Why I'm Supporting Bernie Sanders  —  NO decision we make as Americans more dramatically affects the direction of our country than our choice for president.  He or she is more than the manager of the executive branch, commander in chief or appointer of judges.

Cruz likely to block Trump on a second ballot at the GOP convention  —  What's the deal with the Colorado GOP convention?  —  What is a super PAC? … State of the 2016 race … Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is close to ensuring that Donald Trump cannot win the GOP nomination …

Octopus slips out of aquarium tank, crawls across floor, escapes down pipe to ocean … Inky the octopus didn't even try to cover his tracks.  —  By the time the staff at New Zealand's National Aquarium noticed that he was missing, telltale suction cup prints were the main clue to an easily-solved mystery.

USS Donald Cook buzzed again by Russian jets in Baltic  —  Yet again Russian jets made provocatively close passes to an American warship, as tensions continue between Moscow and Washington over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.  —  A senior defense official told CBS News that two recent incidents were …

The Time Ted Cruz Defended a Ban on Dildos  —  His legal team argued there was no right “to stimulate one's genitals.”  —  In one chapter of his campaign book, A Time for Truth, Sen. Ted Cruz proudly chronicles his days as a Texas solicitor general, a post he held from 2003 to 2008.

Donald Trump meets with Megyn Kelly at Trump Tower  —  Donald Trump and the Fox News host Megyn Kelly met at Trump Tower on Wednesday morning, a person with knowledge of the matter told CNNMoney.  —  The meeting was brokered by Fox News chairman Roger Ailes.  —  Representatives for Trump and Fox News had no immediate comment.

Regulators Propose Banning Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes for at Least Two Years  —  Startup hopes to avoid sanctions, but Holmes and No. 2 executive could be forced out of blood-testing business for failing to fix problems  —  Federal health regulators have proposed banning Theranos Inc …

How Donald Trump Is Right About Our ‘Rigged’ Politics  —  Matthew J. Dowd is an independent; chief political analyst for ABC News; and founder of Paradox Capital, a social-impact venture fund.  He was chief strategist of President George W. Bush's 2004 campaign.  He is on Twitter: @MatthewJDowd.

Gov. Edwards Signs Non-discrimination Executive Order; Rescinds Marriage and Conscience Executive Order  —  BATON ROUGE - Today, Governor John Bel Edwards signed an executive order providing employment protections for state employees and employees of state contractors on the basis of race …

Toddler shot in face when gun stashed in mom's purse goes off while waiting at hospital  —  DON'T MISS STORIES.  FOLLOW RAW STORY!  —  A child was shot in the face at a Mississippi hospital after a gun went off inside her mother's purse.  —  The 2-year-old girl was waiting Wednesday morning …

In blow to defense, judge to consider lies by Hastert at his sentencing  —  Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert through the years.  —  The federal judge overseeing Dennis Hastert's hush money case said he intends to factor in at Hastert's upcoming sentencing that the former speaker lied …

How a Clinton insider used his ties to build a consulting giant  —  When Hillary Clinton became secretary of state she personally sought out a man named Declan Kelly to be her economic envoy to Northern Ireland, giving her 41-year-old former fundraiser a special status outside normal diplomatic channels.

The 6 elements of an effective apology, according to science  —  COLUMBUS, Ohio - There are six components to an apology - and the more of them you include when you say you're sorry, the more effective your apology will be, according to new research.  —  But if you're pressed for time or space …

U.S. Readies ‘Plan B’ to Arm Syria Rebels  —  Moderate groups could get antiaircraft weapons if cease-fire collapses, officials say  —  WASHINGTON—The Central Intelligence Agency and its regional partners have drawn up plans to supply more-powerful weapons to moderate rebels in Syria fighting …

36,000 Verizon workers go on strike  —  36,000 Verizon workers have walked off the job Wednesday after failing to reach a new labor agreement.  —  This is the largest strike in the United States since Verizon workers last walked off the job in 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Clinton's dismal approval ratings prompt Dem fears  —  's favorability ratings are historically low and increasingly a concern for her supporters.  —  Clinton is now viewed unfavorably by 55 percent of the electorate, according to the HuffPost Pollster average, which tracks findings from 42 different polling outfits.

By Opposing Obama, the Republicans Created Trump  —  MEMO to Republican legislators biting your nails over the New York primary, wondering if you can finally derail Donald J. Trump's candidacy with, gulp, Ted Cruz: You brought it on yourselves.  —  Not just by failing for too long …

FBI paid professional hackers one-time fee to crack San Bernardino iPhone  —  The FBI cracked a San Bernardino terrorist's phone with the help of professional hackers who discovered and brought to the bureau at least one previously unknown software flaw, according to people familiar with the matter.

Gun provisions snag mental health reform bill  —  The fight over gun control is threatening to scuttle a bipartisan mental health reform effort in the Senate as lawmakers rush to get the issue to the floor.  —  (R-Texas) is in talks with leaders of the Senate health committee to combine …

Black lawmaker ‘ashamed’ of vote for Clinton crime bill … Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) said Wednesday he was “ashamed” of his vote for the 1994 crime bill.  —  The lawmaker said he wanted to apologize to his constituents for supporting the bill, signed into law by President Clinton …

Al Qaeda ‘very active’ in Afghanistan: U.S. Commander  —  Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN)Afghanistan's top defense official has warned that al Qaeda — the reason the United States first invaded Afghanistan — is “very active” and a “big threat” in the country.  —  A senior U.S. official …

In Most Extensive Comments in Centuries, Porcellian Club Criticizes Final Club Scrutiny  —  Defending the club, Porcellian Graduate President details socioeconomic diversity of the membership  —  The Porcellian Club, Harvard's oldest final club, broke its public silence Tuesday …

Whistleblowers: Bentley ordered state helicopter to fly his forgotten wallet to the beach  —  MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Multiple confidential sources inside of state government came forward to Yellowhammer this week with accusations that Alabama Governor Robert Bentley ordered a state helicopter …