Clarence Thomas Speaks for First Time in a Decade

Today in One Paragraph

President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to U.S. Navy SEAL Edward Byers. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas asked a series of questions during oral arguments for the first time in 10 years. A U.S. student detained in North Korea publicly apologized after being accused of trying to steal a political banner. And the death toll from a suicide bombing outside of Baghdad has risen to 38.

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Number Six. Edward Byers, 36, was recognized for his heroic actions during the rescue of an American hostage in Afghanistan in 2012, making him the sixth Navy SEAL to receive the Medal of Honor. "Today's ceremony is truly unique—a rare opportunity for the American people to get a glimpse of a special breed of warrior that so often serves in the shadows,” President Obama said. (Ryan Browne, Barbara Starr, and Mark Morgenstein; CNN)

Thomas Breaks His Silence. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas directed his questions at a government attorney, Illana H. Eisenstein, during oral arguments in Voisine v. United States. Thomas’s remarks reveal the shifting dynamics of the Court since the passing of Antonin Scalia earlier this month. (Garrett Epps, The Atlantic)

North Korea Airs Apology of American Student. University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier, who was arrested by North Korea last month, apologized at a news conference aired on North Korea’s official media for allegedly trying to steal a banner with a political slogan. “I have made the worst mistake of my life, but please act to save me,” he said. (James Pearson and Jack Kim, Reuters)

Bombing in Muqdadiyah. Thirty-eight people are dead and another 58 are wounded after an Islamic State suicide bomber struck an Iraqi funeral in Muqdadiyah, north of Baghdad. (Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Sinan Salaheddin; Associated Press)

Tomorrow in One Paragraph. Twelve states hold their nominating contests on what is known as Super Tuesday, as presidential candidates rotate through to make their last pitch.

Follow stories throughout the day with our new Politics & Policy page. And keep on top of the campaign with our 2016 Distilled election dashboard.

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Breaking Down the Numbers. Compared with 2008, Democratic turnout has dropped in the early-voting states, but increased on the Republican side. Here’s why. (Emily Schultheis, CBS)

The Liberal Millennial Revolution is Here. The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson asks: “Why are young people so liberal; what’s behind their revolutionary spirit; and how close are they to ushering in a true liberal political revolution?”

What’s Next in Apple vs. FBI? Apple and the FBI are preparing to garner support ahead of the March 22 hearing. The case may have little to do with law enforcement’s right to search the phone of one of the San Bernardino attackers, “but how much help it can ask Apple for in the process.” (Alyssa Bereznak, Yahoo! Politics)

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Forecast for Super Tuesday. The Washington Post calculated delegate expectations based on a collection of data. See who they predict to be the presidential nominees here. (Aaron Williams, Kennedy Elliott, Scott Clement, and Kaeti Hinck)

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About the Author

Priscilla Alvarez is an assistant editor at The Atlantic.

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The condition has long been considered untreatable. Experts can spot it in a child as young as 3 or 4. But a new clinical approach offers hope.

This is a good day, Samantha tells me: 10 on a scale of 10. We’re sitting in a conference room at the San Marcos Treatment Center, just south of Austin, Texas, a space that has witnessed countless difficult conversations between troubled children, their worried parents, and clinical therapists. But today promises unalloyed joy. Samantha’s mother is visiting from Idaho, as she does every six weeks, which means lunch off campus and an excursion to Target. The girl needs supplies: new jeans, yoga pants, nail polish.

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At 11, Samantha is just over 5 feet tall and has wavy black hair and a steady gaze. She flashes a smile when I ask about her favorite subject (history), and grimaces when I ask about her least favorite (math). She seems poised and cheerful, a normal preteen. But when we steer into uncomfortable territory—the events that led her to this juvenile-treatment facility nearly 2,000 miles from her family—Samantha hesitates and looks down at her hands. “I wanted the whole world to myself,” she says. “So I made a whole entire book about how to hurt people.”