'You couldn't help but fall in love' with Gwynn: Today's top stories
'You couldn't help but fall in love' with Tony Gwynn
He was the greatest player in San Diego Padres history. Hall of famer Tony Gwynn, 54, died on Monday morning after a long battle with cancer. Gwynn, whose 3,141 hits rank 19th on the all-time list, spent his entire 20-season career with the Padres. He was loved for his personality as much as his talent. Paste BN columnist Bob Nightengale says Gwynn was the greatest person he had the privilege of covering. He wrote: "Once you met him, you couldn't help but fall in love with him. ... Man, are we going to miss him, but never, ever, will we forget him."
Supreme Court: You can't lie when buying a gun
When Virginia police officer Bruce James Abramski bought a handgun for his uncle in Pennsylvania, he filled out a federal form stating he was the "actual buyer" of the firearm. Basically, he lied. The Supreme Court said that's not okay. The high court shot down 'straw' purchases of guns, which means if you buy a gun for someone else, you have to say so. "Putting true numbskulls to one side, anyone purchasing a gun for criminal purposes would avoid leaving a paper trail by the simple expedient of hiring a straw," Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the slim majority.
Iraq crisis: U.S. willing to work with enemy Iran
Could the U.S. and Iran work together in Iraq? Sounds like the answer is "maybe." Iraq is in big trouble. Sunni militants have been taking over major cities, and over the weekend bloody images were released which appeared to show insurgents performing mass executions of Iraqi soldiers. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday the U.S. will seek Iran's cooperation to stop the extremists and Washington is "open to discussions" with Tehran. Why would Iran want to help? As a Shiite country, Iran is an ally of Iraq's Shiite-dominated government. Monday evening, Obama announced he's sending 275 U.S. forces to Iraq to help with embassy security.
Starbucks makes college free for baristas
Working at Starbucks may be your quickest path to the American dream. Starbucks employees nationwide will be eligible for a free college education through Arizona State University's online program beginning this fall. You have to work at least 20 hours a week to get the full reimbursement and in the end there's no debt to repay or mandate to stay on with the company. That means a free college education and more money to pour back into Starbucks when you graduate. Make it a Venti.
Obama to sign order banning anti-gay workplace discrimination
Congress wouldn't budge, so President Obama brought out the big gun: his pen. Obama said he's going to sign an executive order that would ban federal contractors from discriminating against gays, since the Republican-run House has blocked his initiatives. Gay rights organizations say the move is a good one, but they still want Congress on board so they can secure protections that would apply to all employers, not just federal contractors. Federal law already bans discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender and national origin.
Extra Bites
Day in Pictures: Our favorite photo from today's gallery.
Mount Etna perks up: Spectacular scenes of the Sicily volcano's eruption.
The story that will make you feel really sad about humanity today: The iconic and beloved elephant Satao -- thought to have been born in the late 1960s and known for his enormous tusks -- has been killed by poachers in Kenya.
Tiny talent: University of Miami recruits 9-year-old for hoops program.
This is a compilation of stories across Paste BN
Contributing: David Jackson, Richard Wolf, Paste BN; Gabe Lacques, Paste BN Sports; Jennifer Collins, Jabeen Bhatti, Gilgamesh Nabeel and Ammar Al Shamary, Special for Paste BN; Luci Scott, The Arizona Republic