National: President Obama arrived in Israel today on his first official visit to the Jewish state. He will meet with both the Israeli prime minister, and the Palestinian president, trying to get them back to talking peace. While discussing what to do about civil war in Syria and nuclear weapons in Iran, Obama and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu may have to work on their own personal treaty. They don’t like each other.

• Senate Democratic leaders have given up trying to get an assault weapons ban in their gun control bill. Although a majority of Americans want a ban on the kind of military-style rifles used in the Sandy Hook School massacre, pressure by the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun lobbies made it impossible to pass. Even some Democrats are against it. Few teeth are left in the bill.
• The director of Colorado’s prisons was shot dead at his home last night just hours before the state’s governor was to sign a stricter new gun control law. There are no suspects or motive as yet.

World: Syrian rebels and the embattled government accused each other of using chemical weapons in an attack that killed about 25 people. Independent sources say there’s no verification. President Obama previously said use chemical weapons would bring serious consequences.

• The Cyprus parliament rejected a European Union plan to tax savings accounts up to 10% to bail out the broke island country. Ordinary savers were outraged that they might have to pay for the mistakes of big banks. No one knows what’s next, but Cyprus might have to drop out of the European Union. Financial markets reacted somewhat calmly on the assumption that a sensible solution will be found. Meanwhile, Britain flew a million euros to the island so it could keep paying 3,000 military personnel in case banks close.

Politifun: Elizabeth Cobert Busch, sister of comedian Stephen Colbert, won 96% percent of the Democratic vote in the South Carolina Congressional primary. Mrs. Busch pronounces the middle name “Coal-bert” rather than “Coal-bear” like her like her famously “conservative” brother. Former Gov. Mark Sanford, famous for “taking a walk on the Appalachian trail”, faces a runoff on the Republican side.

Pub Ankles: Daily Variety, the Hollywood entertainment journal known for its colorful lingo, sold its last printed issue yesterday after an 80 year run. It’s going online only. In Variety, “Gotham” is New York, “horse opera” is a Western, “passion pit” is a drive-in theater and “ankle” is to leave. So, “H’w’d pub, infopike roadkill, pens final ink.”

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