News

Million-Dollar Properties, $1 Deals

Parcels of city land—often valued at millions of dollars—have been awarded to politically connected developers, some for pennies on the dollar. Since 2008, D.C. lawmakers have approved 20 of these land deals, at a loss of more than $200 million in city assets.

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Local News

WAMU 88.5

House Bill Would Allow Amtrak Riders To Bring Pets On Train

Fido or Mr. Miffles could join you on an Amtrak train if two congressmen get their way.

WAMU 88.5

House Approves Move Of Frederick Douglass Statue To U.S. Capitol

The statue of the famed abolitionist, who spent his last years in Anacostia, would be D.C.'s first in the U.S. Capitol.

WAMU 88.5

Baltimore Mayor To Officiate Mass Same-Sex Wedding At Pride Parade

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will preside over a mass wedding for same-sex couples during the city's Pride Festival at Druid Hill Park next month.

WAMU 88.5

Tommy Wells Launches Mayoral Campaign

The Ward 6 council member promised to clean up government, cut juvenile crime in half, improve access to education, and create a "next-generation public transit system."

WAMU 88.5

Lawmaker Expands D.C. Anti-Abortion Bill Nationwide

A federal bill targeting the District's abortion law is now being expanded to cover the entire nation.

WAMU 88.5

Smithsonian To Launch Yoga Exhibit

The Smithsonian Institution has announced plans for an exhibition on the visual history of yoga, set to open in October.

WAMU 88.5

Montgomery County Council To Approve Budget For Next Fiscal Year

Among the items already approved in Montgomery County's budget for next year are pay raises for most unionized county employees and a reduction in an energy tax hike.

WAMU 88.5

D.C. Makes Progress On Bike Lanes, But Tweaks Still Needed

Though D.C. has made substantial progress in expanding the number and type of bike lanes around town, cycling advocates say that improvements are needed to keep cyclists safe.

WAMU 88.5

D.C. Leads Nation In Student Debt—But Pays It Back Quickly

D.C. residents might carry more student debt than anyone else, but their delinquency rates are lower than anywhere else in the country.

WAMU 88.5

D.C. Man Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Stealing Dog

Christopher Young pleaded guilty to stealing a Yorkshire Terrier from a woman in Northeast D.C.

WAMU 88.5

Sen. Ben Cardin Discusses Immigration Reform With Community Leaders

The Maryland lawmaker offered assurance to local residents that a comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform plan is possible.

WAMU 88.5

D.C. Legislators Want To Allow Pepco Customers To Opt Out Of Smart Meters

The bill would allow D.C. residents to opt against having smart meters installed in their homes, which critics say pose health and safety risks.

WAMU 88.5

Virginia Republicans Select Candidates For November Election

The Republican ticket for November's election includes Ken Cuccinelli for governor, E.W. Jackson for lieutenant governor, and Mark Obenshain for attorney general.

WAMU 88.5

Autopsy Results Pending For Quantico-Based FBI Agents Killed In Training Accident

The Virginia state medical examiner's office in Norfolk is waiting for toxicology results to come back before making a determination on the cause of death.

WAMU 88.5

Accomack County Arsonists Deemed Competent For Trial

Two people charged with setting more than 77 arson fires in Accomack County have been found competent to stand trial.

WAMU 88.5

Report Finds Animal Abuse Cases In Baltimore Still Steady

The report claims many city agencies haven't cooperated with efforts to curb animal abuse.

National

NPR

Moore, Okla., Tornado Was 'Storm Of Storms'

Melissa Block and Robert Siegel give the latest in Oklahoma after a huge tornado tore through the state on Monday.
NPR

Man Killed By FBI In Florida Was Linked To Boston Suspect

A friend of the man killed Wednesday in Orlando says the FBI was questioning the man about his connection to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the men suspected of planting the bombs in Boston.
NPR

IRS Inspector General To Review Handling Of Conservative Groups

One commissioner ran the IRS when it engaged in targeted scrutiny of conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status. A second commissioner was in charge when the agency continued to withhold information from Congress. On Tuesday, they testified together for the first time, to the Senate Finance Committee.
NPR

As FEMA Heads To Oklahoma, Agency Worries About Finances

President Obama has promised the people of Moore, Okla., that the U.S. is "there for them, behind them, as long as it takes." That means, at least in part, sending in FEMA to provide disaster relief: temporary housing, loans, equipment and repairs. And while there appears to be enough money for now, there is some concern that between sequestration and political gridlock, money could become an issue.

International

NPR

Why Apple (And Lots Of Other Companies) Wound Up In Ireland

It goes back to a single page in a report written decades ago by U.S. consultants, and funded by the U.S. State Department.
NPR

Now's Your Chance To Own A Little Bit Of Gandhi

The late Indian leader Mohandis Gandhi, who became known as Mahatma, or venerated one, had an appendectomy decades ago. Afterward, doctors took samples of his blood. Two microscope slides bearing that blood are being auctioned in London.
NPR

The Global Afterlife Of Your Donated Clothes

The deadly collapse of a textile factory in Bangladesh has heightened awareness about cheap clothes. Many Americans have become used to inexpensive clothing, but the garments are also discarded at a remarkable rate: Billions of pounds of clothing are recycled each year; nearly half is exported.
NPR

Former Argentine Dictator Who Oversaw Death Squads Dies At 87

Jorge Rafael Videla ruled Argentina from 1976-1983 and orchestrated a "Dirty War" against opponents that killed as many as 30,000 people.