News Archive - May 12, 2015

Jeb Bush Backtracks On Iraq, Says He 'Interpreted The Question Wrong, I Guess'

Jeb Bush is walking back comments he made on Iraq that he would have authorized the invasion even knowing what we know now. But he later said he actually doesn't know what he would have done.

Amtrak Train Derails, Cars Roll In Philadelphia; At Least 5 Killed

The train, on its way from Washington to New York, went off the rails late Tuesday. In addition to the 5 deaths, dozens have been transported to area hospitals, including six with critical injuries.

Hogan Signs Law Allowing Police To More Easily Use Body Cameras

Police departments across the state of Maryland can now issue body cameras to their officers without fear of running afoul of the state's wiretapping law.

McDonnell Lawyers Argue That Conviction Should Be Overturned

Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was back in court today, this time challenging last year's conviction on charges he accepted gifts and loans in exchange for official acts.

China Smartphone Sales Shrink, Market 'Increasingly Saturated,' Report Says

Experts say nearly everyone in China who wants a smartphone has one. The challenge for manufacturers now is to convince them to upgrade.

Uber For Buses? Taking Bridj For A Test Ride

Falling somewhere between mass transit and ridesharing, a new transportation player called Bridj is billing itself as D.C.'s first pop-up bus service. Transportation reporter Martin Di Caro took it for a spin.

'Lawful Use' Of Force By Wisconsin Police Officer, DA Says

Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny shot and killed Tony Robinson, 19, on March 6. The case drew attention because of high-profile deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of the police.

University Of Virginia Dean Sues 'Rolling Stone' Over Discredited Rape Article

U.Va.'s dean of students says the article portrayed her as the "chief villain of the story." She's suing the magazine and the author for $7.85 million.

'Unsettling' Lucille Ball Sculpture Will Move To New Home In N.Y.

The plan gives new life to a statue that gained dubious fame last month, when criticism of the bronze work reached a fever pitch. It's now seen as a part of comedy history.

Fast-Track Trade Measure Fails Key Test Vote In Senate

The White House calls the vote merely a "procedural snafu" and expects to eventually prevail.

Do We Talk Funny? 51 American Colloquialisms

American English has a rich history of regionalisms — which sometimes tell us a lot about where we come from.

Malaysia Says It Will Turn Back Migrant Boats

It comes a day after more than 1,000 Rohingya and Bangladeshis landed in the waters of Malaysia's Langkawi island, and after Indonesia said it would also turn back the migrants.

Marine Corps Helicopter Helping With Relief Effort In Nepal Goes Missing

A Defense Department official said there's no indication so far that the UH-1 Huey, which was carrying six Marines and two Nepali soldiers, had crashed.

Reagan Shooter John Hinckley's Lawyers Say He's Ready To Be Free

Hinckley's lawyer argued that the depression and psychosis that fueled his drive to shoot President Reagan and others in 1981 is "in full, stable, sustained remission." Now it's up to a federal judge.

Tea Tuesdays: Matcha-maker, Matcha-maker, Make Me Some Tea

Matcha green tea is taking off in America, but the Japanese have been drinking it for eight centuries. What happens when commercialism meets tradition?

Short On Sleep? You Could Be A Disaster Waiting To Happen

Megadisasters like Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez oil spill were set off by people who were sleep-deprived. Researchers say they're able to pinpoint how lack of sleep derails decision-making.

2015 Rankings List Most 'Bicycle Friendly' U.S. States

The League of American Bicyclists' rankings also show that no American state scored higher than 67 points out of 100.

The Future Of Education: Truths, Lies And Wishful Thinking

Video games will not save education and other misconceptions about where schools are headed.

Christians In U.S. On Decline As Number Of 'Nones' Grows, Survey Finds

The Pew Research Center survey found the number of Americans who describe themselves as Christian dropped almost 8 percentage points over a seven-year period.

A Report Card On Global Cooperation: Decent On Iran, Lousy In Syria

The international pressure on Iran's nuclear program was one of the rare examples of global cooperation in the past year. On most issues, like the war in Syria, the global community came up short.

Virginia Watchdog Agency Investigating Exploding Medicaid Costs

The Medicaid program in Virginia has grown 1,600 percent in the last three decades, prompting lawmakers to look into whether costs can be reigned in.

Free Contraceptives Must Be Free, Obama Administration Tells Insurers

The notice to insurers comes after reports found many health plans weren't providing no-cost birth control for all prescription methods, a requirement under the Affordable Care Act.

Blogger Is Hacked To Death In Bangladesh After Promoting Secular Thought

The writer Ananta Bijoy Das was killed by men wielding machetes. He wrote for the same blog founded by Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi-American who died in a similar attack in February.

Vienna Introduces New, Same-Sex Themed Crosswalk Signals

The signals, which also include opposite-sex couples, went up at 49 intersections across the city. The mayor said they are a "sign of openness."

Verizon Inks $4.4 Billion Agreement To Buy AOL

Verizon said the acquisition will help build its digital and video platforms. Verizon had previously announced plans to launch a video service that focused on mobile devices.

Obama's Presidential Library Will Be In Chicago, Foundation Announces

Hawaii and New York also had strong bids, but Chicago is where President Obama grew up politically.

Another Powerful Earthquake Strikes Nepal

The region was already devastated by a magnitude-7.8 temblor on April 25 that killed more than 8,000 people. The new quake destroyed buildings and triggered landslides.