sheets.  He pulled the blade out of a safety razor and made half-inch-long cuts on his arms.

Oracle's Larry Ellison to host fundraiser for Rubio  —  Sen. Marco Rubio now has another billionaire supporter in his corner: Oracle founder Larry Ellison.  —  Ellison will host a fundraiser for the Florida Republican's White House bid at his mansion in Woodside, Calif. on June 9, according to an invitation obtained by POLITICO.

Marvel Courting Ava DuVernay to Direct Diverse Superhero Movie (Exclusive)  —  The “Selma” filmmaker is being eyed to join the MCU, but will she take the reins of “Black Panther” or “Captain Marvel?”  —  Marvel is courting “Selma” filmmaker Ava DuVernay to direct one of its diverse superhero movies …

Improved Benefits for Facebook Contractors  —  Today, I am pleased to announce that we are implementing a new set of standards on benefits for contractors and vendors who support Facebook in the US and do a substantial amount of work with us.  These benefits include a $15 minimum wage …

Navy to double maternity leave, make fitness changes  —  Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is set to unveil a host of far-reaching initiatives and policy changes aimed at improving quality of life and careers for sailors and Marines, a senior Navy official confirmed to Navy Times.

Five Months Into GOP Congress, Approval Remains Low at 19%  —  Story Highlights  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressional job approval, currently at 19%, remains stuck near historical lows, despite a number of recent high-profile legislative achievements.  —  Over the past month …