Breathe: The level of heat-trapping, climate-changing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at the highest levels in 2-3 million years, scientists reported yesterday. The amount of CO2 in the air is 400 parts per million, a milestone and an indicator that efforts to reduce greenhouse gases have failed. For most of the last 8,000 years CO2 was at about 280 PPM.

National: A paramedic who responded to the explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in Texas last month has been arrested for possession of bomb parts, including a pipe, chemical components of explosives, and fuse. Investigators opened a criminal investigation into the blast that killed 14 people. Bryce Reed, 31, appeared in federal court yesterday. The West plant blew up when fire reached tanks of ammonium nitrate. The cause of the original fire is unknown.

• The IRS admitted it targeted 75 conservative groups for examination because their names included “Tea Party” or “Patriot”. The IRS says the intent was to see whether the organizations violated their tax-exempt status but it looked like a political witch hunt. “That was wrong. That was absolutely incorrect,” said Lois Lerner, who oversees non-profits for the IRS. Lerner, in her apology, said reviews were initiated by low-level employees in Cincinnati. Investigations will abound.
• The focus of the Benghazi hearing is now the “talking points” given to a state department deputy for use on Sunday talk shows the week after the attack in Libya. References to al Qaeda in the original points provided by the CIA were eliminated. E-mails show that the White House was more involved with preparing 12 drafts of the talking points than previously acknowledged. Republicans say the Obama administration failed to heed security warnings and covered up its failure afterwards.

World: A court in Guatemala found former dictator Rios Montt guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity for his part in the country’s 36-year civil war. Montt’s army raped and murdered civilians and burned villages in a fight against leftist rebels. As many as 250,000 people died. The 86-year-old Montt was sentenced to 80 years in prison.

National: The State Department ordered a Florida company to remove from the Internet blueprints for a gun made by 3-D printer. But the plans had already been downloaded 100,000 times and are spreading. The State Department says the plans violate export restrictions.

TubeNews: NBC’s “Rock Center With Brian Williams” has been thrown to the junk heap of television news magazine shows. NBC announced the cancellation yesterday and the last broadcast is June 21.

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