We’ve posted some of the overnight photos from that devastating explosion last night in the small town of West, Texas, along I-35 between Waco and the DFW metroplex.

Some firefighters, apparently local volunteers, remain missing. The death toll is still unknown. At a press briefing a short time ago, a law enforcement spokesperson described some of parts of the town around the fertilizer plant as “gone.” Read More

Last night, in their first home game since the marathon bombings, Boston Bruins fans took over the singing of the national anthem from Rene Rancourt (starts about 3:20 in): Read More

Investigators reportedly plan to release ‘clear video images’ of two bombing suspects today.

And after yesterday’s big arrest that never happened clown show, here’s what actually seems to have happened.

Interesting, telling juxtaposition. Gabby Giffords and Mitch McConnell react to the successful Republican filibuster of the background check compromise.

Big fertilizer plant explosion in Waco, Texas. More soon.

Late Update: Incredible, horrifying video of the explosion.

Late Update, 11:27: Details on the explosion here.

Rubio rushes to stave off a conservative backlash over the Gang of 8 immigration bill and tamp down the right wing rumor mill.

The demise of expanded background check legislation in the Senate today will be especially disappointing to gun control advocates who also backed strong filibuster reforms earlier this year. But the filibuster is what it is, and now that the Manchin-Toomey amendment is dead, it’s especially crucial that reporters covering the story accurately characterize what happened.

Of course, that’s always important. But as in any story some facts are more central to the plot than others. Tonight, I’m seeing a lot of early reports to the effect that the Senate has rejected the background check amendment. That’s not false, but it is highly obfuscatory. Read More

There’s more support in the Senate for undermining states prohibiting concealed carry permits than for expanding background checks.

Cable news devolves into chaos as authorities chase bombing leads and probe suspicious behavior across the nation.

Full-size version.

If you missed the CNN Boston bombing arrest rollercoaster and maybe even more if you saw it, we’ve put together this quick mash up of CNN’s rapid run from ‘break in the case’ to ‘suspect ID’d’ to ‘arrest has been made’ to … oh, wait a second …

Full sized version after the jump … Read More