Here's a snapshot of some of the top stories we're following Thursday evening:
Coloradans take shelter as deadly floods sweep Boulder area
Scores of residents of Boulder, Colo., sheltered in a local YMCA late on Thursday as the region washed by days of rain and now flash floods braced against the continuing storms that have already claimed three lives. Read more on NBC News.
Fire engulfs NJ boardwalk that survived Sandy
Flames spread rapidly along the boardwalk in Seaside Park at the Jersey Shore after a fire started at Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard shop. Read more on NBC News.
Parents of Boston Marathon bombing suspect's wife appear before grand jury
The parents of Katherine Russell, the wife of late Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, were questioned for more than three hours before a federal grand jury in Boston on Thursday as part of a continuing Justice Department investigation into the April 15 attack. Read more on NBC News.
GAO: $1.3 billion in 'improper' federal disability payments
An upcoming GAO report obtained by NBC News says the federal government may have paid $1.29 billion in Social Security disability benefits to 36,000 people who had too much income from work to qualify. Read more on NBC News.
Teen who killed baby in stroller gets life in prison
An 18-year-old Georgia man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for fatally shooting a baby riding in a stroller during a robbery attempt at a seaside town, a judge ruled Thursday. Read more on NBC News.
Kerry opens Syria talks in Geneva by declaring: 'This is not a game'
Secretary of State John Kerry opened high-stakes talks with his Russian counterpart Thursday on the Syria crisis and insisted that the government of Bashar Assad must move quickly if it is serious about giving up chemical weapons. Read more on NBC News.
Twitter tweets that it has filed for stock IPO
In fewer than 140 characters, Twitter announced Thursday that it has taken the first step toward going public, seeking to tap the same Wall Street well as its social media cousins, Facebook and LinkedIn. Read more on NBC News.