Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Wednesday 30 March 2011

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Stories of survival and loss
In Ishinomaki, Japan, one of the cities hardest hit by the earthquake, lives were transformed.
(By Andrew Higgins, Brigid Schulte and Joel Achenbach)

House GOP leaders turn to Democrats for budget deal
Having difficulty finding consensus within their own ranks, House Republican leaders have begun courting moderate Democrats on several key fiscal issues, including a deal to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next week.
(By Paul Kane)

Libyan rebels retreat as global leaders discuss Gaddafi ouster
Libyan rebels fled from a key town in eastern Libya as world leaders insisted that Col. Moammar Gaddafi step down but offered no new suggestions for how to dislodge him from power.
(By Liz Sly and Joby Warrick)

FDA chemist charged with insider trading
The government charged a chemist at the Food and Drug Administration Tuesday with insider trading.
(By David S. Hilzenrath)

After 4-year-old’s escape, Va. parents face charges
A Prince William County couple face felony child abuse charges after 3 children younger than 4 are found to have been trapped behind a piece of drywall in a room covered in urine and feces.
(By Josh White and and Jennifer Buske)

POLITICS
AP sources: Despite concerns, US to seek reelection to UN human rights council
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will seek a new term on the United Nations Human Rights Council despite concerns that the panel remains a hotbed of anti-Israel sentiment and a forum for repressive nations to deflect attention from abuses they may have committed, The Associated Press has learned.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Revelations about private plane dog McCaskill's re-election bid even before its formal takeoff
WASHINGTON — Sen. Claire McCaskill once turned a political opponent’s use of a plane to her advantage. Now she’s seeing the issue from a different vantage point.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Analysis: When will the border be secure? Experts say lack of strategy makes end goal elusive
WASHINGTON — The federal government hasn’t come up with a comprehensive strategy to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, even as an all-out war between Mexico and its violent drug gangs has claimed 35,000 lives and pushed hundreds of thousands of immigrants into the United States.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Watchdog: US Homeland Security's political reviews of requests for gov't files were wasteful
WASHINGTON — The Homeland Security Department’s inspector general has concluded that it was wasteful for the agency to secretly require approval by political appointees before government files on politically sensitive topics could be released under the Freedom of Information Act, The Associated Press has learned.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)



(, The Washington Post)



STYLE
Privacy rules, even during a video chat
Do you have a reasonable expectation of privacy while communicating online with a family member?
(, The Washington Post)

Ask Amy for March 30

(, Tribune Media Service)

‘Coal’ premieres on Spike
Television top picks for Wednesday, March 30, 2011.
(, The Washington Post)

From the pedestrian playbook
“And the Curtain Rises” might have found some traction as an insightful peek at the imaginative process of the first American musical, but the Signature Theatre production comes across as a frustratingly pedestrian affair.
( by Peter Marks , The Washington Post)

Fashion industry plans Runway to Green as launch pad for environmentally-friendly changes
NEW YORK — Organic cotton and reusable bags are steps toward the greening of the fashion industry, but organizers of the Runway to Green project say considering the size, scope and celebrity of players such as Gucci, Burberry, Stella McCartney and Tommy Hilfiger, it can do much more.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)


SPORTS
Troubled Packers DE Johnny Jolly to appear in Houston court on new drug charge
HOUSTON — Troubled Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly is scheduled to be in court after his most recent arrest on a drug charge in Houston.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

New Colorado law addressing concussions for young athletes is nation's most sweeping
DENVER — Jake Bryant played hockey for seven years and was the goalie in an advanced youth hockey with the Colorado Rampage. He suffered five concussions in less than two years, which forced him to retire from the sport at age 16.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Roberts hits grand slam, Putz rusty in return from injury as Arizona beats Monterrey 11-4
PHOENIX — J.J. Putz usually doesn’t need much work in spring training to get ready for the season.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Djokovic, Nadal advance at Key Biscayne
Novak Djokovic extends his winning streak to 23 consecutive matches by beating fellow Serb Viktor Troicki in the fourth round at the Sony Ericsson Open. Rafael Nadal and Kim Clijsters also move on.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Thornton has 24 points, 11 rebounds as Kings win season-high 4th straight game
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On a night when the biggest news for the franchise was happening off the court, the youthful Sacramento Kings and their loyal fans were focused only on the game.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)


WORLD
Police say death toll in suicide bombing of crowd in NW Pakistan rises to 13
ISLAMABAD — Police say death toll in suicide bombing of crowd in NW Pakistan rises to 13.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Suicide bomber attacks supporters of hardline Islamist politician in NW Pakistan, kills 13
ISLAMABAD — A police official says the death toll from a suicide bombing of a crowd gathered along a road in northwestern Pakistan to greet a prominent hardline Islamist politician has risen to 13.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

President of Japan utility that owns leaking nuclear plant hospitalized in Tokyo
TOKYO — The president of the utility that owns Japan’s tsunami-damaged nuclear complex was hospitalized with hypertension as setbacks mounted at the plant, where experts Wednesday logged the highest radiation yet in nearby seawater.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Officials: Indonesian suspect in 2002 Bali bombings captured in Pakistan
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Intelligence sources say top Indonesian terror suspect Umar Patek has been arrested in Pakistan.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Wife says China charges activist with subversion, deepening campaign against dissent
BEIJING — Chinese police have filed subversion charges against another human rights activist, the man’s wife said Wednesday, the latest move against dissent since anonymous online calls urged Chinese to imitate pro-democracy protests in North Africa and the Middle East.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)


LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Celebritology Live
Join Celebritology blogger Jen Chaney to gab about the latest celebrity gossip and pop culture news making waves across the Web.
(, vForum)

Talk about Travel
Have a travel-related question, comment, suspicion, warning, gripe, sad tale or happy ending? The Post Travel section's editors and writers are at your service.
(, vForum)

Free Range on Food
Free Range on Food is a forum for discussion of all things culinary.
(, vForum)

Talk about Travel
Have a travel-related question, comment, suspicion, warning, gripe, sad tale or happy ending? The Post Travel section's editors and writers are at your service.
(, vForum)

Home Front: Design advice from Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza
Chris Snowber AIA, a principal at Hamilton Snowber Architects, joins the weekly chat.
(, vForum)


BUSINESS
Irish Life & Permanent suspends shares from Irish Stock Exchange amid fears of nationalization
DUBLIN — Irish Life & Permanent withdrew its shares from Irish and British stock exchanges Wednesday amid speculation that the bank faces imminent nationalization.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Wis. GOP faces another hurdle in battle over public-sector unions as judge issues new order
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and his fellow Republicans face a new hurdle in their campaign to curb public sector unions’ power.
(Associated PressAssociated Press, AP)

Amid rising gas prices, Obama to detail US energy security strategy
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is preparing to outline his plans for U.S. energy security during a speech at Georgetown University.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Japan nuclear crisis reignites debate on anti-cancer pills in US
WASHINGTON — The Japanese nuclear crisis has reignited a debate in the U.S. over the government’s role in distributing a cheap anti-cancer drug to people living around nuclear power plants.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Deadly bus accidents rekindle congressional interest in bill to address safety recommendations
WASHINGTON — Deadly bus crashes over the past decade have claimed dozens of lives, including college baseball players in Atlanta, Vietnamese Catholics in Texas, skiers in Utah and, this month, gamblers returning to New York’s Chinatown.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)