* White House bans transfers of certain types of military-grade weaponry to local police departments. * While Obama has retracted Bush's most creative unilateralism, the surveillance state remains off-limits. * Historian argues the American presidency has always been an elected monarchy—we just don't call it that.
* US and China may ratchet up sanctions on North Korea, whose nuclear program shows no sign of abating. * A shootout between police, biker gangs in Waco, Texas, leaves nine dead, nearly 200 arrested. * Former Egyptian President Morsi sentenced to death for prison outbreak during Mubarak's last days. * For
* China's on track to finish 2015 with the biggest reduction in both coal use and CO2 ever recorded by a single country. * In summary, Jeb Bush had a very bad week trying to talk about Iraq and his brother. * Coup fails against Burundi's president; coup leaders
* By flouting term limits, Burundi's president may have angered neighboring countries enough to support a coup. * US argues TPP will help agriculture exports—it will also export our awful reliance on processed foods. * After convincing—and even paying—chess grandmasters to play for the US, America is a
* Amtrak derails in Philadelphia, killing six passengers and wounding dozens more—still no cause determined. * On-the-scene photos and videos from the Amtrak derailment. * Brooklyn landlord's racist shortcuts illuminate the ugly mechanics of gentrification. * The plight of an NYC location scout is that the gritty city of
* Another earthquake hits Nepal: With a magnitude of 7.3 and two weeks after a 7.8 quake killed more than 8,000. * Jan Morris, who covered Edmund Hillary's 1953 climb, says it's time to end our unhealthy obsession with Mt. Everest. * See also: An interactive
* Official alleges the public story of bin Laden's death is false—and that Pakistan knew he was in Abbotabad. * It's time to remake UK politics. * No one accurately predicted the UK election outcome because the polls didn't work, and that may not change. * FiveThirtyEight
* David Cameron to return as Prime Minister; Conservatives take UK election after months of favorable polling for Labour. * Twenty-year-old student, youngest MP in centuries, rides wave of support for Scottish National Party. * GOP field to remain big and crazy for a while. * Because of Republicans' troubles with
* Cameron's Conservatives likely to win the most seats in today's UK election, but may not form the next government. * Senate Republicans expect to best more conservative Republicans in passing Iran bill without controversial amendment. * Tornadoes in Oklahoma City wreak havoc, cause severe flooding, release bears. * Carroll
* Baltimore residents notice strange planes that turn out to be providing surveillance support from FBI to police. * Doonesbury's Garry Trudeau: Great satire doesn't demean disenfranchised minorities, it attacks the powerful. * Iranian-Americans confounded by census race questions that code them as white despite generations of exclusion.
