Meghan Drake

Butt out: New Jersey mulls bill raising state smoking age to 21

Lighting up may soon join chugging as a rite of passage in New Jersey, as the Garden State weighs a first-in-the-nation statewide ban on the sale of tobacco products to those under 21 years of age.

Hawaii may elect a Republican governor in the fall

The Aloha State, known for its clear blue waters and a deep-blue Democratic electorate, may be seeing red in the gubernatorial election in November.

South African leader sees economic progress as summit opens

Woman sues Facebook for ex’s ‘revenge porn’ postings

A Houston woman is suing social media giant Facebook after a compromising picture of her was posted by her ex-boyfriend on his Facebook page, opening a new legal front in the battle to aid victims of "revenge porn."

For embattled Israel, a Leviathan Massive gas find could transform economy

The headlines in Israel are focused elsewhere, but the country's long-term prospects may be determined not in Gaza but in the western Mediterranean waters beyond the Palestinian enclave.

Airlines optimistic despite a year of several tragedies

It hasn't been a good news cycle for the aviation business — a commercial plane shot down over Ukraine, the closure of Israel's main airport over terrorism fears and Wednesday's deadly crash of another plane in East Asia — but the travel-by-air business is not likely to see an economic crash landing.

Global challenges loom as U.S. cedes Internet, domain name oversight

As the Obama administration prepares to cede a key oversight role for the Internet and domain names, technology officials say the next challenge for the Web will be to ensure accountability and preserve the Internet's openness as a global communications and commerce network.

Transport chief seeking long-term bill

With a major infrastructure spending bill hanging in the balance, Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Monday compared Congress to shopping with his grandmother when she would tell him to put the toy back on the shelf because they were just browsing.

Fort McHenry marks ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ 200th anniversary

"It's like the flag is speaking to you in a sense," says a Fort McHenry park ranger. The sound doesn't change over time, making it the same flapping noise American soldiers heard in 1814 when the British navy sailed up the Patapsco River to bomb Baltimore.

New bio of ‘Star-Spangled’ author Francis Scott Key as American anthem turns 200

Before the "dawn's early light" and the "twilight's last gleaming," the author of our national anthem was busy arranging a prisoner swap with the enemy.

Hacking indictments won’t hinder China talks, Treasury says

A nasty recent dispute with China over cybersnooping will not undermine talks between Beijing and Washington to improve economic cooperation and coordination, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said Tuesday.

Lew: World markets can handle Iraq oil disruptions

World oil markets should be able to take the disruptions caused by the recent Iraqi violence in stride, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told a leading business group Tuesday.

Amid new recalls, GM outlines payment plan for switch victims

When the nation's top compensation expert announced details of General Motors' fund for the victims of its massive ignition switch defect crisis, he made one thing clear: It's about the victims, not about GM.

Appeals court closes door on Bloomberg’s ‘soda ban’

In the Big Apple, the Big Gulp is now — without question — legally good to go.

Ex-Maryland Republican Party chair on ballot — in West Virginia

Defying conventional geography, Alex Mooney moved west from Maryland on his way — possibly — to Washington D.C.

Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah in D.C. seeks a closer U.S.-Afghan relationship

Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah said Thursday that Washington and Kabul must keep a close relationship even as U.S. troops prepare to exit the country after more than a decade of war.

Westerners press for more control over their land

Add the federal government's ownership of land to the list of things that are viewed differently in the American East and West.

Barra blames ‘history of failures’ for GM safety crisis

General Motors' new chief announced the dismissal of 15 employees and the creation of a compensation fund for victims of a faulty ignition switch on multiple GM models, but an internal probe of the company said the safety crisis was the result of engineering and bureaucratic mistakes and not a deliberate effort to deceive customers and regulators.

Battle of Midway veterans honored

While assigned to remove dead bodies off the USS Oklahoma and USS Oglala after Pearl Harbor, Chief Petty Officer Hank Kudzik said he couldn't imagine that, in less than six months, he would be taking part in the most decisive naval clash of World War II, the Battle of Midway.

New EPA rules cast cloud over coal industry

As the climate debate in Washington focused on the policy and the politics, for many beyond the Beltway the new EPA rules released Monday mandating sharply reduced emissions from the nation's power plants will have a direct impact on their livelihoods.