Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Today's Top Stories

U.S. President Barack Obama, left, laughs with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, center, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during their joint statement at the Nuclear Security Summit at the Coex Center, in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Obama defends missile defense comments on hot mic

A defensive President Obama said Tuesday he wasn't guilty of "hiding the ball" when an open microphone caught him pleading with the president of Russia to delay missile shield talks until after this year's elections.

Metro derailed by culture of complacence, incompetence, lack of diversity

Ninety-seven percent of the bus and train operators at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority are black, with only six white women out of more than 3,000 drivers, according to Metro documents — a lack of diversity at one of the region's largest employers that has led to an acknowledgment of failure in affirmative-action documents and spawned a series of lawsuits.

Supreme Court looks at tax issue in Obama health law

Kicking off three days of highly anticipated oral arguments over President Obama's health care law, zealous demonstrators on Monday swarmed the streets outside the Supreme Court while inside the justices considered whether they have the power to decide the case at all.

Army overwhelmed by massive lots of waiting vehicles

Imagine a parking lot as large as 100 football fields and filled with nearly every type, make and model of U.S. military vehicle, covered in dust and dirt and baking under a desert sun in Kuwait. Your job: Find one specific vehicle, read its serial number and catalog it for transport back to the United States.

AAA says D.C. 'addicted to revenue' from tickets

D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray's plan to raise $30 million by expanding a traffic-camera program is evidence the city is "addicted to revenue" and balancing its books on the backs of out-of-District drivers with no say in city hall, AAA Mid-Atlantic says.

Senate GOP sets stage for energy debate

Eager for a debate they believe will highlight rising gas prices on President Obama's watch, Senate Republicans on Monday gave the green light to debating Democrats' plan to end tax subsidies for oil and gas companies.

U.S. plays down Islamist role in drafting Egypt charter

The State Department downplayed concerns Monday that Islamists are dominating the drafting of Egypt's new constitution, despite criticism and outrage voiced by secular and Christian politicians in Cairo.

Medical device maker Biomet agrees to pay penalty of $22 million

Medical device maker Biomet Inc. has agreed to pay the government more than $22 million in penalties as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department to resolve improper payments by the company and its subsidiaries in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

Gen. Allen admits 'green-on-blue' attacks erode trust

The top allied commander in Afghanistan said the recent killings of U.S. and coalition troops by Afghan soldiers have created an "erosion of trust" between international and Afghan forces.

Strauss-Kahn gets preliminary charges in prostitution probe

A lawyer for Dominique Strauss-Kahn said the former IMF chief has been handed preliminary charges alleging he was involved in a French prostitution ring.

American CEO faces turbulence

It took Thomas W. Horton 26 years to reach the corner office, but the promotion came with a catch: His company was going into bankruptcy protection.

Pope arrives in Cuba on mission to renew the faith

Pope Benedict XVI followed in the footsteps of his predecessor's groundbreaking trip to Cuba on Monday, hoping to renew the faith in Latin America's least Catholic country.

Two studies say surgery can halt Type 2 diabetes

New research gives clear proof that weight-loss surgery can reverse and possibly cure diabetes, and doctors say the operation should be offered sooner to more people with the disease — not just as a last resort.

Inside the Beltway: An Elvis moment

An interesting alliance, perhaps: The Elvis Presley Holy Land Tour has been organized by Elvis Presley Enterprises and Israel Theme Tours, set to take 100 fans to Israel next year "to explore the Gospel side of Elvis Presley."

Bernanke: U.S. job market weak despite gains

Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said Monday that the U.S. job market remains weak despite three months of strong hiring and that the Federal Reserve's existing policies will help boost growth.

NATO: 3 foreign troops killed by Afghan forces

Afghan security forces killed three foreign troops, including two British soldiers, on Monday — the latest in a growing number of attacks in which Afghan forces have turned their guns on their international partners.

Commentary

DECKER: Obama's secret plan

There is only one thing scarier for the future of America than all of the debt and bad policies President Obama has built up since his 2008 election: It's what the prospect of an Obama second term would bring. And the president isn't being honest about what his secret plans are.

BARRASSO: Doctor's orders

Americans have been waiting for this moment for two years. The Supreme Court finally is hearing arguments this week about the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law. The American people have made up their minds; an overwhelming majority of people across the country say that Washington has no right to force them to buy a government-approved product.

STERGIOS and ARCHAMBAULT: The way forward post-Obamacare

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on the constitutionality of the federal health care law President Obama pushed through Congress two years ago, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The court is expected to issue an opinion by the end of June.

GHEI: Obamacare's day in court

It's Obamacare week at the Supreme Court. The justices on Monday spent the first two of the six hours planned for oral argument discussing the constitutionality of the health care takeover. It's been a long road since then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi's flippant dismissal of such concerns with the response, "Are you serious?" Now the high court is giving more time to this question than it has to any others in 47 years.

EDITORIAL: Another round for lead ammo

Second Amendment foes have reloaded in another attempt to restrict Americans' use of firearms. Disguised as nature lovers, gun grabbers are repeating a demand that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ban the use of lead in ammunition. Forcing hunters to shell out for pricey substitutes is meant to discourage the sport and reduce gun ownership. Given the EPA's propensity for overregulation, Congress should step in and ensure this restriction never happens.

An Ignoble Experiment

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2012/03/27