How do U.K. voters feel now about the E.U.? Here’s what our survey found.

— Brexit. If we use statistical modeling that controls for several factors that might affect voting, we see that there was a predictably strong relationship between attitudes to E.U. membership and support for the Brexit party. However, there was also a strong relationship between attitudes to Farage and the probability of voting for his party. People who really disliked Farage had only a 5 percent likelihood of voting for the Brexit party, while those who really liked him had fully a 78 percent chance of doing so. What’s next? It’s hard to tell. Some commentators argue that public opinion has swung in a pro-Remain direction, calculating that combined support for pro-E. U. parties in the election was substantially greater than that for the Brexit party, the Conservatives and UKIP. That may be a stretch. Only 37 percent turned out to vote, which means the preferences of the large majority who failed to do so remain unknown. And our survey reveals that not all of those voting for any of the parties were unanimously in favor or opposed to Brexit. When asked directly, 44 percent favored continued E.U. membership and 44 percent wanted to get out. And, when queried about how they would vote if a second referendum was held, Remainers and Leavers were just as balanced, both at 46 percent. As detailed in “Brexit — Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union,” a book co-written by two of us, opinion polls showed that the distribution of pro- and anti-E. U. sentiment was extremely close at the time of the 2016 referendum. What we just learned is that this remains true today — the Brexit battle continues. Again, Brexit is not all that is at stake, even in the European Parliament elections. The Conservatives and Labour have dominated U.K. politics for generations — but there are signs that public discontent may be eroding their support. For instance, a survey question that asked how respondents would vote in the next general election revealed only 30 percent would support Labour and even fewer would vote Conservative. If British voters behaved in this fashion in the next election, neither major party could form a majority government. Coalition governments and a genuine multiparty system may be the future of British politics. Don’t miss anything! Sign up to get TMC’s smart analysis in your inbox, three days a week. Harold Clarke Marianne Stewart Paul Whiteley


Many unanswered questions, concerns about CBD products, says FDA acting chief at first public hearing

out its rules sooner, rather than later. Even though FDA’s regulations make adding CBD to food and supplements illegal, the CBD industry has exploded in recent years with thousands of unproven products flooding the market. Companies have trumpeted the compound’s alleged health benefits — claiming it can reduce anxiety, pain and insomnia and treat conditions from Parkinson’s disease to cancer. But almost all such claims lack rigorous scientific proof, prompting concern among health officials and scientists about safety and deceptive marketing. Without clearly defined regulations, no one knows for sure how much CBD is in products available on the market, or how safely the chemical compound is being manufactured and incorporated into them. “It’s a wild West kind of environment right now,” said Yasmin Hurd, a psychiatry professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, who has researched CBD for almost 10 years. “I’m inundated every day with patients wanting to know how much CBD they should take, which ones to buy. But we don’t know what’s in the stuff now being sold. . . . We’ve had this explosion without guidance to the public or regulation.” How the FDA will choose to regulate the industry and how long it will need to figure that out remain unclear. Those prospective regulations have become a fierce battleground: More than 400 people and groups applied for a chance to speak at Friday’s hearing, with roughly 120 speaking slots parsed out. CBD can be derived from the marijuana plant or hemp. Congress in December legalized hemp as part of the Farm Bill, clearing the way for industrial production of the nonintoxicating compound from that plant. But the FDA quickly made it clear to companies that while hemp was legal, CBD extract remained under government regulation. In recent months, the agency has sent warning letters to some companies that it said were “illegally selling CBD products that claimed to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure serious diseases, such as cancer.” Billions are at stake in how the FDA decides to regulate the compound, with business analysts projecting the industry could grow to be worth as much as $22 billion in the next five years. Market research firm New Frontier Data estimated that sales of CBD products in the United States more than tripled between 2014 and 2017, to $367 million. Retailers like CVS and Walgreens have announced plans to


Restaurants in stores are trendy again, but their goal is as old as ever

World War II, department stores began to decline: People moved to the suburbs, and discount stores captured more market share. As companies began to cut back, the restaurants suffered. By the 1970s and ’80s, said Whitaker, they seemed hopelessly outdated. “They were these sort of formal-looking restaurants . . . with big columns and chandeliers and all that kind of stuff,” said Whitaker. “People would have said, ‘Oh that’s where old ladies go.'” Some survived in New York, but the mall food court ascended elsewhere. The first American Ikea opened outside Philadelphia in 1985, with a 200-seat restaurant serving its now-iconic Swedish meatballs. Other brands, throughout the years, have similarly experimented, with varying degrees of success. Ralph Lauren’s Chicago restaurant opened in 1999, and is still dishing out burgers and lobster bisque. But nothing remains of Torpedo Joe’s, a short-lived sandwich chain that occupied flagship Old Navy stores in the late ’90s. Retail restaurants come and go. But what’s different about the most recent wave is that it’s not just big chains. Smaller clothing brands, single-location boutiques, banks and cellphone companies are getting into the restaurant business, some in a way that competes with independent restaurants nearby. There’s a Jimmy’s Coffee inside the Frank & Oak store in Toronto’s cool Queen West neighborhood. You can actually now have breakfast at Tiffany’s, which opened a restaurant in its New York store. An AT&T in Seattle features “the Lounge,” a coffee shop and community gathering space. A Paula Deen restaurant is in a San Antonio Bass Pro Shop. Four European locations of H&M have cafes, called It’s Pleat, that serve sandwiches and cold-pressed green juice. Ralph Lauren, in addition to its successful Polo cafes, has launched Ralph’s, a stylish coffee shop in its Upper East Side store. Capital One now has 36 cafes serving Peet’s coffee in its banking branches in 15 cities, including the District. “We want to be where our customers live, work and play,” said Jennifer Windbeck, managing vice president of Capital One cafes and branches. The cafes offer “the delivery of financial services through new technologies, balanced with the desire for human connection.” Big-name restaurateurs and chefs aren’t shying away from the retail world, especially in partnerships with smaller, more upscale brands. After the success of his 2010 restaurant ABC Kitchen, in New York’s ABC Carpet & Home, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened ABC Cocina in 2013 and the


And on the third floor there’s a wine bar, where you can sip glasses of (red!) wine on the showroom couches (and wonder how many tipsy people have spilled). Then there’s Terrain, which fills its Bethesda, Md., restaurant with greenery to establish a connection with the Anthropologie-owned garden shop of the same name. Look through the windows at the bar as you dine, and you’ll see racks of dresses. The food — colorful and Instagrammable, just like the clothes — has plenty of on-trend ingredients, such as watermelon radish, bee pollen and fiddlehead ferns. The cafe works with local farms and changes its menu seasonally. The marketing is a bit more overt at the Capital One Cafe in Washington’s Chinatown. Cardmembers get 50 percent off at the bright and vaguely Scandi space, which is designed to entice those who work from coffee shops with comfy chairs, tons of outlets, free WiFi and meeting rooms that nonprofit organizations can reserve online. But there are also big screens constantly flashing promos: “We believe banking should fit your everyday life.” “Looking to knock out your debt?” There are “ambassadors” standing around to talk budgeting and answer questions about banking products. But how many people are actually ordering a matcha latte and then applying for a credit card? “It’s a branding play,” said Kahn. “A lot of this physical retail is substituting for advertising dollars.” At these restaurants, it’s impossible to forget that you are not only a diner, but a retail customer. After some burrata toast and — you guessed it — a salad at Terrain, I ventured into the Anthropologie. It was for journalism purposes: I wanted to find out if the soaps in the bathroom, a brand called Botaniculture, were also for sale in the store. I wandered around the furniture section and sniffed a few candles. I didn’t see any Botaniculture, so I checked out the Mario Badescu skin care products. There were some cute earrings nearby. And all of the sale shoes were 50 percent off. Including a pair of gold d’orsay flats that I hadn’t planned to buy, but the price was too good to pass up. What can I say? The strategy works. More from Voraciously: There’s a little science to predicting food trends — but there’s a lot of guesswork, too An art exhibit you can eat in. Actually, you eating is part of the art.


The best classical concerts of summer 2019

JUNE 2 ‘The Tale of Serse’ The In Series presents a new adaptation of Handel’s “Serse” paired with the poetry of Rumi. At Atlas Performing Arts Center. Through June 9. 6 National Symphony Orchestra Gianandrea Noseda closes the subscription season with Dvorak’s New World Symphony on a program that also includes Copland’s “Billy the Kid” and — a change from the original program — De Falla songs with mezzo Isabel Leonard. At the Kennedy Center. Through June 9. 8 Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Marin Alsop leads Mahler’s Symphony No. 9. At the Music Center at Strathmore. National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic Andrew Grams leads Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major, Anna Clyne’s “Abstractions” and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 in G major. At the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. 9 Krakauer-Tagg Duo Clarinetist David Krakauer and percussionist Kathleen Tagg perform a program called Breath and Hammer, with works by Kinan Azmeh, John Zorn and Roberto Rodríguez. At National Gallery of Art, West Building. The Washington Chorus The chorus ends its season with James MacMillan’s “Cantos Sagrados” and Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem” conducted by Christopher Bell. At National Presbyterian Church. 12 Emily Wells The visionary composer and producer builds a “new instrument” out of percussion, strings and synthesizer, and then plays it. At National Gallery of Art, East Building. 13 Adelphi Quartet The quartet, formed at the National Orchestral Institute and Festival two years ago, performs works by Alberto Ginastera, Jessie Montgomery, Ravel and Beethoven. At MilkBoy ArtHouse. 14 National Symphony Orchestra Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the first installment of a three-part festival dedicated to Mozart by pairing the overture to “The Marriage of Figaro” and Symphony No. 35 in D major “Haffner.” At the Kennedy Center. Through June 15. 15 National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic David Alan Miller conducts an all-American program of Tower, Gershwin, Harbison and Piston, which will be recorded for release on Naxos. At the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. 16 Inscape Chamber Orchestra Richard Scerbo leads the orchestra in a program dedicated to the legacy of Paul Hindemith, based on one of Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts. At National Gallery of Art, West Building. 18 National Symphony Orchestra Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the second installment of a three-part celebration of Mozart that includes the overture to “Don Giovanni,” as well as Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 in E flat with soloist Abel Pereira and Mozart’s Symphonies No. 25 and 40, both in G


A U.S.-funded nuclear project to zap a killer fly into extinction is saving West Africa’s cows

this legacy.” The peaceful use in Senegal is called nuclear insect sterilization. First, scientists hatch thousands of tsetse flies in an artificial habitat about 870 miles away, in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. Next, they send the bugs to the lab in Seibersdorf, where researchers place them in tiny ionization chambers and blast them with gamma rays, rendering the males unable to pass on a healthy seed. Finally, they chill the flies to sleep — broken wings from panicked thrashing would sabotage the mission — before tucking them into biodegradable paper boxes and shipping them to Senegal. The sterilized males, raised on blood that does not contain disease, compete with natives for partners. Females, who tend to mate only once, lay fewer and fewer viable eggs. “It’s basically birth control,” said Marc Vreysen, head of the IAEA’s pest control lab. This technique emerged in Africa two decades ago on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar. Tsetse flies were afflicting scores of cows and infecting humans with African sleeping sickness, which brings fever, headaches, muscle pain, confusion and, in severe cases, death. Stopping the scourge proved difficult in poor areas with limited resources. Flies that survived pesticides would quickly reproduce with a tolerance for chemicals. Tanzanian scientists, supported by the United Nations and the IAEA, experimented with nuclear sterilization. The island’s flies vanished after three years. Word spread to Senegal, where the epidemic was similar to that in a swath of African nations — but where the government has been particularly vocal and focused on stamping it out. (Ethiopia is running a similar effort, which is still years from seeing significant fly suppression.) Senegal’s Ministry of Livestock and Animal Production, working with the national veterinarian services, rallied the IAEA for help in 2005, and the groups took aim at Niayes, where the climate is ideal for cattle. On a recent May day, farmers walk without swatting away insects. Baobab trees offer shade to donkeys and goats. A brown dog trots between indigenous cows that have long, sharp horns and are mainly raised for their meat. Their coats are glossy. Their eyes are clear. They chew undisturbed on corn stalks. Nearby, black and white dairy cows from Europe huddle together. A banner overhead celebrates the “foreign” cattle, which arrived in April. Unlike the native animals, they lack natural resistance to the tsetse fly’s infectious nip. “They could not have survived with


Leaked Navy emails show top officers struggling with how to handle a former governor ensnared in scandal

involving the nude photograph, prosecutors said he had illicitly used the donor list of the Mission Continues for political fundraising. Both charges were dropped, but Greitens resigned under threat of impeachment after a Missouri state investigative committee found the woman credible, according to a report the panel issued. As he left office, Greitens echoed a refrain of President Trump, who endorsed him in his gubernatorial run, calling the prosecution a “political witch hunt.” Greitens, reached by The Post on Thursday, declined to comment. A former senior defense official acknowledged speaking extensively with Greitens about where he might fit and confirmed making inquiries on Greitens’s behalf about whether there was a home for him on the National Security Council’s staff as a military officer. Warren Lockette, another former defense official and friend of Greitens, said the former governor has been wrestling with what to do with his life and is still driven to serve others. “This feeling of service and what he gets out of it, it doesn’t go away,” said Lockette, who served during the Obama administration. “I’m hoping that wisdom prevails, and the politics step aside, and he is allowed to do what he does so well.” In January, Kernan — and days later, Greitens — approached the Navy about the former governor returning to active duty. The Navy’s top admiral overseeing personnel, Vice Adm. Robert Burke, spoke with Greitens, and the possibility of Vice President Pence requesting him by name for a military assignment was raised, military documents said. An official close to Pence denied that the vice president had any interest in bringing on Greitens. “He was never under consideration to join our staff for any role, nor do we have any knowledge of any discussion within the administration of him joining in any role,” the official said. The former senior defense official assisting Greitens said they never brought up the possibility of serving under Pence, and he said he is not sure how that idea was raised. Through a spokesman, Kernan declined to comment on his interest in Greitens’s career. Emails viewed by The Post outline a case in which some admirals expressed concerns about Greitens. In January, an early assessment of whether the service should bring Greitens back on active duty prompted the senior officer in charge of recruiting, Rear Adm. Brendan McLane, to recommend against it. “The sexual nature of the charges are not


The Daily 202: The 2020 impeachment debate passes a tipping point in the aftermath of Mueller’s speech

NBC News reporter remembered this quote from the Senate majority leader: A Times reporter speculated that POTUS didn’t actually read the Mueller report: A conservative commentator suggested buying this piece of merchandise: A presidential historian resurrected this photo from McCain’s military days: Pete Buttigieg responded to the latest news about the Trump administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to the census: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), who has previously been criticized for her positive comments about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, raised eyebrows with this statement: A House Democrat criticized Trump’s efforts to put pressure on Mexico: Alabama’s Democratic senator, who defeated Roy Moore in 2017 as the controversial judge faced allegations of making sexual advances toward teenagers, mocked his former opponent: An unlikely pair of lawmakers expressed openness to crafting a compromise bill on banning lawmakers from becoming lobbyists: The Republican senator replied to the freshman House Democrat: A House Republican joined in the effort: Michael Bennet replied that he introduced this bill in 2010: An editor at the Center for Public Integrity highlighted Trump’s change of heart on Cochran: And one of Washington’s ubiquitous scooters encountered some technical difficulties: GOOD READS: -- Politico, “Nikki Haley begins experiment in political life after Trump,” by Eliana Johnson: DAYBOOK: Trump NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU LIVE IN D.C.: -- Today will be partly sunny and not too muggy, with a slight chance of rain. -- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), long an opponent of D.C. statehood, announced in a Post op-ed that he was reversing his position. -- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) called for an investigation into the University of Maryland's handling of an adenovirus outbreak that killed a freshman student last fall. -- The man who set himself on fire near the White House died. VIDEOS OF THE DAY: A video of an encounter between a black man a police officer in Arkansas has raised questions about the officer’s intentions. “You’re telling me to shut my car off so you can shoot me,” Edrick Truitt says in the video: Barack Obama shared the story of two of his former campaign volunteers who are facing the challenge of a lifetime: Nancy Pelosi sat down with Jimmy Kimmel to talk Trump, Mueller and the NBA finals: Trevor Noah said Mueller’s speech “shook” Trump: Jimmy Kimmel made some NBA stars read mean tweets about themselves: And Lil Nas X surprised an


Want to inherit Britain’s Brexit mess? A lot of candidates do, with fractures over how to fix it.

LONDON — One of the candidates is on a walking tour of the country, stopping along the way to share uncomfortably close selfie videos — dental work and all — in which he vows to bring “love” back into British politics. Another, the front-runner, faces potential prosecution for allegedly lying to the public. A motley crew of nine others is burning up the chat apps, dangling cabinet posts in exchange for ever-so-crucial endorsements. And hanging over it all is this question: Will the men and women vying to become Britain’s next prime minister be prepared to drive the country over the cliff edge that is a no-deal Brexit? Might they even relish the chance? The race for 10 Downing Street is only days old, following the resignation announcement last week of Prime Minister Theresa May. But it’s already shaping up to be a wild, unpredictable and hugely consequential contest for a country caught in the purgatory of a European Union exit that never seems to end. Whoever emerges victorious in the coming weeks will determine the nature of Britain’s ultimate departure — or whether there is a departure at all. But it won’t be the 66 million-strong British public that gets to decide who leads the nation. Instead, it will be the 313 Tory members of the British Parliament who choose two finalists from among their own ranks. Then the 120,000 paid-up members of the Conservative Party will make the final call. As with the Democratic presidential primary in the United States, a clear favorite has emerged among oddsmakers. But also like the Democrats, no one appears particularly intimidated by him. A record 11 lawmakers have already declared their candidacies — nearly half the number of Democratic aspirants in a country one-fifth the size. More are likely on the way, a reflection of the fact that, at a time of extreme turbulence for Britain, no one knows what a prime minister is supposed to look like anymore. “Brexit has smashed the old politics. Things that were previously unthinkable now seem possible,” said Anand Menon, director of the U.K. in a Changing Europe program at King’s College London. “The straitjacket of centrist orthodoxy has been shaken off, and no one knows where we’ll land.” Just one measure of how radically expectations have shifted: The front-runner is Boris Johnson, the mop-haired former foreign secretary and London mayor who often hides his intelligence


Spray cheese, beef jerky and stuffed olives to be counted as staples under Trump administration food stamp proposal

early 1980s, when the Reagan administration sought to reclassify ketchup, a basic condiment, as a vegetable as part of the federal school lunch program. Or, more recently, when Congress decided that an eighth of a cup of tomato paste had the same nutritional value as a half cup of vegetables. What’s more, under the proposed rules, food varieties have been subdivided so that stores can more easily qualify as a SNAP retailer. For example, under Obama-era rules, cow’s milk was split into three varieties (perishable, shelf-stable and powdered), but under the new proposed rules, perishable milk is now further divided into full-fat and reduced-fat, meaning that if a store carries both kinds of milk it will now have two of the seven varieties required in the staple dairy category. The real beneficiaries of the new rules, Wootan said, are not food stamp recipients but convenience stores, dollar stores, liquor shops and other retail outlets that could start accepting SNAP benefits. The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) had lobbied for the changes, she added. Anna Ready, director of government relations at NACS, provided a statement to The Washington Post about the proposed changes. “We are pleased to see that FNS heeded the calls of Congress to rewrite their definition of ‘variety’ in a way that will provide more flexibility for the more than 119,000 convenience stores in the program who provide needed access to food in areas where there is not a large store nearby or during nontraditional hours when most of those stores are closed.” According to USDA statistics, there were 119,248 convenience stores authorized to redeem SNAP benefits in fiscal year 2017. By contrast, during the same period, there were about 37,500 authorized supermarkets and superstores such as Walmart and Target. Yet when it came to purchasing food, participants redeemed 82 percent of their SNAP benefits at supermarkets and super stores. Only 5.5 percent of the benefits were redeemed at convenience stores. During a separate phone call, NACS’s Ready singled out these USDA statistics as evidence that SNAP participants don’t use convenience stores as their primary grocery destinations but more as supplements, just like Americans who don’t receive federal assistance. Convenience stores have extended hours — sometimes 24 hours a day — compared with large retailers and supermarkets, Ready said. These corner stores, then, can be a backup option for bread, milk, eggs and other necessities when low-income


Baltimore Symphony Orchestra unexpectedly cancels summer season

the season the major issue in the stalled negotiations. The players were blindsided by Thursday’s announcement, said Greg Mulligan, a first violinist and co-chairman of the orchestra committee that represents the players in negotiations. “We’re very disappointed,” he said. “After the citizens of Maryland and the legislature and governor advocated for us by eventually passing the bill, we cannot understand why they’re taking this action.” The next bargaining session is scheduled for Tuesday. Mulligan said that at a hastily convened meeting Thursday, the players asked management to put off the announcement until after that session but that management declined. Players see the threat as existential. “When you change an orchestra from 52 weeks to 40, and cut pay by that much, it’s going to change the kind of players who come here,” Brian Prechtl, a percussionist and the other chairman of the orchestra committee, said in a conversation last fall about the ongoing contract negotiations. “Some great players will leave.” Baltimore’s situation epitomizes the basic conflict that has marked orchestral labor struggles across the country: musicians’ claims to a fair and regular salary for a highly skilled job against the decrease in demand for concerts. This season, Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians staged a strike for almost seven weeks, the longest in the orchestra’s history, over proposed changes to their pension plans, which ultimately went through largely as management had proposed. The Minnesota Orchestra and Detroit Symphony Orchestra have both emerged remarkably rejuvenated after long and bitter labor disputes — in the case of the Minnesota Orchestra, not a strike but a lockout. The BSO, which is based in a city that is not wealthy and has no great depth of industry to provide corporate funding, has long struggled financially. (The Cleveland Orchestra, faced with a similar predicament, has introduced an annual residency in Florida, enabling it to tap into a second donor base.) In 2009 and 2010, the BSO musicians agreed to voluntary salary reductions, which they had earned back by 2016. For the past two years, they have played on one-year extensions of the previous contract; the second of those expired in September. “As long as they pay us, we’re going to play,” Mulligan said. “They’ve said they’re going to pay us through concerts on June 16, and after that they’re not going to pay us. It’s not going to be a strike; it’s going to be lockout.” anne.midgette@washpost.com


PM Update: Additional showers around late this evening as a front tries to sink south for Friday

Behind the first batch of showers and storms, some of which were severe, we await some more raindrops later this evening. The second round should be more peaceful, but if you’re headed out near and beyond sunset you may want to consider the chance of rain. It’ll try to dry out tomorrow, although it’s uncertain if it’ll stay that way. Listen to our daily D.C. forecasts: Through tonight: View the Tomorrow (Friday): See David Streit’s Pollen update: Want our 5 a.m. forecast delivered to your email inbox?


He spent 17 years in prison after Tiananmen. But he will not be silent.

him, he said. He was thrown into a prison and eventually charged with arson. When he’d been in the square the morning of June 4, he’d seen some students trying to burn army vehicles. They’d given him a rag soaked in gasoline, he said. But he said he had not used it to set fire to anything. In the prison, a police officer held a pistol to his head and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t confess. “After what I saw on the streets, I knew what they were capable of,” he said. He confessed. He was originally sentenced to death, but that was ultimately commuted to a prison sentence. He felt lucky. Other inmates had been sentenced to life in prison, or executed. In prison, he worked hard to win his release. He studied and earned the equivalent of a college diploma. It took 17 years and three months, but he was finally let out on Sept. 9, 2006. His father had died of cancer three years earlier. His wife had long ago divorced him. He had no relationship with his son, who is now in his 30s. He hasn’t tried to force a relationship, seeing his son just a couple of times a year now. He hasn’t been able to get a proper job either. That would require passing a criminal-background check, which Dong cannot. So instead, he’s tried to make ends meet by doing odd jobs like selling crockery or working as a warehouse security guard. He sometimes borrows his girlfriend’s car and drives drunk people home. He can’t marry his girlfriend because he needs a basic living allowance that he gets from being single. Dong is one of the untold number of victims of those events of June 4, 1989. His life has been irrevocably changed for the worse, and yet he has no regrets. In fact, he relives it constantly. He’s trying to make sure that June 4 is not forgotten by future generations. “The government has an official strategy of trying to erase the public memory,” he said. “But as long as I’m alive, I will try to tell my story and what I have witnessed. It might seem futile and many people don’t want to know about it in the first place, but I will not give up. I’m here and I’m supposed to speak out and tell people the truth.” anna.fifield@washpost.com


What Mueller’s reminder about Russian interference really meant

to find a conspiracy behind the Russian conspiracy, a “coup” by the “deep state” somehow launched even before Trump’s election made a coup necessary or possible. And one subtle part of the explosive news conference Mueller gave Wednesday seemed like an attempt to debunk such conspiracy theories. Mueller ended his news conference by emphasizing that “there were multiple, systematic efforts to interfere in our election.” His statement referenced the two indictments he had mentioned earlier in his remarks, one charging Russian officers with hacking Democratic targets and another charging Russian civilians with trolling U.S. voters. But he also included “other activities in our report” among the “efforts to interfere in our political system.” He explains that the “first volume of the report details numerous efforts emanating from Russia to influence the election,” along with “the Trump campaign’s response to this activity.” That is, the Russian outreach the Trump campaign responded to — in Papadopoulos’s case, by redoubling his efforts to set up a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin after he learned the Russians wanted to release emails to help Trump win — were also part of the Russian attempts to interfere with the election. Mueller was reminding us of something that’s easily forgotten: All those stories of mysterious professors and Russian lawyers and various oligarchs reaching out to Trump associates that appear in Volume I of the special counsel’s report next to the Russian hackers and trolls were themselves part of the Russian operation. That means the Russian efforts to get Papadopoulos to help their efforts were real, just as Papadopoulos says he believed when he pleaded guilty. Likewise, the Russian attempt to get Donald Trump Jr. to listen to a pitch on eliminating sanctions in the hope of obtaining dirt on Clinton was real — the offer that he responded to by saying, “if it’s what you say, I love it, especially later in the summer.” That would also suggest that when Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska allegedly used Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort’s debt as leverage to obtain information on how Manafort planned to win the election — and maybe even a commitment from Manafort to help carve up Ukraine, a plan Mueller’s prosecutors alleged that Manafort pursued as late as 2018 — that, too, was part of one of the numerous efforts Russia made in 2016. When Barr introduced the report in a March 24


If John Cleese meant London is just another homogenized world capital, he’s right

and very affluent, lifestyle that only a minority in any of those cities can afford. And so it does. But the observation also holds at the much lower levels of expenditure where I generally travel: The fast-food places and sandwich shops and supermarkets are converging to a single global standard nearly as fast, and no matter where you go, you will find people ready to discuss the finale of “Game of Thrones.” That wasn’t true when I first traveled abroad, in the 1990s, and it certainly wasn’t when Cleese was a young man in London in the 1960s. Back then, to go abroad was to be disconcerted, perhaps a little terrified, as all your hard-won knowledge about how to navigate the world became abruptly useless. That’s still true in remoter, poorer places. But in the cities that thrive on global commerce and attract global capital, it’s easy for an urban dweller to feel at home anywhere, whether a student on a budget or a banker on an expense account. But the most trenchant defense may simply be that in world capitals, the affluent class that drinks $15 cocktails is slowly pushing everyone else out of the way, and with them, more and more of what remains of their city’s individual character. Cleese later elaborated on his tweet, saying that he found the London of his youth “calmer, more polite, more humorous, less tabloid, and less money-oriented than the one that is replacing it.” The great global cities are ports on a great ocean of international capital, and the people who sail so profitably upon it are outbidding everyone else for a tightly restricted supply of housing. The more they dominate the housing market, the more everything else upscales and homogenizes to cater to their tastes. The result is reassuring for the traveling class, but also faintly depressing, since it removes one of the main reasons people used to travel: expanding their horizons, and broadening their comfort zone. Of course, this might be just a fine bit of nostalgia from one old fogy, and one fogy-in-training. But while nostalgia can blind us with rose-colored glasses, it can also occasionally open our eyes to things we’ve lost, and the ones we’re letting slip away. Read more: Fareed Zakaria: Brexit will mark the end of Britain as a great power Megan McArdle: Brexit hasn’t even happened, yet Ireland is already seeing signs of


U.S. News makes major changes to high school rankings. How it dramatically changes the results.

U.S. News & World Report just published its 2019 “Best High Schools” rankings — and the top 10 looks mighty different from 2018. (It may make you wonder whether the 2018 wasn’t the “best.” But never mind.) Last year, seven of the top 10 high schools were charter schools — six from the same charter chain. In the newly released 2019 rankings, seven of the top 10 are schools from traditional public school systems, most of them magnet schools; three are charters. Last year, the top school was a charter school in Arizona, which dropped to No. 3 for 2019. In the ranking just out, the top campus is a magnet school in South Carolina, which wasn’t in the top 10 last year. Meanwhile, the magnet Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools jumped from No. 10 in 2018 to No. 4 in 2019. Did the schools really change all that much in a year? Of course not. U.S. News says it dramatically changed the way it decides what the “best” high schools are (even though in years past it has assured us those lists represented the “best”) — and, accordingly the results are different. It made the changes, it said, “with students, parents, educators and the general public in mind,” so that the rankings would be “easier to understand, more thorough and include as many schools as possible.” Here’s how the magazine explains the changes: In 2018, the sole indicator was participation by high school seniors in an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam, meaning 100 percent of the rankings were based on standardized tests. As it turns out, the six factors used by the magazine for its 2019 rankings mostly involved standardized test participation or scores (90 percent) with graduation rates accounting for the remaining 10 percent. But different tests are included and so are different ways of looking at them. (We won’t dwell on the fact that standardized test scores provide a very limited look at what students know and can do. Nor will we fixate on the fact that graduation rates can, and have been, fudged in the past.) U.S. News said that in addition to the changes in the indicators used in its calculations, it ranked more than 17,000 high schools this year, compared with 2,700 in 2018. As a result, U.S. News said, “Since the methodology changed


Maryland university board leader pledges review of adenovirus response at College Park campus

The leader of the University System of Maryland’s governing board on Friday pledged a “thorough, independent and transparent” review of top officials’ response to an adenovirus outbreak last fall at the flagship university in College Park that killed one student and sickened dozens of others. Linda R. Gooden, chair of the system’s Board of Regents, said in a statement that she hoped to meet soon with the parents of the student who died, 18-year-old freshman Olivia Shea Paregol. “On behalf of the board, I have reached out to Olivia’s parents and soon hope to meet with them and share our condolences, our concern, and our plans for moving forward,” Gooden said. “Those of us who are parents can only imagine the grief and sorrow they must be experiencing.” Gooden’s statement, during a meeting of the board, came a day after Gov. Larry Hogan (R) prodded the regents to take action. In a letter Thursday, the governor sharply questioned why the University of Maryland waited more than two weeks in November to tell the campus about the outbreak. Paregol, who had fallen sick weeks earlier, died Nov. 18. The next day, U-Md. leaders acknowledged that adenovirus was present on campus. “It appears that, at just about every turn, leaders withheld information instead of being open and honest with the student body,” Hogan wrote in the letter. “There should never be a question as to whether the campus community will receive timely and accurate information, especially when it is an urgent matter of public health and safety.” Hogan does not have direct authority over the university system, but as governor he is responsible for nominating regents to the board when vacancies arise. The university’s response to the viral outbreak — and persistent problems with mold in residence halls — has drawn fresh attention since The Washington Post reported in May that university officials waited 18 days to alert the campus to the presence of adenovirus on campus even as students were falling ill. The virus sickened more than 40 students, the university said, with 15 treated at hospitals. On Friday, a U-Md. spokeswoman reiterated a statement from Thursday: “The university remains committed to transparency — and student safety above all — in the handling of mold and adenovirus on our campus. Transparency has been demonstrated through legislative testimony, briefings to our Board of Regents, and real-time publishing of all actions and communications


Trump isn’t going to save post-Brexit Britain from itself

economists agree that it would be one of the greatest self-inflicted economic wounds in modern history. The British government’s own dismal assessments suggest that the economy would shrink by up to 9 percent over the next 15 years. Conflict and crisis would likely return to Northern Ireland as a precarious peace and a fragile economy get rocked by the imposition of a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. And if you don’t believe that such an act of self-harm is a real possibility, then try to explain why the British government has been wargaming “no deal” scenarios in a nuclear bunker while becoming the world’s largest buyer of refrigerators in order to stockpile medicines to prepare for the looming but utterly avoidable catastrophe. In an effort to spin those alarming (but not alarmist) forecasts, dishonest politicians have told voters that there is a silver lining: that 330 million Americans will seamlessly replace 450 million Europeans as trading partners. But any hue of silver they see is just the smoke from a pipe dream, because a quick U.K./U.S. trade deal is impossible. The average amount of time that has elapsed between the launch date of negotiations and implementation of bilateral trade deals with the United States is 45 months — nearly four years. Even if Trump somehow fast-tracked negotiations, any Trump-backed deal would almost certainly die in Congress, particularly during a presidential election year. And if Trump loses in 2020, negotiations will have to be reset completely. All of this is a moot point anyway, because Trump is not benevolent toward American allies; he’s a bully. Despite May’s attempts to flatter him, Trump slapped tariffs on British steel and aluminum. It’s hard to fathom why anyone is foolish enough to believe that he would extend a helping hand when Britain is at its weakest bargaining position during the inevitable desperation that would accompany a “no deal” scenario. Most Brits would likely protest provisions that the American government would insist on, such as market entry to the National Health Service or lowering food standards to import American agricultural products, to name but a few. The “Special Relationship” is the most important alliance for both countries. The United Kingdom and the United States both stand to gain immensely from a closer partnership, including an eventual trade deal if Britain does exit the European Union. When Trump leaves office, the United States is


The Oval Office is not a throne room

President Trump long ago turned the presidency into a mechanism for feeding his ego and stuffing his wallet. It has been observed that his presidency resembles that of a third-world corrupt regime, complete with nepotism and attacks on objective sources of information. Instead of Trump serving the people, government is converted into an operation designed to cater to Trump’s needs. He taps foreign governments for emoluments and his own administration for hotel revenue; stages counterproductive summits to be the center of attention and get despots’ praise; lurches from one counterproductive policy to another (especially on immigration and trade) to fire up his base and portray himself as a tough guy. He lies incessantly and compels his aides to do the same to avoid responsibility and prevent his low-information voters from figuring out he has no idea what he is doing. Trump’s imperious, grudge-holding attitude — like his financial corruption — is wordlessly communicated to underlings. They come to understand and anticipate what his frail ego demands. When, for example, the administration is caught politicizing the Navy, his acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney declares it was not an “unreasonable thing.” Do not upset the king, the courtier tells us. The self-enrichment and contempt for equal branches of government have now become de rigueur for his underlings. A slew of Cabinet and senior level officials (former Environmental Protection Agency director Scott Pruitt, former HHS secretary Tom Price, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway) have been caught up in ethics scandals (including Hatch Act violations). When caught as a multiple Hatch Act offender, Conway contemptuously asks when her jail sentence begins, suggesting rules are for little people. We do not know if Trump acts to advance his own emotional and/or financial needs or to advance the interests of the American people when he covers for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, when he takes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s word over the findings of the intelligence community and when he excuses the brutal conduct of North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un. Lying and bullying have become epidemic — and not just by the president. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo misleads Congress (e.g., on evidence tying MBS to Khashoggi’s murder, on progress in North Korea talks) and treats committee members dismissively. His attorney general misleads the public and, like


How Congress nearly ruined a man’s quest to visit all national park sites in one trip

Mikah Meyer has always been Meyer was aiming to finish his quest at the Lincoln Memorial about 11 a.m. on April 29, 2019, almost three years to the minute since his departure. Then the government shutdown in late December appeared to imperil his plans. By that point, he had visited 388 sites in all 50 states and every U.S. territory except Guam. He had a number of sites still to drive to, but the last one he needed to fly to — War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam — had closed its visitor center because of the shutdown. (He could still have gone to the park, but he only counted visits if he was able to have what he calls “the full experience,” including the visitor center.) Having already booked a $2,000 ticket for January, and unable to afford another one, Meyer went ahead and flew to Guam, not knowing what would happen. When he landed, he learned the nonprofit Pacific Historic Parks had made a donation to help keep the visitor center open. Meyer was relieved when the shutdown ended in January. But soon, he had another politics-induced problem. The total number of National Park Service sites fluctuates as new ones are added and existing ones are reconfigured. When Meyer began researching his project in 2014, it was 401; when he started the trip two years later, it was 411. In February, he got wind of a lands bill moving through Congress that could increase the number of sites he had to visit. He remembers thinking, “My entire plan that I’ve had in my sights for five years … [could be] derailed.” From that moment on, Meyer says, “my life became a guessing game with the U.S. government, which is a bad game to play.” Originally from Nebraska Before Meyer’s attempt, according to the National Park Travelers Club, only 61 people had achieved “Platinum Status” for having been to every NPS site — and none had done it in a single trip. Meyer wanted to set this record, but his real purpose was to honor his late father who, he says, “loved a good road trip.” A Lutheran minister, Meyer’s father, Larry, died of cancer when Meyer was 19. Meyer’s idea was for “the road [to] teach me the lessons that maybe [my father] would have taught me on my college road trips,” as he had


Nontoxic methods to protect yourself against mosquitoes and ticks

Mosquitoes and ticks can spoil a beautiful day and make people sick. Beyond buzzing, biting, sucking and stinging, they can carry serious diseases. Tiny blacklegged ticks carry Lyme disease. Nighttime biting Culex mosquitoes can transmit West Nile virus and Japanese encephalitis. And the aggressive Aedes mosquitoes — happy to bite any time — can cause Zika, dengue fever and chikungunya. And that’s just a sampling of the troubles they bring. Little wonder we look for ways to protect ourselves from mosquitoes and ticks, especially this time of the year, when we spend more time outside. With a little thought and care, though, we can do so in ways that are healthier for us — and for the world around us — than using toxic chemicals. Insecticides kill all insects, not just ticks and mosquitoes. They also kill important pollinators such as bees, butterflies and moths. Insecticides harm the animals that eat these insects such as bats and birds. And they wash into waterways, where they can kill aquatic invertebrates that provide critical food for fish, frogs and other stream dwellers. In other words, using toxic pesticides can end up harming or killing the very things that make our flowers bloom and gardens grow. They can also pose a risk to children and pets by leaving a toxic chemical residue on everything, including lawn furniture, outdoor toys and play sets. I’ve made it a personal challenge to prevent mosquito and tick bites without using chemicals that could harm me, my pets, beneficial insects such as butterflies and bees or the birds that eat them. To prevent tick bites, avoid walking through tall grasses and leaf litter. If you’re going off the paved pathways, wear closed shoes and long pants tucked into long socks so feet and ankles are not exposed. Wearing light-colored clothing helps to spot a tick that may be hitching a ride. Always check your clothes and skin for ticks when you return from the outdoors; make sure to check hiding places such as in and around ears and hair, under arms, behind knees and in belly buttons. If you shower within a few hours of returning, you have a good chance of washing away unattached ticks, and at the same time, you can check your skin for ticks. Don’t forget to check your pets for ticks, too. If you find an attached tick, remove it using fine-tipped tweezers,


‘Collusion’ in a bottle is yours for the taking, along with a $10 rosé for patio sipping

vines (another name for tempranillo), planted more than 60 years ago. It shows cigar box aromas and flavors, with meaty, mushroomy notes, as well. Enjoy this wine with your steaks or burgers off the grill, when the hardwood smoke infuses your clothes, your sinuses and your memories for the next day or two. ABV: 14 percent. Imported by Grapes of Spain, distributed by Elite: Available in the District at Batch 13, Calvert Woodley, Cork & Fork, Potomac Wine & Spirits, Rodman’s, S&R Liquors, Whole Foods Market (Tenleytown). Available in Maryland at Balducci’s, Capital Beer & Wine and Georgetown Square Wine and Beer in Bethesda; Beers & Cheers Too, Downtown Crown Wine and Beer and Finewine.com in Gaithersburg; the Bottle Shop in Potomac; Old Town Market in Kensington; Rockville Pike Beer & Wine and Village Beer & Fine Wine in Rockville; Snider’s Super Foods in Silver Spring; Wells Discount Liquors in Baltimore; Ye Old Spirit Shop in Frederick. Available in Virginia at Arrowine and Cheese in Arlington, Balducci’s in Alexandria, Classic Wines in Great Falls, Norm’s Beer & Wine in Vienna, Whole Foods Market (Arlington, Fair Lakes), Wine Cabinet in Reston, Wine Warehouse in Charlottesville. Coppo Costebianche Chardonnay 2017 Piemonte, Italy, $18 Piemonte, in northwestern Italy, is associated with nebbiolo and barbera, not chardonnay. But the world’s most popular white wine grape thrives in this mountain climate, as the Coppo Costebianche attests. It is crisp, clean and straightforward, with delicious stone-fruit flavors. It will pair perfectly with patio meals throughout the summer. ABV: 12.6 percent Imported by Folio, distributed by M. Touton Selection: Available in the District at Eye Street Cellars, Rodman’s. Available in Maryland at Frederick Wine House and Old Farm Liquors in Frederick. Collusion Red Wine 2016/2017 Columbia Valley, Wash., $25 After the initial chuckle over the political implications of the name, you’ll find a plush red with mouth-filling texture and flavors of blackberries and plums, which lead to a sweet, ripe finish. I tasted the 2016; the local distributor is now on the 2017, which is labeled as a cabernet sauvignon. Unfortunately, in the D.C. area it is only available in a few restaurants. ABV: 14.1 percent. Distributed by Bacchus: On the list in the District at Charlie Palmer Steak, Occidental Grill, Unconventional Diner. Available in Maryland at North Charles Fine Wine & Spirits and Pinehurst Wine Shoppe in Baltimore, Town & Country Wine Liquor Etc. in Easton.


The Health 202: States pile on Purdue Pharma for alleged role in opioids crisis

least four patients, as our Post colleagues William Wan and Laurie McGinley report, ruling the agency can regulate procedures that use fat to create a stem-cell treatment. Judge Ursula Ungaro ruled the FDA can call for an injunction to stop U.S. Stem Cell from performing the procedure, writing that unless it is ordered to stop, “there is a reasonable likelihood that Defendants will continue to violate” regulations by providing unapproved treatments. “Scientists, medical associations and health officials have criticized stem cell clinics for selling treatments unproven by science and unapproved by the government for a wide spectrum of unrelated ailments, such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, joint pain and erectile dysfunction,” Laurie and William write. “Beginning in 2015, at least four patients were blinded after U.S. Stem Cell and clinics associated with the company injected stem cell treatments into their eyes. The FDA’s slow initial response to patient injuries permitted U.S. Stem Cell to continue operating four years after those first reports of blindness.” “This case is an important victory in the FDA’s work to protect the public health,” the FDA said in a statement. “We’ve been taking action, like this case, against clinics that abuse the trust of patients and endanger their health. We will continue to promote the sound and scientific development of regenerative medicine products, but we will not tolerate those in this field who try to skirt the law and put patients in harm’s way.” OOF: The medical testing company Quest Diagnostics disclosed that it experienced a data breach affecting 11.9 million patients. An “unauthorized user” gained access to Social Security numbers as well as medical and financial information, our Post colleague Christopher Rowland reports. But the breach did not include lab test results. “A collections agency called American Medical Collection Agency notified Quest about a potential intrusion on May 14 and then reported on the scope of the breach on Friday,” Christopher writes. “AMCA provides services to Optum360, a Quest billing contractor. Quest said it does not have details about which patients were affected and what data was stolen.” But in a statement on its website, Quest said it “has not been able to verify the accuracy of the information received from AMCA.” OUCH: Here’s an interesting tidbit from an interview Roll Call did with Keith Hall, outgoing director of the Congressional Budget Office. Hall, a Republican, said Republicans themselves are to blame for the


Bao Bao, the National Zoo’s 3-year-old giant panda, is moving to China next year

The playful panda cub Bao Bao is leaving the National Zoo for China early next year, zoo officials announced Thursday. As part of a breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, all giant pandas born at the Washington zoo move to China by the time they turn 4. Bao Bao will celebrate her fourth birthday August 23. “Bao Bao is very special to us at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo,” Brandie Smith, associate director of animal care sciences, said in a statement. “She was the first surviving cub born at the Zoo since 2005.” “We are sad to see her go,” she added, “but excited for the contributions she is going to continue to make to the global giant panda population.” Bao Bao will fly FedEx to Chengdu, in southwestern China, in the first several months of 2017. The zoo said that she was leaving so early in the year because it is better for pandas to travel in the winter months, when it isn’t hot. From Chengdu, Bao Bao will be driven to a base run by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, where she will be part of a breeding program that aims to increase the wild panda population. The International Union for Conservation of Nature recently took the giant panda off the endangered species list and classified it as “vulnerable,” estimating that there are about 1,860 pandas in the wild. Bao Bao’s older brother, Tai Shan, moved to China in 2010. With Bao Bao’s departure, the zoo will be down to three pandas: Bao Bao’s mom and dad, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN), and her younger brother, Bei Bei, who was born in August 2015. The zoo said that special opportunities for visitors to say goodbye to Bao Bao will be announced soon. For now, we’re left to replay a video of her having fun in the snow. kidspost@washpost.com


The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s leadership must resign

Regarding the June 1 Style article “Baltimore orchestra cancels summer programming”: The chief executive and the board of directors of our beloved Baltimore Symphony Orchestra must resign. As a loyal and appreciative BSO season subscriber for more than 30 years, I am appalled, infuriated and utterly disgusted. BSO president and chief executive Peter Kjome and the board have proved themselves unfit stewards. They have squandered our confidence. The BSO’s world-class musicians have done their best to work with them in good faith. The musicians’ good faith has been spurned and abused by the BSO “leadership.” BSO management canceled the entire summer season only a few weeks after it was announced. Who does such a thing? Now the BSO musicians and their families tragically face a drastic loss of income. Management did not even have the professional courtesy — or guts — to inform the musicians at rehearsal last Thursday. I have worked in a consultative capacity with organizations across the country all my professional life, helping them to improve relationships internally and with their customers and clients. This is the worst management behavior I have ever seen. The BSO’s ability to raise meaningful funds now, in this toxic atmosphere, has been made much more difficult, precisely at the worst possible moment. There is no good reason Mr. Kjome and the board should be allowed to remain for even one more day. I would be delighted to help them pack. John Jay Bonstingl


Dick’s Sporting Goods lost money when it changed its gun policies. CEO Ed Stack is fine with that.

Post Reports is the daily podcast from The Washington Post. Unparalleled reporting. Expert insight. Clear analysis. Everything you’ve come to expect from the newsroom of The Post. For your ears. Martine Powers is your host, asking the questions you didn’t know you wanted answered. Listen online. A CEO taking on gun issues Ed Stack is the chief executive of Dick’s Sporting Goods, a retailer that sells outdoor equipment, athletic gear and guns. But after the Parkland, Fla., massacre, Stack decided to take assault rifles and bump stocks out of stores. Those were only two of the initiatives Stack devised after the 2018 shooting. Post business reporter Rachel Siegel spoke with Stack recently in Pittsburgh about his decision to change his company’s gun policies and what he thinks Congress needs to do to enact change. More on this topic: Brexit problems boil over into Trump’s London visit President Trump arrived in London this week to dine with the royal family and meet with Prime Minister Theresa May. The visit comes at a particularly heated political moment for Britain, with May expected to resign at the end of this week and the status of Brexit still unclear. Post White House reporter Anne Gearan is traveling abroad with the president this week and tells host Martine Powers how the trip has played out politically for Trump, who supports the United Kingdom’s divorce from the European Union. More on this topic: An end of a ‘Jeopardy!’ era James Holzhauer has dominated the game show since April. Post entertainment reporter Emily Yahr explains how his long run came to an end on Monday’s episode. More on this topic:


More hops, less filling? These are some of the best new low-calorie craft beers on the market.

called it “kind of stinky” and wrote that they “don’t like the aftertaste.” Perhaps the most neutral view was that of the reviewer who noted, “I’d recommend this to someone who only drinks Keystone to get them to drink better beer.” Harpoon Rec. League Harpoon IPA was a staple in the early days of the craft beer movement, but the Boston brewery isn’t as well-known as it used to be. That could be changing, if the raves for Rec. League are any indication. The heavyweight of this blind tasting at 120 calories, Rec. League also had the lowest ABV, at 3.8 percent. That differential allows this pale ale to have a little more color and body than the competition. “Good aroma for a light beer — kind of juicy,” noted a tester. “It tastes like a low-cal IPA, which is the point, right?” wrote another. “It’s thin, but there’s some body and it’s actually pretty hop forward.” Others used descriptors you might not expect for a beer in this tasting: “pretty heavy on the palate” and “more bitter” than the competition. As another noted: “It’s a little one-note, but a nice session IPA. I can get down with this.” A few testers even suggested Rec. League was more than a low-cal option: It “would be a good IPA for people who like to taste some hops in their IPA, but don’t want a hop bomb.” Lagunitas DayTime IPA The panel was very clear on its preference for Lagunitas’s dry, hoppy IPA, naming it the most refreshing and best tasting of all the beers. “Pretty crisp taste throughout, while still keeping decent flavor,” noted one tester. “It’s very light, but you can still taste that happiness,” marveled another. (A detractor noted “minimal hops, but they appear on the finish.”) An appealing amount of carbonation “made this seem light.” Other tasters noted “citrus” and “très banana-y” flavors, while suggesting that “I think this would be really good with grilling or outdoor parties.” “This is a little heavier than I’d like for outdoor drinking, but I think it still works,” one taster said. Another summed it up for the group: DayTime “might be the most drinkable [of all the beers]. Very pleasant.” More from Voraciously What’s the best hot dog in America? We tried 15 popular brands to find out. How to master the basics of grilling, from prep too cooking and cleaning


Matthew Boling went viral for his track success. His life has changed 10 seconds at a time.

a long jump medal. He needs vast improvement in the 100 to compete with the likes of Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman and so many other top American sprinters, but his age and lack of experience mean he has room. “If I was going to tell you exactly what I’m going to do with him in college, I would be just blowing smoke,” Kyprianou said. “I learned the hard way in terms of doubting how far he can go,” Mark Boling said. “If he tells me he’s heading off to the Olympics, I’m buying the tickets.” Video of Boling’s legendary anchor leg at the state meet went viral. Make sure to watch the end. When Boling crosses the line, teammates rush toward him. Boling stops and glances behind him. It is confusing without context — he looks nothing like an athlete who has just finished his high school career with a heroic and dominant flourish. Boling knew if his team won the race and Klein Forest High finished sixth or worse, Strake Jesuit would win the overall state title. When he crossed the line, he turned around to see where the Klein Forest runners finished. They finished fifth, leaving Strake Jesuit in second by two points. He didn’t celebrate one of the fastest laps in high school history. He mourned his team’s narrow miss. “He was running for his team,” Collier said. “That wasn’t about him.” Boling understands, with a dose of melancholy, his time as a member of a team is coming to an end. He looks forward to running for Georgia, but he and everyone around him — Kyprianou included — knows his NCAA career will be brief. Georgia’s coaches have vowed to develop Boling with an eye toward Tokyo and a pro career. “I think I could [turn pro] this year, but I don’t think that would be the best decision to reach my dreams,” Boling said. “I feel like I’m getting a lot of attention, but I feel like it would be based more off attention than, like, I’m ready. I still feel like I need more time to compete.” The Monday after the state meet, a sadness set in. With no more practices, Boling returned home after school and thought, “I’m going to miss my team so much.” Mark has his own nickname for Boling. When they were toddlers, Michael couldn’t pronounce Matthew and called


Britain is at its most delicate political moment in years. Now here comes Trump.

this summer. With her tenure ticking down, it is unlikely the talks will accomplish much. But she will be hoping for a clear endorsement from Trump of a future U.S.-Britain trade deal, which she could cite as an achievement amid the overall gloom of Brexit purgatory. National security adviser John Bolton, who arrived in London days ahead of Trump, told Sky News on Thursday that the president “looks forward to a day the U.S. and the U.K. can negotiate a bilateral agreement that will be beneficial to both countries.” But Bolton signaled that even symbolic commitments may have to wait until there’s a new prime minister: “It’s going to be up to the Conservative Party . . . to pick a new leader and then to see what happens in the negotiation process with the European Union.” Trump is expected to press May on at least a couple of fronts that the prime minister would prefer to avoid. He is likely to renew his push for Britain to keep Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei out of its 5G networks, something May’s government has resisted. And he has indicated he’ll raise his allegation that Britain worked with the Obama administration to “spy” on his 2016 campaign. British officials have dismissed the claim as baseless. “It is hard to imagine anything, including a Trump visit, making British politics worse than they are now,” said Amanda Sloat, a former State Department official who specializes in Europe at the Brookings Institution. “He sees the European Union as an economic foe, welcomes Britain’s decision to leave the E.U. and has taken a predatory approach to bilateral trade talks.” On Wednesday, Trump is scheduled to visit Portsmouth, the British port city where thousands of Allied troops embarked for the D-Day invasion in June 1944. From there he’ll fly to Ireland — his first visit to the country since becoming president. A planned visit there in the fall was canceled amid protests. He’ll be staying clear of the crowds this trip, as he plans to stay at his private golf club. He’ll meet briefly with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport — a compromise location, after the Irish reportedly balked at being Trump’s guests at his club. On Thursday — the official anniversary of D-Day — Trump will take part in another commemoration, this one at the Normandy American Cemetery in France, where 9,380 U.S. military personnel


San Diego Zoo says goodbye to its giant pandas

The last two giant pandas living at the San Diego Zoo in California will be sent to China this spring, ending a program more than 20 years old that helped bring the black-and-whitebears back from the brink of extinction. The two remaining pandas, Bai Yun and her 6-year-old cub, Xiao Liwu, will be sent to China in the coming days after three weeks of goodbyes that culminated over the weekend, the last chance for Californians to see them. “We knew when we started the program that they were not our bears and that they wouldn’t be staying, so that was always in our minds,” the pandas’ keeper, Dallas Dumont, said. “But we’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished. We set out to help the species and keep it from going extinct, and with our Chinese colleagues we’ve accomplished that,” she said. Giant pandas were threatened with extinction when they were originally loaned to the San Diego Zoo by the Chinese government in 1996, in what was initially intended to be a 10-year program to help re-establish the species. The initial loan was extended to last some 23 years. In 2016, the status of giant pandas was changed from endangered to vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, reflecting their comeback. As of 2019, there were 2,000 wild pandas in China, their native habitat, according to the zoo. “China believes in having their animals retire back in their country, or be repatriated, so Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu are now going back home to China,” Dumont said. Bai Yun was born in 1991 at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in China and was among the original group of bears loaned to the zoo in 1996. She has since given birth to six cubs and is considered the “matriarch” of the San Diego panda family. One of her cubs, Xiao Liwu, is considered essentially a teenager in bear years and zookeepers hope he will breed with a female bear in China. His father, Gao Gao, returned to China in October 2018. In the United States, giant pandas are also kept at the National Zoo in Washington and at zoos in Memphis and Atlanta. San Diego Zoo officials said they were working with their counterparts in China to bring pandas back to California.


Protecting wildlife is at the heart of ‘A Circle of Elephants’

red soil and feel the intense heat. But there is danger, too. Poachers are closing in. They are after the local rhinos for their horns and Hira Prashad for his long, beautiful tusks. Horns and tusks can be sold for a great deal of money, and used as medicine and carved into ivory trinkets, respectively. Nepal and many other countries have strict laws that protect elephants and rhinos. But in the 1970s, when the book is set, poaching was a huge problem. Nandu and his friends must find a way to stop the poachers and safeguard the animals they love. Dinerstein will be talking about his book on January 24 at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington. He’ll also teach the audience how to bark like a spotted deer, roar like a tiger and make other jungle sounds. Protecting wildlife Kids who read Dinerstein’s books often wonder how, like Nandu, they can help protect wildlife. “Start close to home,” said Dinerstein, by phone from Big Sur, California, where he and other scientists were testing a new type of camera to catch poachers before they kill. He suggests that young people watch and enjoy the wild animals that are part of their everyday life. Kids might learn more about the habits and needs of local insects, birds, squirrels and rabbits — and create backyard habitats that provide food and shelter. That’s how Dinerstein got his start. As a kid growing up in Toms River, New Jersey, he had no interest in nature, he said. He liked to read and watch TV. He went to college to study filmmaking. Then one day, Dinerstein glimpsed an incredible bird — and had no idea what it was. After discovering it was a green heron, Dinerstein decided to carry nature guides with him so he could identify other wild creatures. “I became aware of a whole world I wanted to learn more about,” he said. Dinerstein became a biologist and worked in Nepal first as a Peace Corps volunteer and later for the Smithsonian Institution. For 25 years, he traveled the world as a conservation scientist for the World Wildlife Fund. Dinerstein now works for a nonprofit company called Resolve and develops technology to better protect endangered animals. And he writes children’s books. Dinerstein says that he gets some of his best ideas while walking his dogs in the woods close to his home in


Maryland makes the right call in advancing toll lane construction

IN ADVANCING a proposal to add privately built toll lanes, and desperately needed road capacity, to the most traffic-clogged highways in Maryland — Interstate 270 and the Capital Beltway — a state panel on Wednesday struck a blow for common sense. It also signaled to local elected officials in the Washington suburbs that while their legitimate concerns about the plan will be taken into account, the project, which would improve the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of commuters, should not be derailed. The vote Nonetheless, by greenlighting the bidding process, the board recognized the certainty that without upgrades to those major suburban arteries, traffic will get much worse as the area’s population swells in the next 20 years — a threat to the region’s prosperity. Mr. Hogan has championed major transit improvements in the Washington suburbs, a fact now ignored by opponents of his road-widening blueprint. They argue, wrongly, that more bus and rail options can negate the need for expanded road capacity. Every projection of population, employment and vehicle usage suggests the opposite. The Hogan proposal calls for a public-private partnership that would leave existing lanes free and put construction and management of the new toll lanes in the hands of a company that would bear the costs and take the risks of the $11 billion project. Little wonder that, according to one poll, more than 6 in 10 residents of the Washington region, and 55 percent in the Maryland suburbs, support Mr. Hogan’s plan. It’s critical that details, and the bids, be subjected to intense scrutiny to ensure that terrain, waterways and taxpayers are all protected. But some suburban politicians, all of them Democrats, are not focusing on oversight. They’re trying to kill the project by peddling canards, warning that taxpayers will be at risk; that traffic will not improve; that drivers will be subject to unaffordable tolls. In fact, Maryland taxpayers will be shielded from expense if state officials strike the right deal. Commuting times are likely to improve somewhat if toll lanes are added in Maryland, as they have in Virginia; more to the point, they will worsen dramatically without the new lanes. And no one will be forced to use the new toll lanes. Officials must insist that the new lanes’ configuration minimizes the impact on private property — both the relatively small number of houses that may be razed and the larger number


Trump compares Irish border to U.S. border with Mexico before heading to his golf course

LIMERICK, Ireland — Shortly after arriving in Ireland on Wednesday, President Trump compared the Irish border to the U.S. border with Mexico and told Prime Minister Leo Varadkar that the tortured Brexit process is “going to be just fine.” “Ireland’s going to be in good shape,” he said during a meeting with Varadkar at the airport in Shannon, Ireland, a location that allowed him access to his golf resort nearby. “I don’t think the border’s going to be a problem at all.” Answering questions from reporters, Trump appeared to downplay what is possibly the most contentious issue in Brexit negotiations. Tearing down border checkpoints between Ireland and Northern Ireland helped to end decades of deadly conflict in the North. The fear is that the emergence of a hard border, once Northern Ireland leaves the European Union along with the rest of the United Kingdom, could both disrupt close trade relationships and reignite violence. Trump compared the Irish border, which politicians are striving to keep invisible, to the U.S. southern border, where he has pledged to build a wall of steel. “It will all work out very well, also for you, with your wall, your border,” he said. “We have a border situation in the United States, and you have one over here.” Varadkar, sitting beside him, pushed back: “I think one thing we want to avoid, of course, is a wall or border between us.” The president appeared to accept that, saying that “the way it works now is good.” Trump said he and Varadkar planned to discuss a range of topics, including Brexit, immigration, trade and cybersecurity concerns about Chinese telecom firm Huawei. But the president also had to combat the notion that his visit to Ireland was little more than a promotional opportunity for his golf club at Doonbeg. One Irish journalist asked Trump directly whether his trip was primarily for commercial purposes. “No, this trip is really about great relationships that we have with the U.K.,” he said. “I really wanted to do this stop in Ireland. It was really important to me, because of the relationship I have with the people, and with your prime minister.” Ireland has not been part of the United Kingdom since 1922. It was the latest stop on Trump’s trip to Europe, following a British state visit that included meeting with Queen Elizabeth II and dining with members of the royal


’A bad, sad and dangerous day’: Australian police raid public broadcaster, seize emails and documents

targeted the ABC but in a statement said the warrant was “in relation to allegations of publishing classified material,” citing a 1914 law forbidding the release of secret government information. Police added that no arrests were expected today. Leaders at the ABC vowed to protect sources and continue investigative reporting about the government. “This is a serious development and raises legitimate concerns over freedom of the press and proper public scrutiny of national security and defence matters,” the ABC’s managing director, David Anderson, said in a statement. “The ABC stands by its journalists, will protect its sources and continue to report without fear or favour on national security and intelligence issues when there is a clear public interest.” Federal police, dressed in suits and accompanied by IT specialists, showed up at the ABC’s headquarters around 11:30 a.m. local time. Their warrant covered an “extraordinary range” of people and documents related to the Afghan files, Lyons tweeted, mentioning handwritten and digital notes, emails and even graphics related to the piece. Agents, lawyers and broadcast executives huddled in a room and reviewed 9,214 files, Lyons wrote, including thousands of internal emails. In the end, the government downloaded files to USB drives and agreed to a two-week “hiatus,” Lyons reported, to allow the ABC time to challenge the seizures in court. Wednesday’s raid came less than 24 hours after federal agents showed up with a warrant at the Canberra home of Annika Smethurst, the Sunday Telegraph of Sydney’s political editor, who had reported on alleged plans to allow greater surveillance of Australian citizens. Agents searched her home, computer and phone. News Corp Australia, her employer, argued that the raid “sends clear and dangerous signals to journalists and newsrooms across Australia.” Australian Federal Police said the two raids were not connected. “The Afghan Files,” the July 2017 story at the center of Wednesday’s police action, raised public outrage with details of special forces soldiers who had allegedly killed unarmed civilians. In March, a defense lawyer was charged with leaking the secret documents to reporters. ABC executives promised to fight the government’s actions. “We will be doing everything we can to limit the scope of this and we will do everything we can to stand by our reporters and as a general observation, we always do whatever we can to stand by our sources of course,” Craig McMurtrie, ABC’s editorial director, told the Associated Press.


The Daily 202: Mitt Romney outlines a very un-Trumpian approach to achieve Trump’s goal of confronting China

of the Chinese immigrants who laid the tracks only to be denied citizenship and the callousness toward the rights of Native Americans. These parts of the story are often whitewashed. “There can be a blindness in the human mind that’s clouded by ambition,” Romney said. “Despite these unpardonable failings, the transcontinental railroad was a grand achievement.” For Romney, the railroad is a parable of what’s possible. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING: -- Sudan’s capital is on lockdown after an explosion of violence that left at least 60 dead. GET SMART FAST: STANDING UP TO THE PRESIDENT (MAYBE): -- Republican lawmakers warned the White House that they’ll try to block Trump’s tariffs on Mexico if he goes forward with them. -- Constitutional scholars say Trump's use of a national emergency law to impose tariffs on Mexico is legally problematic for a host of reasons. -- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s top Democrat, Bob Menendez, and a close congressional ally of Trump, Lindsey Graham, are teaming up to try to block 22 arms deals largely benefiting Saudi Arabia. “Menendez and Graham’s plans, for which they expect to enlist more bipartisan support, come as details emerge regarding seven secret nuclear technology transfers the Trump administration approved for Saudi Arabia — two of them following Khashoggi’s death,” per Demirjian. “Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), citing information from the Department of Energy, announced Tuesday that the Trump administration had allowed U.S. nuclear energy companies to share technology and other information with Saudi Arabia on Oct. 18, 2018 — just 16 days after Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul — and again Feb. 18, 2019, less than a week after the House voted to end U.S. backing for the Saudi-led military effort in Yemen’s civil war.” THE TRADE WARS: -- Trump’s tariffs on China are exacerbating problems for Corn Belt farmers, who have struggled to plant seeds this season amid historic rainfall. -- -- Research from the Brookings Institution shows how low-income American families will disproportionately suffer the brunt of the Trump tariffs. TRUMP IN EUROPE: -- Amid protests in London, Trump appeared to be in denial about his poor standing on the global stage. -- Meanwhile, a giant blimp of a diaper-clad “Trump baby” and a talking Trump robot sitting on a toilet headlined the London protests. -- Corbyn’s defense of the NHS came as Trump suggested that the future of Britain’s health-care system


What D-Day teaches us about the difficulty — and importance — of resistance

the French Resistance. Virginia Hall, a desk clerk from a well-heeled Baltimore family who had lost her leg in a hunting accident, entered Vichy France in September 1941 with little training and no backup. Her chances of survival were at best 50-50, but she managed to persuade hundreds, if not thousands, of French people to resist. She had to persuade people cowed by defeat, and suspicious of any outsiders, that the Allies would really come to fight one day and would provide help, training and equipment in the meantime. She — and they — knew that to fight was to risk their lives and possibly their families’ lives, too. Yet some were prepared to answer her call from the beginning. They came from all walks of life: nuns and prostitutes, doctors and nurses, railway workers and government officials, business executives and police chiefs. All performed invaluable services in rescuing and sheltering British pilots and Resistance members on the run, gathering military and political intelligence, acting as couriers for weapons and secret messages, and organizing small-scale sabotage. All too many paid with their lives. But their sacrifices mattered: The Resistance grew steadily as the war began to turn in the Allies’ favor. The introduction in 1943 of a system compelling French men and some women to work in German factories — the much hated STO or Service du Travail Obligatoire — resulted in tens of thousands joining the Maquis, bands of semi-starved outlaws hiding in the mountains, some of whom started rudimentary training in guerrilla warfare. Many had little more to fight with than broom handles and knives until Allied agents sent vast parachute-drops of guns, bullets and explosives, training these ragtag armies of volunteers (sometimes referred to as peasant squads) into effective guerrilla units. As D-Day approached, the handful of Resistance pioneers from 1941 were joined by thousands more, determined to fight as an army of the people. They cut enemy telephone wires, packed explosives on roads and railways, blew up bridges and removed signposts to confuse German convoys. Across France, the sabotage efforts of the Resistance were more successful than anyone had thought possible. As the Germans struggled to beef up their defensive forces in Normandy, they found that soon they could no longer reliably control any part of France or any line of communication. All the Germans’ ammunition and reinforcements, and most of their food, had to come


Trump is ‘making up’ for not serving in Vietnam with increased defense funding, he says

appeared to harness a deeply held belief in U.S. memory — that the Vietnam War was fought by reluctant draftees in an unpopular conflict, in turn providing cover for those who sought to avoid it altogether. But the United States did not send an army of draftees to Vietnam. Between 1964 and 1973, volunteers outnumbered draftees by nearly 4 to 1. In Vietnam, two-thirds of troops had volunteered to serve. They did so for a variety of reasons: a sense of duty, to avoid dim prospects at home or to have control over their assignments that draftees did not. “I would have not have minded that at all. I would have been honored” to serve, Trump said, though he did not address accusations of draft dodging with Morgan. However, Trump added, he has increased the Pentagon’s budget during his tenure, which he said should be considered as an amends to avoiding service. "I think I make up for it right now,” Trump said, describing a proposed defense budget that will approach $750 billion in 2020. “I think I am making up for it rapidly.” An increasing defense budget has not translated to a potent, agile military, however. For instance, in March, Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, expressed concern that billions of dollars he needed for hurricane repairs were stalled. Meanwhile, the Pentagon diverted focus and resources to operations on the U.S. southern border. Later in the interview, Morgan asked Trump why he has effectively banned transgender people from serving after decrying discrimination against lesbian, gay and transgender people in other nations. "They take massive amounts of drugs. They have to,” Trump said. “You’re not allowed to take any drugs in the military.” That is not true. Hormones are permissible for service members, as are opioids even amid an addiction epidemic nationwide. Psychotropic drugs are available for naval aviators with mental-health disorders. Trump has attended D-Day commemorative events to mark the 75th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, France. Despite pop-culture notions, thousands of men avoided the draft and stayed home in that war. And then there are soldiers who went, proud of their service and the things they accomplished, and yet decades later, still grapple with the consequence of the horrific things their country told them must be done. Read more: The Fix: Trump says transgender troops can’t serve because troops can’t ‘take any drugs.’ He’s wrong in


What young adults think about the economy — and why it matters for 2020

it’s “just a job to get by” and not a part of a career path. Our data suggests that they are not choosing to work in the gig economy or to piece together jobs for flexibility; rather, most millennials and Gen Zers, regardless of race, strongly prefer a traditional career. At the same time, young adults report having to work several jobs. African Americans in particular are working and spending significant time on secondary jobs or on temporary or contract work in addition to their primary jobs. Roughly 31 percent of African American young adults who are currently employed report having a second job; that’s true of 20 percent of Latinxs, 18 percent of whites, and 11 percent of Asian Americans. Moreover, 38 percent of African Americans who report having several jobs say they spend at least 16 hours per week working outside of their primary employment, the most of any racial or ethnic group in our sample. What’s more, our data suggests that young adults, especially African American and Latinx young adults, don’t believe they have access to good jobs. Fully 44 percent of Latinx and 39 percent of African American respondents report that good jobs either don’t exist in their area or they can’t access them through driving or public transportation; only 29 percent of whites and 31 percent of Asian Americans say the same. Unsurprisingly, majorities support wealth redistribution and government involvement in the economy Given this level of economic insecurity, it may be no surprise that young adults across race and ethnicity express strong support for more government action aimed at reducing economic inequality. For instance, Sen. Elizabeth Warren has proposed a “wealth tax,” which would include a two percent tax on the assets of people with a net worth over $50 million and 3 percent tax on the assets of those with a net worth over $1 billion. That’s supported by large majorities of our respondents, including approximately 71 percent of African Americans, 75 percent of Latinxs, 87 percent of Asian Americans, and 71 percent of whites. Smaller majorities supported a proposal that the government should guarantee a job to every American adult who wants to work; that included 70 percent of African Americans, 70 percent of Latinxs, 60 percent of Asian Americans, and 52 percent of whites. Conclusion Our data suggest that the U.S. economy’s gains haven’t fully filtered across equally for everyone. While


Senate planning bipartisan effort to block Trump’s emergency arms deals benefiting Saudi Arabia

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s top Democrat and a close congressional ally of President Trump are teaming up to try to block 22 arms deals largely benefiting Saudi Arabia, a move that seeks to quash the administration’s attempt to use emergency powers to circumvent congressional objections. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said in an interview Tuesday that he would introduce “22 resolutions of disapproval” — one for each deal the Trump administration informed lawmakers last month it would push through, raising objections from Democrats and Republicans. Joining him in the effort is Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who said Tuesday that he is “on board with Menendez.” Graham, one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress, also has been one of the most vocal critics of his embrace of Saudi leaders, particularly in the wake of last year’s brutal killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Menendez and Graham’s plans, for which they expect to enlist more bipartisan support, come as details emerge regarding seven secret nuclear technology transfers the Trump administration approved for Saudi Arabia — two of them following Khashoggi’s death. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), citing information from the Department of Energy, announced Tuesday that the Trump administration had allowed U.S. nuclear energy companies to share technology and other information with Saudi Arabia on Oct. 18, 2018 — just 16 days after Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul — and again Feb. 18, 2019, less than a week after the House voted to end U.S. backing for the Saudi-led military effort in Yemen’s civil war. A spokesman for the Energy Department did not immediately return a request for comment. karoun.demirjian@washpost.com


I oversaw the U.S. nuclear power industry. Now I think it should be banned.

threat at all. For years, my concerns about nuclear energy’s cost and safety were always tempered by a growing fear of climate catastrophe. But Fukushima provided a good test of just how important nuclear power was to slowing climate change: In the months after the accident, all nuclear reactors in Japan were shuttered indefinitely, eliminating production of almost all of the country’s carbon-free electricity and about 30 percent of its total electricity production. Naturally, carbon emissions rose, and future emissions-reduction targets were slashed. Would shutting down plants all over the world lead to similar results? Eight years after Fukushima, that question has been answered. Fewer than 10 of Japan’s 50 reactors have resumed operations, yet the country’s carbon emissions have dropped below their levels before the accident. How? Japan has made significant gains in energy efficiency and solar power. It turns out that relying on nuclear energy is actually a bad strategy for combating climate change: One accident wiped out Japan’s carbon gains. Only a turn to renewables and conservation brought the country back on target. What about the United States? Nuclear accounts for about 19 percent of U.S. electricity production and most of our carbon-free electricity. Could reactors be phased out here without increasing carbon emissions? If it were completely up to the free market, the answer would be yes, because nuclear is more expensive than almost any other source of electricity today. Renewables such as solar, wind and hydroelectric power generate electricity for less than the nuclear plants under construction in Georgia, and in most places, they produce cheaper electricity than existing nuclear plants that have paid off all their construction costs. In 2016, observing these trends, I launched a company devoted to building offshore wind turbines. My journey, from admiring nuclear power to fearing it, was complete: This tech is no longer a viable strategy for dealing with climate change, nor is it a competitive source of power. It is hazardous, expensive and unreliable, and abandoning it wouldn’t bring on climate doom. The real choice now is between saving the planet and saving the dying nuclear industry. I vote for the planet. Twitter: @Jaczko Read more from Outlook: Five myths about nuclear energy In Europe, the Green Party is a force. In the U.S., it’s irrelevant. I want to return to my home state. But West Virginia doesn’t want me. Follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter.


Republican John James announces a second bid for a Senate seat from Michigan

John James, a Michigan military veteran and business executive whom President Trump has dubbed a “rising star” in Republican politics, announced Thursday that he would make another bid for a U.S. Senate seat, this time challenging Sen. Gary Peters (D). James, who mounted a surprisingly strong challenge last year to Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D), had been heavily recruited by Republican campaign committees for both Senate and House races next year. While the National Republican Senatorial Committee recruited him to challenge Peters, the National Republican Congressional Committee sought unsuccessfully to convince the 37-year-old Iraq War veteran to challenge freshman Rep. Haley Stevens in the Detroit suburbs. James made his announcement on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” shortly after a ceremony concluded in France commemorating the 75th anniversary of the storied D-Day invasion. “We need the courage that was exhibited to us on D-Day,” James said. “We need politicians who will go into Washington and . . . understand that this country is broken because career politicians continue to run the issues without any inkling or desire to fix them. They are working on getting reelected.” In a statement issued after James’s announcement, Peters said he was “focused on continuing to deliver results for Michigan.” “I’ll keep working with anyone to improve life for Michiganders, whether it’s to expand training programs so everyone has the skills needed to find good-paying jobs, protect our Great Lakes or lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs,” he said. The NRSC and other Republican strategists have viewed James as their clear top recruit in Michigan, one of only a handful of states where the party has a credible opportunity to oust a sitting Democrat next year. In a tweet Thursday, Jesse Hunt, a spokesman for the NRSC, said that James was a “game-changer” and that Peters “instantly becomes one of the most vulnerable incumbents on the map.” An NRSC memo last month obtained by The Washington Post laid out the case that a statewide run by James could help Trump get elected by bringing Republican voters in Detroit and its suburbs to the polls in a crucial swing state. Trump narrowly carried Michigan in 2016, and his advisers say it’s key to his 2020 prospects. But a poll released this week showed Trump trailing both former vice president Joe Biden (D) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), by 12 percentage points in head-to-head matchups.