The Washington Post
EBOLA-LESSONS — A year after it began, the Ebola epidemic in West Africa continues to be unpredictable, forcing governments and aid groups to change strategies and tactics as they chase a virus that is unencumbered by borders or bureaucracy. 2,400 words, by Lena H. Sun, Brady Dennis and Joel Achenbach (Post). Three photos.
MEDICINEMAN — WANBLEE, S.D. — Charges of sexual abuse by a highy regarded medicine man on the Lakota Sioux reservation are complicated by the maze of federal, state and reservation justice systems. 2,300 words, by Sari Horwitz (Post). Five photos and one embeded video link.
SECRETSERVICE — WASHINGTON — The Secret Service's string of security lapses resulted from a combination of tight budgets, bureaucratic battles and rapidly growing demands on the agency. 2,650 words, by Carol D. Leonnig (Post). Graphic. With SECRETSERVICE-TIMELINE-1STLD-WRITETHRU
INDEPENDENCE — CONCORD, N.C. - For Kelvin Cook and others struggling with mental illness, the chance to live independently is fraught with what the Justice Department calls "the dignity of risk." 4,235 words, by Stephanie McCrummen (Post). Six photos.
ASSAULT-FACTCHECK - A statistic quoted by the president and vice president regarding campus sexual assaults was misleading because of the scope of the study. 1,250 word, by Glenn Kessler (Post).
RACE-POLL — Blacks and whites live in different worlds when it comes to perceptions of the criminal justice system and the role that police play in society, but divisions within the white community are almost as stark, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. 1,160 words, by Dan Balz and Scott Clement (Post). One graphic.
HOSPICE — WASHINGTON — Patient care has suffered since for-profit companies have become more involved in an area once dominated by community and religious institutions. 2,330 words, by Peter Whoriskey and Dan Keating (Post). Photo. One graphic.
DEMOCRATS-OMALLEY — WASHINGTON — Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's once steady march toward a White House bid has turned into a wait-and-see grind. 1,370 words, by John Wagner (Post). Photo.
IRAQ-POLICY — As the U.S. assists Iraq in its battles with the Islamic State, it finds itself on the same side of the battle as Iran. And that's acceptable, for the time being. 1,300 words, by Missy Ryan and Loveday Morris (Post).
AIRASIA-CHIEF — Flamboyant AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes faces his first major crisis with the disappearance of an AirAsia commercial jet in Asia with 162 people on board. 640 words, by Elahe Izadi (Post)
SYRIA-MILITARY — BEIRUT — The Syrian regime has intensified efforts to reverse substantial manpower losses to its military with large-scale mobilizations of reservists as well as new regulations to stop desertions and draft dodging. 1,040 words, by Hugh Naylor (Post).
PAKISTAN — ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — After years of delay, Pakistan cracks down on violent Islamists and vows to rein in radical propaganda. 1,500 words, by Tim Craig and Carol Morello (Post).
DOGS-INVESTIGATE — WASHINGTON — Sometimes the answer to finding the responsible parties for unwanted dog droppings is treating the task like a crime scene. 1,235 words, by Karen Heller (Post).
CHINA-COMMENT — China's empty promise of rule by law. 860 words, by Teng Biao (Post special).
LINCOLN-COMMENT — Lessons of President Lincoln's press war. 690 words, by Fred Hiatt (Post).
Bloomberg
IMMIG-WARCRIMINALS — WASHINGTON — Federal war crime hunters are scouring the web as they move from looking for Nazis to keeping an eye out for terrorists from the Middle East. 1,055 words, by Del Quentin Wilber (Bloomberg). One photo.
HENS — A California law taking effect at the beginning of the year that sets standards for eggs sold in the nation's most-populous state is making itself felt on poultry farms across the country. 970 words, by Alan Bjerga (Bloomberg).
BRAZIL-WATER — SAO PAULO — The different experiences of neighborhoods — one poor and one wealthy — in the same megacity illustrate the disparity Sao Paulo's 20 million residents face amid Brazil's worst drought in eight decades. 1,105 words, by Blake Schmidt and Vanessa Dezem (Bloomberg). Two photos.
SRILANKA — COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A clash between one-time allies turns a probable walkover in a Jan. 8 presidential election into a competitive race, threatening the stability that has prompted the island's $67 billion economy to expand about 7 percent per year on average since the end of civil war in 2009. 1,000 words (Bloomberg).
ISRAEL-SUPERMARKET — JERUSALEM — Rami Levy's chain of supermarkets, Israel's biggest by market value, faces a challenging year. 1,670 words, by David Wainer and Yaacov Benmeleh (Bloomberg). Two photos.
JAPAN-DEMENTIA — TOKYO — Bank tellers and retail clerks are learning to spot symptoms of dementia in their elderly customers as Japan strugglers to cope with a dramatic rise in the number of its citizens afflicted with the condition. 1,170 words, by Kanoko Matsuyama (Bloomberg). One photo.
LAWYERS-COMMENT — The idea that law was a surefire, recession-proof path to success and financial security may have been a misconception all along: The United States has regularly had a surplus of lawyers. 1,030 words, by Stephen Mihm (Bloomberg).
The Japan News
JAPAN-TAXES — TOKYO — The Japanese government and ruling parties are close to finalizing a plan to reduce the effective corporate tax rate by 3.29 percentage points over the next two years. 330 words (Yomiuri Shimbun).
JAPAN-RUSSIA — TOKYO — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is invited to a Russian ceremony in Moscow on May 9 to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory over Germany in World War II. 230 words (Yomiuri Shimbun).
ISLANDS — TOKYO — The Japan Coast Guard plans to increase aerial patrols by 20 percent from next fiscal year to better monitor Chinese intrusions into Japanese territorial waters. 325 words (Yomiuri Shimbun).
JAPAN-BACTERIA — TOKYO — A record high 263 patients are suffering from streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome (STSS), a deadly infection that causes necrosis in limbs and a consciousness disorder, as of mid-December, according to a survey that began in 1999. 300 words (Yomiuri Shimbun).
JAPAN-SNAKE — TOKYO — TOKYO — The chief priest at a shrine that deifies the white snake in Tokyo is working with local business owners to promote their community as a "snake town" in an effort an revitalize the area. 545 words (Yomirui Shimbun). One photo.
Coming up this morning: editorials and commentary from The Post, Bloomberg View and The Japan News.
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Editors: A features budget will move at 12:30 p.m. ET. The daily budget for tomorrow's editions will move at 3 p.m. ET.
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