7 Must-Read Stories about Mexican Cartels, Kansas City and Picasso: The Best of The Beast

She Tweeted Against the Mexican Cartels. They Tweeted Her Murder. By Jason McGahan

No newspaper dares to publish the truth about the drug lords in Tamaulipas. Those who break the silence on Twitter and Facebook are marked for death.

Those Kansas City Blues: A Family History

Hometown to the Royals, jazz mecca, land of pioneers and barbeque kings, Kansas City sits at the center of my family’s history and of our national psyche.

The Ugly Truth About Cory Booker, New Jersey’s Golden BoyBy Olivia Nuzzi

Corruption scandals. Skyrocketing crime. Abandoned allies. There are reasons why New Jersey is lukewarm about its own Sen. Cory Booker—even while the rest of the country swoons.

Fashion Designer Oscar de la Renta, American Great, Dead at 82By Tim Teeman

His dresses were worn by Hollywood stars and first ladies, emanating glamour and sophistication. In a fashion world full of drama, de la Renta’s quiet, assured mastery did all the talking necessary.

Did Picasso Try to Steal the Mona Lisa?By Nick Mafi

The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in August 1911. How did one of the best-known painters of all time become a prime suspect?

U.S. Humanitarian Aid Going to ISISBy Jamie Dettmer

Not only are foodstuffs, medical supplies—even clinics—going to ISIS, the distribution networks are paying ISIS ‘taxes’ and putting ISIS people on their payrolls.

Renée Zellweger’s Face Gets More Medical Scrutiny Than EbolaBy Emily Shire

The worldwide panic over her new look is rooted in a sense of betrayal to the “be yourself” values that Bridget Jones embodied.

How Brooklyn Invaded Paris—Next Stop, the WorldBy Brandon Presser

In Paris, you can go to the Brooklyn Café, or have brunch à la Brooklyn. There’s a Brooklyn Coffee in London. How did the borough become an international brand?