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| U.S., Cuba find ‘profound differences’ in first round of talks |
| HAVANA — The Cuban and American delegations sat at parallel tables, eight wary diplomats on each side, facing each other across a distance of about six feet and a gulf filled with more than a half-century of grievances. Read full article » |
| Yemen chaos threatens U.S. counterterror efforts, including drone program |
| The White House’s strategy for fighting al-Qaeda in Yemen — repeatedly presented as a model by President Obama — was left in tatters Thursday by the resignation of the manwho personally approved U.S. drone strikes in the country and the collapse of its central government. Read full article » |
| Patriots, Bill Belichick walk, sometimes cross, line between competitiveness and cheating |
| In 67 A.D., the Roman emperor Nero used 10 horses in an Olympic race featuring four-horse chariots. He tumbled, failed to finish and was still declared the victor. In the 1904 Summer Games, an American named Fred Lorz was the first runner to finish the marathon — aided by 10 miles spent in an automobile. In 1938, a German named Dora Ratjen set the women’s high jump record, which stood until officials learned she was actually a he. In more recent times, ballplayers juiced, cyclists lied, fighters took bribes, football teams spied and golfers fluffed lies. Read full article » |
| House Republicans pass watered-down antiabortion bill |
| An emboldened group of moderate House Republicans put their leaders on notice this week that they intend to steer a more pragmatic course on social issues — including abortion, same-sex marriage and immigration — as the party tries to position itself for the 2016 presidential election. Read full article » |
| Devoted Annapolis grandparents, 4 adored kids and a fire that changed everything |
| The grandchildren’s birthday parties were always lavish.At their $6 million Annapolis mansion, Don and Sandra Pyle could never do too much for her sons’ kids, transforming the sprawling eight-acre estate into a children’s carnival with water slides, moon bounces and pony rides. Don, especially, reveled in the games of hide-and-seek and make-believe tussles. Read full article » |
| I paid $25 for an Invisible Boyfriend, and I think I might be in love. |
| One of the core premises of Invisible Boyfriend, the wildly viral new service that invents a boyfriend to deceive your pestering family and friends, is that the user will not, under any circumstance, fall in love with her fictional beau. Read full article » |
| Anne Hathaway: A beleaguered Oscar winner rebounds as an indie producer |
| Anne Hathaway, endlessly brimming with positivity, has never been shy talking about the sudden storm of bad press she received around the time of her 2013 Oscar win for “Les Miserables,” when many cultural commentators (okay, bloggers) sniped about the actressy exuberance she displayed on the award season circuit. The backlash took a toll on her self-esteem, she has said, which she had to work to rebuild. So has the experience affected her decision-making in the type of roles she takes on now? Read full article » |
| Vaccine deniers stick together. And now they’re ruining things for everyone |
| The rash of measles cases that started in Disneyland last month has now become one of the worst outbreaks of the diseases in California in the past 15 years. What started with a handful of cases has now grown to 62 confirmed cases across the state — and other cases have been reported in Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Washington state and Mexico. Read full article » |
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| POLITICS |
| Jeb Bush flies to Utah to talk with Mitt Romney about their potential 2016 plans |
| Former Florida governor Jeb Bush flew to Utah on Thursday to visit with 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, bringing together two of the Republican Party’s top potential presidential candidates for a private meeting to discuss their plans. Read full article » |
| This chart should make Mitt Romney think twice about 2016 |
| The new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Hillary Rodham Clinton leading five potential GOP presidential candidates by between 16 and 20 points. But as the good folks of social media were quick to point out, it is January 2015, and the 2016 election isn't until November 2016. (Thanks, guys!) Read full article » |
| House Republicans propose shrinking federal workforce, cutting service contracts |
| House Republicans pitched two bills this month that would drastically reduce the federal workforce and the government’s use of contractors.Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) proposed legislation on Wednesday that would shrink the federal workforce through attrition by 10 percent over the next five years, saving an estimated $35 billion during that span. The cuts would not affect postal employees. Read full article » |
| Early Census data shows electoral college advantage for Republicans |
| Continued population migration to the South and West could give Republicans an electoral leg up after the decennial reapportionment process, according to preliminary Census Bureau figures.Annual estimates of population growth show red states gaining residents at a faster rate than blue states, while traditionally blue states in the Northeast continue a decades-long population decline. Read full article » |
| OPINIONS |
| What is the GOP thinking? |
| There they go again. Given control of Congress and the chance to frame an economic agenda for the middle class, the first thing Republicans do is tie themselves in knots over . . . abortion and rape.I’m not kidding. In a week when President Obama used his State of the Union address to issue a progressive manifesto of bread-and-butter policy proposals, GOP leaders responded by taking up the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” — a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. But a vote on the legislation had to be canceled after female GOP House members reportedly balked over the way an exception for pregnancies resulting from rape was limited. Read full article » |
| The West’s four-part strategy to deal with radical Islam |
| DAVOS, SwitzerlandThe conversation at Davos is often dominated by economics, and this year it’s no different. But the shock of the Paris terror attacks lingers, and discussions at the World Economic Forum here often turn to radical Islam. I posited in my previous column that the solution does not lie in more American military interventions in the Middle East. What, then, is the answer? Read full article » |
| Republicans have started to care about income inequality |
| Republicans have taken the Senate and expanded their fiefdom in the House, but the Democrats seem to have won the intellectual narrative nonetheless. The GOP, inexplicably, is having its Thomas Piketty moment. Read full article » |
| Charles Lane: A modern segregation battle |
| Of all the manifestations of crony capitalism in American history, none is more sickening than the concatenation of racial prejudice, business greed and big-government protection that segregated urban and suburban housing during the 20th century. Read full article » |
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| LOCAL |
| Unlicensed driver who fatally struck girl near Montgomery soccer field gets 60 days |
| The driver of an SUV that jumped a curb and fatally struck a 13-year-old girl watching a soccer practice in Silver Spring was sentenced to 60 days in jail Thursday for operating a vehicle without a license. Read full article » |
| Md. Gov.-elect Larry Hogan and his Korean-born wife Yumi are a historic First Couple |
| They met at an art show.She was a painter displaying her abstract landscapes, a single mother of three daughters who’d grown up on a chicken farm in Korea. He was a wealthy bachelor with more interest in politics than art who had stopped by the show in suburban Maryland on a whim. Read full article » |
| Roads closed in Bowie and Bethesda after water main breaks |
| Drivers should avoid two areas — one in Prince George’s and another in Montgomery counties — because of water main breaks.In Bowie, part of Old Annapolis Road is closed after a water main break there. The road is closed at Church Road and it is not immediately clear how long the road would be shut down. Read full article » |
| D.C. area forecast: Wintry mix and rain tonight into Saturday; Sunday night snow potential grows |
| Expect temperatures in the 40s today and near or above freezing tonight. Read full article » |
| SPORTS |
| Fans vote Washington Wizards’ John Wall starter for East in NBA All-Star Game |
| Since entering the NBA nearly five years ago, disrespect — perceived and real — has been a steady source of motivation for John Wall. For reasons unknown to the Washington Wizards point guard, he was not mentioned among the best at his position in the sport. The slights, whether because of injuries or his team’s lack of success, have long irritated him. Read full article » |
| Maryland-Indiana postgame: Terps’ defense a ‘step behind’ in loss to Hoosiers |
| BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Mark Turgeon had finally resigned himself from screaming instructions to his players in the final seconds of Thursday night’s 19-point loss to No. 23 Indiana. As the Hoosiers put the finishing touches on their win, Turgeon just turned to his bench and steadily clapped. Read full article » |
| Gordon Leib resigns as Paul VI football coach |
| Gordon Leib has stepped down as Paul VI football coach after four seasons, the school announced this week.Under Leib, the Panthers went 14-25 and produced seven collegiate football players. The team’s best season under Leib came in 2012, when the Panthers went 6-4, marking their first winning record in 12 years. Read full article » |
| Alabama, Auburn women throw punches during basketball game |
| It may not have been the Iron Bowl, but it was Alabama and Auburn, and apparently that was more than enough to get the bad blood flowing. Three players were ejected Thursday after a brawl broke out in a women’s basketball game between the Crimson Tide and the Tigers. Read full article » |
| FEDERAL GOVERNMENT |
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| Rand Paul trolls Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush on education policy, but doesn’t run spellcheck |
| With news that possible 2016 presidential rivals Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush were breaking bread in Utah on Thursday, Rand Paul did what he does best: Trolled them on social media.The senator was slamming the former governors over their support for Common Core, the controversial state-based education standards. But there was one problem with his otherwise well-executed dig: It wouldn’t have passed a grade school spelling test. Read full article » |
| Justice Department has no rules for agents’ off-duty conduct |
| The Drug Enforcement Administration didn’t bother to warn employees against off-duty misconduct after a federal review found that DEA agents helped Secret Service officers hire prostitutes during a 2012 trip to Cartagena, Colombia. Read full article » |
| NATIONAL |
| The spiral model of congressional-executive trolling |
| The hard-working staff here at Spoiler Alerts has been banging the drum over the past five months about the Obama administration’s strategy of “bypassing a truculent legislature” as often as possible when it comes to foreign affairs. First it was climate change, then it was Iran. And this was before the midterms that gave both Houses to Congress. As I noted back in August: Read full article » |
| One-quarter of presidents lost before they won. Mitt Romney won’t be among them. |
| Taking heart to the saying “third time’s the charm,” Mitt Romney has shaken up the nascent 2016 presidential race with his announcement that he may not be done seeking the presidency. The electorate may be tired of Romney, but his persistence is somewhat presidential: A |
| What’s behind racial differences in restaurant tipping? |
| Within the U.S. restaurant industry, black customers are generally considered comparatively poor tippers. One recent survey of roughly 1,000 restaurant servers from across the nation found that 34 percent thought black diners were “very bad” tippers. An additional 36 percent thought black patrons were “below average” tippers. In contrast, 98 percent of those surveyed believed white customers were “average” or “above average” tippers. Read full article » |
| WORLD |
| Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress strains U.S. ties; no meeting with Obama |
| The Israeli prime minister’s surprising announcement that he will address a joint meeting of Congress in early March is straining relations between Israel and its closest ally.House Speaker John A. Boehner invited the Israeli leader to speak to Congress amid a heated debate over whether new sanctions, to be imposed if talks fail, would scuttle tenuous negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. Read full article » |
| Who are the Houthis, the group that just toppled Yemen’s government? |
| On Thursday, the entire government of Yemen's president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi — a key U.S. ally in the region — resigned. Following the resignations, control of the country appears to have been turned over to Houthi rebels, a group that is both opposed to U.S. influence and is allegedly supported by Iran. Read full article » |
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| BUSINESS |
| The ECB takes out the bazooka: It’ll buy over 1 trillion euros of bonds to save Europe’s economy |
| The European Central Bank announced it will begin buying government bonds with newly printed euros in its latest bid to reverse the continent's long, slow slide into economic stagnation.Specifically, the ECB will buy €60 billion, or $69 billion, of assets a month—including government, institutional and private sector bonds—and will do so until at least September 2016, or until there's a "sustained adjustment in the path of inflation" toward their close-to-but-below 2 percent goal. To give you an idea how far away that is, prices are actually falling in Europe—a seriously worrisome sign—with euro-zone inflation currently at -0.2 percent. It's no wonder that Europe's economy still has 11.5 percent unemployment and is growing so slowly that it's not clear whether it's even gotten out of its last recession. Hence, the ECB's €1.1 trillion, at the very least, promise. Read full article » |
| Proof that couples lie to each other about money all the time |
| Couples living under the same roof share bathrooms, bills, groceries, a bed. But when it comes to their wallets, some still prefer to think in terms of ‘his’ and ‘hers.’About 6 percent of Americans are hiding a bank account or credit card from their spouse or partner, according to a survey released Wednesday by CreditCards.com. If the survey was representative of the greater population, that would amount to roughly 7 million people lying to a significant other about money, says Matt Schulz, a senior industry analyst for CreditCards.com. Read full article » |
| Wal-Mart will cash your tax refund — in hopes that you’ll spend it there |
| For the majority of taxpayers, the tax refund is a bonus that seamlessly shows up in their bank account each spring.But Wal-Mart is giving another option to the minority of taxpayers who might otherwise wait for a check to hit their mailbox: pick up the refund, in cash, at any Wal-Mart store. Read full article » |
| TECHNOLOGY |
| Google could become a wireless carrier. Here’s what that means for you. |
| Google is reportedly considering offering cellular service to compete with the likes of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. If that's true, then ordinary consumers like you and me could soon have another option when buying wireless service. But what does it say about the future of competition? Why might Google want to get into the industry, and how big a deal is it, really? Read full article » |
| Chris ‘moot’ Poole is leaving 4chan, the site he founded when he was 15 |
| The founder and only official employee of 4Chan announced Wednesday that he will be stepping down after 11 years.Chris Poole, better known as "moot," started the often controversial online message board when he was 15 years old and has been the site's only administrator ever since. The site is highly influential online, generating many of the memes and pranks that spread to the larger Internet -- notably that time some of its users tried to send Justin Bieber to North Korea. Read full article » |
| Microsoft doesn’t just want you to use Windows 10. It wants you to love it. |
| Microsoft doesn't just want you to use its products. It wants you to love them.In a lengthy presentation streamed live over the Web on Wednesday, Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said multiple times that he not only wants consumers to choose Microsoft products, but to " "love Windows on a daily basis." From start to finish, the company took pains to show it was turning a page and eager to show that it, too, can innovate and possibly even inspire the kind of cult-like following that its competitors Apple and Google enjoy. Read full article » |
| How should licensing work for commercial drone operators? A look at Britain’s solution. |
| Right now flying commercial drones in the United States is illegal, except for a handful of individuals who have received Federal Aviation Administration exemptions to shoot everything from movies to real estate videos. Read full article » |
| LIFESTYLE |
| The story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s first secretary, Maude Ballou |
| RIDGELAND, Miss. — In this comfortable suburb north of Jackson, Maude Ballou sits among other residents, chatting about lunch, the weather and the daily pleasures of life in a congenial retirement home. She spends her days quietly, reading — the Bible, mostly — and catching up with family and friends. Read full article » |
| No, really, the Jennifer Lopez affair in ‘The Boy Next Door’ isn’t as creepy as it seems! |
| Jennifer Lopez’s campy new thriller, “The Boy Next Door,” hinges on a plot point that is, well, potentially problematic. She plays Claire Peterson, a high school lit teacher who has a one-night-stand with a new neighbor. Awkward enough, but — spoiler alert! (oh, who are we kidding, it’s all in the trailer) — it turns out her new love interest is still in high school. At her school! The story takes a “Fear”/”Fatal Attraction” turn when the guy, Noah (Ryan Guzman), becomes obsessed with Claire, threatening her career, her family and her life. Read full article » |
| Lonnae O’Neal: Obama’s State of the Union ‘Booyah!’ is an OMG moment |
| I was half asleep during the State of the Union address Tuesday night, but I woke straight up when I heard the president’s ad-libbed “drop the mike and walk away” moment. At least that’s what some are calling it on Twitter. A “burn” moment. A “boss” moment. A perfect political one-liner. Read full article » |
| Carolyn Hax: My mother is trying to give away keepsake rings from my first marriage |
| Dear Carolyn:My mother gave me her old wedding rings when I married my first husband. I wore them until he died, and for some time after. I am now remarried, and the rings are put away. Twice now my mother has offered these rings to other family members who are planning weddings. The first time she did it, I said no, that the rings still meant a lot to me. She recently called and asked if I would give them to my niece who just announced her engagement. Again, I said no. I guess she thinks the rings are still hers to give. Read full article » |
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