By Lauren Weber
Wednesday February 18th, 2015
TOP STORIES
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S LEGACY WAITING IN THE COURTS "Along with the immigration action, the fate of two of Obama’s other signature initiatives -- a landmark health-care law and a series of aggressive executive actions on climate change -- now rests in the hands of federal judges. It is a daunting prospect for a president in the final two years of his tenure who believes he is on the path to leaving a lasting impact on intractable and politically perilous issues, despite an often bitter relationship with Congress." [WaPo]
ERIC HOLDER CALLS FOR MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY The Attorney General, who stated he was not speaking for the administration, argued executions should pause until the Supreme Court rules on lethal injection. [HuffPost]
UN REPORT: AFGHANISTAN CIVILIAN CASUALTIES OVER 10,000 "The number of civilians killed or wounded in fighting in Afghanistan climbed by 22 percent in 2014 to reach the highest level in five years as foreign troops concluded their combat mission, the U.N. said in an annual report released Wednesday. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 10,548 civilian casualties in 2014, the highest number in a single year since 2009. They include 3,699 civilian deaths, up 25 percent from 2013." [AP]
UKRAINIAN TROOPS WITHDRAW FROM BESIEGED TOWN "Hundreds of Ukrainian government forces began a chaotic retreat from a surrounded town in the east of the country Wednesday, a major defeat with uncertain consequences for the future of the grinding 10-month-old conflict. An internationally-brokered cease-fire that started Sunday quieted fighting elsewhere in eastern Ukraine, but sparked further battles in and near the key railway hub of Debaltseve." [WaPo]
U.S. TO ASSIST IN FIGHT AGAINST BOKO HARAM The U.S. will provide communications equipment and intelligence in the fight against the terrorist organization. [Reuters]
FOREIGN DONORS AND THE CLINTON FOUNDATION "The Clinton Foundation has dropped its self-imposed ban on collecting funds from foreign governments and is winning contributions at an accelerating rate, raising ethical questions as Hillary Clinton ramps up her expected bid for the presidency. Recent donors include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Australia, Germany and a Canadian government agency promoting the Keystone XL pipeline." [WSJ]
OBAMACARE SIGNUPS TOP 11 MILLION The number beat the administration's projections. [HuffPost]
WHAT’S BREWING
SNAPCHAT COULD BE WORTH AS MUCH AS $19 BILLION The company valued itself at $10 billion last year. [Reuters]
HOW MANY CALORIES YOU EAT AT CHIPOTLE Think before you click on this one, folks. Do you really want to know? [NYT]
GENERATE YOUR OWN OSCAR SPEECH I'd like to thank my parents… [Vulture]
TINDER'S USAGE RECORDS BROKEN ON VALENTINE'S DAY So much need for self-affirmation. [Vanity Fair]
IT IS SCIENTIFICALLY CATHARTIC TO COMPLAIN ON THE INTERNET Shouting into the void, so to speak. [WaPo]
HOW TO GROW AND GROOM YOUR BEARD And be a proper lumbersexual. [Alive Magazine]
CARBS ARE NOT EVIL Not all carbs are created equal. [HuffPost]
ON THE BLOG
BERNIE SANDERS: GREECE HOLDS 'THE FATE OF THE WORLD' "The new Greek government needs support in establishing pro-growth policies which create jobs, expand their economy and enable them to pay down their debts. Demanding that creditors are paid before any of that is allowed to happen may come at a very heavy price for more than just the people of Greece." [HuffPost]
BEFORE YOU GO
~ In honor of "Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day," which is held in the memory of Malia Peterson, crack open a tub of the good stuff.
~ Apple hopes to sell over 20 million smartwatches.
~ Meet the beagle that won the Westminster dog show.
~ Carnegie Mellon faked out 800 applicants about their accepted status.
~ The comic world's favorite female character is a homicidal villain.
~ The 70s fashion of "Mad Men."
~ "Game of Thrones" Monopoly is coming.
~ When you impose Disney princess proportions on pop stars, frightening things happen.
~ Which 2016 candidate is Frank Underwood, without the murderous streak?
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