Amnesty International accuses U.S., NATO of human rights abuses in Afghanistan

Hajji Sharfddin, 67,holds photographs of relatives, who went missing in Nov. 2012, during U.S. military operations in Gardez province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan. (Rahmat Gul/AP) KABUL — The report focused on 10 cases of attacks between 2009 and 2013 in which it said 140 Afghan civilians were killed. It said two of the attacks — a U.S. Special Forces raid on a house in Paktia province and related incidents of kidnappings, torture and killings in Wardak province — involved “compelling evidence of war crimes.” The report was made public at a sensitive time as U.S. and other Western forces continue to withdraw from Afghanistan. A U.S.-Afghan security agreement, which will define the role and rights of residual U.S. forces who remain in Afghanistan after the pullout, has been delayed by problems with Afghanistan’s presidential election. The agreement must be signed by whoever becomes president. The U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force in Kabul said in a statement Tuesday that it remains “committed to protecting the Afghan people” and has worked with Afghan forces to reduce casualties and minimize civilian risk while conducting operations. It said there has been a “significant reduction in ISAF-related civilian casualties,” which have decreased by 77 percent in the past year. ISAF said it also “thoroughly investigates all credible reports” of such casualties when possible. Visiting officials from Amnesty said they had met with NATO military officials in Kabul in the past two days. Sidiqullah holds a photograph of his brother, who went missing in Nov. 2012, during U.S. military operations in Wardak province. (Rahmat Gul/AP) The report criticized the U.S. military justice system, saying it had failed to hold American troops in Afghanistan accountable for abuses. It called on the future Afghan government to ensure that accountability for unlawful civilian killings is “guaranteed” in any future security agreements signed with the United States. In brief interviews Monday, several survivors and witnesses described some of the alleged coalition attacks investigated by Amnesty researchers. Nader Shah, 37, a farmer in Nangahar province, said five of his relatives had been shooting birds with shotguns one night last fall when they were attacked by U.S. helicopters in their village. He said there had been no Taliban activity in the area. “We were told that the Americans had technology that could tell who had dangerous weapons or not, but they killed my cousins and my other relatives just for shooting birds,”


National digest: Obama approves federal disaster aid for Washington state

Tuesday, the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center said. In northern California, firefighters were continuing to battle dozens of blazes. — Reuters ENVIRONMENT Federal protection denied for wolverines U.S. wildlife managers on Tuesday denied federal protections for rare wolverines, outraging conservationists but pleasing Western states that opposed adding the reclusive but feisty member of the weasel family to the endangered and threatened-species list. Last year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed applying Endangered Species Act safeguards for the estimated 300 wolverines left in the Lower 48 states, most of which inhabit the high country of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. The service had said global warming was reducing mountain snows the animals use to dig dens and store food. But on Tuesday federal wildlife managers said there was “insufficient evidence” that climate change would harm wolverines. — Reuters nATIONAL SECURITY Evaluation ordered for Guantanamo inmate A federal judge ordered the military Tuesday to allow an independent medical evaluation for a hunger-striking Guantanamo prisoner whose lawyers say is in sharply declining health as a result of his protest at the U.S. base in Cuba. U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler directed the government to allow Syrian prisoner Abu Wa’el Dhiab to be examined by experts chosen by his lawyers as soon as possible. Dhiab has been approved for resettlement in Uruguay and could be out of Guantanamo Bay before the Sept. 15 deadline set by the judge for the expert reports. The 43-year-old prisoner has been held without charge at Guantanamo since August 2002. He has been on a long-term hunger strike to protest his confinement and the delay in getting final approval from the U.S. government for his resettlement. — Associated Press CONNECTICUT U-Conn. bans 3 more Greek organizations The University of Connecticut announced Tuesday that it had banned three more Greek organizations for hazing, saying students were forced to eat pet food, bob for mini-bottles of alcohol from toilets and be partly or fully nude. The university said it informed fraternity Sigma Chi and sororities Delta Gamma and Delta Zeta that they will lose their chapter registrations, recognition and on-campus housing. Earlier this year, UConn banned the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma over hazing allegations. Sigma Chi was banned for three years, Delta Zeta for two years and Delta Gamma for one. — Associated Press 4 people, dog found stabbed to death in California: — From news services


Dealing with furry, unwelcome visitors in your garden

all summer long, and all winter, too, if they find a good place to feast and hide. Hiding is essential. A host of larger creatures find them tasty snacks, both the hawks and owls that hunt from the air, and ground-stalkers such as foxes and snakes. Keeping grassy areas around garden beds closely mowed helps expose voles to predators and keep their population in check. But if you spot numerous shallow runways in the garden, notice vole damage to crops, or glimpse the scurrying rodents themselves, it’s best to take precautionary measures. We’ve found trapping to be the best solution. Ordinary mousetraps placed perpendicular to the runways are effective, but unfortunately they catch ground-feeding songbirds as well. Our most successful strategy has been to place unbaited traps where they will not only interrupt a vole’s mad dash to safety but also provide what looks to them like a safe haven. We’ve used plastic boxes designed as bait stations for rats but have also had great success with a homemade version. It’s a simple wooden box, screwed together, with a bottom and a removable lid. Using a jigsaw, we cut little mouse-sized openings in two opposite sides of the box (They look just like the ones in the Tom and Jerry cartoons), then set our mousetraps just inside these entrances, where a vole in a hurry to escape a hawk’s eye can’t help but land. (Birds do not enter.) The lid is easily lifted off to look for, and remove, both voles and the occasional mouse. An upright stick attached to one corner helps us to find the box amid tall garden greenery. You can even tie a flag to the stick if it’s still hard to see. The trap we use is an easy-to-set one called the Better Mousetrap from www.intruderinc.com. We’re looking forward to crisp little heads of Belgian endive this winter, grown outdoors, then forced in a dark cellar for a winter treat. Unless someone else gets to them first. Tip of the week: Tired hedges and ragged, overgrown shrubs are best replaced in early fall, so plan now for clearing beds and choosing fresh plant material. Take the time to do your homework, matching future plantings to soil and light conditions and, not least, available space. Sometimes the right decision is not to replace one woody plant with another, but to use perennials instead. — Adrian Higgins


Montgomery County Animal Watch

This case was received recently by the Montgomery County Animal Services Division. For information, call 240-773-5900. This number provides recorded information on topics, such as the new animal services and adoption center’s hours and location in Derwood, adoption and licensing procedures, and lost-and-found and field services. Unfriendly stray kitten Rabies clinic: PAWS to Read family event: Children ages 5 to 9 accompanied by an adult are invited to read to Natty, Reco and Kirby, therapy animals from Pets on Wheels. 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aspen Hill Library, 4407 Aspen Hill Rd., Rockville. Free. 240-773-9410 or www.petsonwheels.org. Reduced fees for cat adoption: Germantown Adoptable cats at no-kill shelter: Gaithersburg Adopt or foster rescue dogs Rockville — Compiled by Lisa M. Bolton


Rare panda triplets are born in China

China announced Tuesday the birth of extremely rare giant panda triplets. The cubs were born July 29 at the Chimelong safari park in the city of Guangzhou (pronounced gwang-zjoh), but breeders delayed an announcement until it appeared that all three would survive, the China News Service said. The cubs and their mother, Ju Xiao (joo shee-ow), are healthy, the news agency said. Ju Xiao got round-the-clock care for the final weeks of her pregnancy, according to the report. The triplets were born in a span of four hours and now weigh eight to 12 ounces each. The park said the cubs are the only surviving panda triplets in the world. About 1,600 giant pandas live in the wild, where they are critically endangered due to loss of habitat and low birthrates. More than 300 live in captivity, mostly in China’s breeding programs. Triplet panda cubs rest in an incubator two weeks after they were born in China. (AP) China lends pandas to zoos in other countries, such as the National Zoo in Washington, where Mei Xiang (may shee-ong), Tian Tian and baby Bao Bao make their home. — Wire reports


Azerbaijan prosecutes a prominent human rights defenderon absurd charges.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev (R) pose before their meeting with Armenia President Serzh Sergsyan in Sochi on August 10, 2014. (Alexey Druzhinin/AFP/Getty Images) WHEN AN autocrat who is intolerant of dissent begins to see spies and traitors around, it is a good time to be alert. Now is such a moment in Azerbaijan, the oil-rich but liberty-starved former Soviet republic in Central Asia. The regime of President Ilham Aliyev has imprisoned one of the country’s most outspoken advocates for human rights, Leyla Yunus, and her husband, Arif, a historian. The charges: treason, fraud, tax evasion and illegal business activities. Ms. Yunus is director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy in Baku, a human rights organization, and, in addition to her work defending political prisoners, she has been at the forefront of attempts to bridge the country’s long hostility with Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. She organized exchanges and confidence-building efforts between Azeri and Armenian intellectuals, and this apparently provided the pretext for the absurd charge of espionage. The government had refused to officially register her institute, making it more vulnerable to the kind of arbitrary and capricious prosecution that is underway. Ms. Yunus and her husband were blocked at the Baku airport on April 28 and prevented from leaving the country. Their passports were confiscated. They were repeatedly interrogated but defiantly refused to cooperate until their passports are returned along with their freedom. On July 30, Ms. Yunus was detained on her way to a conference. Her husband was also charged and put under house arrest. But he, too, was jailed on Aug. 5 when on the way to deliver a food parcel to her in prison. For years, Ms. Yunus has spoken out loudly about human rights abuses in Azerbaijan. The response of the country’s strongman ruler, Mr. Aliyev, has been to emulate President Vladimir Putin of Russia, gradually turning the screws on critics through arrests and repressive legislation that narrowed the space for civil society to survive. Another human rights activist, Rasul Jafarov, was also arrested recently, and dozens of others have been detained for political reasons in recent months. Mr. Aliyev may think he is being clever by silencing critics while a crisis in Ukraine has distracted world attention. But that’s what is different from Soviet times. It is no longer possible to hide such uncivilized behavior. The arrests have


Birds, bees and bureaucracy: A federal workers union has a new version of The Talk

and hard before suggesting a federal career for my children. Political persecution, pay freezes, shutdowns, low pay, and reliance on dicey pension promises. . .” Well, “ask not what your country can do for you,” okay? A little help in Washington A Russian natural gas company enlisted the help of a District-based lobbying firm in dealing with the U.S. government days before the Obama administration hit it with those pesky sanctions. In a lobbying disclosure filing dated July 10, Qorvis MSL LLC reported it had a new client: OAO Novatek, a major gas producer in Russia. On July 17, that company was added to the administration’s sanctions list. The National Journal reported the new business relationship Wednesday. The disclosure form specifies that the firm will lobby on the sanctions as well as the Russian Aggression Prevention Act of 2014, a wide-ranging, Republican-sponsored Senate bill that directs harsher sanctions and more U.S. intervention in eastern Ukraine. When Novatek was added to the sanctions list, the company issued a statement that it “is a privately listed company not conducting any business activities in Ukraine, nor does it have any impact on the political and economic processes taking place on its territory. . . . Including the Company into the List is not justified.” The lobbying form lists Loretta Prencipe and Ayal Frank as the assigned lobbyists. According to their bios on Qorvis’s Web site, Prencipe had worked for the Energy Department in communications and Frank worked on the Hill for Rep. James Maloney (D-Conn.), helping with Armed Services Committee issues. The Center for Public Integrity notes that a “major shareholder” of the Novatek gas company is buddies with none other than Russian President Vladimir Putin. The shareholder is Gennady Timchenko , whose long association with Putin goes back to their days as sparring partners in St. Petersburg’s Yawara-Neva judo club, according to Reuters. The State Department has termed Timchenko a member of Putin’s “inner circle.” According to Forbes magazine, Timchenko is worth $14.5 billion. Qorvis’s other clients include Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia and the Kurdistan regional government in Iraq. The spending just yo-yo’ed In early 2011, the Justice Department directed agencies to scale back spending to only “mission-essential programs, projects and activities.” Looks like that was an excellent idea. The U.S. Marshals Service’s national and district offices spent $2million over four years on “swag” that included pillows, teddy bears, silk scarves


Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum reopens after repairs Thursday morning

The Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum reopened after being shuttered Thursday morning because of emergency repair work. The museum is in the midst of a major construction project, a five-year, $48 million makeover of its southeastern wing, which includes the famous dinosaur hall. Randall Kremer, a museum spokesman, said that contractors working on that renovation on Wednesday night inadvertently disabled several cables in a control room affecting many key functions at the museum — including telephones, computers, the audiovisual and security systems in each exhibit and the cafeteria. Becky Haberacker, a museum spokeswoman, said that the museum’s phone and computer network were shut down entirely Thursday morning. Kremer said that the security of exhibits would also have been compromised if the museum had opened to visitors and that exhibits that rely on moving parts or audiovisual displays may not have functioned. Kremer said the museum’s senior staff was made aware of the problem just before midnight and called in an outside firm that is on contract with the Smithsonian to do repair work. The contractors and Smithsonian employees worked all night to fix the problem, Kremer said. Shortly before 5 a.m., the staff announced that it would not be ready to open to visitors at the usual time of 10 a.m.. By noon, the problem was fully resolved and the museum opened its doors. “We don’t open the museum if there’s any sense that we can’t do our job,” Kremer said. “The museum was not functioning the way it has to function in order to present to what would have been hundreds of visitors.” Collections in the museum were unharmed, according to a message on the Smithsonian’s Twitter page. The museum, which opened in 1910, has millions of visitors a year.


N.C. restaurant pulls discount for praying before your meal

are looking for people willing to discuss — on the record — the challenges of planning and saving for retirement. If you’re having trouble saving for retirement, you are not alone. The Federal Reserve recently released a report that found one in five people who are near retirement age haven’t saved a penny, reported The Washington Post’s Jonnelle Marte. “The study offered a stark reminder that as more Americans are made responsible for their own retirement, most are not saving nearly enough,” Marte wrote. “Overall, 31 percent of people said they have zero money saved for retirement and do not have a pension. That included 19 percent of people between the ages of 55 and 64, or those closest to retirement age.” So talk to us, and if you decide to share your story, there’s a bonus. A retirement expert will look over your finances and provide advice about what more, if anything, you should be doing to help create a financially secure retirement. And, don’t worry, here’s what editors say about the information you provide: “We will limit financial information used in the story to just what’s necessary to make the situation clear. For instance, we might say, ‘Emma Smith has saved the equivalent of three years’ worth of her current salary in her 401(k) plan’ rather than use the dollar figures.” Send your stories to money@washpost.com and include your age, family situation and employment info. Include the details of what you’ve done so far for retirement planning. If you haven’t done much to save for retirement, tell us that, too. The idea is to use people’s stories and challenges to help others. If you are picked, the paper will connect you with a financial expert who will provide you with advice about your individual situation. Color of Money question of the week You may not want to share your entire story, but I’m still interested in where you stand for retirement. What’s the biggest roadblock that has prevented you from saving for your retirement? Send your comments along with your name and city to colorofmoney@washpost.com. Readers may write to Michelle Singletary at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C., 20071, or michelle.singletary@washpost.com. Personal responses may not be possible, and comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer’s name, unless otherwise requested. To read previous Color of Money columns, go to www.postbusiness.com.


The perfect DC Beer Week schedule involves crab feasts, blind tastings, brunch

During the 2013 DC Beer Week, Scion’s bartenders infused Dogfish Head beers with all sorts of unusual ingredients. (That’s 75 Minute IPA with bacon in the photo.) The weird and delicious event returns on Tuesday. (Fritz Hahn/The Washington Post) The sixth annual DC Beer Week starts today, bringing eight days of beer dinners, tap takeovers, happy hours and parties to the city’s ale and lager fans. Most of these events are casual affairs where you can drop in, have a beer and move on, but others require planning, such as DC Brau’s annual all-you-can-eat crab feast, which sells out every year. To help you prepare, we’ve listed two events for each day this week, one which requires tickets and one where you can just stop by. For more ideas, go to goingoutguide.com, where we’ll post a daily roundup of events. MONDAY TICKET 5-10 p.m. The Quarterdeck, 1200 Fort Myer Dr., Arlington. www.dcbeerweek.net. $50. NO TICKET 5 p.m. Scion, 2100 P St. NW. 202-833-8899. www.scionrestaurant.com. TUESDAY TICKET 6:30-9:30 p.m. Longview Gallery, 1234 Ninth St. NW. wcp.xorbia.com/dcbeerweek. $55; VIP tickets, which allow entry at 5:30, are $75. NO TICKET 7-10 p.m. Lyman’s Tavern, 3720 14th St. NW. 202-723-0502. www.lymanstavern.com. WEDNESDAY TICKET 6-8 p.m. Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 Seventh St. NW. 202-349-3700. www.clydesgifts.com/beer_dinner. $25. NO TICKET 5-9 p.m. Mad Fox Brewing Company, 444 W. Broad St., Falls Church. 703-942-6840. www.madfoxbrewing.com. THURSDAY TICKET 6:30-8:30 p.m. Heurich House Museum, 1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW. 202-429-1894. www.heurichhouse.org. $30. NO TICKET 4-9 p.m. Scion, 2100 P St. NW., and Crios Modern Mexican, 2120 P St. NW. www.dcbeer.com. FRIDAY, AUG. 22 TICKET 8-11 p.m. Old Ebbitt Grill, 675 15th St. www.dcbeerweek.net. $65. NO TICKET 5 p.m.-3 a.m. Black Squirrel, 2427 18th St. NW. 202-232-1011. www.blacksquirreldc.com. SATURDAY, AUG. 23 TICKET Tour begins at 11:30 a.m. at Bluejacket, 300 Tingey St. SE. For tickets, see www.restonlimo.com/events/dc-brewery-sampler, or call 703-478-0500. NO TICKET 4 p.m. Meridian Pint, 3400 11th St. NW. 202-588-1075. www.meridianpint.com. SUNDAY, AUG. 24 TICKET 2-8 p.m. Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE. www.dcbeerweek.net. $50. NO TICKET 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Boundary Road, 414 H St. NE. 202-450-3265. www.boundaryrd.com.


Prince George’s police arrest man they say helped suspect in girl’s fatal shooting

Prince George’s County police have arrested a Landover man they say provided the gun and the getaway for the suspect in the fatal shooting of 3-year-old Knijah Bibb. Brian R. Campbell, 24, was charged with murder, manslaughter and being an accessory in the slaying of Knijah, who was struck Sunday by a bullet meant for someone else, authorities said. “Brian Campbell was instrumental in the crime that has occurred,” said Lt. William Alexander, a spokesman for county police. The District girl was visiting a house in Landover with her family over the weekend when a fight over clothes broke out between Davon A. Wallace, 25, and a teen who lived in the house, authorities said. Wallace left and returned Brian Ray Campbell (Prince George's County Police) Police said Campbell, who lives on the street where the shooting took place, was an acquaintance of Wallace’s. After the fight with the teen, authorities said, Wallace called Campbell, who provided a gun. Campbell later drove Wallace away from the neighborhood, police said. Detectives found and interviewed Campbell during their “relentless” search for Wallace, Alexander said. Campbell, who was arrested Wednesday, was being held without bond, police said. Alexander said investigators are still aggressively searching for Wallace, who faces a first-degree murder charge in the shooting. “It is obviously bittersweet because we don’t have Davon Wallace in custody,” Alexander said. Knijah’s grandmother Brenda Bibb said that she is relieved that police made at least one arrest in the case but that she wants to see Wallace caught. “I think they’ll get him,” Bibb said. A candlelight vigil for Knijah is planned for 7 p.m. Friday on Harvard Street between 13th and 14th streets in Northwest Washington, Bibb said. A funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at Unity Baptist Church in Northeast. “I’ve been crying every other minute,” Bibb said. “I miss her.” Knijah would have turned 4 in September. Friends and family have set up a Web site, hoping to raise $5,000 in donations to help with funeral costs. As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 50 people had donated close to $2,000. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to Wallace’s arrest. Police are urging anyone with information to call 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Callers can remain anonymous. “We’d obviously like to get Wallace behind bars where he deserves to be,” Alexander said. Get updates on your area delivered via e-mail.


Helsinki’s food scene, coming on strong

Baltic herring at Restaurant Ask in Helsinki, Finland. (Restaurant Ask) Ask a discerning Finn why the world isn’t racing to Helsinki to eat, as it has to Copenhagen and Stockholm, and his gut reaction is to blame himself. “We’re incredibly modest,” says Sasu Laukkonen, the chef behind the four-year-old Chef & Sommelier, a showcase of modern Finnish cooking. He might not share the good news, so I will: His 25-seat restaurant received a star from Michelin this March. “We’ve been humble about what we have here,” seconds chef Sami Tallberg, author of the popular “Wild Herb Cookbook,” a veritable field trip exploring 70 or so reasons to shop outdoors in Finland. Kenneth Nars, one of the country’s best-known food scribes, tells a joke about his countrymen to underscore why the Helsinki dining scene hasn’t received more TLC: “Put a Dane, a Swede and a Finn around a table and set out a cake. The Dane will grab a big piece, the Swede will follow, and the Finn will be left with the crumbs.” Nars, who wrote his master’s thesis on Helsinki’s restaurant culture between 1880 and 1920, says that history hasn’t helped the dining cause in Finland “We’ve had hard times,” including multiple wars, food rationing and a 13-year-long prohibition beginning in 1919, he says. “That’s not an excuse” for a modest food scene, “ just reality.” In recent years, Finland has been catching up to its Nordic neighbors. Sure, you can find salted reindeer on the “Finnish antipasto” served at the tradition-bound Kosmos in Helsinki. But as I discovered on a five-day trip to the city this spring, food trucks and Yelp reviews now spice up the scene, too. Leading the charge: A new generation of chefs, a renewed appreciation for local ingredients and youthful tastemakers, including Ville Relander, hired three years ago by the city to promote its food culture, and Kirsti Tuominen. Relander has whipped up enthusiasm among locals with his street food festivals and his push to modernize aging food halls, foremost the Old Market Hall, a former slaughterhouse that now hosts a cooking school, an ice cream factory, even a barbecue restaurant. A former Nokia employee, Tuominen is one of the founders of Restaurant Day, a chance for nonprofessionals to play chef for a day. Four times a year, anyone with a specialty can serve it to the public without fear of bureaucratic intervention. May


Gen. Harold Greene’s funeral is a fitting coda to a dozen years of war

show for it? Much of Iraq (and neighboring Syria) has fallen under the control of barbaric religious extremists, and hopes for a stable Iraq rest largely on the goodwill of Iran. Afghanistan — home of the “good war” — looks all too likely to fall apart after American forces leave. But disillusionment with the conflicts shouldn’t at all affect the gratitude we feel toward those who lie in Section 60. Indeed, it would do all Americans some good to forget the political second-guessing and to recall what these men and women did for us. None of them got quite the sendoff that Greene did on Thursday afternoon. Reporters and photographers formed a 33-car procession to the gravesite. Among the 135 military personnel participating there were about 25 in the band and 50 carrying flags or rifles. Seven white horses led the wooden caisson and 300 mourners followed it. The band played America the Beautiful. The 55-year-old major general’s rank justified pageantry, but his death was no more important than the others buried in Section 60. The press viewing area was on top of the grave of staff sergeant David Senft, 27, who died in Kandahar in an apparent suicide in 2010. Along with the graves of older veterans buried near Greene were the resting places of Cpl. Michael Jankiewicz, 23, killed in 2010 when his Osprey crashed in Afghanistan, specialist Gary Mathew Gooch, 22, killed in 2009 by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, and the shared grave of Thomas Gramith and Mark McDowell, killed in 2009 when their F-15 crashed in Afghanistan. Before Greene’s service, a young woman in shorts and tank top sat at the Section 60 grave of her friend, Lt. Matthew Parker Klopfer, a young naval aviator who died in a fall on a training base. The woman, who placed lilies at Klopfer’s grave, was still there when Greene’s service ended. Watching the general’s burial, she said, “brought me back” to her friend’s service in 2012. The lieutenant’s sendoff didn’t have so much pomp, of course, but that didn’t matter. “I miss him a lot,” she said. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbank’s archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Read more: Fareed Zakaria: America’s naive Middle East fantasy Charles Krauthammer: What Hillary Clinton got right David Ignatius: The Islamic State’s weak spot Jackson Diehl: Obama must admit foreign policy mistakes


Prince George’s police investigating possible murder-suicide in District Heights

Three people were found fatally shot Friday in a house in Prince George’s County in what police said they are investigating as an apparent double murder and suicide. The victims, described as two women and a man, were found in a townhouse in the 1500 block of Addison Road South, in the District Heights area. County police said officers went to the townhouse about 4:40 p.m. to investigate a report of a shooting. When they arrived, the officers were able to see that one woman in the house was dead, said Officer Harry Bond, a police spokesman. He said officers forced their way “into the house to attempt to save the others inside.” A second woman and a man were taken to hospitals, where they were pronounced dead, Bond said. No names or ages were given for the three. Bond said he could not disclose the victims’ relationships to one another. He indicated that investigators believe that it was a domestic-related incident. Police said they thought the man shot both women and then himself. Police did not say whether any weapons were found in the house, and Bond said investigators were trying to piece together details of the incident. No motive was known. A neighbor, who was interviewed by telephone at her home, said police did not appear to be searching for anyone in the area. She said officers had not come to her house to warn her to remain inside. She said the house was part of Pickwick Square, which she described as a cooperative development built more than 30 years ago. The development is about a mile south of Central Avenue and three miles west of the Capital Beltway. Martin Weil contributed to this report.


NASA can warn us of the dangers of a coronal ejection, but it can’t make us act

Regarding the Aug. 10 editorial “Left in the dark”: NASA’s estimation that there is a 12 percent chance of a major coronal mass ejection within the next decade should ring alarm bells. Should it strike Earth, it is lights out and back to the 1800s for us. Hardening the power grid makes sense, but currently there is no advantage in blaming someone else for it, so we will probably slumber on. Afterward there will be plenty of blame to go around but no Internet, newspapers, television or talk shows to carry the message. Water will stop pumping and medicines such as insulin will become useless without refrigeration. Many will die. NASA should be able to know a day or two before the effects are suffered on Earth, but it’s unclear whether we’ll get a warning so people might take some steps to prepare. Will our epitaph be: “Science provided an advance look at something dangerous, but it was beyond politics so nothing was done”? Ken Hoagland, Arlington


Kidnappings in Mexico surge to the highest number on record

employees, parking attendants and taco vendors who often work in cash or in Mexico’s “informal” economy. Targets also tend to be young — students, with parents willing to pay ransoms, are commonly targeted. Journalists protest the murder of their colleague Gregorio Jimenez, as well as the murder of other journalists in Mexico in Mexico City. Gunmen had kidnapped Jimenez from his home before killing him. (Marco Ugarte/AP) “The phenomenon has changed. Now it’s the workers, the people in the informal economy, because they are the ones who have access to money quickly,” said Isabel Miranda de Wallace, an anti-kidnapping activist in Mexico. “We have never seen as many kidnappings as we are seeing now.” Last year, Mexico officially recorded 1,698 kidnappings, the highest number on record. Yet government officials concede that only a small percentage of victims — one in 10 by some estimates — report the crime, as police are sometimes involved in kidnappings and not trusted. The statistics kept by Miranda’s organization, Association to Stop Kidnapping (Asociacion Alto al Secuestro) , recorded 3,038 kidnappings last year. Another, led by Fernando Ruiz Canales, a former kidnapping victim who now helps negotiate for the release of hostages, puts last year’s kidnapping total at 27,740, or 76 per day. Halfway through the year, official statistics claim kidnappings have dropped by 17 percent, to 808 in the first six months of 2014. Miranda’s organization reports an increase of 56 percent in the same period. Pressure to find solutions The kidnapping problem, even as murders and other crimes have tapered off, has intensified the pressure on Mexican leaders to find solutions. Earlier this year, President Enrique Peña Nieto announced a new anti-kidnapping strategy to better coordinate state and federal law enforcement efforts. He also created the position of kidnapping czar, given to former prosecutor Renato Sales Heredia. Sales argued that the spike in kidnappings is an unintended byproduct of law enforcement success. Because the government has killed and captured drug cartel bosses, he said, narco-henchmen have been forced to diversify into other moneymaking ventures, such as kidnapping and extortion. The Mexican police, both active and retired, also play an important role in kidnapping gangs, either carrying out abductions themselves or protecting those who do, according to officials and experts. “There is an important number of kidnappings that are fundamentally linked to ex-police,” Sales said in an interview. The three men who told Adriana


U.S. firm helped the spyware industry build a potent digital weapon for sale overseas

the world have been implanted with Trojan horses by government security services that siphon their communications and files. Google, which owns YouTube, and Microsoft are racing to close the vulnerability. Citizen Lab’s report, based on leaked technical documents, is the first to document that commercial spyware companies are making active use of this technology. Network injection allows products built by Gamma and Hacking Team to insert themselves into an Internet data flow and change it undetectably in transit. The report calls that “hacking on easy mode,” in which “compromising a target becomes as simple as waiting for the user to view unencrypted content on the Internet.” Attacks of that kind were the stuff of hacker imaginings until this year, when news accounts based on documents provided by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden described a somewhat similar NSA program code-named QUANTUMINSERT. “It has been generally assumed that the best funded spy agency in the world would possess advanced capability,” the Citizen Lab report says. “What is perhaps more surprising is that this capability is being developed by Western vendors for sale on the commercial market.” Hacking Team and the company that now owns CloudShield denied any wrongdoing. Messages left with Gamma went unreturned. The “custom payload” that Hacking Team uses to compromise YouTube injects malicious code into the video stream when a visitor clicks the play button. The user sees the “cute animal videos” he expects, according to Citizen Lab, but the malicious code exploits a flaw in Adobe’s Flash video player to take control of the computer. Another attack, custom-built for use on Microsoft pages, uses Oracle’s Java technology, another common browser component, to insert a back door into a victim’s computer. Security and privacy advocates have identified those vulnerabilities before, but the two companies regarded them as hypothetical. In response to a bug report in September 2012, which warned of a potential YouTube attack, Google’s security team responded that the use of unencrypted links to send video “is expected behavior.” Google closed the discussion with the tag “WontFix.” ‘Against our will’ After Marquis-Boire disclosed to them confidentially last month that their services are under active attack, Google and Microsoft began racing to close security holes in networks used by hundreds of millions of users. “I want to be sure there’s no technical means for people to take a user’s data against our will,” Eric Grosse, Google’s vice


Maryland man, 68, charged with hammer attack on roommate over his dog’s death

his own. Timothy Oliver, an NIH computer scientist, was charged with using a hammer to attack a roommate. He became upset after she took his dog for a walk and the dog was killed by a car. (Courtesy of Montgomery County Police) Police listed the victim as being in stable condition Saturday. Oliver did not respond to messages seeking comment. Online records do not show whether he has retained an attorney. He is a computer scientist at the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Information Technology, according to NIH and police officials. About the time Oliver left work Aug. 4, he received a series of phone calls from his roommate, who had moved in about a month before. She said she had been walking the dog, apparently a Maltese-poodle mix, when it broke free and was hit by a car, according to court records. The roommate told Oliver that she was taking the dog to an emergency animal clinic near the apartment. Around this time, the roommate also spoke to a neighbor about the badly injured dog and Oliver’s possible reaction. “He’s going to kill me,” she kept telling her neighbor, according to detectives. Oliver met the roommate at the clinic, but it was too late. “Attempts to revive the dog were unsuccessful,” the affidavit states. Later that night, Oliver and his roommate started talking about the dog and how it got hit by the car. Oliver began pacing. The roommate went to the small bedroom where she slept. Oliver, according to police, then retrieved a hammer from a tool box in the kitchen. He attacked his roommate while she was standing, striking her several times in the head, according to the affidavit. Oliver told her to leave the apartment, but she said she had nowhere to go. Eventually, the roommate and the cat were forced out, along with the sleeping bag, authorities said. It was unclear exactly how much time passed between the conversation about the dog and the alleged attack, then between the attack and the eviction. The victim later told detectives that for a time she blacked out. It wasn’t until 6:36 a.m., Aug. 5, that police were called to the scene. They found medics had just gotten there and were treating the victim, whose head was covered with dried blood. The officers approached the apartment, where they saw blood and a sleeping bag on the ground,


Capital Buzz: The Buzz hears. . .buzzing.

Thomas Heath is away, but we still found some items worth passing on. One more hotel — this time, for pollinator bees — is coming to Washington early next year. The Fairmont Washington, D.C., already home to more than 100,000 Italian honeybees and three hives, is adding a bee hotel to its rooftop. The structure, a collection of wood, twigs, fallen branches and soil-filled holes, is designed to attract and house solitary bees, hotel officials said. The pollinator hotel will offer a safe place for the bees — which have long been battling habitat destruction — to breed and lay eggs away from predators. Executive Chef Mark Timms will double as the hotel’s chief beekeeper. “The addition of a pollinator bee hotel will be a tremendous asset to the cross-pollination of the flowers and trees in the courtyard,” Mark S. Andrew, the Fairmont’s general manager, said in a statement. The hotel is displaying a “pop-up” pollinator bee hotel in its lobby beginning Monday, and serving BeeTinis and other honey- and pollen-filled fare at its restaurant. A portion of the proceeds from the menu will support the District of Columbia Public Schools’ Junior Beekeepers. — Abha Bhattarai A tangled web A more detailed picture of the web of companies affected by Truland Group — the Reston-based electrical contractor that shut down and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July — has begun to emerge. In addition to the dozens of construction companies that were using Truland to do electrical work for projects around the country, some of the creditors of the Truland estate last week filed documents with the court detailing the debt owed to them. Several are electrical services companies that provided labor, materials or rental equipment to Truland: Capital Lighting & Supply, owed $1.14 million; Graybar Electric Co.; Maurice Electrical Supply Co., owed $1.19 million; Shepherd Electric Supply, $1.59 million; and United Rentals , owed $215,623, according to documents filed by an attorney for the companies in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The court is slated to hold a hearing Tuesday to decide when Truland must submit its statement of financial affairs. The estate was previously supposed to submit the information to the court by Aug. 13, but asked for an extension to Sept. 29. — Catherine Ho Speaking up An outspoken minority press is “needed now more than ever before,” Radio One founder Cathy


Dentons creates ‘space law’ group

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket carrying the AsiaSat 8 commercial communications satellite launches from Cape Canaveral ealier this month. Dentons’s new practice group is to focus on the commercial space industry. (SPACEX / HANDOUT/EPA) International law firm Dentons has created a practice group focused on representing companies that manufacture, operate and invest in satellites, as it eyes potential in the fast-growing commercial space industry. The new group is led by attorneys Del Smith, Liz Evans and Deepak Reddy, who recently joined Dentons from Jones Day. Smith is in Washington and Evans and Reddy are in New York. The group includes 15 attorneys spread across 10 of the firm’s offices around the world, whose legal expertise spans mergers and acquisitions, finance, restructuring, regulatory, insurance, intellectual property, antitrust and litigation. Smith said the idea is to a build a one-stop legal shop for companies looking to build, launch and operate satellites — media organizations that use satellites for news gathering, or hospitals that use satellites to provide telehealth services, for example — and handle all facets of legal work from start to finish. That includes securing the financing of the project, getting regulatory approval and negotiating contracts with government agencies to operate the satellite. “If you can find all those services in one place, it’s tremendously cheaper than trying to find them in little bits and pieces,” Smith said. The commercial space industry is one that is ripe for expansion, with private companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Dulles-based Orbital Sciences winning lucrative contracts from NASA to transport supplies to astronauts on the international space station. Global spending on space hardware and services reached $314 billion 2013, a 4 percent increase from 2012, according to an annual report by the Space Foundation, a nonprofit space advocacy group. Spending by the U.S. government declined, while spending in the private sector grew. More from Capital Business: For a daily rundown of Washington area business news, sign up for the “CapBiz A.M.” e-mail newsletter.


Food additives on the rise as FDA scrutiny wanes

is now taking place with lesser-known additives. Carrageenan, extracted from red seaweed, was one of the first substances that the agency recognized as GRAS. The additive is a stabilizer that can help preserve the structure of foods and beverages and is used in products such as evaporated milk. But as processed foods began to take off, and a demand for low-fat and tasty vegan processed foods became more popular, so did the use of carrageenan. A drop of it in a package of reduced-fat deli meat, a bundle of vegan cheese, a bottle of kefir or a carton of almond milk can keep ingredients blended together and give products a pleasant texture. Companies sought and secured the FDA’s approval for its use as a food additive for a wider variety of functions — including as a thickener and an emulsifier, which keeps ingredients bound together. That approval further restricted the type of red seaweed that could be used as the source. Scientists working for the carrageenan industry say the additive is safe. “When it’s bound to food protein, it cannot interact with the cells; it can’t interact with the intestinal wall,” said James McKim, president of the toxicological research firm CeeTox, who was recently hired as a consultant to the carrageenan trade group, Marinalg. “It runs right through the animals.” But doctors say the proliferation of carrageenan in the food supply is taking a mounting toll on health. As its uses have multiplied, so have gastrointestinal disorders such as diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease, according to some doctors who specialize in treating patients with gastrointestinal tract problems. Joanne Tobacman, a University of Chicago physician and professor, asked the FDA in 2008 to examine the additive’s safety, submitting five of her own studies concluding that carrageenan can cause inflammatory bowel disease and diabetes. The studies were financed with grants from the federal government. The FDA denied her petition, citing several other industry-funded studies that contradicted her findings. Melvyn Grovit, a clinical nutritionist who treats children with Crohn’s disease, said he started advising his clients to remove carregeenan from their diets with great success after reading Tobacman’s research. “I’ve given up on the FDA protecting the public; they are protecting businesses,” said Grovit, who also has Crohn’s disease. “The only reason for its presence in so many food products today is that it’s cheap and it makes food processing easy.”


Older runners can see how they run — and then fix it

desperation and disposable income. (The clinic’s signature 3-D gait analysis costs $350, and, no, health insurance will not pay to improve your marathon time.) Director Max Prokopy said the oldest person the lab had analyzed was a 78-year-old who, like me, wanted to qualify for Boston. He made it. The service is not limited to runners. The clinic sees fitness walkers and people with medical issues that affect their gait, such as amputees and Parkinson’s disease patients. Within the past year, it has added golf-swing analysis. But it is mostly frustrated, older runners who jam its schedule months in advance. Everyone slows some over the years, Prokopy said. But people tend to chalk up all plummeting performance to age, when often much of the problem is biomechanical — and fixable. Often, runners past their speediest years are discouraged from even trying to get faster, as if hard effort inevitably will lead to an injury-plagued descent into mall-walking. “It irritates me,” said Greg McMillan, a well-known running coach in Flagstaff, Ariz., who has referred a handful of his charges to the SPEED Clinic. He created the marathon training program I’m using, and he said the only concession to age that he built into it is a bit more time for recovery. Otherwise, I’m supposed to do the same workouts as people half my age. “It goes back to the whole ‘use it or lose it’ thing,” he said. “The problem we have is that we stop using it.” The clinic’s aim is to get people to use it better. As I arrived at the U-Va. School of Medicine campus in Charlottesville for my appointment, I wondered if the lab would have as much neon and chrome as those glitzy performance labs in sports-drink commercials. It had exactly none. It was more plywood and AstroTurf, each component built from scratch, purely functional and scuffed a bit by 12 years of use. The wow factor would come later. First, Prokopy and data research assistant Mike Myers took a few measurements and glued little gray reflectors to various points on my legs, hips and torso. Infrared cameras would read their movement as I ran. Then I climbed onto an enormous, specialized treadmill and ran at my usual, easy pace for about six minutes. Next came a short questionnaire about my running and injury history and a few quick tests to evaluate things such as


Shama, National Zoo mate of wandering red panda Rusty, euthanized after infection

a quieter place to breed, not to prevent Shama’s vagabond mate from wandering off into the wilds of Washington, the zoo said. The crowds drawn to the panda exhibit at the zoo by the birth of giant panda Bao Bao could have disrupted the red pandas when they tried to breed, which pandas have a notoriously difficult time doing even in the best of circumstances. With plenty of time to themselves in Front Royal, the couple successfully conceived three cubs, which were born on June 26. The zoo released a video of Shama nursing the cubs. Pamela Baker-Masson, a National Zoo spokeswoman, said that taking care of triplets is tough on any mother, pandas included. “It’s very rare for a red panda to successfully raise three. Most have one or two,” she said. “It’s hard to produce enough milk, to take care of them. It’s a lot of work.” Zookeepers had been keeping a close watch on the harried mother, and on Wednesday, they noticed that something wasn’t quite right. “Our colleagues who are keepers, they are so astute, and they get to know their animals incredibly well, so they noticed her behavior was off,” Baker-Masson said. She was not paying as much attention to her young as usual, didn’t finish her meal and seemed to lack strength. Despite medicine, she deteriorated quickly, progressing to lethargy and to head-bobbing, which is characteristic of neurological problems in pandas. She was euthanized Saturday. Zookeepers determined after her death that she was suffering from severe swelling of the brain due to a parasite. Rusty and the three cubs are receiving preventive anti-parasite treatment, the zoo said, and the three cubs are being fed by hand. The zoo said that one of the three cubs is being treated for pneumonia. Though they are now motherless, Baker-Masson said, “We know that they’re active. We know that they’re feeding. They are responding to the staff, and the staff are expert at what they do. And they do have each other. They have been in the nest box together since birth.” As for Rusty, he was separated from his mate and offspring shortly after their birth, just as male red pandas would be in the wild. He would have recognized Shama if he saw her, but he probably would not have missed her, Baker-Masson said. “In the wild he would go mate with somebody else next year.”


Canadian runaway oil train disaster blamed on ‘weak safety culture,’ poor oversight

shut down, the railway turned to the awakening demand for transporting Bakken crude oil being produced through the fracking process. The sudden desire to move vast volumes of crude oil by rail took Canadian regulators by surprise, Tadros said. The TSB report said Transport Canada failed to audit the railway regularly or thoroughly enough “to ensure it was effectively managing the risks in its operations.” The TSB on Tuesday added two recommendations to three it made earlier. It said Transport Canada should take a more active role in ensuring that railway safety management systems are effective, and it said railways should create better “physical defenses” to prevent runaways. Like the U.S. Transportation Safety Board, the Canadian TSB’s role is confined to making recommendations on which regulatory agencies can act as they see fit. The TSB already had recommended better emergency response planning, smarter route planning to keep trains with hazardous loads away from population centers and better protections for a type of rail car — the Class 111 tank car. The U.S. Department of Transportation last month zeroed in on the Class 111 cars, proposing rules that would require the phasing out of tens of thousands of them. Accident investigators say they are too quick to puncture or rupture. The Lac-Mégantic crash is one of 10 significant derailments since 2008 in the United States and Canada in which oil has spilled from ruptured tank cars. The TSB report said the train already had been parked seven miles uphill from the town when a fire occurred in one engine. Firefighters controlled the fire, shut down the locomotives and departed. “With all the locomotives shut down, the air compressor no longer supplied air to the air brake system,” the report said. “As air leaked from the brake system, the main air reservoirs were slowly depleted, gradually reducing the effectiveness of the locomotive air brakes.” The air brakes failed just before 1 a.m. and hand brakes that hadn’t been properly set could no longer hold the train. It began to roll downhill toward Lac-Mégantic, reaching a top speed of 65 mph. The derailment and ensuing fire and explosions killed 47 people, forced another 2,000 from their homes and destroyed much of the downtown core in the village of fewer than 6,000 residents. “This accident will bring about a sea change in the thinking of the railways, the shippers and the regulators,” Tadros said.


Chris Rolfe of D.C. United is as at home on small-farm fields as on soccer fields

Rolfe would have to abandon his six-month share in the Sexton’s community supported agriculture program (CSA), one that distributes orders to city subscribers near a Kennedy Expressway exit ramp on summer evenings once a month. “I told Eric, ‘Dude, I am so sorry, but I’ve got to go. Give my food to someone else,’ ” he recalled. “I had a real ideal situation. They were awesome.” Rolfe, 31, is MLS’s agrarian attacker, a player as happy in a corn field as on a soccer field. A passion for sustainability Make no mistake: Rolfe is no vegetarian. He is a self-described meat-and-potatoes Midwesterner who grew up in Kettering, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton, and starred at the University of Dayton before bursting into MLS in 2005. It’s that he cares deeply about food production, sustainability and the impact on the environment. His Twitter page bio reads, “Wannabe farmer, pet owner, small farm supporter and #18 for @DCUnited” Rolfe shops at farmers markets for meat raised without antibiotics or hormones, organic-oriented stores for staples. No deli meat or other processed food. Farm-raised fish is out. No soda and candy. Bourbon — made from organic corn — is his vice. Upon arrival in Washington, Rolfe sought an apartment within walking distance of a farmers market. He settled on Barracks Row, a short stroll to Eastern Market, where, every Tuesday afternoon starting in spring, merchants from the region set up outside the Capitol Hill landmark. Last week, for the first time, Rolfe visited the market near the White House, launched in 2009 with Michelle Obama’s influence. He chatted with merchants about farming philosophy, checking to see whether they used genetically modified seed, and stuffed a backpack with corn, kale, peaches and zucchini. Rolfe has signed up for volunteer work with Freshfarm Markets, which operates 11 outdoor bazaars in the Washington area, but has yet to serve a shift because of his unpredictable soccer schedule. “I hope it encourages people to think more about their food and where it is coming from and hopefully leads to more support of local small farms,” he said. “I can’t stand the bigger industry. I found out how corrupt the food business can be, the lobbying and impact on farmers.” Rolfe’s passion took root about five years ago. Environmental consciousness led to curiosity about food production and health effects. He watched “Food, Inc.,” a documentary exploring the food industry,


Bao Bao beats Star Spangled Banner flag in Smithsonian popularity contest

Bao Bao, a giant panda at the National Zoo, turns 1 on Aug. 23. One of Bao Bao's favorite places to hang out is a tree in the panda yard at the zoo. (Abby Wood/Smithsonian Institution) The National Zoo said Tuesday that its Giant Panda cub, Bao Bao, has won the Smithsonian’s “Summer Showdown” online public popularity contest. Bao Bao’s 13,658 votes easily bested the second place Star Spangled Banner flag, with 10,702 votes. Folk singer Woody Guthrie’s original recording of “This Land is Your Land,” came in third, and the so-called Lansdowne portrait of George Washington came in fourth. The Smithsonian said more than 90,000 votes were cast via social media in an informal test of the popularity of 24 of the institution’s best known holdings. The winning cub turns a year old Saturday.


Happy birthday, Bao Bao: Panda turns 1

can spot her outside most days, often up in a tree. To mark Bao Bao’s birthday, KidsPost talked to Laurie Thompson, a National Zoo biologist, to get some insights into the daily life of the endangered-species superstar. KidsPost: How would you describe Bao Bao’s personality? Laurie Thompson: Does she play with Mei Xiang? I’ve seen her lunge at [Mei Xiang] or bite at her feet. She tries to entice her to play. Sometimes Mei plays, or sometimes she pushes her away. What tasks has she mastered? She’s really good at coming inside on her own. She’s getting good at coming when we call her. What are trainers working on? She does know how to stand up. . . . We’re working on getting on the scale like the adults do. Then we’ll start doing basic body parts, like showing us her paw. Bao Bao has spend a lot of time this summer in a tree. (Abby Wood/Smithsonian’s National Zoo) The cub, who weighs more than 40 pounds, has entered a phase where she likes to play. (Abby Wood/Smithsonian’s National Zoo) What are her favorite activities? When she’s not up in the tree, she tends to be . . . playing with her mom. When she’s outside, she’s real interested in the natural stuff. Chewing on wood. What is her favorite toy? There’s a [big plastic] spool or a bobbin. . . . I’ve seen her lounging on it. She also has a ball attached to a piece of fire hose. She still gets in a rubber tub, puts it over her head. Can you think of something funny she has done lately? Our indoor exhibits have small pools in them, and for a long time we didn’t fill the pools. [After a few inches of water was put in one of the pools], I did see her tumble into it by accident and jump out real quick. What does she eat? She nibbles on bamboo. She still nurses [and will] until about 18 months. She eats cooked sweet potato, sometimes pear or apple. . . . She does get carrots, but she doesn’t seem to like those. . . . We have found that [a fruitsicle is] one of the things she does respond to. She’ll sit there and eat it as long as Mei doesn’t take it away. — Christina Barron If you go What: Where: When: More information:


Islamic State claims it executed American photojournalist James Foley

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A similar outfit, believed to be a jihadist symbol of the prison, was worn by Nicholas Berg, an American businessman kidnapped in Iraq in 2004 whose execution by an Islamic State precursor organization was recorded on video and posted online. Foley, 40, was working in Syria for the Boston-based news Web site GlobalPost when he disappeared on Thanksgiving in 2012. Philip Balboni, GlobalPost’s chief executive and co-founder, said in a statement: “On behalf of John and Diane Foley, and also GlobalPost, we deeply appreciate all of the messages of sympathy and support that have poured in since the news of Jim’s possible execution first broke. We have been informed that the FBI is in the process of evaluating the video posted by the Islamic State to determine if it is authentic. Until we have that determination, we will not be in a position to make any further statement. We ask for your prayers for Jim and his family.” In a statement Tuesday night on a Facebook page dedicated to his freedom, Foley’s mother appeared to accept that the video was authentic. “We have never been prouder of our son Jim,” Diane Foley wrote. “He gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the Syrian people. “We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world.” Praising James Foley as “an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person,” she asked that the family’s privacy be respected. Sotloff, a freelancer who worked for several news organizations, disappeared in Syria in August 2013. In addition to Foley and Sotloff, at least three other Americans are believed to be captives in Syria, including Austin Tice, a freelance journalist whose articles appeared in McClatchy publications and The Washington Post before his disappearance in August 2012, according to a 2013 GlobalPost article. No one has claimed to be holding them. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 66 journalists, all but 10 of them Syrian, have been killed covering the Syrian war. If the video is authenticated, Foley would be the first American journalist known to be executed since the conflict began in early 2011. The video evoked the 2002 taped execution in Pakistan of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl by al-Qaeda. The Islamic


Crafting a strategy for deterring Putin

argued that Putin was “delusional” in thinking he could restore the prerogatives of the Soviet Union. But others cautioned that Putin’s actions were a predictable reaction to Russia’s humiliation after the crack up of the U.S.S.R. — and that the United States (unlike the impulsive Putin) should play what one former Cabinet official called “the long game.” Putin had made three big mistakes in Ukraine, noted one commentator. He thought the battle for eastern Ukraine would be a walkover for his covert proxy forces, as Crimea was; he thought the pro-Russian separatists could be controlled; and he thought the newly elected government of President Petro Poroshenko would be weak and short-lived. As the Aspen discussions progressed, participants focused increasingly on positive steps the United States could take to complement the negative pressure of sanctions. Helping Poroshenko’s Ukraine to become a stronger, less-corrupt nation was a priority, and one participant suggested that the United States lead an international reconstruction program for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Helping Ukraine resist a Russian invasion was a consensus point. There was agreement that a direct U.S. or European military intervention was unlikely, but many participants argued that it would be wise to send lethal-weapons assistance to Ukraine. Several also noted that the United States should quietly advise Ukraine on ways to make an invasion costly for Russia. Through the four days of discussion, there was a tension between the “squeezers” and the “dealers,” as one participant characterized the meeting’s hawks and doves. But interestingly, the split didn’t fit party lines. In the freewheeling discussion, Democrats sometimes argued a tougher line than Republicans. The Aspen group was celebrating its 30th anniversary, under the chairmanship of Harvard professor Joseph Nye and former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft. Suffice it to say that this is the way the policy-formulation process is supposed to work in America, but it rarely does. Read more from David Ignatius’s archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Read more on this from Opinions: Petro Poroshenko: Ukraine needs the U.S. to respond to Russia Daniel Drezner: The most powerful economic sanctions of all Brent Scowcroft, Stephen J. Hadley and Franklin Miller: NATO-based nuclear weapons are an advantage in a dangerous world Masha Gessen: Food import ban means Russia is fully at war with the West The Post’s View: The West must oppose Russia’s ‘humanitarian’ invasion of Ukraine


Business digest: A roundup of business news briefs for Aug. 20, 2014

biggest individual shareholder in Microsoft, owning a 4 percent stake worth about $15 billion. “I hold more Microsoft shares than anyone other than index funds and love the mix of profits, investments and dividends returned in our stock,” Ballmer said in his letter to Nadella. “I expect to continue holding that position for the foreseeable future.” — Reuters ALSO IN BUSINESS ● Home Depot climbed to an all-time high as purchases of big-ticket items like appliances helped second-quarter profit top analysts’ estimates and led the company to raise its annual earnings forecast. Net income for the largest U.S. home-improvement retailer rose 14 percent, to $2.05 billion, in the three months that ended Aug. 3, from $1.8 billion a year earlier, the company said. ●“These results support the view of a continued recovery in the U.S. home-improvement market,” Frank Blake, Home Depot’s chief executive, told investors during its earnings call. Shares of Atlanta-based Home Depot surged 5.6 percent, to $88.23. ● U.S. home construction increased 15.7 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.09 million homes, the Commerce Department reported. That was the fastest pace since November and followed declines of 4 percent in June and 7.4 percent in May. Applications for building permits, considered a good sign of future activity, also showed strength in July, advancing 8.1 percent, to an annual rate of 1.05 million. ● McDonald’s plans to start selling its packaged coffee at supermarkets nationally by early next year. The world’s biggest hamburger chain has made a deal with Kraft Foods to manufacture and distribute bags of McCafe ground and whole-bean coffee, as well as single-cup pods that can be used in at-home coffee machines. Other chains, such as Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts, already sell branded packaged coffee at retailers. ● A unit of Hain Celestial Group is recalling some peanut and almond butter because of possible salmonella contamination. The company said there have been reports of four illnesses that may be related to the nut butters. They were sold under the brand names Arrowhead Mills peanut butters and MaraNatha almond butters and peanut butters. Also being recalled were some lots of private-label almond butter from grocers Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Kroger and Safeway. A total of 45 production lots are affected. — From news services COMING TODAY ● 2 p.m.: Federal Reserve releases minutes from its July FOMC meeting. ● Earnings: Hewlett-Packard, Lowe’s, Target.


D.C. news in brief

Alcohol board issues guidelines for apps After reviewing several technology businesses that partner with liquor-licensed retailers, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has issued new guidelines for Web sites and smartphone apps that provide alcohol services in the District. Technology companies promoting the sale of alcohol through Web sites and apps are advised to limit their operations to connecting consumers with District retailers, such as liquor and grocery stores. Companies are restricted from directly soliciting, selling and shipping orders for alcoholic beverages; storing alcoholic beverages for retail sale; and collecting any money or transacting any credit or debit cards for alcoholic beverage sales. Any credit or debit card information provided to a Web site or app must be transferred to a liquor-licensed retailer to complete the transaction. The licensee would have the discretion to process or deny any order. For information, go to abra.dc.gov. Children’s Hospital charity race is Sept. 13 The second annual Race for Every Child, a 5K run and walk to benefit Children’s National Medical Center, is from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 13 at Freedom Plaza, Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street NW. Runners may register as teams or individuals. The race needs volunteers to handle check-ins, distribute T-shirts and packets, staff the information booth, work as race sentries, and monitor children’s activities. Activities include a kids’ dash for ages 3 to 10 and children’s fitness activities, such as an obstacle course, face painting, balloon art and Hula Hoops. Organizers hope to raise $1 million and draw 4,500 participants. Last year, $750,000 was raised and more than 3,900 people participated. To prepare for the race, Teens Run DC, a nonprofit mentoring and running program, is offering 5K training for all ages from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturdays through Sept. 6 at Judiciary Square, in front of the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Registration is $45 for the race ($35 before Aug. 31) and $10 for the kids’ dash. For information or to register, visit www.raceforeverychild.org or call 301-565-8571. Festival to highlight D.C. authors; apply by Friday The D.C. Public Library is seeking authors who live in the District to display, sell and discuss their books at the D.C. Author Festival on Oct. 18 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. The deadline to apply is Friday. The day-long festival will include 32 author talks, workshops for emerging authors, and a book


D.C. news in brief

Beverage Control Board has issued new guidelines for Web sites and smartphone apps that provide alcohol services in the District. Technology companies promoting the sale of alcohol through Web sites and apps are advised to limit their operations to connecting consumers with District retailers, such as liquor and grocery stores. Companies are restricted from directly soliciting, selling and shipping orders for alcoholic beverages; storing alcoholic beverages for retail sale; and collecting any money or transacting any credit or debit cards for alcoholic beverage sales. Any credit or debit card information provided to a Web site or app must be transferred to a liquor-licensed retailer to complete the transaction. The licensee would have the discretion to process or deny any order. For information, go to abra.dc.gov. Children’s Hospital charity race is Sept. 13 The second annual Race for Every Child, a 5K run and walk to benefit Children’s National Medical Center, is from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sept. 13 at Freedom Plaza, Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street NW. Runners may register as teams or individuals. The race needs volunteers to handle check-ins, distribute T-shirts and packets, staff the information booth, work as race sentries, and monitor children’s activities. Activities include a kids’ dash for ages 3 to 10 and children’s fitness activities, such as an obstacle course, face painting, balloon art and Hula Hoops. Organizers hope to raise $1 million and draw 4,500 participants. Last year, $750,000 was raised and more than 3,900 people participated. To prepare for the race, Teens Run DC, a nonprofit mentoring and running program, is offering 5K training for all ages from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturdays through Sept. 6 at Judiciary Square, in front of the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Registration is $45 for the race ($35 before Aug. 31) and $10 for the kids’ dash. For information or to register, visit www.raceforeverychild.org or call 301-565-8571. Festival to highlight D.C. authors; apply by Friday The D.C. Public Library is seeking authors who live in the District to display, sell and discuss their books at the D.C. Author Festival on Oct. 18 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. NW. The deadline to apply is Friday. The day-long festival will include 32 author talks, workshops for emerging authors, and a book sale for local authors and publishers. For information or to apply, visit www.dclibrary.org. — Compiled by Terence McArdle


Montgomery County Animal Watch

This case was received recently by the Montgomery County Animal Services Division. For information, call 240-773-5900. This number provides recorded information on topics, such as the new animal services and adoption center’s hours and location in Derwood, adoption and licensing procedures, and lost-and-found and field services. Patio problem Yappy Hour fundraiser: From 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, take your pooch and enjoy special “yappy hour” libations in a fenced, outdoor patio. There will be prizes, drawings and more. Proceeds will benefit the county’s homeless animals and the Montgomery County Humane Society. Pacci’s Neapolitan Pizzeria, 8113 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. $10. $15 per couple. Tickets tickets are available at mchumane.org. Contact 240-252-2555 or mchs@mchumane.org. Montgomery County Humane Society: Fenton Street Market Fenton Street and Ellsworth Avenue Downtown Silver Spring 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday Adopt or foster rescue dogs: Dogs from the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation are available at the following location. To view dogs and for information about adopting or fostering cats, call 703-295-DOGS (3647) or visit www.lostdogrescue.org. Rockville Adoptable cats at no-kill shelter: Gaithersburg Reduced fees for cat adoption: Germantown — Compiled by Lisa M. Bolton


Gardening lessons learned from the farm

why she bothers. The plants underneath were healthy and vigorous. The covers keep insect pests away, provide some shade in the heat and stop the soil from crusting after rainfall. “We did do more covers as the years went by,” Chip Planck said, “even though it’s a pain in the neck.” His wife reveals a row of bush beans named Jumbo. At three feet, they have almost outgrown their tunnel — they have certainly outgrown any attack of the bean beetle — and need uncovering so the bees can turn their blossoms into bean pods. In another part of the garden, next to a seed-sown coneflower patch, she peels back the row cover to reveal robust winter squash vines, namely Waltham butternut. “This saves them against the cucumber beetles and the elements in general,” Susan Planck said. Another crop that they still grow, as does Giusti, is lettuce. This runs counter to conventional wisdom — gardeners in these parts know that lettuces mature in May and grow bitter and bolt in June. But those are spring-grown lettuces. There are tricks to growing lettuce in the heat and humidity. The first is to select varieties bred for hot climates; they are growing Concept. Giusti favors Nevada and Magenta. The second is to germinate them in flats and put them in as transplants because lettuce seed is slow to germinate in warm soil. Another element is succession planting; the lettuces grow quickly in summer and must be eaten before turning bitter. And yes, you want to give them the row cover treatment. This is work, but it’s worth it for Giusti, who gets a good price for lettuce at this time of year, and worth it, too, for the Plancks, who need a vegetative companion to all those strawberries. Life on the farm winds down, but the joys and rhythms of the garden endure. The workweek no longer builds to a frenzy that begins on a Thursday and doesn’t stop until the last farmers market is over on Sunday. “It’s as much fun, except we can do it in the morning, the evening or not at all,” said Susan Planck. “And we can take naps any time we want.” More from The Washington Post: Where have all the butterflies gone? The U.S. National Arboretum is breathing new life into an old plant Five annuals to plant in late summer @adrian_higgins on Twitter


Pollinators and the power of flowers

flower beetle, and they’re just living and mating in the snapdragons. Be my guest, I tell them. Recently I compared notes with my friend Deb Soule, author of the book “How to Move Like a Gardener.” At her farm in West Rockport, Maine, Deb grows plants that are hand-processed and go into the tinctures of her Avena Botanicals. Visitors can stroll the lush flower gardens during open hours or workshops. She, too, values catmint, not only for its use in herbal teas, but for its bee-attracting powers. Also, it’s ready and blooming when the ruby-throated hummingbird (another important pollinator) arrives in early summer. Butterflies and bees alike flock to her echinacea, used to make a mild immune-system stimulant, and to lavender, which helps treat respiratory infections and poor digestion. Deb and I both grow joe-pye weed, a giant purple-flowered native, named (the story goes) for an Indian herbalist in Massachusetts who passed his wisdom on to settlers. The plant is also called gravel root, for its use in treating kidney stones. Among Deb’s bee-attracting favorites are anise hyssop, bee balm, black cohosh, borage and feverfew. Bee balm is also on her hummingbird list, along with cardinal flower, evening primrose, marsh mallow, lungwort and Solomon’s seal. People grow flowers for many reasons, including their beauty. Those concerned about the fate of bees are especially inclined to plant them and to avoid toxic sprays that could harm any pollinators that visit. Possible causes of colony collapse disorder in bees include both pesticides and loss of habitat, so a poison-free yard bursting with blooms makes a double contribution to this cause. The same goes for monarch butterflies, whose numbers have declined in recent years. One plant that Deb especially loves is tithonia, also called Mexican sunflower. Its gorgeous flowers are somewhere between bright scarlet and deep orange. “I love tithonia, too,” I told her, “but it doesn’t work in bouquets. It’s droopy and fragile. Is it medicinal?” “No,” she replied. “It’s not good for anything, but I plant whole hedgerows of it because the monarch butterflies, ruby-throated hummingbirds and native bees all love it.” Reason enough, I’d say. Tip of the week Removing fading flowers — dead-heading — will drastically improve the groomed look of a plant, prevent seediness and often promote reblooming. Use hand pruners to remove the flower back to a set of healthy leaves or take off entire stalks, depending


Berkshire Hathaway to pay $896,000 penalty over USG investment

In a statement, Buffett described the matter as a simple mistake. — Associated Press COMPUTING HP reports healthy quarter for PCs Hewlett-Packard posted a surprise increase in quarterly revenue after sales from its personal computer division climbed 12 percent, but a flat-to-declining performance from its other units underscored the company’s uphill battle to revive growth. HP sales rose to $27.6 billion in its fiscal third quarter from $27.2 billion a year earlier. Wall Street analysts, on average, had forecast a modest drop in revenue to $27.01 billion. The Silicon Valley, Calif.-based giant is undergoing a major overhaul aimed at cutting costs and reorienting itself toward higher-margin businesses such as computing infrastructure. Chief executive Meg Whitman credited PC demand for “coming back some” as consumers and corporations upgrade aging machines. She also was pleased with a 2 percent growth in revenue, to $6.9 billion, at the Enterprise Group, the company’s second-largest business that deals in networking, storage and servers for corporate clients. “It’s a turnaround in a declining business,” Whitman said in an interview. — Reuters Also in Business ● United Parcel Service said a breach of computer systems at UPS Store retail outlets may have exposed customers’ personal and payment data at some locations this year. Malware was found at 51 locations in 24 states, or about 1 percent of the 4,470 franchise stores across the United States, UPS said. About 105,000 transactions were affected, although the company cannot yet say how many customers, said Chelsea Lee, a UPS Store spokeswoman. At risk are UPS Store customers who used a credit or debit card at one of the affected locations from Jan. 20 through Aug. 11, UPS said. ● Activist investor Carl Icahn has taken an 8.5 percent stake in Hertz, saying he plans to have talks with the car-rental company and may seek representation on its board. Icahn disclosed that he had paid about $470.5 million for 38.8 million Hertz shares, including underlying call options. That would make him the company’s biggest shareholder, according to FactSet data. Hertz did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ● The cleanup of a 5,000-gallon fuel oil spill from a Duke Energy power plant into the Ohio River could stretch into Thursday, Duke said, as the U.S. Coast Guard reopened a 15-mile section of the river to limited traffic. The Coast Guard closed a stretch of the river between Cincinnati and


D.C. community calendar, Aug. 21-28, 2014

Thursday, AUG. 21 Walking club, Diversity and disability community roundtable, Amber waves of grain: an overview, Washington National Cathedral behind the scenes, “The Hundred-Foot Journey ,” a film about a culinary ingénue with the gastronomic equivalent of perfect pitch, displaced with his Indian family to a quaint village in the south of France and on the brink of opening an Indian restaurant that rivals an already established Michelin-rated restaurant, starring Helen Mirren, Charlotte Le Bon and Manish Dayal. 11:30 a.m. and 2:15, 5 and 8 p.m., Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave. NW. $11.50; students, $9; seniors, $8.75; military and age 12 and younger, $8.50. 202-966-6000 or www.theavalon.org. “A Five Star Life ,” Victory garden tour, Beginner computer class, learn how to create an e-mail account, search the Internet and use online library services. 1-3 p.m. Thursdays, Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library, 1630 Seventh St. NW. Free. 202-727-1288. Memorials on the Mall, a National Park Service ranger leads a walking tour of a selection of memorials. 2-4 p.m. daily through Aug. 31, Lincoln Memorial, 23rd Street NW and West Potomac Park. Free. 202-426-6841. Book “tasting,” Chess for teens, Origami nights, for ages 7-12, learn how to create paper cranes, frogs, foxes, ties and other designs using the Japanese art form. Beginners welcome. 4:30 p.m. Thursdays and Tuesdays, Francis A. Gregory Library, 3660 Alabama Ave. SE. Free. 202-698-6373. Big Maze late night, visit exhibitions, navigate a really big maze and nosh at Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue. 5-9 p.m. Thursdays through next Thursday, National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Free. 202-272-2448. www.nbm.org . Teen game night, Wii dance-off, Anacostia Library chess club, for ages 10-16. 6 p.m. Thursdays, Anacostia Library, 1800 Good Hope Rd. SE. Free. 202-715-7707 or 202-715-7708. Rudolph Valentino silent film Game night at the library, Meditation and mindfulness, a facilitator teaches and leads techniques that help those whose stress response is triggered by a recent cancer diagnosis; cancer patients, their family members and caregivers welcome. 7-8 p.m. Thursdays, Sibley Medical Building, Conference Room 4, second floor, 5215 Loughboro Rd. NW. Free. 202-364-7602. Job seekers support group, “Shear Madness,” a comedy-mystery set in Georgetown, with audience participation to help solve a mock murder. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 6 and 9 p.m. Saturday, 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday, 8 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Kennedy Center, Family Theater, 2700 F St. NW. $50. 202-467-4600. Friday, AUG. 22 Seniors line dancing, age 50 and older. 10 a.m.


Get out of the office: We don’t need any more ‘work martyrs’

chat today Join me today live at noon EST for a chat about money. Got a financial issue? I’m here to help. Even if you don’t have a question, the online discussions are always lively. If you can’t participate live, you can send in your questions early. Either way, click here to leave a question or join the conversation. Four facts about retirement Bankrate.com just released a new report with some findings about retirement that I think might interest you. Here are four facts from the survey: — Thirty-six percent of Americans have not saved any money for retirement. — Sixty-nine percent of 18- to 29-year-olds haven’t saved anything for retirement, along with 33 percent of 30- to 49-year-olds, 26 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds and 14 percent of people 65 and older. — Those who are saving are starting earlier. Twice as many 30- to 49-year-olds started saving in their 20s as opposed to their 30s. While 50- to 64-year-olds were only slightly more likely to have started saving in their 20s than their 30s. — Despite their lack of retirement savings, millennials feel more financially secure than any other age group. They also feel more secure in their jobs and more optimistic about their current financial situation than any age group. Retirement stories The Washington Post is building a wealth and retirement site that debuts next week. As part of the effort, we are looking for people willing to discuss — on the record — the challenges of planning and saving for retirement. If you decide to share your story, a retirement expert will look over your finances and provide advice about what more, if anything, you should be doing. Send your stories to money@washpost.com. For last week’s Color of Money question I asked: What’s the biggest roadblock that has prevented you from saving for your retirement? One mother wrote about why she was having trouble saving for retirement: “Biggest concern, trying to pay the college loans for my twins on a nonprofit salary that has not increased significantly in several years. Already planning to work another 15 years before retirement, if I can.” Another reader close to retirement said she’s less worried about saving money than she is about the cost of health care and trying to work that into her retirement planning. “Having been raised by Depression-era parents, our biggest challenge hasn’t been the actual saving,


Prince George’s County community calendar, Aug. 21-27, 2014

Thursday, Aug. 21 E-mail basics, Laurel spying for spiders, Seat Pleasant foreclosure clinic, New Carrollton drop-in computer help, Bladensburg family game night, Mental health meeting, Berwyn Heights bird walk, Laurel bipolar support group, New Carrollton NAMI connections, Ballroom dance, Bowie book discussion, Friday, Aug. 22 Forest Heights farmers market, Bowie Public Safety Awards, Fabulous Fridays, Depression and bipolar support group, Beltsville back-to-school barbecue, Bowie teen cookout, Beltsville candle-making workshop, Berwyn Heights scavenger hunt, Dave Buster’s trip, Landover gender wars, Lanham ice cream social, Hyattsville juggling workshop, Saturday, Aug. 23 Quilting class, Cheverly community market, Branch Avenue in Bloom farmers market, North College Park farmers market, Glenarden computer class, Arts drop-in, Capitol Heights flea market, Clinton fish fry, Mount Rainier family naturalist hike, Hyattsville English-Spanish story time, College Park working workshop, Hyattsville chess and checkers club, Bobby McKey’s Kids’ Day Dueling Piano Show, Upper Marlboro end-of-summer critters chat, Greenbelt financial literacy seminar, Résumé start-up, War of 1812, Girls STEM club, Lake Artemesia trip, Outdoor fitness challenge, Chillum soccer night, Bladensburg teen karaoke, Sunday, Aug. 24 Bowie farmers market, The Doctor is In, War of 1812 hits Southern Maryland, Fort Washington health and wellness zone, Laurel hangout for birds and butterflies, Mount Rainier dance ensemble auditions, Movies on the Potomac, Monday, Aug. 25 St. Joseph’s flea market, shop new, used and commercial items from local vendors. 8 a.m.-1 p.m., St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 2020 St. Joseph’s Dr., Largo. Vendor space, $25. 301-390-7150. College Park Club 300 group walk, Hyattsville mental health support group, Laurel chorale auditions, Tuesday, Aug. 26 Upper Marlboro story time, for ages 3-5, enjoy books, songs, crafts and finger plays. 11:15 a.m., Upper Marlboro Library, 14730 Main St. Free. 301-627-9330. Oxon Hill black literature book discussion, Glenarden youth story time, New Carrollton résumé magic, Hyattsville English conversation club, Wednesday, Aug. 27 “The Story of Sprawl,” Temple Hills Mad Science, Glenarden Lego fun time, Bike with the chief, New Carrollton computer basics, New Carrollton English conversation club, — Compiled by Jillian S. Jarrett TO SUBMIT AN EVENT E-mail:


Review: ‘Soldier Girls,’ women at war and at home, by Helen Thorpe

Correction: The headlines about female soldiers in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have stereotyped them as nameless victims of sexual assault, ill-prepared damsels in distress (Jessica Lynch, captured and rescued at the start of the war in Iraq) or country naifs swept up in the infamous debauchery at Abu Ghraib (Lynndie England, now released from prison). Yet for the vast majority of women in the armed forces, service is a tough job that they hope will lift them to a better station in life, and they persevere daily in an intensely male-dominated culture. The military is different from other traditional male bastions that admit women, such as law or medicine. Oh, law firms may have places they call war rooms, stacked to the ceiling with legal papers for major cases, but no one ever dies there. The military has real war zones where soldiers depend on one another for community and survival — and, of course, where people die. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were large-scale experiments in mixing men and women in war zones, the results of which remain to be fully measured. The Pentagon, however, seems to like what it saw. It announced on June 18, 2013, that about 33,000 positions formerly closed to women are now available to them, in a rollout of standards and training that began this year and will continue into 2016. Only positions in the infantry, Special Ops and a few other combat roles are off-limits. This makes “Soldier Girls” especially timely. Journalist Helen Thorpe follows three women, tracking their ups and downs with faithful detail in a brilliant tableau of their overlapping lives for 12 years as they do multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and readjust to civilian life. All three enlisted in the Indiana National Guard before Sept. 11, 2001. Michelle Fischer was a counterculture maverick from a dysfunctional family who joined to pay for college. Desma Brooks was an impulsive mother of three young children who joined on a dare. Debbie Helton, older and more conservative, joined for community. In an author’s note, Thorpe writes that a pseudonym was used for one of the women, but she doesn’t reveal which one. Then, while promoting the book on “The Daily Show,” she told Jon Stewart that Michelle Fischer was the invented name. ‘Soldier Girls: The Battles of Three Women at Home and at War’ by Helen Thorpe (Scribner)


Report: vets’ preference for federal jobs too complicated, sometimes controversial

Uncle Sam’s long-standing policy of giving veterans a hiring preference for government jobs enjoys strong support. But it’s a pain to explain. The preference is so complicated, confusing and difficult to understand that it tempts abuse. That’s the takeaway from a Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) report released this week. Congress should consider “creating a simpler system,” MSPB suggested. “It’s a mess,” said Ted Daywalt, president of VetJobs, an online jobs board sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He’s concerned that too many vets don’t get the preference they are due. “It needs to be reworked.” MSPB’s study comes three months after another by the Partnership for Public Service, which reported on federal personnel executives who think that, in certain circumstances, the preference “can result in the exclusion of all nonveterans without regard to their relative qualifications.” While the veterans’ hiring preference is perplexing, perhaps sometimes frustrating, it also is popular with Congress. “The laws regarding veterans’ preference in federal hiring may be complex, but they were written with a noble purpose — to give those who have served their country a justified preference for federal civilian employment,”said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) said he strongly supports veterans’ hiring preferences not just because vets have “put their lives on the line, but just the basic reality that when you are away and not in the civilian labor market for a period of years, you fall behind people your age in a very competitive economy.” Yet the popularity of the preference does not put it beyond controversy. An MSPB survey said 6.5 percent of respondents reported inappropriate favoritism towards veterans and 4.5 percent reported a denial of veterans’ preference rights. Neither figure is large, but each can have negative ramifications. In a letter introducing the report, Susan Tsui Grundmann, the MSPB chairwoman, said, “The survey data showed that employees are less likely to be engaged and more likely to want to leave their agencies if they report having observed either of these two types of conduct.” Negative perceptions are higher in the Defense Department, where 8 percent of the employees surveyed reported “inappropriate favoritism towards veterans.” MSPB wrote about staffer allegations that Defense Department “job descriptions were being written specifically for retiring members of the armed forces, that the retired military


Former Virginia senator Jim Webb stumps for fellow Democrats in Iowa

Former Sen. James Webb (D-Va.), shown here in 2012, was stumping in Iowa this week and has announced plans to visit New Hampshire as well. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) RICHMOND — The Iowa swing had everything: campaign events, phone banks, a speech to union organizers and a veterans roundtable — all chronicled for the world to see on Webb’s Twitter account. The whirlwind, 800-mile tour surprised some Virginia Democrats, who remember Webb as a brilliant thinker who was passionate about fixing the country’s problems but uncomfortable with the retail politicking and day-to-day donor outreach that feed a modern political operation. Several Democrats voiced a similar reaction but requested anonymity so as not to appear to be criticizing Webb. If his actions suggest a 2016 bid could be in his future, Webb insists he’s simply eager to spread a message of economic fairness and social justice, a realigned foreign policy and an end to executive overreach. “He’s thinking about how he could contribute to the country, and if that’s one way to do it that’s something he’ll think about in the future,” said Jessica Vanden Berg, a former senior adviser to Webb who was his Senate campaign manager. Wrapping up the day by making calls to Iowa veterans to thank them for their support of @BruceBraley. #IAsen http://t.co/l2v20Da6Gd Enjoyed conversation with IA veterans today, including discussion of #WebbGIBill while campaigning for @BruceBraley http://t.co/vvhy2lMpmR Webb was swept into office in 2006 on a wave of Democratic enthusiasm and millions in national campaign cash from a party bent on unseating then-senator George Allen, a Republican force whose campaign imploded after he used a racial slur against a Democratic volunteer who was videotaping him at a rally in southwest Virginia. A Vietnam veteran who took to wearing his Marine son’s combat boots on the trail, Webb cut a stark contrast to the cowboy boot-clad Allen. In office, Webb pushed for and achieved landmark legislation that updated the G.I. Bill to help veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan obtain educational benefits. But he remained a loner. Democrats who watched him work at the time said he was the right man for the moment but not the kind of backslapping dealmaker who often thrives on Capitol Hill. At a White House reception for freshman members of Congress, Webb tried to avoid George W. Bush and reacted coolly when the president asked, “How’s your boy?” referring to Webb’s


What Bao Bao has in common with other 1-year-olds in D.C.

Bao Bao, Washington D.C.'s beloved baby panda, celebrates her first birthday with a Zhuazhou (dra-JO) ceremony, a Chinese tradition for a 1-year-old child. Is spoiled the right word for it? No, not for our Bao Bao. “Year-round VIP treatment,” says Nicole MacCorkle, the young panda’s keeper. “But I don’t consider it spoiling.” The panda, who has had a camera pointed at nearly every moment of her life, turns 1 on Saturday. The National Zoo, whether it admits to spoiling or not, is going all out. More than 20 news cameras have RSVP’d to be there when Bao Bao wakes up. There will be a traditional Chinese celebration, two parties, favors for guests from corporate sponsors, lectures on pandas and a tiered cake made of all of Bao Bao’s favorite foods: pears, apples, carrots and sweet potatoes. All attendees can, of course, make a stop at the zoo’s gift shop, where they can buy Bao Bao backpacks, Bao Bao shot glasses, Bao Bao neck pillows and dozens of other kitschy Bao Bao items to contribute to Bao Bao mania. Extravagant? Maybe. Unusual? Not in Washington. The National Zoo’s giant panda cub is celebrating her first birthday. Here's a look at some of the most memorable moments since her birth on Aug. 23, 2013. The zoo is simply taking part in what seems to be a D.C. tradition: the over-the-top first birthday party. In a city packed with young professionals, it is common, if not expected, for couples to wait until their 30s to have children. By the time their child’s first birthday arrives, they’re likely to feel it’s an accomplishment worth celebrating in a big way, local party planners say. “Older parents are in a financial position to give their kids the parties they always dreamed of when they were children,” says Monique Williams, owner of event planning company Enchanted Expectations. That makes planning children’s parties, especially first birthday parties, big business in and around the District. Parents typically pay between $400 and $800 for an established planner, who will organize everything from decoration themes (“Frozen” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” are especially popular this year) to cake (sometimes one to be eaten, one for the photos) to goodie bags (one parent sent every child home with a goldfish). “Parties for 1-year-olds are typically more extravagant, because babies aren’t old enough to play games, so you have to bring the entertainment