SpaceX Starship meets a fiery end

SpaceX's Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, exploded minutes after lifting off on its first test flight. It's Thursday's news.

Read in browser Read in browser The Short List Thu Apr 20 2023 Laura L. Davis | Audience Editor @lauradavis SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded after lifting off on its first test flight. And severe weather looms for millions after a tornado in Oklahoma left three dead. 👋 Hey there! Laura Davis here. It's high time for Thursday's news! But first, let's be blunt: 4/20 is a day to light up. Here's how a group of teens getting high spawned a global cannabis-lovers event. The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here. SpaceX Starship explodes minutes after liftoff SpaceX's Starship, the most powerful rocket in history, met a fiery end shortly after launching on its first integrated test flight Thursday in Texas. Just over three minutes into the flight over the Gulf of Mexico, it became apparent the first-stage Super Heavy booster and second-stage Starship vehicle weren't going to separate as planned, sending the combined 400-foot stack into a tumble. It eventually broke apart and crashed into the Gulf. See the video here. 📸 Photo gallery: SpaceX Starship rocket explodes after liftoff. SpaceX's Starship exploded minutes after blasting off on its first test flight and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico near Boca Chica, Texas. Eric Gay, AP 5th person charged with murder in mass shooting A fourth and fifth person have been arrested in connection with the mass shooting at a Saturday birthday party in Alabama that killed four and wounded 32 others, police announced Thursday. Willie George Brown Jr., 19, of Auburn and Johnny Letron Brown, 20, of Tuskegee, were arrested and charged with four counts of reckless murder, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. Questions remain about what motivated the shooting, which happened during a Sweet 16 party at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio in Dadeville. Here's the latest. A makeshift memorial formed at the scene of a deadly mass shooting in Dadeville, Ala. Mickey Welsh / Advertiser What everyone's talking about • How sharing that Facebook post about a lost pet could put you, your friends at risk of a scam. • If your missing child ran away from home, the police may not look for them. • Taraji P. Henson 'wasn't doing well' – so she did something about it. • Florida officials apologize for 4:45 a.m. emergency alert test that woke up angry residents. • Cutting-edge cancer advances are in the works. Here are 3 that could change lives. The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today. House passes GOP bill to block transgender girls and women in sports As the GOP continues to champion "culture war" issues, House Republicans passed a bill blocking transgender girls and women from participating in school athletic programs for females. The legislation would make it a violation of Title IX for federally funded education programs to allow people assigned male at birth to participate in athletic programs designated for women. It is unlikely to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the White House has said President Joe Biden would veto it if it did. Keep reading. • Republicans lean into anti-trans messaging ahead of 2024. But will it mobilize voters? 3 dead in Oklahoma tornadoes For the second day in a row, the central U.S. is under threat of severe weather and tornadoes.  • Three people are dead after tornadoes struck Oklahoma: The small town of Cole – home to about 600 people – was hit hard by a tornado, McClain County Deputy Sheriff Scott Gibbon said. Multiple people were trapped in homes and several were injured. • 40 million at risk: A tornado watch was issued Thursday afternoon for portions of the upper Midwest, including the Chicago metro area. For some in the central U.S. who aren't threatened by Thursday's severe weather, the risk remains for flooding, fast-developing wildfires and even heavy snow. ⛈ Stay in the know: See the national weather outlook. In this image taken from video, a massive funnel-shaped storm cloud makes its way over a road, as seen from a car, in Cole, Okla., on Wednesday night. AP 📬 Great news! Your inbox is about to get a whole lot happier. USA TODAY's positive news brand Humankind is launching a weekly newsletter. Every Friday, we'll send some of the world's most positive and heartwarming news stories directly to your inbox. Read more about it here or just skip to the good part and sign up here! A break from the news • 💔 Is jealousy destroying your relationship? Here's how to make it stop. • 🛀 Treat yourself: Feeling anxious or stressed? 15 things to help you practice self-care. Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this?  Subscribe to USA TODAY here. This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here. Alec Baldwin charges to be dropped in fatal 'Rust' shooting, lawyers say Alec Baldwin had been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after fatally shooting Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" in October 2021. READ MORE Advertisement White House: McCarthy plan would kill green factory jobs in red states The White House is fighting Speaker Kevin McCarthy's debt ceiling plan by singling out green factory projects at risk in Republican districts. READ MORE NFL draft's 50* biggest busts: Jets QB is latest entry The label of "NFL draft bust" has followed several former top picks long after their careers have concluded. Will Zach Wilson be among them? READ MORE 'Shut that baby up': Southwest passenger throws fit over crying baby Southwest crew members on the Fort Lauderdale plane attempted to calm the man down, but he continued to yell over the crying baby. READ MORE Durbin asks John Roberts to testify after Clarence Thomas revelations The request follows a series of stories that identified luxury trips Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted from billionaire Harlan Crow. READ MORE Grizzlies player on why he's not afraid to confront LeBron: 'He's old' Asked after Memphis' 103-93 victory why he's going at LeBron James verbally, Dillon Brooks responded, "I don't care, he's old." READ MORE Florida man visiting friend's roadside memorial killed by hit-and-run driver Michael Berry was kneeling at the side of the road to remember his friend killed in a hit and run when Berry died in a hit-and-run wreck, police said. READ MORE Patches is '40 pounds of love': See the massive cat adopted in Virginia Patches the cat weighs 40.3 pounds and is on a "very special" diet and exercise plan, the shelter wrote. READ MORE Florida expands 'Don't Say Gay' law, making Gov. Ron DeSantis smaller Reflecting latest Republican motto, 'Lean Into Cruelty,' Florida officials obeyed Gov. Ron DeSantis and expanded the Parental Rights in Education Act. READ MORE Texan princess evicted from Rome villa, Caravaggio stays The Texas-born princess' dramatic exit capped a remarkable years-long soap opera that exposed the dirty laundry of one of Rome's aristocratic families READ MORE Advertisement Sign up for the news you want Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don't miss out! We're always working to add benefits for subscribers like you. SEE ALL NEWSLETTERS ➔ SEE ALL NEWSLETTERS ➔ Newsletters   |    eNewspaper   |   Crosswords Follow Us Problem viewing email? 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