Brits pretend they’re sick of Brexit. But truth is they’re obsessed.

the banner of “Operation Redfold.” The last time the British government was operating out of a bunker in Whitehall? The Blitz. On Sunday, the airwaves were filled with stories about “coups” and “plotters” and how May was on the way out, in days if not hours. The Sunday Times front page: “Cabinet coup to ditch Theresa May for emergency PM.” The very same newspaper on Monday? Never mind. The Sun tabloid printed a front-page editorial, “TIME’S UP THERESA! Theresa May has shown courage — but to seal her deal and deliver Brexit, she needs to resign.” This made a big splash, for about 10 minutes. It’s not that some “plotters” wouldn’t mind seeing the prime minister off. Conservative lawmaker and super-Brexiteer Boris Johnson, one of the favorites to replace May should she resign, wrote in Monday’s Daily Telegraph that the government had “chickened out” on delivering Brexit and that if May wants to win support for her deal, she needs to show that the next phase “will be different from the first.” This suggested to some that he might be willing to back the deal, as long as May promises to step aside. But here’s the problem. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told BBC Breakfast on Monday that the government was “constrained by the fact that we have a Leave electorate and a Parliament that leans towards Remain, and the government doesn’t have a majority in the House of Commons.” Finance Minister Philip Hammond told Sky News: “Changing the prime minister wouldn’t help us. Changing the party in government wouldn’t help us. We’ve got to address the question of what type of Brexit is acceptable to Parliament, what type of way forward Parliament can agree on, so we can avoid what would be an economic catastrophe of a no-deal exit.” “Catastrophe” — his words, not ours. This was supposed to be the week Britain left the European Union. But an extension has prolonged the agony. Tune in to the talk shows, and it’s more of the same debates over and over again: the vexing issue of the Irish “backstop,” the arcane internal tensions of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, the complexity of the customs union and, yes, the “Norway option.” What might happen this week? What time is it? The state of affairs could change between luncheon and tea time. Or it could remain stuck where it is. william.booth@washpost.com karla.adam@washpost.com


As Brexit looms, a photographer seeks to understand the youth culture of Northern Ireland

Toby Binder has been photographing the life of teenagers in Britain for more than 10 years. Having worked in England and Scotland, he focused his lens on Belfast because of the Brexit referendum. Northern Ireland would be forced to leave the European Union despite the majority of its citizens voting to remain. “There is a serious concern that Brexit will threaten the Peace Agreement of 1998 that ended the violence between Protestant Unionists and Catholic Nationalists who live in homogeneous neighborhoods that are divided by walls still today,” Binder said in an interview with In Sight. He noted that those who could be most affected by a resurgence in violence would be the youth, who were too young to vote in the referendum. His new book, “Wee Muckers,” is an attempt to show that the similarities outweigh the differences between youth in traditionally Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods in Belfast, from wearing the same style of clothes to grappling with the same social issues. Binder cites Paul McVeigh, the author and Belfast native who wrote the introduction to “Wee Muckers,” as describing this sentiment best: “It made me realize that poverty, political strife and living in fear was what we had in common. And the Troubles has become this hugely enveloping, shared experience that binds those generations as much as it divides. I realized I had more in common with poor Belfast Protestants who had experienced the Troubles than Catholics who held the same passport as me in South of Ireland.” In Sight is The Washington Post’s photography blog for visual narrative. This platform showcases compelling and diverse imagery from staff and freelance photographers, news agencies and archives. If you are interested in submitting a story to In Sight, please complete More on In Sight:


Beyond opioids: Safe, effective treatments for 4 common kinds of pain

home from the hospital feeling absolutely pain-free,” Memtsoudis says. “But they should be able to read without being distracted by pain.” Headaches About 17 percent of adults older than 65 have reported headaches more than twice a month. For people prone to migraines, first-line treatment is usually a class of drugs called triptans, which reduce inflammation and constrict blood vessels. But these need to be prescribed with caution for anyone who already has heart disease, high blood pressure or other risk factors. Opioids have not been shown to improve migraine symptoms and may make triptans less effective, says Alan M. Rapoport, clinical professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles. If you have the dull ache of a tension headache — the most common type — once or twice a month, you can treat it with an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Exercise or relaxation can help, too. But if you’re getting them more frequently — say, every week — see your doctor. For frequent headaches of any kind, research has found that complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, massage and biofeedback, may be effective in some cases. Others benefit from a daily preventive, such as a tricyclic antidepressant or the blood pressure drug propranolol (Inderal and generic). Joint pain Of people 65 and older, more than 55 percent of men and almost 70 percent of women may have arthritis. The most common form is osteoarthritis, where cartilage in joints breaks down, causing pain, swelling and problems moving. But research has shown that opioids should generally not be used to treat OA; the potential harms outweigh the benefits. Instead, try wrapping a bag of ice in a towel, and apply to the affected area for up to 20 minutes at a time — cold can help ease acute joint pain. If a joint feels stiff but not painful, apply a heating pad to the area for 15 to 20 minutes. Then try some low-impact activity, such as walking, which can relieve pain as effectively as an over-the-counter NSAID, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Naproxen appears to be the most effective oral pain reliever for joint pain, but don’t use it for more than a week without consulting your doctor. Yoga, tai chi and swimming can also help. If these steps don’t help, consider trying a topical prescription NSAID. But think twice


Tom Sietsema’s 9 favorite places to eat for February 2019

and a basting with date juice, the carved beauty is delivered with peerless french fries and a salad to balance the splurge. Take advantage of Zutant’s wine expertise, close dinner with chocolate pot de crème, and you, too, might become a fan. 3000 12th St. NE, 202-248-4558, primrosedc.com. Entrees, $19 to $26. Read the full Primrose review here. URBAN BUTCHER It pays to eat early here; diners who order by 7 p.m. can take advantage not just of happy-hour prices, but also of the restaurant’s three-course, $35 “early supper” menu. Given the meaty theme, you’ll want to start with charcuterie, a board of which displays slices of greatness produced in-house, all tagged on a paper under-liner and served with a cushion of grilled bread. Roseate lamb bacon and loukaniko (pleasantly funky lamb sausage, seasoned with orange peel and fennel) are among the standouts. From there, you’ll want to get the steak: slices of blushing, crisp-edged hanger steak nuzzling a heap of golden french fries in a cast-iron skillet. Doughnuts for dessert? With Nutella whipped cream? Yes, please. Chef-owner Raynold Mendizábal, a multitasker whose hits extend to the pulsing El Sapo Cuban Social Club nearby, plans to retool Urban Butcher, which sports its own meat locker, this season. Look for some design surprises and more seafood. 8226 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring; 301-585-5800, urbanbutcher.com. Entrees, $16 to $95 (mixed grill for two). SUSHI NAKAZAWA The most controversial sushi counter in Washington is also one of its most fascinating. An import from New York, where a chef from the documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” holds court, the spinoff is in the superb hands of head chef Masaaki Uchino. There are tables in the ordinary dining room, but the best place to catch his show is at one of the 10 stools facing the chef and his workspace. Guests are not offered a menu, just hot towels and drinks. Every course is thus a surprise. Some nights might launch with three bites of nigiri that show off salmon — sockeye whispering of smoke is a favorite — followed by aged scallop sushi that hides some fire in its seasoning: yuzu pepper! Cured pickled gizzard shad, we learn, is among the most ancient sushi preparations, dating to the 18th century; tiger prawns are teased out of their red shells to reveal gently warm, sweet and succulent flesh. While one dish is being consumed, another is


Artificial-intelligence pioneers win $1 million Turing Award

To learn who’s taking home the Turing Award, people might turn to their trusted talking bots, like Siri or Alexa. Or, in fact, some of the very technology the three winners helped bring to life. Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun have earned what’s often referred to as the Nobel Prize of the tech world for their pioneering work in artificial intelligence, the Association for Computing Machinery announced Wednesday. The researchers, working both independently and together, helped advance the thinking and application of neural networks, the technology that gives computers the ability to recognize patterns, interpret language and glean insights from complex data. “Artificial intelligence is now one of the fastest-growing areas in all of science and one of the most talked-about topics in society,” Cherri Pancake, president of the computing society, said in a statement. “The growth of and interest in AI is due, in no small part, to the recent advances in deep learning for which Bengio, Hinton and LeCun laid the foundation.” The trio’s efforts to popularize algorithms that extract patterns in data was initially met with skepticism, the association noted, but their commitment to artificial-intelligence research has led to breakthroughs in many areas of computer science, including speech recognition, robotics and the ways in which machines interpret digital images and videos. The process of recognizing languages, environments and objects that billions of smartphone users rely on stems from the work of Bengio, Hinton and LeCun. Their research is poised to fuel further advancements as entire industries embrace artificial-intelligence systems, potentially transforming transportation, medicine and commerce. AI-powered technologies could unlock a future with autonomous cars or earlier and more accurate medical diagnoses. However, the advancement of artificial intelligence has also prompted concerns over mass automation and the displacement of human workers. LeCun is a mathematical sciences professor at New York University and the vice president and chief AI scientist at Facebook. Hinton is a vice president and engineering fellow at Google. Bengio is a professor at the University of Montreal and the scientific director of both Quebec’s Artificial Intelligence Institute and the Institute for Data Valorization. The Turing Award comes with a $1 million prize, funded by Google, the ACM said. The prize is named after the British mathematician Alan Turing, who laid the theoretical foundations for computer science.


The Boeing crashes are a cautionary tale about automation

that killed 157 people in a crash this month and the Lion Air flight that killed 189 people in Indonesia last fall were caused by the same malfunctioning software. The Federal Aviation Administration is known for its stringent safety rules, but the problem Boeing says it is now patching — an anti-stall system that officials suspect kicked into effect in Indonesia based on bad data — snuck through anyway. The debacle shows that regulators should apply extra review to systems that take control away from humans when safety is at stake: Some blame the mess-up on the FAA’s decision to outsource some components of performance reviews to the manufacturer. The anti-stall software apparently forced down a plane’s nose based on data from only a single sensor, which meant one erroneous reading could cause failure. That’s an unusual practice in air safety, and one a thorough process might have prevented. But perfecting such a process is more difficult than it sounds. Government already suffers from a dearth of qualified computer scientists, and the more advanced technology becomes, the more difficult it is to evaluate. Partnerships with engineering experts, perhaps through universities, could help, but even the designers of artificially intelligent systems sometimes cannot explain why they make the decisions they do. These realities demand that regulators tread carefully when approving automated technologies whose bugs could kill. They also demand that humans remain as informed as possible about the systems on which they are relying. Professionals should be adequately trained, but software should also be transparent. The 737 Max anti-stall system reset itself every time pilots course-corrected while their planes plunged toward the ground. To fully disable it, pilots would have had to throw two additional switches — but to know to do that, they would also have had to know what was wrong. Boeing charged a premium for a “disagree” light on the plane to inform pilots that its sensors were giving contradictory readings. Airlines also had to pay extra for a feature with a complete reading for each sensor. The company is now changing that practice. The 737 crisis has implications for more industries than just aviation, from self-driving cars to medical care. Software has bugs. Extensive testing can preempt some problems, but it is almost impossible to root out all eventualities. Where the consequences of a machine’s failure are the most severe, humans cannot afford to stop paying attention.


Five Trump trips to Mar-a-Lago would cover Betsy Devos’s proposed Special Olympics cuts

second month in office as DeVos now wants to cut from supporting the Special Olympics. That total, $17.6 million, is also only a small part of the Education Department budget. The department’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2020 is about $64 billion. If that total were the height of the world’s tallest building, the 2,722-foot Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the amount spent on the Special Olympics would be an 8-inch-tall stick standing beside it. Trump’s aim is to cut the federal government broadly to reduce the growing budget deficit — itself in part a function of the 2017 tax bill that slashed corporate tax rates. To cut the budget means to cut a number of programs in a number of places. But how does the proposed Special Olympics funding compare to the total budget? Let’s say that the federal budget of $4.7 trillion in fiscal year 2020 was a trip from New York City to Los Angeles. How far would the $17.6 million for the Special Olympics get you on that trip? It would get you a little over 1 percent of the way across the George Washington Bridge in Upper Manhattan. It would get you 48 feet. When we noted that $17.6 million was far more than the normal American’s income, we didn’t point out that DeVos herself is not an average American. She’s one of the richest women in the country, with an estimated net worth north of $1 billion. In fact, according to the financial disclosure she filed when taking a job with the government, DeVos herself has no fewer than six investments that are valued at more than $25,000,000. She could sell her stake in the Orlando Magic and fund the Special Olympics for at least two years. (She has another 30 investments that are valued from $5 million to $25 million.) It took very little time for people — including athletes — to offer their thoughts on DeVos’s proposal. The Washington Post spoke with one athlete, Derek Schottle, who wants to compete in the Special Olympics and said he’s praying for the program. During fiscal year 2018, corporate tax receipts were down $92 billion from the year prior, a function in part of the tax cuts Trump signed into law in December 2017. By increasing those receipts 0.02 percent, there would be enough to cover the amount DeVos wants to cut from the Special Olympics.


From taquerias to beer gardens, new dining options arrive near Nationals Park

and Clarendon, is known for its flatbreads and salads, and is more upscale than its fast-casual neighbors. El Bebe, meanwhile, is a taqueria-and-mezcal joint that also serves burritos, nachos and queso fundido, alongside frozen and classic margaritas. 99 M St. SE. Whole Foods Walter’s Sports Bar: The formerly-in-Petworth sports bar offered a brief, tantalizing preview during last summer’s All-Star Week. Its biggest draw will be the wall of 24 pour-your-own-beer taps, which will allow customers to pay by the ounce. The craft-beer-focused spot should open by Opening Day, but don’t expect the Buy One, Get One Free specials that have made sister bar D.C. Reynolds one of D.C.'s best happy-hour destinations — Navy Yard is a pricier neighborhood than Park View, explains owner Jeremy Gifford. 5 N St. SE. Sandlot Southwest: Every year, a pop-up bar or restaurant sprouts on an empty lot near the stadium. This year’s new arrival is the Sandlot Southwest, an “open-air cultural and social experiential space” between Nationals Park and D.C. United’s Audi Field that will eventually become a mixed retail-and-residential development. The Sandlot is programmed by two founders of local events and promotion companies, Suite Nation and Rock Creek Social Club, and the corporate sponsors include Absolut Vodka and Lyft. Expect DJs, a bar made out of shipping containers and other surprises. It’s not open every game day, and hours can change from week to week, so check the schedule before heading over. 1800 Half St. SW. On the horizon Dacha Beer Garden: The wildly popular Shaw beer garden is getting ready to move into its new indoor/outdoor digs in the Dock 79 building, which is already home to the Salt Line and All-Purpose. The interior, with a 140-seat restaurant and 90-seat bar and lounge, should open in mid-April, while the 8,000-square-foot beer garden will follow a week or two later. Expect 26 beers, ciders and meads on draft, with a European sensibility. 79 Potomac Ave. SE. Punch Bowl Social: Punch Bowl Social is “engineered for millennials,” its owner says: The Clarendon location, which opened last year, fills 25,000 square feet with bowling lanes, arcade games, and pool, foosball and shuffleboard tables, as well as multiple bars and dining areas. Washington’s first branch opens later this year — there’s no date yet — in a new building on Half Street, near the Metro station. 1250 Half St. SE. Offseason losses Justin’s Cafe Aslin Beer


So, uh, how much will all that fancy new food at Nats Park cost?

team has no immediate plans to introduce discounted concessions. “We’re constantly taking a look at what we’re offering and what we can do better, and what we need to do to make sure we have the best fan experience possible,” Jonathan Stahl, the team’s vice president of ballpark operations and guest experience, said. “I think when you see a lot of these lower-priced items, you’re seeing a lot of smaller items. Some of the items that we’ve introduced this year, while they may be a little higher-priced, they’re a lot bigger, they’re really signature items, and they’re a whole meal in that single item. . . . We continue to look and see: Are there ways to give them that better product, but keep it the cheapest price point possible?” Unlike the Falcons, who prohibit outside food and beverages at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Nationals fans still have the option of bringing their own food into the ballpark. On game days, Half Street is lined with vendors selling water, peanuts, hot dogs and more at a fraction of the cost of the same or similar items inside the gates. During Monday’s exhibition game against the Yankees, I took a few laps around all three levels of Nationals Park and tried to note the prices for some of the new food items available this season. Bao Bao (Section 130) Two (2) bao, chips and bottled soda $15 Two (2) bao, chips and 25-ounce Bud Light $21 Chicken bao $9 Mushroom bao $9 Pork loin bao $9 Medium Rare (Section 135) Culotte steak, hand-cut fries and secret sauce on rustic bread $18 Foot-long hot dog $9 Bavarian pretzel $6 Peanuts $8 Lobster Shack (Section 107) Lobster roll $17 Lobster blossom (lobster inside a tomato that’s been sliced to resemble a blossom) $17 Fried shrimp $9 Hank’s Oyster Bar (Section 106) Oyster po’ boy $14 Shrimp po’ boy $16 Fish and chips $16 Fried fish sandwich $16 Fried oysters $17 Fried shrimp $16 Shrimp cocktail $17 Old Bay fries $7 Coleslaw $5 Old Hickory BBQ (Bud Light Loft) Bone-in short rib $18 Smoked turkey leg $15 Smoked kielbasa $12 Street corn $9 Mac and cheese $8 Watermelon wedge $8 Fries $7 CHIKO (Section 240) Korean double-fried wings $15 Bulgoagie hoagie (Korean BBQ beef, caramelized onions, kimcheese wiz) $15 Bulgogi tots (Korean BBQ beef, caramelized onions, kimcheese wiz) $13* Chiko tots (roasted sesame, chili mayo) $12


ESPN personalities defend Special Olympics after Betsy DeVos’s proposal to defund it

government must resist the urge to pick winners and losers among students, institutions, and occupations,” DeVos added her prepared testimony. “Instead, we must encourage and enable every student to be their best self and live their best life.” DeVos released a statement on Wednesday further explaining her testimony, noting that Special Olympics is not a federal program and has been successful fundraising on its own. “There are dozens of worthy nonprofits that support students and adults with disabilities that don’t get a dime of federal grant money,” the statement said. “But given our current budget realities, the federal government cannot fund every worthy program, particularly the ones that enjoy robust support from private donations.” However, referring Tuesday to DeVos’s repeated attempts to cut funding for the Special Olympics since she started running the Department of Education in 2017, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said, “I still can’t understand why you would go after disabled children in your budget. It’s appalling.” On Twitter, Negandhi pointed to having been part of ESPN’s Special Olympics coverage for the past five years and said that “watching the growth, confidence and true happiness from the athletes and their families has changed my life.” He asserted that the “power of inclusion” is not just specific to two weeks of the organization’s Games but “has a daily impact on athletes, families, friends, coaches, unified partners, volunteers.” “You realize what is most important — to live life without judgement, [with] an open mind and heart,” he added. Negandhi also posted photos of some Special Olympics participants and noted how their lives had been affected. Lada also posted photos of Special Olympics participants while saying, “They are the best of us.” Another ESPN personality, Sarah Spain, called DeVos’s exchange with Pocan “tough to watch.” The network’s Kenny Mayne declared on Twitter, “Our family supports Special Olympics” and added that the same went for “the company I work for.” “The power of sports lies in the ability to instill & inspire positive change — & that’s at the core of what [the Special Olympics] does,” tweeted Tony Reali, host of ESPN’s “Around the Horn.” He added, “Athletes have opportunities to discover new skills and abilities. Those discoveries lead to joy, confidence & enhancement on & off the playing field.” “Let’s talk about the power of humanity. Because this is a test for all,” Reali continued on Twitter. “We all vote …


Former Interpol boss expelled from China’s Communist Party amid corruption charges

BEIJING — The former head of Interpol, a Chinese bureaucrat at the missing-persons bureau who himself went missing in China, has been stripped of all his positions and expelled from the Communist Party, the party watchdog said Wednesday. Meng Hongwei, 65, had committed serious violations of law and discipline, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said, accusing him of taking bribes and abusing his power to “willfully squander national assets to give his family a luxurious life.” He had “disregarded the principles of being a party member” and had “seriously tarnished the image of the party and seriously harmed the interests of the state,” the commission continued. It said it had referred Meng’s case for prosecution. Meng was a member of the party’s powerful central committee and a vice minister for public security who had become the first Chinese president of Interpol in 2016, part of Beijing’s efforts to garner greater influence in international bodies. But when he returned to China on a visit in September last year, he vanished. He apparently anticipated trouble, sending his wife a message to “wait for my call,” accompanied by a knife emoji. His wife, Grace Meng, contacted the French authorities a week later to report her husband missing. After Interpol, an international organization facilitating police cooperation across borders and which is headquartered in Lyon, France, requested information from the Chinese government, the authorities said he had been detained in connection with an investigation into alleged corruption. Interpol put out a statement saying it had accepted Meng Hongwei’s resignation, and a South Korean was chosen to replace him. There has been no word about Meng since his arrest, although his wife has been pressing his case. She has also applied for asylum in France, saying she feared for her safety and that of their children. The statement from the party watchdog also took aim at her, saying that Meng “used the influence of his position to seek employment for his wife, and connived with his wife to use his authority to win special and personal gains.” Chinese President Xi Jinping has led a multiyear anti-corruption campaign, during which thousands of officials and business executives have suddenly vanished, only to reemerge months later to face government charges. As part of this campaign, China has asked Interpol to issue “red notices” for the repatriation of people it says are corrupt fugitives who should be brought home.


In search of a younger audience, Olympic officials move forward with break dancing plans

Looking to attract a younger audience, the International Olympic Committee is ready to spin the menu of sports offerings on its head, inching closer to adding break dancing to the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. The IOC’s executive board decided at its meeting Tuesday in Lausanne, Switzerland, to recommend the inclusion of break dancing, along with skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing, on the Paris program. The proposal still needs the approval of the full committee when it convenes in June. The four sports would then be monitored through the end of 2020 before the board would make a final decision on their 2024 prospects. Skateboarding, climbing and surfing have already been approved for next summer’s Tokyo Olympics. “They contribute to make the program of the Games more gender-balanced, more youthful and more urban,” IOC President Thomas Bach said at a news conference Tuesday. “These four sports also offer the opportunity to connect with the young generation there.” Break dancing, an acrobatic and athletic form of street dancing, has only recently seen momentum among sports enthusiasts. Breaking, as it’s often called, was staged for the first time at the Summer Youth Olympics last October in Buenos Aires, featuring boys, girls and a mixed-team events. The sport features a series of dance “battles,” set to music, which are scored by a panel of judges. No Americans qualified for the Argentina competition. Bach said IOC officials will monitor the proposed Paris sports through 2020 “to see how they perform, to see how they manage their sport, to look at the governance, to look at the integrity of their competitions, to look at the referring and judging system and so on.” While the IOC board might not seem like the most hip-hop literate crew, recognizing break dancing as a high-level competitive event has been several years the making. Through its Agenda 2020 initiative, IOC officials have been proactively trying to attract a younger audience and broaden the scope of offerings on the Olympic menu — “to get the couch potatoes off the couch,” as Bach has said. “In order to get people to sport, we have to go where people are,” Bach told reporters Tuesday in Lausanne. “If they are spectators at the sport event or if they’re in the city, then we have to benefit from this opportunity to engage them with sport — to motivate them, not to watch only sport but


Brexiteers ignored Ireland. Ireland may have the last laugh.

power in Northern Ireland, did not take its needs seriously, the E.U. did. For all its faults, the E.U. does understand itself as a peace project. What happens in Northern Ireland matters to its sense of Europe’s identity. So the E.U. has fully backed Ireland in its insistence that there can be no hard border after Brexit. And this means that Northern Ireland (and, hence, the United Kingdom as a whole) has to remain aligned with the E.U.’s customs union and single market “unless and until” some other way of keeping the border invisible can be found. This “backstop” is written into the withdrawal agreement and has been, for the British, its most contentious aspect. It kills the fantasy of a clean break from recent history and makes Brexit a largely pointless exercise. In theory, the U.K. could just leave the E.U. without a deal and ignore the consequences for Ireland. But that option is so damaging to its own economy that only a small rump of fanatics still clings to it. The alternatives to the backstop put forward by the supporters of Brexit have failed to gain any purchase. One was a fabulous deal with the E.U. in which “frictionless” trade will continue – in other words the U.K. leaves the E.U.’s club but still enjoys all the benefits of being in. It is a fantasy. The other was the idea that technology could be used to monitor cross-border trade with no physical infrastructure. Such technology does not yet exist. So if we exclude make-believe and science fiction, we are left with the unpalatable reality that a post-Brexit U.K. has to stay so close to the E.U. that leaving hardly seems worth the bother. Their own culpable ignorance of Northern Ireland will not stop the Brexit zealots from blaming the Irish for the mess. In their eyes, Brexit would always have been a triumph were it not for the crazy complications of John Bull’s Other Island. Boris Johnson, who led the Leave campaign in 2016, has railed against the backstop as a “monstrosity” that “is being used to coerce Britain into becoming a vassal state of Brussels.” But if it is a monster, it is one conjured by the Brexiteers from the depths of their rage against political and historical realities. Their willful delusions — regarding Northern Ireland and much else besides — were always bordering on the insane.


In the shadow of hazy marijuana laws, Hawaiian patients rely on a network of hush-hush growers

patient and caregiver until the health department took over. “The Department of Health took over, and I felt that that was a lot better fit for the program,” he said. “I felt like the police wouldn’t be coming here to harass me over my medical use of marijuana. “I chose, up until just recently here, to fly under the radar and more of less break the law – civil disobedience,” he said. “I feel it’s an unjust law, and the way I’m showing I feel it’s unjust is through civil disobedience.” Teri Heede did the same for years. She began using marijuana while she was still a federal employee under the Department of Defense during the Vietnam War. She was told by a supervisor if she used she’d be fired, but she said the symptoms of her condition made it worth the risk. “I’ve had multiple sclerosis for over 20 years, and when I was first diagnosed, I had tried every treatment available and I was still down,” Heede said. “I could not get to work. I could not get up. I was going blind.” After research into treatments for her condition led her to medical marijuana, a form of medicine her neurologist supported, Heede began smoking to combat her illness. “I started smoking like a burning haystack,” she said, “and when I limped into work on my cane, I could see my computer screen, I could type on my keyboard, and I could walk. I wasn’t real graceful, but I was walking.” Heede was a widow with two kids at the time. “I wasn’t doing anything that would say, ‘OK, this person is a crazed drug abuser,’” she said. “But I was staying on my feet, and I was walking and doing my job. There was no problem.” Now, at 60, her long silver hair hangs over her colorfully printed kaftan as she rolls a joint with freshly dried marijuana from her garden. Her husband, who works for the federal government, does most of her growing. But she turns to illegal suppliers when her seven legal plants don’t support her needs. “Sick people are like me,” Heede said. “Sick people can’t grow.” News21 journalist Lauren Del Valle contributed to this article. Anne M. Shearer is an Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Fellow. Rilwan Balogun is a John and Patty Williams Fellow. Matias Ocner is a Knight Foundation Fellow.


No, Brexit is not really about making Britain imperial again

men and women of little will of their own. Bobby McDonagh, the former Irish ambassador to Britain, sees Brexiteers protecting sovereignty like the Gollum creature in “The Lord of the Rings,” desperately seeking the magic ring that was taken from him: “We wants it. We needs it. Must have the precious.” He claims that the Irish do not have “xenophobia on anything like the scale … in the UK.” Yet in its November 2018 report, the E.U. Agency for Fundamental Rights ranked Ireland second-worst among E.U. states for violence against black people. The United Kingdom was second best, after Portugal. In The Washington Post, Ishaan Tharoor wrote of Britain’s “delusions of Empire” and “fantasy of Britain’s past”; his father, Shashi Tharoor, a former senior U.N. official and Indian government minister, last year published “Inglorious Empire,” a robust attack on all the works of the British in India — including the implantation of parliamentary democracy. Indian and Irish commentators have some grounds for schadenfreude (even if scattergun in its deployment and unwise in clasping it), given the terror, repression and neglect the British visited on them up to the early 20th century. American ones, perhaps less — independence needed a bloody war, to be sure, but we’ve had a special relationship since then, have we not? Polls do show that many British voters, especially older generations, remain proud of the empire. But there is little evidence that imperial nostalgia played a large part in the Brexit vote: In 1975, when many more citizens were alive who remembered the British Empire’s glories, a referendum on membership in the European Economic Community — the E.U.’s forerunner — yielded a 2-to-1 result in favor. In 2016, the main reason given by “leave” voters was “the principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK” — a vote to empower a democratically elected Parliament, not one to try to reconquer lost dominions. Empire is treated even less like an unalloyed gift of the British to a grateful world now than it was in 1975. The Oxford geographer Daniel Dorling and fellow Oxford professor Sally Tomlinson write in “Rule Britannia” that the teaching of the empire in schools is “stuck in a mythical past.” But it isn’t: The most recent study of such teaching in 2016, by education professor Terry Haydn, finds “a balanced approach, examining positive and negative historical sources, opinion and


What the political storms over the Mueller report and Brexit have in common

of “ever closer union” into other areas, such as the justice system. The benefit of Norway Plus is that it would minimize disruption, a feat it achieves by not actually changing much. Britain would still have to contribute most of what it does now to the E.U. budget; it would still have to allow immigration from other E.U. countries; and it would still be subject to many E.U. rules, while losing its voice in the European Parliament that makes those rules. The only obvious benefit of this plan is that it can be called “Brexit” and voted for by people who don’t actually want Brexit to happen. There’s a case for this Brexit-in-Name-Only, of course. The people who voted for Brexit in June 2016 were voting for a set of vague ideas about Britain’s regaining control of its borders and budget. They weren’t voting for the specific deal May has negotiated. That deal is probably the best she could wrest from the E.U., which wants to make Britain’s departure from the E.U. as unpleasant as possible pour encourager les autres. But it will simultaneously impose heavy costs on Britain’s economy, at least in the short term, while leaving open many questions — most notably, what happens to the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic — that Britain must settle before safely charting a separate course. Legislators with more information than Leave voters had, and more time to study the intricacies of policy, may well be right that this is not what voters really wanted and that the responsible thing to do is either call another referendum or simply pretend to leave without really doing so. Just as the American #resistance makes a decent case that Trump’s presidency has been disastrous for the country — and for his own causes. But that assumes voters were mostly voting for Leave, or for Trump, rather than against a political establishment that has for decades responded to voter discontent by saying, “Nanny knows best.” If the latter is the case, repeating the phrase louder and more firmly won’t make voters any happier. Especially if driving the message home involves contravening the very civic norms and political order that the establishments in Britain and in the United States claim to be trying to preserve. Twitter: @asymmetricinfo Read more from Megan McArdle’s archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook.


Butterflies were symbols of rebirth. Then they started disappearing.

build. We protect what we love for as long as we can, even as we inflict change on the world. We resist. We adapt. Hernandez is happy that her children have a life in this country, but she is worried by its course. If you surround yourself in an “artificial” world — with walls, with ignorance of nature — the real world might start disappearing around you. “We don’t want this to happen to the butterfly,” she says. “Then it would be just something we’d hear about, or read about.” Hernandez marched from the butterfly center to the Rio Grande and back, a three-mile round trip, using a walker. Rachel Williams and her boyfriend, Dean, first bonded over monarchs The fir trees sagged with butterflies. The sky was crossed with airborne rivers of orange. Some people weep when they see this spectacle. Some begin to pray. Williams, a biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, had never been more awestruck by nature. She made a vow right there to redouble her commitment to preserving the species, and what they meant to her. The monarchs above them would soon travel up through Mexico, over the Rio Grande, generation by generation, visiting the backyards of America. In June, after a four-year deliberation, Williams’s agency will announce whether it will list the monarch as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Some scientists think this is meaningless politics; others think it’s a way to focus the public’s attention on a problem. Regardless, Williams will return to California’s remote Saline Valley around Thanksgiving to look for western monarchs at dawn, keeping an official tally with other counters across the continent. In the ’70s, monarchs in the Saline Valley numbered in the hundreds, and once topped 1,000. In 2017 Williams and other volunteers counted a maximum of 145. Last year they counted 27. There is a boomlet of monarchs in Mexico this year, but what happens if logging there continues? If the Earth keeps warming? Do the monarchs seek higher elevation, beyond the firs, up the mountain — and then, where? For now, on her trip, Williams was surrounded by abundance, by the connection to nature, to something old and enduring. At one point she stopped to photograph a cluster of monarchs along the trail. Dean rummaged through his camera bag, behind her. That morning he had put on a dress shirt, and tucked it


House votes to condemn Trump ban on transgender military service

the incoming chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — indicating that there were no indications that transgender troops had affected morale or readiness. “What this policy is primarily based on is ignorance and bias against the transgender community,” Smith said. “This is unfair discrimination, and it’s also harmful to national security.” The Pentagon said this month that it would begin enforcing the transgender troop ban for new applicants starting April 12. That announcement followed a January Supreme Court ruling backing Trump’s authority to roll back the previous policy. Under the new Pentagon policy, applicants with a history of gender dysphoria would be disqualified unless they have been stable in their biological sex for 36 months and are willing to follow military rules for that gender. People who have already transitioned away from their birth gender would not be eligible for service. Those who are already in the military or under contract to join before April 12 are covered under the Obama administration’s policy, which allowed people who have transitioned to join the military and allowed those already serving to transition as well. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Tex.), the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, dismissed the Democratic measure as a “messaging bill” and said he was concerned that the partisan measure could undermine the traditional bipartisan working relationship on military matters. Another Republican on the committee, Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), said it was unfair that some Americans were being excluded from military service based on conditions such as asthma and bunions while transgender people — who, she said, carried a similar risk of being unable to fight for medical reasons — were allowed to serve. “We should not carve out exceptions for an entire population,” she said. “Military service is a privilege, not a right.” Opponents of the transgender service ban continue to fight it in federal court, but the Trump administration has shown no indication of changing course on the policy — first announced publicly in a July 2017 tweet from the president. “After consultations with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military,” Trump wrote. “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you.” mike.debonis@washpost.com


What’s next for Brexit? On the day Britain was supposed to leave, it will still be debating how.

LONDON — The gods heard Theresa May’s offer to fling herself into the volcano to save Brexit, and shrugged. Naysayers are still denying the British prime minister her exit plan. No one can say what it will take to close this deal — or what will happen to May, who promised to resign, sometime in the future, if the deal is approved. Britain was supposed to be leaving the European Union on Friday. May promised it would happen more than 100 times. That it will not represents one of the great stumbles of any government in postwar Britain. Instead of Brexiteers celebrating independence day, lawmakers will be debating May’s Brexit deal, again. But not her total plan — no, only the 585-page withdrawal agreement. That’s the part of the treaty that spells out, in a legally binding way, how much Britain will pay to leave the European Union ($50 billion), how the two-year transition will preserve the status quo for trade and travel (no change), and how Britain and the European Union will treat each other’s citizens in the interim (nobody gets kicked out of anybody’s country). The withdrawal agreement also includes the controversial “Irish backstop,” an ironclad guarantee to preserve the open, invisible border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland — with trade-offs that have been a stopping point in the past. Parliament will not vote Friday on the second part of the treaty, the political declaration, which sets out the aspirations for the future relationship on trade, security and borders. The hope, from Team May, is that the withdrawal agreement on its own will win over more votes than the overall agreement. In a sign of how Brexit maneuvering doesn’t tend to get very far, earlier the thought had been that the political declaration was needed to sweeten the withdrawal deal. Will this new play work any better? The May government is deeply into its improv stage. The government now lives vote by vote — and Friday it is again playing for time. If Parliament approves a withdrawal agreement by the end of the week, the European Union is expected to extend the Brexit deadline from April 12 to May 22. But Parliament needs to approve both the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration if it wants to avoid crashing out of the European Union without any transition period. Meanwhile, protesters demanding a just-get-on-with-it Brexit have


The one benefit workers want more than anything

Employees have a new favorite perk, and it’s not free craft-brewed beer, student loan repayment benefits or eco-friendly roof gardens at the office. It’s much simpler: More time off. In its 17th annual employee benefits trend survey released this week -- just as Spring Break season hit its peak -- MetLife found that more people are interested in having an unlimited vacation policy than any other "emerging” perk, such as onsite medical clinics, subsidized egg freezing benefits or even paid sabbaticals. The implicit flexibility for taking time off, the survey found, was more appealing to employees of every age group than any other new benefit (with the exception of a phased retirement program to Baby Boomer workers). Yet despite that popularity, many companies are hesitant, said Todd Katz, executive vice president of group benefits at MetLife. While 72 percent of the 2,675 full-time employees who responded to the survey said they’d like to have an unlimited vacation policy, “only about a third of employers are considering offering it.” The reasons may be obvious: Employers could fear that workers will take advantage of the policy and lose control over their schedules. Or they could worry the opposite will happen, and too little guidance on vacation time could deter face time-driven workers from stepping away. But whether they actually offer an “unlimited” policy or provide other ways for giving workers more time off, experts on work-life policies and organizational behavior say today’s always-on work environment makes the benefit that much more important. “I think the value of time away from work has increased exponentially for people because there is no boundary -- or there’s very little boundary,” said Cali Williams Yost, founder of Flex Strategy Group, a workplace consultancy. “The promise of a chunk of time where they can just forget about work is increasing at a rate that organizations are not leveraging.” While employers have been adding family leave or responding to new state requirements for paid sick time, that’s different than making sure people feel that their vacation is protected or that an always-on, all-in approach to work is the only way to get ahead. More and more, people are rebelling against a “hustle culture” world, hoping to unplug in digital detoxes or turn their weekends into vacation since actual vacation time remains tethered to email. “They want a break, and they want it to be that they are off


Which threatened animals would kids save? Our readers weigh in.

by KidsPost and Global Wildlife Conservation. So read on to learn about other threatened animals. (Comments have been lightly edited.) Lachlan Thomas Third grade, McLean, Virginia “I would save vaquitas [a species of porpoise] because there are less than 15 in the world. Vaquitas are important to the food chain. If vaquitas die out it will harm other animals too.” Abigail Diamant Fifth grade, Bethesda, Maryland “I would save chameleons, because they eat all kinds of other pests, like roaches, crickets and flies. Also, when chameleons’ habitats get destroyed, other innocent animals get harmed too.” Fiona McCluskie Sixth grade, Davis, California “I would save a red panda because there are fewer than 10,000 in the wild and new construction is threatening their habitats.” Nicolás Travesí Hernández Seventh grade, Madrid, Spain “My favorite species that I would save is the Iberian lynx. It’s an animal from Spain, my country, and I will save it because it’s a fast and beautiful animal.” Ariel Borer Second grade, Miami Beach, Florida “I would save the Lower Keys marsh rabbit because it’s adorable and only grows up to three pounds. They have lost half their habitat in the last 25 years.” Sydney Martinez Fifth grade, Annandale, Virginia “I would choose to save the snow leopard because they are a key role as top predator, and if they thrive, so will numerous other species.” Glenn Hensley III Fourth grade, Elkton, Maryland “I want to save the Asian elephants because their trunks have more than 40,000 muscles. Their population went from 100,000 to 40,000; soon there will be none left.” Katelyn Kim Third grade, Los Angeles, California “Volcano rabbits should be saved because their habitat is being destroyed by humans. They are so tiny they can get hurt. We should keep them because they are so cute!” Savanna McCliggott Third grade, Clifton, Virginia “I would save the crisp pillow coral because I love sea creatures, and a lot of animals depend on coral to live.” Gabby Wilson Fourth grade, Arlington, Virginia “Black spider monkey: Its habit is threatened, and there is only so many rain forests. So if we save spider monkeys we’d not only save them but we’d save much more.” Hayden Roth Fourth grade, Littleton, Colorado “If I would save an endangered species it would be the pangolin because it’s hunted for its meat and scales. It’s a critically endangered animal and it’s just sad.”


‘A major problem’: As Trump administration seeks cuts in Special Olympics funding, athletes and parents react

It took a little encouraging to get Olivia Johnson to run her first race. She loved watching sports of all kinds but was reluctant, as a third-grader with autism, to try sports herself. Olivia liked water but couldn’t yet swim. Basketball camp was too noisy. So, when race-time came at her school’s first Special Olympics track-and-field event four years ago, she agreed to try — as long as she could carry her coloring book. “Once she starting doing it, she lit up!” Amanda Johnson recalled Wednesday, describing her daughter’s pride crossing the finish line, coloring book in hand, and remembering her own tears just last year when Olivia won her first gold medal. So it was a mix of sadness and anger that consumed Johnson, who lives in Knoxville, Tenn., when she heard about the Trump administration’s plan to cut Special Olympics’ $17.6 million federal appropriation. “It’s the one place where our kids belong, no matter their disability. If somebody falls down, everybody is encouraging them; they’re not laughing,” Johnson said of the Special Olympics program that Olivia, now 12, takes part in at school. “A lot of special education programs are already underfunded. So, to think that our children are being taken from more — that’s a hard thing.” The work of Special Olympics, a nonprofit that for five decades has provided sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, will continue if its federal appropriation is cut. It has long relied on private philanthropy for the bulk of its funding. And that’s where it should turn to compensate for the $17.6 million that would be denied in the 2020 budget, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said this week in defending her third consecutive attempt to cut its appropriation during a congressional subcommittee. According to Shawn Ferguson, Special Olympics vice president for Government Affairs, that would be “a major problem.” “We would pivot and try to do what we could,” Ferguson said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “But in some cases, it would be devastating. It would be a major problem.” Ferguson voiced optimism that the organization, which has history of bipartisan support, could convince lawmakers to restore its funding, as it has done successfully in the past. Meanwhile, many lawmakers on Capitol Hill railed against the proposed cuts. What’s in peril is the federal support for Special Olympics’ Unified Champion Schools program, in which students with


Hogan vetoes $15 minimum wage and two bills he calls ‘politically motivated’

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed a $15 minimum wage Wednesday, setting up an override fight with the Democratic-controlled General Assembly over one of the top priorities of the state’s growing liberal wing. Hogan (R) also vetoed bills allowing school districts to set their own calendars and stripping power to regulate alcohol and tobacco from the state comptroller. All three bills passed by veto-proof majorities, and lawmakers could attempt to overturn the vetoes as soon as Thursday. In rejecting the minimum-wage bill, Hogan argued that a statewide increase to $15 an hour by 2025 would lead to job losses in Maryland’s rural areas, which generally have lower costs of living and higher unemployment than the urban and suburban jurisdictions near Baltimore and the District. The governor has repeatedly said that a $15 wage could ultimately end up hurting the low-earning workers that the bill is designed to help. Hogan criticized Democrats for not acting on his alternative proposal for a smaller wage increase, which he said would allow Maryland to remain competitive with surrounding states. Maryland last voted to increase the statewide minimum wage in 2014, gradually increasing it to the current $10.10 per hour, which took effect in 2018. “In the spirit of compromise, I provided the General Assembly with several reasonable options that would have provided for an increase in the minimum wage but not negatively impact jobs and businesses in Maryland,” Hogan said in his veto message. “Unfortunately, those efforts were completely ignored.” He called the other bills he vetoed “politically motivated.” One would reverse Hogan’s 2016 executive order requiring school to start after Labor Day and end by June 15. While the governor said his order would “let summer be summer” and boost the tourism industry, the Maryland teachers union and other education advocates said it hurts children by curtailing access to school-based benefits and exacerbating summer learning loss. Hogan called the bill on alcohol and tobacco regulation “a solution in search of a problem.” It would take power from the office of Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), an ally of the governor who rankled fellow Democrats with his advocacy for craft brewers, his close ties to Hogan and his attacks on members of his own party. Franchot praised the veto in a statement that accused legislative leaders of using the General Assembly “to carry out political vendettas.” The House and Senate passed different versions of the minimum-wage


Berwyn: Herbs, history and affordable homes in the shadow of U-Md.

for her daughters attending the University of Maryland. “Most of my neighbors are longtime residents — people just don’t leave! My neighbor across the street is 78 and she has lived in Berwyn all her life. Another neighbor grew up in Berwyn and once he got married, they bought a house here. Many other neighbors have lived here for decades,” said Keating-Volke, co-recording secretary of the Berwyn District Civic Association. Berwyn, she said, has “very little crime in this end of College Park, unlike other areas,” an added plus. Monthly block party : “Most of the homes that are built of wood like mine — instead of brick — were prefabs offloaded from the train tracks down the street from here,” said Jeff Cruz, 44, who owns a Sears-catalogue home. Cruz described how the prefabricated units were manufactured off-site in advance, usually in uniform sections, so they could be easily shipped and assembled. As he puffed a cigarette on his front porch, Cruz added that he takes his two sons to his former elementary school, Holy Redeemer on Berwyn Road. Holy Redeemer, a Catholic school ranging from kindergarten through eighth grade, has 250 students. “I just came back from biking to the park with my son,’’ Cruz said. He added that tennis courts, parks and bike trails leading to the nearby man-made Lake Artemesia make the community fun and accessible to explore with friends and family. One of the popular attractions in the community is Fishnet, a restaurant on Berwyn Road known for its fresh selection of fish and seafood dishes. Fishnet “offers a community block party once a month with free food, and many neighbors come out to visit with each other,” Keating-Volke said. Residents said they’re looking forward to the completion of a new discount grocery store along Route 1, Lidl, which is expected to open later this year. The University of Maryland is booming with new buildings and resources on and off campus that are becoming huge draws for the college town. Living there: In the past six months, nine homes have sold in Berwyn, ranging from a two-bedroom, two-bathroom 1,029-square-foot condo for $200,000 to a three-bedroom, two-bathroom 1,170-square-foot house for $350,000, Keating-Volke said. There are three homes for sale, ranging from a three-bedroom, three-bathroom property priced at $310,000 to a five-bedroom, three-bathroom property listing for $415,000. Keating-Volke said the real estate market in Berwyn is very


Theresa May suggests she will resign if her Brexit deal passes, while Parliament fails to pass anything of its own

leadership, in the second phase of the Brexit negotiations, and I won’t stand in the way of that,” May told the lawmakers, according to excerpts released by Downing Street. “I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party,” she said. While May’s offer to step aside encouraged a number of Conservative rebels to say they now will support her twice-defeated Brexit deal, she still may not have enough votes for the deal to pass this divided Parliament. Crashing out of the European Union without a deal as well as a long delay, a general election or a second referendum all remain options as the chaos of Brexit continues. The prime minister’s surprise announcement was seen as key to getting dozens of hardcore Brexiteers, including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, to back her Brexit play. Johnson, May’s former foreign secretary, suggested to colleagues that he will now support May’s Brexit deal, this after months of condemning it as a treaty that would make Britain “a vassal” to Brussels. Rees-Mogg, a Conservative House member who is a power broker in these negotiations, said he would back May’s deal as long as Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionists did. He tweeted that “half a loaf is better than no bread.” He fears losing Brexit entirely. But on Wednesday night, the Democratic Unionist Party said it still could not back May’s Brexit plan, citing a too-great risk that Northern Ireland would be trapped by the arrangements made over how to keep the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland open. Without the DUP, May’s deal faces tough odds. It was unclear whether May’s promise to resign would be honored if lawmakers do not approve her exit deal. Critics were quick to note the vagueness of her vow to step down. “If I were them, I’d want it in blood,” Margaret Beckett, a Labour Party politician, told the BBC. “I’ve lost track of how many times she’s promised she won’t lead them into the next election and suddenly it’s turned out that she might after all.” May was also criticized as focusing on her party and its fractious naysayers. “Theresa May’s pledge to Tory MPs to stand down if they vote for her deal shows once and for all that her chaotic Brexit negotiations have been about party management, not


At just $10, this Cotes du Rhone will excite your palate (and wallet)

Bethesda; Fenwick Beer & Wine in Silver Spring; Mt. Washington Wine Co. in Baltimore; Pour Vino N Hops in Rockville; on the list at La Ferme in Chevy Chase. Available in Virginia at Altura Wine & Gourmet in Alexandria, Arrowine & Cheese and Screwtop Wine Bar & Cheese Shop in Arlington, Barrel Thief Wine Shop & Cafe, Ellwood Thompson’s Natural Market and J. Emerson Fine Wines & Cheese in Richmond, Vienna Vintner in Vienna, Wine Cabinet in Reston; on the list at Atrium Cafe in Arlington, Can Can Brasserie in Richmond, Columbia Firehouse and Two Nineteen in Alexandria, One Eleven Main in Bel Air, Secret Garden Cafe in Occoquan. GREAT VALUE Three Rivers Winery River's Red Wine 2015 Columbia Valley, Wash., $16 The label doesn’t tell us the blend, and the website doesn’t even mention the wine, so we only have what’s in the glass to go on. This attractively priced red from Washington’s Columbia Valley is fruit-forward in the American style, balanced with nice acidity and a silky texture. Enjoy this with anything grilled. ABV: 13.5 percent. Distributed in the District and Maryland by M. Touton Selection: Available in the District at 7-River Mart, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Connecticut Avenue Wine & Liquor, Eye Street Cellars, Harry’s Reserve Fine Wine & Spirits, Rodman’s, Virginia Market. Available in Maryland at Bradley Food & Beverage in Bethesda; Dawson’s Market in Rockville; Downtown Crown Wine and Beer in Gaithersburg; Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store in Hyattsville; House of Liquors in Westminster; the Liquor Barn in Taneytown; Old Farm Liquors in Frederick; Snider’s Super Foods in Silver Spring; Wheaton Winery in Wheaton. Domaine Le Pigeonnier Montlouis sur Loire Sec 2017 Loire Valley, France, $17 Dry chenin blanc from the Loire Valley often tends toward the stony, minerally style, and this is no exception. Right now it’s tart, but that mouth-puckering quality is backed up with loads of stone fruit flavors and an almost chalky texture (in a good way). Buy some now and forget about it for six months or so — it should improve with a little more time in bottle. ABV: 11.5 percent. Imported and distributed by Dionysos: Available in the District at Rodman’s. Available in Maryland at Balducci’s and Bradley Food & Beverage in Bethesda. Available in Virginia at Balducci’s (Alexandria, McLean), Unwined (Alexandria, Belleview), the Wine Outlet in Great Falls; on the list at Brabo in Alexandria.


Sensor cited as potential factor in Boeing crashes draws scrutiny

In 2014, Lufthansa Flight 1829 took off from Bilbao, Spain, and was ascending normally when the plane’s nose unexpectedly dropped. The plane — an Airbus A321 with 109 passengers on board — began to fall. The co-pilot tried to raise the nose with his controls. The plane pointed down even further. He tried again. Nothing, according to a report by German investigators. As the Lufthansa plane fell from 31,000 feet, the captain pulled back on his stick as hard as he could. The nose finally responded. But he struggled to hold the plane level. A call to a ground crew determined the plane’s angle-of-attack sensors — which detect whether the wings have enough lift to keep flying — must have been malfunctioning, causing the Airbus’s anti-stall software to force the plane’s nose down. The pilots turned off the problematic unit and continued the flight. Aviation authorities in Europe and the United States eventually ordered the replacement of angle-of-attack sensors on many Airbus models. Today, aviation experts say that the angle-of-attack sensor on Boeing jets will get fresh scrutiny after two Boeing 737 Max airplanes crashed, in Ethiopia last week and in Indonesia in October. Accident investigators have raised concerns about the role of the sensor — a device used on virtually every commercial flight — in the October crash of Lion Air Flight 610. There are concerns it may have sent the wrong signals to new software on the flight that automatically dips the plane’s nose to prevent a stall. It is not clear whether the angle-of-attack sensor played a role in the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said Sunday that his company is finalizing software updates and pilot training protocols to address problems that have emerged “in response to erroneous sensor inputs.” He did not specify which sensors. Muilenberg’s comments followed a statement by Ethiopia’s transportation secretary earlier Sunday that the plane’s black boxes showed “clear similarities” between the Indonesian and Ethiopian crashes. Aviation authorities worldwide grounded the Boeing 737 Max last week out of concern about the plane’s safety. In interviews late last week, aviation experts said there was no reason for broad alarm about the sensors. But six experts said that the risks posed by a faulty angle-of-attack sensor are amplified by the increasing role of cockpit automation. It is an example of how the same technology that makes aircraft safer


How to protect forests and combat climate change

The March 27 special section “Gone in a generation” brought overdue attention to the serious effects of climate change on forest health, turning some U.S. forests from a carbon sink into a net source of emissions. While the excellent piece focused largely on the problem, we can take immediate action in two ways. First, we need to more actively restore and manage our forests to help them adjust to rapid climate change, through actions such as thinning fire-prone areas. We can turn this into economic opportunity and additional climate change benefit by using woody byproducts for bioenergy and innovative applications such as cross-laminated timber. Second, we need to more rapidly replant forests as they are increasingly lost to drought, pests, disease and fire. This reforestation must use climate science to ensure that the species replanted are resilient to future conditions. The first step is awareness; the second step is action. Jad Daley The writer is president and chief executive of American Forests.


Parliament again rejects Theresa May’s Brexit deal, on the day Britain was supposed to ‘take back control’

fresh approach to Brexit, along with a willingness to hold elections for European Parliament to buy Britain some time. If not, they will brace themselves for a disorderly British departure just two days after they meet. The defeat sparked immediate concern across Europe. “Very discouraging. UK must now show a way to avoid a #NoDeal,” wrote Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen on Twitter. “Almost out of options and time. We will intensify our no deal preparations.” European diplomats watched the British proceedings with increasing alarm — yes, apparently it was still possible for them to get more worried — and were hashing out the day-after scenarios for a disorderly Brexit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who fears Ireland has not done enough to get ready to defend its border with Northern Ireland against smuggling, plans to visit Dublin next week to press leaders there. E.U. ambassadors, meanwhile, gathered Thursday to sort out their conditions for talks with Britain if it crashes out without a divorce deal. Britain would have to commit to paying its E.U. bills of at least $51 billion. It would need to find a way to keep the Irish border open — potentially by keeping Northern Ireland within the E.U. customs zone, exactly what Brexiteers loathe. And it would have to extend rights to E.U. citizens living in Britain, according to a diplomat familiar with the talks who spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose confidential discussions. If British lawmakers decide they want a closer relationship with the European Union than they have already negotiated, E.U. diplomats say there is flexibility and willingness to keep talking. But Britain would have to organize European elections in May so that it remains an E.U. member in good standing. In Brussels, the top British E.U. official, European Commissioner Julian King, was spotted walking through a park “somewhat aimless and forlornly,” according to Sam Morgan, the journalist with the Euractiv publication who spotted him. “Short break!” King replied on Twitter, and said he was otherwise busy working as normal on what would have been his last day if Britain had departed as scheduled. On social media, the search term trending was “Kafka Brexit,” in a nod to the never-ending bureaucratic nightmares of Franz Kafka’s fictional world. Also popular: A Banksy painting portraying the members of Parliament as chimps, on display at the Bristol Museum. Jon Tonge, a professor of politics


Panda watch: National Zoo’s Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated overnight

does: getting restless, vocalizing, playing in water, wandering her yard and marking her scent. As a female panda is about to reach peak estrus, experts said, these behaviors increase in frequency. Her keepers noticed, as did the zoo’s adult male panda, Tian Tian. He “vocalized to her and constantly tried to keep her in his sight for the past week,” according to a statement from the zoo. Over the past few days, he spent most of his days at the “howdy window” that separates their two yards. But Mei Xiang played hard to get and didn’t “respond positively” to his courting. “Every giant panda breeding season is slightly different, but Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have been displaying very clear and strong behaviors this year,” said Steven Monfort, the zoo’s director. He said the pair made it “extremely obvious to us that they were preparing for breeding.” Mei Xiang was inseminated using semen from Tian Tian. Now it’s time, as Monfort said, “to wait and see.” The zoo’s panda team said they won’t know for several months whether the insemination worked. The anticipation could lead to disappointment: Over the past two years, Mei Xiang has experienced false pregnancies. Ultrasounds will track Mei Xiang over the next three to six months. A female panda may act as if she’s pregnant: nesting, eating less and not liking noise. So experts said they won’t know for sure whether she’s pregnant until they see a developing fetus on an ultrasound. But even this isn’t easy: Giant pandas are only about the size of a stick of butter at birth. Mei Xiang will be 21 this summer and is getting close, experts said, to the end of her reproductive life cycle, though they’ve said it is still possible for her to get pregnant. She has given birth to three surviving cubs: Tai Shan, Bao Bao and Bei Bei. Two of her panda cubs — Tai Shan, who was born in 2005, and Bao Bao, who was born in 2013, went to China last year. Bei Bei, who was born in August 2015, is set to move to China by the time he turns 4. China, home to giant pandas, leases the animals to zoos around the globe. Giant pandas are listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Experts said there are about 500 in captivity and about 1,800 in the wild.


Where to eat and drink near Capital One Arena

Fans heading to a game or concert at the Capital One Arena have dozens of options for eating and drinking in the area. Whether you’re feeling peckish before or looking for a place to celebrate afterward, here are a few of our favorite spots. For dinner Bantam King Chinatown Express Hill Country Jaleo Little Sesame: The Post’s Tim Carman says this Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant has the best hummus in Washington. Judge for yourself with one of the creative bowls, starring roasted cauliflower or a seven-minute egg and served with warm pita, or sample the irresistible chicken shawarma sandwich. 736 Sixth St. NW. Shake Shack: Danny Meyer’s burger chain is a popular draw for tourists and locals alike, who wait in line to order double ShackBurgers — a thing of beauty topped with American cheese, lettuce and tomato — with crinkle-cut fries and a chocolate or caramel shake. Shake Shack now has seven locations in Washington, but that only seems to have increased demand. 800 F St. NW. Taco Bamba: The first D.C. branch of chef Victor Albisu’s local taqueria chain is a lively spot, thanks in part to the hard-rocking soundtrack. While the menu includes traditional chicharrone and carnitas tacos, the best offerings are the most creative: The Sid Vicious is a fish taco with the malty tang of English fish and chips, and the Drunken Master nods to Chinatown with spicy kung pao shrimp. Happy hour, which runs from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, brings $6 margaritas and $4 beers. 777 I St. NW. Wiseguy Pizza For happy hour City Tap House District Chop House Free State Iron Horse Tap Room Penn Social For cocktails and wine Crimson Whiskey Bar and Crimson View Daikaya Denson Liquor Bar: An unassuming flight of stairs on Sixth Street leads down to this opulent cocktail den, inspired by Roaring ’20s New York. Notice the large, round booths, the ornate tiling, and the gold leaf on the wall. Then turn your attention to the sizable menu, which begins with a shortlist of inventive cocktails and offers pages of whiskeys, tequilas and gins that can be served neat or in mixed drinks. 600 F St. NW. Flight Succotash This article was originally published on Nov. 1, 2017. This version has been updated.


Trump issued an executive order to prepare for an EMP attack. What is it, and should you worry?

brazen aggression would prompt an overwhelming — and most likely nuclear — American response. Such deterrence makes it unlikely a nuclear EMP attack would happen in the first place. Nor is it likely that an EMP could be used to prevent U.S. retaliation, as our nuclear infrastructure is already designed to withstand such an attack. And nuclear-armed submarines deployed across the world would not be affected by an EMP directed against the continental United States. Thus, the prospect of nuclear retaliation will almost certainly deter rival governments. Technical challenges make an EMP attack harder still. It isn’t clear that an EMP would have the devastating effects that some predict. Public data are scarce, but Nobel Prize-winning physicist Jack Steinberger says their destructive capacity is overstated. EMPs’ effects depend on many factors, like the altitude of detonation, the yield of the warhead and the strength of Earth’s magnetic field. This all makes it hard to predict how much damage an EMP will cause, reducing its strategic value for governments that have only one chance to inflict damage before being destroyed by the response. Nor is it likely that terrorist groups could conduct a large-scale EMP attack against the United States. Doing so would require acquiring both a powerful nuclear warhead and a sophisticated ballistic missile able to detonate at high altitude. Governments have many reasons not to give nuclear weapons to terrorists. And if by some small chance terrorists managed to acquire such technology, would they really risk it on a relatively untested concept? A more likely terrorist attack scenario is via a high-power microwave (HPM) device, as this kind of weapon is relatively simple and cheap to build — the kind that’s been suspected of causing the mysterious illnesses that have struck the U.S. diplomatic staff in Havana. However, such a weapon would probably affect electronic devices within only a one-mile range and thus does not pose the strategic threat that a nuclear EMP might. What should we be worried about? The sun. While solar GMDs occur rarely, they can indeed interrupt power for an entire city — as happened in Quebec for nearly nine hours in 1989. That has the same kind of disruptive potential as a nuclear EMP. How would a natural GMD blast be different from other large-scale natural disasters like a hurricane? Time. Electromagnetic incidents occur within seconds or even milliseconds over large areas of the


Britain has been shaping the world for centuries. That won’t change with Brexit.

in answering to a Parliament that is impossible to suborn. In some countries, disputes of this kind might spill violently into the streets. In Britain, our national debate on Brexit has been contained within our democratic institutions. We have been through worse — the repeal of the Corn Laws, for instance, poisoned British politics for a generation after 1846. We have also shown resilience in the most supreme of tests — maintaining parliamentary democracy and removing a respected prime minister even as the country fought for its life during World War II. Having survived such tests, British institutions will overcome this one, too. Look beneath the surface and Britain’s international position remains unchanged. The United Kingdom is a small archipelago, with rather less than 1 percent is of the world’s population. Alongside the United States, we have done more to shape the world we live in than any other country and remain in the global top five of most important leagues. We have the fifth-largest economy in the world, the No. 1 financial center in our hemisphere and the second-largest military budget in NATO. We reliably supply three of the world’s top 10 universities in surveys and are often ranked at or near the top for “soft power.” When it comes to innovation, we are fourth in the global league, according to an annual index compiled by organizations including Cornell University and the World Intellectual Property Organization. And we continue to rank the highest or near it for business-friendliness. Don’t forget that Britain also possesses a nuclear deterrent, globally deployable armed forces and two new aircraft carriers. We like to believe we are the most capable ally that the United States has. We’ve been with the United States in Afghanistan from the beginning in 2001; our servicemen and women have helped you to take apart the Islamic State in the Middle East. And we do more for European security than any of our neighbors. Right now, British soldiers make up the single largest contingent of NATO’s deployment in Poland and the Baltic states. It might seem odd that we are protecting these European Union members in the middle of Brexit negotiations. In truth, it’s entirely logical. Britain is leaving the structures of the E.U., which we joined as recently as 1973, as that organization moves from economic cooperation to political union. But our unconditional commitment to the security of our


Trump administration authorized nuclear energy companies to share technological information with Saudi Arabia

The Trump administration has kept secret seven authorizations it has issued since November 2017 allowing U.S. nuclear energy companies to share sensitive technological information with Saudi Arabia, even though the kingdom has not yet agreed to anti-proliferation terms required to construct a pair of U.S.-designed civilian nuclear power plants. The Energy Department and State Department have not only kept the authorizations from the public but also refused to share information about them with congressional committees that have jurisdiction over nuclear proliferation and safety. The authorizations, issued to at least six companies, cover “Part 810” information, named for a regulatory clause that allows U.S. companies to divulge some design information to compete for contracts with foreign buyers. The regulations for Part 810 technology-sharing provide a list of “generally authorized destinations.” Saudi Arabia is not on the list. Saudi Arabia has said it wants to build two nuclear power plants, and companies from Russia, China, South Korea, France and the United States have expressed interest in obtaining the contracts. If a U.S. consortium is to build a reactor in Saudi Arabia In a “60 Minutes” interview last year, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible.” In a December email obtained by The Washington Post, an Energy Department official conceded that “general practice is to place signed authorizations in the Department’s [Freedom of Information Act] Public Reading Room.” However, in justifying the handling of Part 810 information, the Energy Department has cited the companies’ requests to protect proprietary information. The Daily Beast first wrote about the 810 authorizations. “These U.S. companies that are going to be doing this work want to keep that proprietary information from being out in the public domain,” Energy Secretary Rick Perry testified Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee. “I totally understand that.” Members of Congress are upset about the administration’s stance and are trying to learn whether the United States has been sharing information with Saudi Arabia even after the October killing in Istanbul of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen and U.S. resident. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) questioned Perry about whether any Part 810 licenses for Saudi Arabia were issued after the killing of Khashoggi. Perry said he did not know. “I’ll get back


Maryland should study the climate effects of highway expansion before committing to it

Parris N. Glendening is president of the Smart Growth America’s Leadership Institute. Maryland needs a new vision for transportation, one that focuses on moving people vs. cars as swiftly as possible while protecting our health, environment and planet. The first step toward this vision is to recognize that the current process does not work. Now, no Maryland or federal law requires an analysis of greenhouse emissions associated with major transportation projects. Though the Obama administration had issued guidance for agencies to consider greenhouse gas emissions and impacts of climate change in National Environmental Policy Act reviews, the Trump administration promptly scrapped this with an executive order in 2017. Transportation is the largest source of climate-disrupting carbon pollution in Maryland. More than 8 in 10 Marylanders now live in counties that do not meet federal clean-air standards for ozone, in large part because of tailpipe emissions from gas and diesel-powered vehicles. If we continue on our this trajectory, the state will be 1 million passenger cars worth of pollution above our state’s climate goal of reducing greenhouse gas pollution 40 percent by 2030. Using a 1960s approach to solving our state’s congestion issues — investing in more highway infrastructure — is only going to exacerbate the problem by encouraging more people to drive, resulting in more toxic air pollution, more cancers and respiratory illnesses and more damage to our environment while only temporarily addressing congestion. Roughly three in four voters support moving in a different direction. Our state needs innovative, environmentally sustainable ways to solve transportation problems and prevent them from becoming worse, not band-aids to cover up the systemic, car-centric problem underneath. We need a regional transportation system that is multi-modal and invests in more public transportation and complete streets with safe pathways for walking and biking. More buses need dedicated lanes to get more people to their destinations faster, which would encourage more riders and increase fare receipts. We need state, city and county transit systems to interconnect, coordinate schedules and provide system-wide ticketing to provide greater efficiencies and generate savings that could be invested in new transit. Doing this would attract more riders because they would get where they want to go faster and at less cost. We need more investment in smart growth, including transit-oriented development, with state grants available to accelerate environmentally sustainable development and revitalization. All this is possible today if the state would take


Pressure on Saudi Arabia might finally be starting to work. Keep it up.

short of the accountability necessary to ensure that the runaway abuses by the crown prince and his thugs will cease. Aziza al-Yousef and Eman al-Nafjan After the women were arrested, most were held incommunicado for months in secret prisons and, according to testimony they delivered in court, brutally tortured. Ms. Hathloul’s family has said she and others were subjected to beatings, electric shocks, waterboarding and sexual harassment. One of the women reportedly was so traumatized that she attempted suicide. Meanwhile, government media and senior officials, including Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, slandered them as “traitors” who had accepted money from foreign governments to commit espionage. When the closed trial of the women finally began this month, the charges turned out to be far weaker. According to human rights groups and other sources, Ms. Hathloul is accused of such offenses as communicating with human rights groups, journalists and Western diplomats about women’s rights issues and applying for a young professionals program at the United Nations. That retreat from the libels of the crown prince and Mr. Jubeir probably reflects a recognition that the persecution of the women, which has been denounced by the United Nations, numerous Western governments and a U.S. Senate resolution, is unsustainable. Simple justice demands that all of the women be released and the charges against them dropped. But that would not address the larger institutional problem, which is the crown prince’s command of special security forces that have committed multiple crimes, including the murder and dismemberment of journalist and Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. The reported architect of the Khashoggi operation, Saud al-Qahtani, is also alleged to have overseen the torture of Ms. Hathloul, whom he reportedly threatened with rape and murder. Yet this close aide to Mohammed bin Salman has not been held accountable. He is not among those on trial in Riyadh for the Khashoggi murder, and the government is stonewalling the women’s accounts of torture. Ending the abuses perpetrated by Mohammed bin Salman is particularly difficult because of the kid-glove treatment he has received from the Trump administration, which has had virtually nothing to say about the persecution of the women. But the pressure from Congress and European governments finally appears to be having some effect. It’s vital that it be maintained until those Saudis responsible for torture and murder are held accountable — and the structures that enabled it are dismantled.


D.C. police investigating fatal shooing of man in apartment building in Northeast

THE DISTRICT Man dies after being shot in Northeast Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man found early Saturday morning in the hallway of an apartment building in Northeast Washington. Police identified the victim as Anthony Williams, 54. At 6:08 a.m., police were called to an apartment building in the 300 block of 62nd Street NE. Police said Williams had gunshot wounds and was unconscious when found. Police said anyone with information should call 202-727-9099. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. — Keith L. Alexander Man charged in fatal shooting in courtyard D.C. police on Thursday arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting two weeks ago of a man who was attacked in an apartment complex courtyard in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. Deontay Britton, 25, of Northwest Washington was charged with first-degree murder while armed. The shooting occurred about 6:20 p.m. on March 14 in the 1300 block of Columbia Road NW near a playground and the parking lot of the Columbia Heights Village apartments. The victim was identified as Dawud Debruhl, 25, of Northwest. An arrest affidavit filed in court Friday says Britton admitted to shooting Debruhl in the back but told authorities that Debruhl had reached into his waistband as though he had a gun. The affidavit does not say whether the victim had a gun. According to the affidavit, Britton said the shooting was the result of a dispute between people who live at the Columbia Heights Village apartments and others who live near Belmont Street. — Peter Hermann MARYLAND Fairmount Heights death is investigated Authorities in the small town of Fairmount Heights in Prince George’s County are investigating the fatal shooting of a transgender woman Saturday morning. Fairmount Heights Police Chief Stephen R. Watkins said authorities were called to Aspen and Jost Streets about 6:23 a.m. They discovered the body of the woman who had been shot multiple times. Watkins said the identify of the victim, who was in her 20s, has not been released pending notification of her family. The homicide, Watkins said, was the town’s first in the five years since he was named chief of police. — Keith L. Alexander


Did you think Betsy DeVos’s terrible, horrible, very bad, no-good week would drive her to quit as education secretary? Guess again.

If you were hoping Betsy DeVos’s terrible, horrible, very bad, no-good week would drive her to quit as U.S. education secretary, this is going to disappoint you. No, she did not resign in a huff of indignation after being publicly pilloried over her defense of the Trump administration’s plan to end federal funding for Special Olympics. Nor did she quit after she found herself being reversed by her boss, President Trump, who decided to throw the funding back into his proposed 2020 budget after she spent three days trying to justify eliminating it. In fact, she appeared Friday before a friendly audience at the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington and said with a big smile that she still likes her job. Onstage, DeVos talked about education with Jay Nordlinger, a senior editor of the National Review: NORDLINGER DEVOS Let’s be clear: People who like their job “most days” don’t usually quit because of a few bad ones — especially those, like DeVos, who find themselves in a position of power to influence government policy and regulations around beliefs fervently held for decades. Besides, it’s not the first time this has happened to DeVos, and she weathered the previous storms. During her 2017 confirmation hearing, she was asked whether she thought guns belonged in schools and referred to one Wyoming school and said, “I would imagine that there is probably a gun in the schools to protect from potential grizzlies.” And she did not seem to understand that states could not choose whether to comply with the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Her confirmation by the Senate was the first in U.S. history to require a vice president to break a tie. She has been living with opprobrium for a while now. In 2018, she testified before Congress and was blasted for, among other things, being unable to explain the mission of the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights. DeVos’s troubles this week began in earnest Tuesday when she testified before a U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee to defend her proposed 2020 department budget. It included cuts to some special education programs and elimination of federal funding for Special Olympics. The proposed cut to Special Olympics, which gives people with intellectual and physical disabilities the chance to compete in athletics on a world stage, struck a nerve with lawmakers. “I still can’t understand why you would go after disabled


Disorder reported after ‘March Madness’ event near Baltimore

Businesses were reportedly damaged, and fights broke out after disorderly youths left a mall in suburban Baltimore Friday night, prompting officers to make arrests and deploy pepper spray, the Baltimore County police said. The police said “at least 300” youths left the Eastpoint Mall, and walked into the parking lot. Calls were received by the county police about “several fights” and about businesses being damaged, authorities said. They said the pepper spray was used “to gain control of the crowd.” One robbery was reported, the police said. They said the victim told police that her cellphone was taken. They said they worked with the Maryland Transit Administration “to get buses” to carry the youths out of the area. In an early report, the police said they were dealing with “a large group of disorderly juveniles” in the parking lot. Police in the area of the mall said they encountered problems that “required response” from elsewhere in the county, along with state police. Several postings on the Instahu social media site advertised a Friday night “all high school” March Madness party at the Eastpoint Mall event center. One posting on the site read “why come to the party to fight that’s crazy I’m sick of it.” According to the posting, the party was shut down before the advertised midnight closing time. It also said “I know it’s not all of you guys.” The mall is in the eastern part of Baltimore County, about half a dozen miles east of downtown Baltimore. Martin.Weil@washpost.com


Financial news in brief: 2 new probes opened in Hyundai, Kia fires

fires involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles after getting complaints of more than 3,100 fires and 103 injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday that it granted a petition filed in June seeking the investigations by the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group. The probes, one for Hyundai and the other for Kia, cover noncrash fires in almost 3 million vehicles from the affiliated Korean automakers. The probes cover the 2011 through 2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe, the 2011 through 2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and the 2010 through 2015 Kia Soul. The complaints came from consumers and from data provided by both automakers. One death was reported involving a Kia vehicle, according to the documents. NHTSA had earlier said it would incorporate the noncrash fires into a 2017 investigation that examined recalls of Hyundai and Kia vehicles for engine failures. Hyundai and Kia said in statements that they’re cooperating with the investigations and have been open and transparent with NHTSA, providing comprehensive data. Messages were left seeking comment from NHTSA. — Associated Press ECONOMY U.S. retail sales down in February U.S. retail sales fell in February, as consumers pulled back their spending on building materials, groceries, furniture, electronics and clothing amid signs of a slowing economy. The Commerce Department said Monday that retail sales fell 0.2 percent in February, after posting an upwardly revised gain of 0.7 percent in January. Sales at building-materials stores plunged 4.4 percent in February. Electronics retailers and grocers posted declines of more than 1 percent. Department stores, clothiers and furniture shops also had a setback in sales. Still, auto sales rebounded slightly in February after a sharp drop in January. And non-store retailers, a category that includes online shopping, gained 0.9 percent in February and 10 percent in the past year. — Associated Press FOOD INDUSTRY Kellogg to sell brands to Nutella maker Kellogg agreed to sell its cookies and fruit snack brands, including Keebler and Famous Amos, to Ferrero for $1.3 billion. The businesses generated sales of about $900 million in 2018, the companies said Monday. The all-cash transaction is expected to close by the end of July. Ferrero, Italian maker of Nutella, will acquire six food-manufacturing facilities in the United States, plus a leased facility in Baltimore. — Bloomberg News Also in Business The A gauge of — From news services Coming today 8:30 a.m.: All day:


It’s been six months since Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, and Trump has done nothing

Fred Ryan is publisher and chief executive of The Post. He served as assistant to President Ronald Reagan. Six months ago today, a man on the brink of his greatest happiness walked into Saudi Arabia’s Consulate in Istanbul while his wife-to-be watched from the gate. He went there at the direction of Saudi officials to retrieve documents needed for his upcoming marriage. But it was a carefully set trap. Lying in wait were more than a dozen trained Saudi agents, who murdered him and then brutally dismembered his body. Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi did nothing to deserve this gruesome fate. He was attacked on orders of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, simply for doing a journalist’s job: telling the truth. Now, half a year after this heinous act shocked the world, it is worth taking stock of what has been done in response — and what has not. The Saudis have adopted a strategy of evasion. They still have not produced Khashoggi’s body, preventing his family from holding a proper Islamic funeral. The regime has scapegoated expendable officials, seeking to quell international furor by staging a sham trial. The coordinator of the operation that killed Khashoggi, Saud al-Qahtani, remains free — and is actively advising the crown prince. Meanwhile, Mohammed bin Salman has jetted around the world, high-fiving Russian President Vladimir Putin, getting chummy with China, and rubbing elbows with other world leaders as part of a global tour to rehabilitate his reputation. The international community, to its credit, has taken a principled stand for press freedom and human rights. Last month, 36 countries, including all 28 European Union members, banded together at the U.N. Human Rights Council to “condemn in the strongest possible terms” Khashoggi’s murder and to call on the Saudis to cooperate with an ongoing U.N. inquiry. A number of Western democracies have suspended political visits to Saudi Arabia, curtailed arms sales and withheld other gestures of support for the regime. And what about the United States, long the standard-bearer for liberty around the world? The dedicated professionals in our intelligence services have done their jobs. They investigated swiftly and thoroughly, concluding — with high confidence — that the crown prince was indeed behind Khashoggi’s killing. Congress is doing its job, too. On a bipartisan basis, it voted to withhold support for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, investigated the U.S. response to the murder,