TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
The spark that started a revolution
Revolutions are explosions of frustration that can build over decades, but it is often a single spark that ignites them.
(By Marc Fisher)
Airstrikes help Libya rebels advance
Days of coalition airstrikes appeared Saturday to have pushed open the door to western Libya for anti-government rebel forces, which retook the strategic city of Ajdabiya.
(By Liz Sly and Scott Wilson)
Syria’s Assad moves to allay fury after security forces fire on protesters
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad released hundreds of political prisoners in an apparent effort to tamp down public anger a day after deadly crackdown on protesters.
(By Leila Fadel)
Courting Iowa conservatives
For the second time this month, potential 2012 GOP candidates came to Iowa to court conservative activists, with Rep. Michele Bachmann drawing an enthusiastic response.
(By Dan Balz)
Holtby extends Montreal’s misery
Braden Holtby makes 18 saves as the Capitals top the Canadiens, 2-0, for their 14th win in the past 17 games. Marco Sturm and Alexander Semin score the goals.
(By Katie Carrera)
POLITICS
Rising Medicare premiums threaten to wipe out Social Security COLA for third straight year
WASHINGTON — Millions of retired and disabled people in the United States had better brace for another year with no increase in Social Security payments.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Md. legislature focuses on consumer protections
The Maryland General Assembly could be remembered not for any signature initiative but for a raft of modest bills that affect day-to-day routines.
( by Ann E. Marimow and John Wagner , The Washington Post)
DeMint predicts fresh GOP candidates for president
Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, scourge of the Republican establishment, says there could be a whole new crop of presidential candidates unless someone takes command of the race.
( by Dan Balz , The Washington Post)
Airstrikes help Libya rebels advance
Days of coalition airstrikes appeared Saturday to have pushed open the door to western Libya for anti-government rebel forces, which retook the strategic city of Ajdabiya.
( by Liz Sly and Scott Wilson , The Washington Post)
Courting Iowa conservatives
For the second time this month, potential 2012 GOP candidates came to Iowa to court conservative activists, with Rep. Michele Bachmann drawing an enthusiastic response.
( by Dan Balz , The Washington Post)
STYLE
Date Lab: Liking the same music doesn’t mean they’ll sing the same tune
On this week’s blind date: The definition of a foodie, a “false yes,” and why Puck from “Glee” is hot.
(, The Washington Post)
Vietnam sails forward
Say the word “Vietnam,” and people still think “war.” But it’s a place with a rich history, breathtaking landscapes and a booming economy.
(, The Washington Post)
Nuptials: Sharon Robinson & Steve DelBusso
Thanks to a popular dating site, this couple found each other and fell in love.
(, The Washington Post)
Spring Travel: Pittsburgh forges ahead
In the 1950s, famed photographer was given a freelance assignment to shoot Pittsburgh. Here, an exploration into the city he saw vs. today.
(, The Washington Post)
Whatever Happened To... the love story?
A congresswoman and widower fell in love, got married — and then faced a life-threatening test.
(, The Washington Post)
SPORTS
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wins F1 Australian GP; Hamilton finishes second in season-opener
MELBOURNE, Australia — Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel opened his Formula One title defense by driving a flawless race, outpacing McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton to win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Party time! Butler's 2nd straight Final Four run comes with another late-night celebration
INDIANAPOLIS — Butler prefers old-school basketball and old-style celebrations to all the preseason nonsense.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Staying late: Fresno St. tops San Diego 3-2 in 22 innings, tied for 3rd-longest in D-I history
FRESNO, Calif. — Garrett Weber’s RBI single in the 22nd inning gave Fresno State a 3-2 victory over San Diego on Saturday night in a game that lasted over 7 hours and tied for the third-longest in NCAA Division I history.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Yes UConn! Kemba Walker scores 20 as Huskies edge Arizona 65-63, advance to another Final Four
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jim Calhoun could scarcely watch when the most improbable postseason run of his coaching life at Connecticut came down to an open 3-point attempt by Arizona’s Jamelle Horne.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Ogwumike sisters help top-seeded Stanford pull away late for 72-65 win over North Carolina
SPOKANE, Wash. — Nnemkadi Ogwumike was out of the play and unaware of what was taking place after the Stanford star missed in the lane with less than a minute ago.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
WORLD
German state elections come as crucial test for chancellor Merkel's conservative party
BERLIN — Eight million Germans are voting in a closely watched state election that could see Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party lose power in southern Baden-Wuerttemberg for the first time in almost six decades.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Myanmar military holds unusually low-key celebration of Armed Forces Day
YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar’s military government has held an unusually low-key ceremony marking Armed Forces Day, as anticipation mounts that it will soon turn over power to a nominally civilian administration.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Radioactive levels in water inside reactor reported to be 10 million times the norm
TOKYO — Japanese officials reported a huge jump in radioactivity — levels 10 million times the norm — in water in one reactor unit at a tsunami-damaged nuclear plant Sunday, forcing workers to evacuate and again delaying efforts to control the leaking complex.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Taliban militants say they have kidnapped 50 Afghan policement in northeastern Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban say they have kidnapped 50 Afghan policemen in the northeast of the country.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Syrian army units deploy in Syrian seaside city rocked by unrest
DAMASCUS, Syria — Activists and eyewitnesses say Syrian army units have deployed in key areas of a seaside Mediterranean city rocked by protests and unrest.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Free Range on Food
Free Range on Food is a forum for discussion of all things culinary.
(, vForum)
Election 2012 - The Fix Faceoff Video Q&A
Political blogger Chris Cillizza's fast-paced video Q&A about the 2012 presidential election
(, vForum)
Outlook: What the no-fly zone in Iraq reveals about the challenges in Libya
Daniel Byman, professor of security studies at Georgetown University, will be online Monday March 28 at 11 a.m. ET to chat about his latest Outlook piece, "What the no-fly zone in Iraq reveals about the challenges in Libya."
(, vForum)
What the Census Says About DC
Roderick J. Harrison will discuss what the latest U.S. Census Bureau reports reveal about DC.
(, vForum)
The TV Column Live with Lisa de Moraes
TV columnist Lisa de Moraes takes questions about drama, comedy, and heartbreak in the world of television.
(, vForum)
BUSINESS
Egypt stock markets opens strong, triggering market halt and reversing earlier declines
CAIRO — Egypt’s stock market is reversing two days of earlier declines, with the broader EGX100 index surging almost 5.1 percent within minutes of the market’s opening in a rally that forced a halt in trading.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air cancel dozens of flights after computer outage
PHOENIX — Technicians worked to resolve a computer problem that prompted Alaska Airlines and its Horizon Air affiliate to cancel 152 flights, affecting at least 12,000 customers, officials said.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Independent financial panel deciding fate of Kabul Bank, says Afghan official
KABUL, Afghanistan — An independent Afghan financial commission has been asked to recommend whether to dissolve Kabul Bank, the nation’s largest financial institution that nearly collapsed last year after allegations of mismanagement, cronyism and questionable lending, an Afghan official said Sunday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Thousands of union members, leaders march streets of LA vowing to fight for organized labor
LOS ANGELES — Thousands of union leaders and workers marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, vowing and shouting that they would fight for organized labor in California after recent union setbacks in Wisconsin.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Meet Mr. Market
Warren Buffett’s reading of Mr. Market is that he has “incurable emotional problems.” Some days he feels euphoric and names a high price for his share. Other days, he’s depressed and wants to unload his share for a pittance.
( by Bob Frick , The Washington Post)
The spark that started a revolution
Revolutions are explosions of frustration that can build over decades, but it is often a single spark that ignites them.
(By Marc Fisher)
Airstrikes help Libya rebels advance
Days of coalition airstrikes appeared Saturday to have pushed open the door to western Libya for anti-government rebel forces, which retook the strategic city of Ajdabiya.
(By Liz Sly and Scott Wilson)
Syria’s Assad moves to allay fury after security forces fire on protesters
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad released hundreds of political prisoners in an apparent effort to tamp down public anger a day after deadly crackdown on protesters.
(By Leila Fadel)
Courting Iowa conservatives
For the second time this month, potential 2012 GOP candidates came to Iowa to court conservative activists, with Rep. Michele Bachmann drawing an enthusiastic response.
(By Dan Balz)
Holtby extends Montreal’s misery
Braden Holtby makes 18 saves as the Capitals top the Canadiens, 2-0, for their 14th win in the past 17 games. Marco Sturm and Alexander Semin score the goals.
(By Katie Carrera)
POLITICS
Rising Medicare premiums threaten to wipe out Social Security COLA for third straight year
WASHINGTON — Millions of retired and disabled people in the United States had better brace for another year with no increase in Social Security payments.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Md. legislature focuses on consumer protections
The Maryland General Assembly could be remembered not for any signature initiative but for a raft of modest bills that affect day-to-day routines.
( by Ann E. Marimow and John Wagner , The Washington Post)
DeMint predicts fresh GOP candidates for president
Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, scourge of the Republican establishment, says there could be a whole new crop of presidential candidates unless someone takes command of the race.
( by Dan Balz , The Washington Post)
Airstrikes help Libya rebels advance
Days of coalition airstrikes appeared Saturday to have pushed open the door to western Libya for anti-government rebel forces, which retook the strategic city of Ajdabiya.
( by Liz Sly and Scott Wilson , The Washington Post)
Courting Iowa conservatives
For the second time this month, potential 2012 GOP candidates came to Iowa to court conservative activists, with Rep. Michele Bachmann drawing an enthusiastic response.
( by Dan Balz , The Washington Post)
STYLE
Date Lab: Liking the same music doesn’t mean they’ll sing the same tune
On this week’s blind date: The definition of a foodie, a “false yes,” and why Puck from “Glee” is hot.
(, The Washington Post)
Vietnam sails forward
Say the word “Vietnam,” and people still think “war.” But it’s a place with a rich history, breathtaking landscapes and a booming economy.
(, The Washington Post)
Nuptials: Sharon Robinson & Steve DelBusso
Thanks to a popular dating site, this couple found each other and fell in love.
(, The Washington Post)
Spring Travel: Pittsburgh forges ahead
In the 1950s, famed photographer was given a freelance assignment to shoot Pittsburgh. Here, an exploration into the city he saw vs. today.
(, The Washington Post)
Whatever Happened To... the love story?
A congresswoman and widower fell in love, got married — and then faced a life-threatening test.
(, The Washington Post)
SPORTS
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wins F1 Australian GP; Hamilton finishes second in season-opener
MELBOURNE, Australia — Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel opened his Formula One title defense by driving a flawless race, outpacing McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton to win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Party time! Butler's 2nd straight Final Four run comes with another late-night celebration
INDIANAPOLIS — Butler prefers old-school basketball and old-style celebrations to all the preseason nonsense.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Staying late: Fresno St. tops San Diego 3-2 in 22 innings, tied for 3rd-longest in D-I history
FRESNO, Calif. — Garrett Weber’s RBI single in the 22nd inning gave Fresno State a 3-2 victory over San Diego on Saturday night in a game that lasted over 7 hours and tied for the third-longest in NCAA Division I history.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Yes UConn! Kemba Walker scores 20 as Huskies edge Arizona 65-63, advance to another Final Four
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jim Calhoun could scarcely watch when the most improbable postseason run of his coaching life at Connecticut came down to an open 3-point attempt by Arizona’s Jamelle Horne.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Ogwumike sisters help top-seeded Stanford pull away late for 72-65 win over North Carolina
SPOKANE, Wash. — Nnemkadi Ogwumike was out of the play and unaware of what was taking place after the Stanford star missed in the lane with less than a minute ago.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
WORLD
German state elections come as crucial test for chancellor Merkel's conservative party
BERLIN — Eight million Germans are voting in a closely watched state election that could see Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative party lose power in southern Baden-Wuerttemberg for the first time in almost six decades.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Myanmar military holds unusually low-key celebration of Armed Forces Day
YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar’s military government has held an unusually low-key ceremony marking Armed Forces Day, as anticipation mounts that it will soon turn over power to a nominally civilian administration.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Radioactive levels in water inside reactor reported to be 10 million times the norm
TOKYO — Japanese officials reported a huge jump in radioactivity — levels 10 million times the norm — in water in one reactor unit at a tsunami-damaged nuclear plant Sunday, forcing workers to evacuate and again delaying efforts to control the leaking complex.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Taliban militants say they have kidnapped 50 Afghan policement in northeastern Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban say they have kidnapped 50 Afghan policemen in the northeast of the country.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Syrian army units deploy in Syrian seaside city rocked by unrest
DAMASCUS, Syria — Activists and eyewitnesses say Syrian army units have deployed in key areas of a seaside Mediterranean city rocked by protests and unrest.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Free Range on Food
Free Range on Food is a forum for discussion of all things culinary.
(, vForum)
Election 2012 - The Fix Faceoff Video Q&A
Political blogger Chris Cillizza's fast-paced video Q&A about the 2012 presidential election
(, vForum)
Outlook: What the no-fly zone in Iraq reveals about the challenges in Libya
Daniel Byman, professor of security studies at Georgetown University, will be online Monday March 28 at 11 a.m. ET to chat about his latest Outlook piece, "What the no-fly zone in Iraq reveals about the challenges in Libya."
(, vForum)
What the Census Says About DC
Roderick J. Harrison will discuss what the latest U.S. Census Bureau reports reveal about DC.
(, vForum)
The TV Column Live with Lisa de Moraes
TV columnist Lisa de Moraes takes questions about drama, comedy, and heartbreak in the world of television.
(, vForum)
BUSINESS
Egypt stock markets opens strong, triggering market halt and reversing earlier declines
CAIRO — Egypt’s stock market is reversing two days of earlier declines, with the broader EGX100 index surging almost 5.1 percent within minutes of the market’s opening in a rally that forced a halt in trading.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air cancel dozens of flights after computer outage
PHOENIX — Technicians worked to resolve a computer problem that prompted Alaska Airlines and its Horizon Air affiliate to cancel 152 flights, affecting at least 12,000 customers, officials said.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Independent financial panel deciding fate of Kabul Bank, says Afghan official
KABUL, Afghanistan — An independent Afghan financial commission has been asked to recommend whether to dissolve Kabul Bank, the nation’s largest financial institution that nearly collapsed last year after allegations of mismanagement, cronyism and questionable lending, an Afghan official said Sunday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Thousands of union members, leaders march streets of LA vowing to fight for organized labor
LOS ANGELES — Thousands of union leaders and workers marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, vowing and shouting that they would fight for organized labor in California after recent union setbacks in Wisconsin.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)
Meet Mr. Market
Warren Buffett’s reading of Mr. Market is that he has “incurable emotional problems.” Some days he feels euphoric and names a high price for his share. Other days, he’s depressed and wants to unload his share for a pittance.
( by Bob Frick , The Washington Post)
