News Archive - October 3, 2013

White House Cancels Obama's Asia Trip, Citing Shutdown

President Obama's already shortened trip to Asia was canceled Thursday, the White House calling it a casualty of the government shutdown. The White House said Obama personally called the leaders of Indonesia and Brunei to deliver the news.

How Snowden's Email Provider Tried To Foil The FBI Using Tiny Font

Newly unsealed documents detail of the usually secret process of a national security request made to technology companies. It also details a fascinating fight against a government request.

What We Learned When Twitter Filed For Its IPO

Twitter has filed to go public, and it will sell shares under the name TWTR. The IPO will initially seek to raise up to $1 billion. A look at what else the social media giant's IPO filing reveals about the seven-year-old company.

Shutdown Diary, Day 3: More Talk, Little Action

The GOP-led House passed a bill to temporarily fund the National Guard and Reserve, one of the series of smaller spending bills they've used to try to shift blame for the shutdown to Democrats. The Senate, controlled by Democrats, rebuffed it.

For Tea Party, Shutdown Is Worth The Pain

Polls may show most Americans are unhappy about the shutdown, but for members of the Tea Party and other conservatives, the current clash over the Affordable Care Act is essential.

Some Online Journals Will Publish Fake Science, For A Fee

When medical research is published in a peer-reviewed journal, the presumption is that the study has been reviewed for accuracy. The advent of open-access journals has made it easier to get published. But when a journalist sent an obviously faked paper, dozens of open-access journals said they'd be happy to publish it, for a fee.

Police Chase Ends In Shots Fired Outside U.S. Capitol

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A woman was shot and killed Thursday afternoon after trying to ram a security barricade at the White House, which set off a chase in which one Capitol Police officer was injured.

D.C. Tourism Officials Worry That Shutdown Will Drive Visitors Away

With many of Washington, D.C.’s most iconic sites shuttered by the partial federal government shutdown, tourism officials say that visitors are canceling trips and an extended impasse could have a negative impact on the city’s economy.

Shutdown Quiets NASA, So Space Station Astronauts Enjoy View

With the space agency largely grounded, employees Karen Nyberg and Mike Hopkins continue to orbit 250 miles above Earth aboard the International Space Station. While it's not clear they have all that much to do, their Twitter feeds show they may be getting creative — and perhaps a bit bored.

WATCH: The Capitol Hill Car Chase

The video shows shows a black vehicle speeding through Garfield Circle, near the U.S. Capitol complex. At one point, officers open fire.

'Hello, This Is Your Senator Speaking. No, Really'

As a result of the government shutdown, members of Congress have been forced to take on some additional responsibilities this week — the kinds of tasks typically handled by junior staffers and interns.

Shutdown? Not For Political Fundraising

Party committees and outside groups on both sides of the aisle have latched on to the latest Washington budget crisis, using the moment to rile their bases and fill their coffers for the 2014 campaign.

Tribe To Protest Redskins Name During NFL Meeting In D.C.

An Indian tribe from upstate New York that's campaigning against the Washington Redskins' nickname says it will hold a public meeting about the issue on the football team's home turf at the same Washington hotel where the NFL is holding its fall meeting.

What We Know About Ross Ulbricht, Or 'Dread Pirate Roberts'

Just who is Ross Ulbricht? The man who went by "Dread Pirate Roberts" and ran a vast black market bazaar was a well-educated 29-year-old with libertarian leanings. He made a StoryCorps recording last year saying he wanted to make a "positive impact on humanity."

Capitol Car Chase Ends In Shots Fired Near Senate Building

The driver reportedly tried to ram a security barrier outside the White House, sparking the chase that ended in gunfire and a congressional lockdown. The driver was killed, a federal law enforcement told NPR. A child with her in the car was reportedly uninjured.

Park Service Allows Veterans Into Shuttered World War II Memorial

The federal government shutdown has closed national parks, monuments and memorials, but a group of World War II vets visiting D.C. were able to gain access to their memorial this week.

Weapons Inspectors Report Progress In Syria

The international team says it hopes to begin onsite inspections and the initial disabling of equipment within a week.

Tesla's Stock Gets Burned After Car Fire And Downgrading

Twin challenges — a shift in opinion about the stock by an influential research firm and a YouTube clip of a fire that destroyed a Tesla Model S — seem to have shaken investors a bit.

How's The Sausage Made? These Folks Really Want To Share The Knowledge

Artisanal meat producers face a big barrier to getting into the game: They have to come up with a complex food safety plan that can take months of research and tens of thousands of dollars to craft. A new project wants to make it easier for the next charcuterie master to open shop by creating an open-source safety plan that newbies can look to.

Government Isn't Running, And Neither Will Participants Of Va. Half Marathon

Organizers of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon have decided to postpone the race because of the government shutdown.

Tropical Storm Karen Heading For U.S. Gulf Coast

Oil and natural gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico have already been evacuated in anticipation of the storm, which is expected to make landfall as early as Saturday.

Without Key Jobs Data, Markets And Economists Left Guessing

The Labor Department says it won't be releasing its closely watched monthly jobs figures as scheduled on Friday due to the government shutdown. That will leave Federal Reserve policymakers, economists and financial markets without key data for making decisions.

How Do You Get Paid $400,000 At Carnegie Hall? Be A Stagehand

The famed hall's five full-time stagehands are on strike, and that's already forced the cancellation of one gala. Tax records show their average total compensation is more than $400,000 each a year. The dispute is over whether they'll also be working in the hall's new Education Wing.

Treasury: New Debt Ceiling Fight Could Derail Economy

In a report, the department warns that a default could do damage to the economy to rival the Great Recession.

Commercial Strip Becomes Work Zone As D.C. Rushes To Finish Streetcar Line

The streetcar tracks have been in place for years, but workers are now rushing to finish off the infrastructure needed to run streetcars up a 2.5-mile stretch of H Street and Benning Road NE.

Blind Chinese Human Rights Activist To Take Up Post At D.C. University

Chen Guangcheng, who left China last year, will serve as a distinguished visiting fellow at Catholic University of America in the District for the next three years.

Furloughed Workers Start Filing For Unemployment Benefits

Federal workers who are furloughed because of the government shutdown are beginning to file for unemployment benefits—but its likely they'll face delays in getting paid.

As Shutdown Drags On, Furloughed Workers Feeling The Financial Pinch

Some 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed during the government shutdown, and the prospect about an extended standoff between Democrats and Republicans has them worried about paying the bills.

Jobless Claims Stay Near Six-Year Low

A scant increase last week is another sign that the labor market is on the mend, economists say. There were 308,000 first-time claims for unemployment insurance, up 1,000 from the week before.

Sharp Words Over Shutdown When Lawmaker Visits WWII Memorial

Texas Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer told a Park Service ranger she should be ashamed for carrying out orders that the World War II Memorial, like other national parks and monuments, be closed. That led to a tense exchange with a passerby, who said it's lawmakers who are to blame. See the video.

Thursday Morning Political Mix

House Republicans talk of a grand bargain to end the crisis fizzled... Sen. Ted Cruz got an earful from fellow Senate Republicans at a private meeting... A shockingly high number of poor people won't be helped by the Affordable Care Act.

Dozens Dead, More Feared Lost, After Shipwreck Off Sicily

A ship packed with African migrants trying to reach Italy apparently caught fire before sinking. It's thought there were about 500 people on board. The vessel had set off from Libya, authorities say.

On Day 3 Of Shutdown, It's Deja Vu All Over Again

The partial shutdown continues. The two sides haven't publicly shifted their positions. So once again we turn to that sage of the baseball diamond, Yogi Berra, for the best line on the news that keeps repeating.