National

Pages

Your Money
1:26 pm
Tue January 8, 2013

Havens Are Turning Hellish For Tax Avoiders

Credit Dale de la Rey / AFP/Getty Images
A man enters a UBS bank in Hong Kong last month. The Swiss banking giant agreed in 2009 to identify the names of its U.S. account holders, part of a push by banking regulators to make it harder to hide income.

Originally published on Fri January 11, 2013 7:43 am

Time was that a Swiss bank account was synonymous with confidentiality and keeping assets from prying eyes. No more.

Last week, Switzerland's oldest bank, Wegelin & Co., pleaded guilty in a New York court to helping Americans hide $1.2 billion from the Internal Revenue Service over a decade-long period. Wegelin's plea, and a $57.8 million fine, forced the bank to shut its doors. It follows a $780 million settlement with UBS in 2009 that forced the Swiss banking giant to identify the names of its U.S. account holders.

Read more
The Two-Way
12:36 pm
Tue January 8, 2013

Must-See Or Must-Avoid TV? Alex Jones Rails On Piers Morgan

Credit CNN.com
Piers Morgan, left, and Alex Jones on Monday night.

Originally published on Tue January 8, 2013 3:18 pm

There's really not much we need to add regarding Monday night's "discussion" about guns and gun control on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight. Everyone's perfectly capable of forming their own opinions.

Read more
The Two-Way
12:35 pm
Tue January 8, 2013

Medgar Evers' Widow Will Deliver Invocation Prayer At Inauguration

Credit Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Myrlie Evers-Williams, seen here in 2010, will deliver the invocation at President Obama's second inauguration on Jan. 21.

The widow of slain Civil Rights organizer Medgar Evers will deliver the invocation at President Obama's inauguration. Myrlie Evers-Williams will become the first woman, and someone other than clergy, to say the prayer that precedes the ceremonial oath of office, as The Washington Post reports.

The inaugural ceremony will take place on Jan. 21, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Read more
Education
11:08 am
Tue January 8, 2013

Lessons From 30 Years Of Education Reporting

Jay Mathews writes the Class Struggle column for The Washington Post, and looks at issues like educational disparities and access to higher education. He's documented persisting problems and highlighted creative solutions. He talks with host Michel Martin about the past, present and future of education in America.

Around the Nation
11:08 am
Tue January 8, 2013

2 Years After Giffords Shooting, Much Changed?

It's been two years since the shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that killed six people and injured former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. To learn what has and hasn't changed since then, host Michel Martin talks with Daniel Hernandez Jr., Giffords' former intern who was credited with saving her life, and Carolyn Lukensmeyer of the National Institute for Civil Discourse.

The Two-Way
10:05 am
Tue January 8, 2013

Gays Separated From Military Since Late '04 To Get Full Discharge Pay

Credit Brian J. Clark / The Virginian-Pilot/AP
Dec. 21, 2011: Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta, left, kisses her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Va. Gaeta's ship had returned from 80 days at sea. Their "first kiss" that day was a first of its kind for the Navy.

Gays who were forced to leave the U.S. military before 2011's repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy were often given honorable discharges — but were only granted about half of the discharge pay that otherwise would have been due to them.

After the settlement Monday of a class action lawsuit brought in New Mexico, about 181 such men and women will be getting the money that was withheld.

Read more
The Two-Way
9:20 am
Tue January 8, 2013

Mystery: How Did Million Dollar Lottery Winner End Up Dead From Cyanide?

Credit / AP
Urooj Khan, with his winning lottery ticket. Not long after this photo was taken, he was dead.

One day after the check was issued, million dollar lottery winner Urooj Khan was dead.

The initial report from the Cook County (Ill.) Medical Examiner's office cited natural causes.

But now, authorities say, they've determined that Khan's July 20 death was due to cyanide poisoning. So Chicago police are back on the case.

Read more
The Two-Way
8:10 am
Tue January 8, 2013

'Enough,' Says Giffords As She Launches Campaign For New Gun Laws

Credit ABCNews.com
Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., during her interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer.

Originally published on Tue January 8, 2013 9:22 am

When children are gunned down in their classrooms, as happened last month in Newtown, Conn., it's time to say "enough," former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., tells ABC News.

Read more
Afghanistan
3:49 am
Tue January 8, 2013

Future Of U.S. Troops Looms Over Afghan Leader's Visit

Credit Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
President Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai greet each other during a May 20 meeting at the NATO Summit in Chicago. Karzai is in Washington, D.C., this week to meet Obama and other senior U.S. officials.

Originally published on Tue January 8, 2013 8:06 am

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in Washington this week for meetings with President Obama and other senior administration officials. The talks are expected to help set the framework for U.S. involvement in Afghanistan after the bulk of American and NATO forces leave at the end of 2014. One of the key issues to be discussed is the number of American troops to remain in Afghanistan after that date.

Read more
Shots - Health News
3:49 am
Tue January 8, 2013

Can You Get A Flu Shot And Still Get The Flu?

Credit Barbara L. Salisbury / The Washington Times/Landov
Shea Catlin, a nurse practitioner, doses out flu vaccine to give a shot at a CVS Minute Clinic in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 3.

Originally published on Tue January 8, 2013 6:06 am

This year's flu season started about a month early, prompting federal health officials to warn it could be one of the worst in years. They're urging everyone to get their flu shots.

But like every flu season, there are lots of reports of people complaining that they got their shot but still got the flu. What's up with that?

Well, as Michael Jhung of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains, there are lots of possible reasons.

Read more

Pages