1. OBAMA PICKS NEW IRS COMMISSIONER
The shake-up at the Internal Revenue Service continued on Thursday, as President Obama picked Daniel I. Werfel, the controller of the Office of Management and Budget, to be the tax agency's new leader. The appointment came a day after Werfel's predecessor, Steven Miller, was pushed out over the IRS' targeting of Tea Party and other conservative groups. A second top official — Joseph H. Grant, who was in charge of the division involved in the scandal — also said he was leaving the agency. [New York Times]
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2. MILITARY OUTLINES 'CAPTURE OR KILL' HUNT FOR BENGHAZI SUSPECTS
The military has an updated plan to "capture or kill" suspects in last year's terrorist attack on U.S. diplomats in Benghazi, CNN reported Thursday. The Pentagon has been sketching out options since the attackers killed four Americans, including U.S. ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens. The plan has been upgraded, however, as recently as last week, as pressure mounts on the Obama administration to show progress. One option includes sending U.S. ground troops, although only if President Obama signs off. [CNN]
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3. SEVEN STILL MISSING AFTER TEXAS TORNADOES
Seven people remain missing early Friday a day after 16 tornadoes ripped through north Texas. The seven-hour onslaught reduced entire neighborhoods to piles of rubble and twisted metal, and killed at least six people. All of the deaths occurred when a single tornado crashed into Granbury, a city 30 miles southwest of Fort Worth, decimating a neighborhood of 110 homes, many built by Habitat for Humanity. The missing are all from the same subdivision. [Fox News]
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4. SUSPECT'S NOTE SAID BOSTON MARATHON ATTACK WAS PAYBACK FOR WARS
Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev scribbled a note on the boat where he was found hiding in which he said the deadly April 15 attack was payback for U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a law enforcement official told CNN on Thursday. The source also said the 19-year-old Tsarnaev — who had several gunshot wounds — said in the note that he wouldn't miss his older brother Tamerlan — who was killed in a shootout with police — because he would be joining him soon. [CNN]
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5. FEDS LOST TRACK OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS
The U.S. Marshals Service lost track of two "known or suspected" terrorists who were placed in the Witness Security Program because they were cooperating with the government, administration officials said Thursday. The suspects were on no-fly lists but apparently boarded commercial flights under their new names, and disappeared. The pair fled the country years ago, but have since been located. [Los Angeles Times]
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6. 'KAI THE HATCHET WIELDING HITCHHIKER' ACCUSED OF MURDER
Caleb "Kai" McGillvary became famous in February as "Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" — thanks to a profanity-laced viral video in which he explained how he intervened to save a California utility worker from an attacker. On Thursday evening, police arrested the itinerant hitchhiker and one-time hero in a Philadelphia bus station, and charged him with the murder of Joseph Galfy, Jr. Galfy, 73, was found beaten to death in his New Jersey home days after he and McGillvary met in Times Square. [Philadelphia Inquirer]
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7. MOM CHASES DOWN KIDNAPPING SUSPECT
A New Mexico mother chased a man suspected of abducting her 4-year-old daughter, and rammed his vehicle with her car on Thursday. The seven-mile chase triggered a police manhunt for the suspect. The young girl, however, wasn't in the car — the man pushed her out of his silver Buick before speeding away from the St. Anthony's Plaza Apartments in Albuquerque. The girl was found wandering nearby, uninjured. Police later arrested a suspect, 31-year-old David Hernandez, and charged him with kidnapping. [USA Today, Fox News]
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8. RUSSIA SENDS MISSILES TO ASSAD IN SYRIA
Russia has sent advanced antiship missiles to Syria, a move that could make ousting the embattled Syrian regime more complicated, and more dangerous, The New York Times reported Thursday. Russia, a crucial ally propping up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has supplied missiles before, but not with the sophisticated radar targeting these have. The Yakhont antiship missiles give the Syrian military a way to fight back if international forces try to impose a no-fly zone or naval blockade. [New York Times]
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9. DAVID BECKHAM ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
British soccer superstar David Beckham announced Thursday that he's retiring at the end of his French team's season, which wraps up May 26. The team, Paris St. Germain, offered Beckham, 38, a contract extension, but he said he wanted to go out while still on top. Beckham joined PSG in January and helped the club win its first title in 19 years. Beckham won't disappear, though. His endorsements and marriage to former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham have made him a global celebrity. [Washington Post]
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10. THE OFFICE SIGNS OFF
NBC's workplace comedy The Office aired its series finale Thursday night, ending an eight-year run. As expected, office manager Dwight and co-worker Angela, who had a secret affair in previous seasons, got married. Former manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), who left the show two seasons ago, returned for the sitcom's final show. "I feel like all my kids grew up and then they married each other," he said to the camera at the wedding reception. "It's every parent's dream!" [Associated Press]
