Nation: Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is under the gun with the Veterans Administration accused of letting veterans die while they wait months for medical appointments and treatment. Shinseki has been subpoenaed to testify before the House Veterans Committee and the American Legion veterans group is calling for his resignation. Three administrators at the VA in Phoenix have been placed on leave after accusations that they kept a secret waiting list and 40 veterans died waiting for medical help. The VA says Shinseki has ordered an audit of all VA clinics.

Benghazi Redux: The Republican House voted to create a panel to investigate yet again the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and the White House response. The US ambassador to Libya and three other men died in the attack. Republicans and Fox News have become obsessed with the Benghazi incident, charging the White House with incompetence in letting it happen, and covering up afterwards. The incident has already come under close scrutiny, but Republicans say they are still looking to get to the bottom of it.

World: Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Sevastopol today to mark Victory Day celebrations, the holiday that marks Russia’s defeat of Nazi Germany. Putin was greeted by enthusiastic crowds. It’s his first visit since Russians troops moved in and Crimea voted to annex itself to Russia.

Earlier in the day Putin attended a Victory Day parade in Moscow, which was described as an old style Soviet parade of military hardware. He’s riding a wave of fervent patriotism since taking over Crimea and bullying the Ukraine government. Putin said, “It is a holiday when an overwhelming force of patriotism triumphs, when all of us feel particularly acutely what it means to be loyal to the motherland and how important it is to defend its interests.”

Marine One: The Pentagon has awarded Sikorsky aircraft with a contract to build 23 new presidential helicopters at a cost of $400 million each. The current fleet operated by the Marine Corps dates back to 1975. The choppers will be armored and able to carry 14 people. Special features: videoconferencing capability and a toilet.

2400: Harvard University plans to enact an honor code in which students swear not to cheat. The code will also require students to report acts of dishonesty by others. Harvard, one of the world’s most selective universities, was rocked by a cheating scandal in 2012. With all the rigors of its application process, Harvard seems unable to weed out the brilliant liars and cheats.

Drafted: The University of South Carolina’s 275-pound defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was the first pick in the NFL draft, going to the Houston Texans. Texas A&M’s flashy quarterback Johnny Manziel, known as “Johnny Football,” sat on the draft bench until he was picked 22^nd by the Cleveland Browns. Manziel won the 2012 Heisman Trophy as a freshman, but there’s some question whether he’s a professional style QB.

Shaken, Not Stirred: A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Mexico near the Pacific coast yesterday about 190 miles southwest of Mexico City where buildings were shaken. The quake was also felt down the coast in Acapulco.

True North: Toronto’s addled Mayor Rob Ford told the Toronto Sun that “Rehab is amazing. It reminds me of football camp.” Ford told the newspaper by telephone that he’s making re-election campaign calls while drying out at an unidentified facility, Ford said, “I think alcohol is the worst drug of all. It makes you do things that you would never do or say things that you wouldn’t.” Things like, rehab “reminds me of football camp.”

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