[A Philippine flag stands amongst the damage caused after powerful Typhoon Haiyan slammed into Tacloban city, Leyte province, central Philippines. The death toll has risen to more than 1,000. Image via AP]

Edwin Charles Tobergta, the man arrested in June for fucking a pool raft in front of children, also fucked a pumpkin, it was revealed in court.

At least 30 journalists have been kidnapped or disappeared in Syria since the civil war began in 2011. The actual numbers are in slight dispute due to a disagreement over the definition of a "journalist," but the AP has compiled a list of some of the missing.

Years ago, Bob Dylan said that "A hard rain's a-gonna fall." Maybe he was alluding to the nuclear peril of the cold war, or perhaps he was predicting the relatively heavy bombardment Earth has recently taken from the heavens. First, the asteroids. Now, satellites.

A Utah doctor who drugged his wife and drowned her in a bathtub — and almost got away with it — was convicted early this morning, ending a six-year investigation that involved mistresses, drugs, and jailhouse snitches.

It's 6 p.m. and I'm watching myself run from two feet away. I'm at mile 2.3 of 4 and I am red and I've sweated through my tank already, but I am comfortable and my face does that polyrhythmic jiggle that happens when relaxed muscle gets kind of shoved around. I started a new job last week, doing research in a biology lab at NYU, and change stresses me out. I came to the gym to beat myself up on a treadmill and get high on endorphins before heading back to work. I am in the David Barton Gym on 23rd Street, an exclusive and unofficially gay fitness center in the heart of New York City.

Way to exercise restraint, New York City killers! For the second time in less than a year, New York has made it 24 hours without anybody getting shot or stabbed.

Children love to tear bugs limb from limb. Eventually, however, the rush of sadism gives way to the pity one has for the lifeless form crumbled beneath their hands. The fragility of life, the small plane between being and nothingness has been revealed to the young individual and they turn to the heavens and reflect on the next few decades of struggling to accept their demise... Or they forget all that and strap on an electrode and control the insect's body through a cell phone App.

Talks continued in Geneva today on a new agreement to halt Iran's nuclear program. In the first major setback for the new round of talks, France has questioned whether the deal would do enough to restrict Iran's production of nuclear fuel.

Four people accused of kidnapping and torturing a California marijuana dispensary owner —cutting his penis off in the process — were arrested and charged this week for their roles in the brutal crime.

The Philippines are reeling after a massive typhoon produced waves more than 40 feet high on Friday and devastated several islands. Rescue workers have counted 1000 dead, with officials hoping that mass evacuations helped avoid more human loss.

You can't really be a legitimate news organization if you're going to kill stories based on the political leanings of your owner. RT can't report honestly on the Kremlin, while Al-Jazeera can't freely critique the Qatari government. And now add Bloomberg News to the list of news outlets that kill stories to please institutions, in this case the Chinese government.

Eleven motorcyclists — including an undercover cop — were indicted this week for their roles in the videotaped assault of Alexian Lien. The police officer, Wojciech Braszczok, is facing up to 25 years in jail for his participation.

[Officials tested the lights adorning the beacon and spire atop 1 World Trade Center for the first time this evening, just in time for the holidays. The red, white, and blue glow can be seen up to 50 miles away. Image via AP]

Meet Mohamad Farah, the tipster who shopped the Rob Ford crack video to Gawker and the Toronto Star.

Welcome to Thatz Not Okay, a regular column in which I school inquiring readers on what is and is not okay. Please send your questions (max: 200 words) to caity@gawker.com with the subject "Thatz Not Okay."

Young Lee, a co-founder of frozen yogurt company Pinkberry, was found guilty on Friday of beating a homeless man with a tire iron alongside a street in Los Angeles.

Hasn't anyone done this before? Google seems to say not. Anyway, here is the easy typographical solution to 85 percent of what needs to be said on the Internet:

Sarah Palin, in her new Christmas book, claims Fox News president Roger Ailes once asked her, “What the bleep is so offensive about putting up a plastic Jewish family on my lawn at Christmastime?”