Today's Headlines & Columnists

If you have difficulty viewing this newsletter, click here to view as a Web page. Click here to view in plain text. Thursday, December 15, 2011 TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS Payroll tax talks come to a standstill With a Friday deadline fast approaching, the threat of a shutdown grew more urgent as negotiations over how to extend a payroll tax holiday for 160 million Americans and a separate omnibus spending bill remained stalled. (By Rosalind S. Helderman) Marines promoted inflated story for Medal of Honor winner Crucial parts that the Marine Corps publicized and Obama described are untrue, unsubstantiated or exaggerated, according to dozens of military documents McClatchy Newspapers examined. (By McClatchy Newspapers) Paul Ryan to announce new approach to preserving Medicare The House Budget Committee chairman, with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), is developing a framework that would keep it as an option for new retirees starting in 2022. (By Lori Montgomery) Feds probing Carrier IQ Federal investigators are probing allegations that Carrier IQ software found on about 150 million cellphones tracked user activity and sent the information to the cellphone companies without informing consumers, according to government officials. (By Sari Horwitz) Behind closed doors, a battle over sunken treasure A small tweak in the House version of the defense bill could have made it easier for a Fla. treasure hunting firm to claim a trove of shipwrecked booty. (By Dan Eggen) NATION Compensation urged for those harmed in experiments The president's bioethics commission calls for a system to compensate people harmed by participating in federally funded medical experiments. ( by Rob Stein , The Washington Post) Republicans turn Keystone XL pipeline into election issue Republicans are gearing up to change the timetable for the pipeline decision, emphasizing jobs and energy security. ( by Juliet Eilperin and Steven Mufson , The Washington Post) Dakota Meyer took heroic action, comrades say Dakota Meyer's commander had good reason to nominate the former Marine Corps corporal for the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest decoration for valor. ( by McClatchy Newspapers , The Washington Post) Marines promoted inflated story for Medal of Honor recipient Crucial parts that the Marine Corps publicized and Obama described are untrue, unsubstantiated or exaggerated, according to dozens of military documents McClatchy Newspapers examined. ( By Jonathan S. Landay | McClatchy Newspapers , The Washington Post) Global health aid grows more slowly Spending to improve health in developing countries grew at a slower pace during the three-year economic downturn. ( by David Brown , The Washington Post) More National: Breaking National News & Headlines - Washington Post METRO Donald 'thrilled' to lead family services Her introduction as director of the agency she worked at from 2001 to 2005 seemed more like a reunion. ( by Mike DeBonis , The Washington Post) Alexandria and Arlington animal watch An opossum is trapped in a window well in Alexandria; an out-of-date microchip in a German shepherd slows down the reunion with the dog's owner. (, The Washington Post) Alexandria and Arlington community calendar Events include holiday shows, art exhibits and a "Nutcracker" high tea. (, The Washington Post) Crime listings for Alexandria, Arlington Incidents reported by police Nov. 30-Dec. 7. (, The Washington Post) Healthy things to do in Arlington, Alexandria A seminar on holiday stress management; walking groups; a breast-cancer support group and other wellness activities Dec. 15-21. (, The Washington Post) More Post Local: Washington, DC Area News, Traffic, Weather, Sports & More - The Washington Post POLITICS Donald 'thrilled' to lead family services Her introduction as director of the agency she worked at from 2001 to 2005 seemed more like a reunion. ( by Mike DeBonis , The Washington Post) Gray outlines preparations for winter After consecutive winters with crippling snowstorms, D.C. unveils new plows and improved plans. ( by Tim Craig , The Washington Post) Payroll tax talks come to a standstill With a Friday deadline fast approaching, the threat of a shutdown grew more urgent as negotiations over how to extend a payroll tax holiday for 160 million Americans and a separate omnibus spending bill remained stalled. ( by Rosalind S. Helderman , The Washington Post) NRC members criticize agency's chairman The chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Wednesday denied sweeping allegations that he bullied and abused agency staffers. ( by Ed O'Keefe , The Washington Post) D.C. service efforts better Data shows the responsiveness has accelerated markedly even as service demands have risen. ( by Mike DeBonis , The Washington Post) More Post Politics: Breaking Politics News, Political Analysis & More - The Washington Post STYLE 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' premieres in London ( by Cara Kelly , The Washington Post) Matisyahu shaves beard, leaves fans confused Fans are left questioning whether the Hasidic reggae artist has left his Orthodox faith. ( by Cara Kelly , The Washington Post) Dealing with her self-esteem issues He thinks their relationship could be headed for rocky times, but he wants to provide her with support. (, The Washington Post) Beirut at 9:30 Club The band, based in Santa Fe, performed the first of two sold-out performances at the District's 9:30 Club on Tuesday. ( by Chris Klimek , The Washington Post) The future of the blues: Gary Clark Jr. The 27-year-old guitarist has yet to release his first full-length album, but he's headlining sold-out shows and winning acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone for his four-track release. ( by Chris Richards in New York , The Washington Post) More Style: Culture, Arts, Ideas & More - The Washington Post SPORTS TV and radio listings: December 15 (, The Washington Post) St. John's pulls away The second-ranked Cadets hang on against No. 10 Georgetown Visitation, 79-61, in a nonleague girls' basketball game. ( by Preston Williams , The Washington Post) Terrapins rally past FIU at home Maryland trails by 11 points late in the first half and by two points with 7:12 to go before squeezing out their third consecutive victory. ( by Liz Clarke , The Washington Post) Wizards' Vesely adjusting on the fly In his first NBA training camp, Wizards rookie forward Jan Vesely is adjusting to the speed and aggressiveness of the league. ( by Michael Lee , The Washington Post) Opinion | Rebuilding the Redskins' foundation Under Mike Shanahan, the Redskins are attempting one of the most difficult transformations in sport or business: creating a new identity. Instead of wheeling and dealing, Shanahan is moving toward building through the draft. (, The Washington Post) More Sports: Sports News, Scores, Analysis, Schedules & More - The Washington Post WORLD Baghdad ceremony formally ends Iraq war Defense Secretary Leon M. Panetta ends U.S. mission, after almost nine years and "a lot of blood spilled." ( by Liz Sly and Craig Whitlock , The Washington Post) Putin says protesters were paid by rivals In annual televised news conference, he also says protesters had been paid to turn out into the streets. ( by Michael Birnbaum , The Washington Post) Dakota Meyer took heroic action, comrades say Dakota Meyer's commander had good reason to nominate the former Marine Corps corporal for the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest decoration for valor. ( by McClatchy Newspapers , The Washington Post) Marines promoted inflated story for Medal of Honor recipient Crucial parts that the Marine Corps publicized and Obama described are untrue, unsubstantiated or exaggerated, according to dozens of military documents McClatchy Newspapers examined. ( By Jonathan S. Landay | McClatchy Newspapers , The Washington Post) White House drops defense bill veto threat The White House on Wednesday withdrew its threat to veto a key defense authorization bill after lawmakers revised provisions related to the treatment of terrorism suspects. ( by Felicia Sonmez , The Washington Post) More World: World News, International News, Foreign Reporting - The Washington Post LIVE DISCUSSIONS Golden Globes nominations: Discuss them on Celebritology Live Join Celebritology blogger Jen Chaney to gab about the latest celebrity gossip and pop culture news making waves across the Web. (, vForum) The Web Hostess: Online manners, memes and must-see video A weekly chat about the best ways to kill time online. Our Web Hostess, Monica Hesse, sifts the Internet so you don't have to, searching for meaning, manners and the next great meme. (, vForum) Talk about Travel Have a travel-related question, comment, suspicion, warning, gripe, sad tale or happy ending? The Post Travel section's editors and writers are at your service. (, vForum) The Reliable Source Live Washington Post columnists Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts discussed your favorite gossip, celebrity sightings and their recent columns. (, vForum) Free Range on Food: The year's best cookbooks Have cooking questions? We have answers. Ask us now. (, vForum) More Conversations: Discussions, Blogs, Debates, Live Q&A's and More - The Washington Post TECHNOLOGY Google gives $40 million in grants Google has given $40 million in grants for anti-slavery efforts,education ( by Hayley Tsukayama , The Washington Post) Netflix rumors send stock up, then down Netflix's been buffeted by rumors of an acquisition and an investigation. ( by Hayley Tsukayama , The Washington Post) Is the Zynga IPO worth $8.9B? Zyngais about to begin trading as a public company on Thursday, but the value of the company is up for debate. ( by Dean Takahashi | VentureBeat.com , VentureBeat.com) It's all about the software When it comes to high-tech devices, you need to remember one thing: It's the software, stupid. (, The Washington Post) Netflix updates iPad app The entire interface has been more optimized for touch input. ( by Jacob Schulman | The Verge , theverge.com) More Technology News - The Washington Post EDITORIAL Huntsman's moment? He's aiming for a Granite State miracle. (, The Washington Post) Man of shadows Iraq deserves better than Nouri al-Maliki. (, The Washington Post) Clueless in Europe Austerity won't address the real problems. (, The Washington Post) More D.C. Lottery questions Was the new gaming operator properly vetted? (, The Washington Post) The carnage in Syria The U.S. should explore non-military steps. (, The Washington Post) More Opinions: Washington Post Opinion, Editorial, Op Ed, Politics Editorials - The Washington Post BUSINESS FDA faulted over state inspections Agency is relying more often on states to inspect food plants but is failing to properly monitor them or follow up, the Department of Health and Human Services watchdog has concluded. ( by Dina ElBoghdady , The Washington Post) The needle in a haystack For highly technical, clearance-required jobs, many openings but not enough candidates. ( by Marjorie Censer , The Washington Post) Technology to heat up D.C. taxi wars Two companies are shaking up business models in the region's taxi and limousine market. ( by Thomas Heath , The Washington Post) Romney's Bain Capital tenure shows mixed record on bankruptcies Mitt Romney's wildly lucrative business career continues to draw fire from opponents who seek to paint him as a heartless financier. ( by Jia Lynn Yang , The Washington Post) Can the private sector save Washington? The experience of the Post 200 offers a glimpse of how the jobs picture is changing as the federal government sheds workers. ( by Danielle Douglas , The Washington Post) More Business News, Financial News, Business Headlines & Analysis - The Washington Post Get The Washington Post, your way. 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