Cheat Sheet - Can Washington Stop the Next Shutdown?

Today: Detroit Bankruptcy Ruling Coming , NYC Train Sped 52 mph Over Limit , Shanghai Kids Lead in Education December 03, 2013 HERE WE GO AGAIN 1. Can Washington Stop the Next Shutdown? The deadline for a budget agreement is rapidly approaching; before you start screaming from flashbacks of the shutdown, there's a strong possibility that it might be avoided this time. A wall of silence has been imposed to avoid "budget fatigue to the point of desperation," says Brookings fellow William Galston. So in other words, don't expect to hear about any deal until the negotiations are over. Chief House negotiator Rep. Paul Ryan and his counterpart in the Senate, Patty Murray, are working overtime behind the scenes to reach a deal before both parties reach the brink again, writes The Daily Beast's Eleanor Clift. Read it at The Daily Beast DEADLY 2. NYC Train Driver Fell Asleep The driver of the Metro-North train that derailed Sunday had fallen asleep moments before going around a dangerous curve that required the train to be slowed down to 30 mph, investigators told DNA Info on Tuesday. William Rockefeller, a veteran engineer with an unblemished record, allegedly dozed off for a few fateful moments, and awoke as the train sped around the curve, too late to slow down. Sources also said Rockefeller took drug and alcohol tests, and neither were believed to be a factor in the derailment. His cellphone records have also been subpoenaed. Four people were killed in the derailment and at least 60 more were injured. Read it at DNA Info MOTOR CITY 3. Detroit Bankruptcy Ruling Coming It's going to be a big day in Detroit. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes is expected to rule Tuesday whether the city can stay in bankruptcy, the largest municipal filing in history. If the court does not allow Detroit to stay under Chapter 9 protection, the city faces a number of damaging lawsuits, including from the state-run retiree system. In the bitter nine-day court battle leading up to Rhodes's ruling, emergency city manager Kevyn Orr has argued that the city's $18 billion debt—as well as its long-term liabilites—must be reduced to help the city move out of bankrupty. But that would mean defaulting on its pension responsibilities and the possible sale of the Detroit Institute of Arts property. Read it at Detroit Free Press RACE TO THE TOP 4. Shanghai Kids Lead in Education Count your lucky stars that you can read if you're American. Shanghai teens topped a worldwide education survey released Tuesday, with U.S. students lagging far, far behind—at 36th out of the 65 countries surveyed, and far below the average. The Chinese city led in math, reading, and science for 15- and 16-year-olds in the survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Singapore ranked second, followed by Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Macau. British teens came out ahead of Americans (must be all that Harry Potter at a young age), ranking 26th. But there's bad news all around for math: Around 60 percent of pupils from the 64 countries that previously participated performed at the same level or worse in the subject than 2012, and nearly a third of all students tested in the lowest band for math. Read it at CNN UKRAINE 5. Orange Revolution Redux Thousands stormed Kiev's City Hall and turned it into a temporary "revolutionary headquarters," while others fought with police outside the presidential administration building. The country exploded into protests last week after President Viktor Yanukovych pulled out of a deal for closer ties with the European Union, since it would require the country to sever its relationship with Russia. Protesters have demanded Yanukovych resign, and he has since relented and asked European Commission President Joe Manuel Barroso to receive a delegation from the Ukraine. Meanwhile, over 40 reporters have been injured while covering the protests, including celebrity reporter and local television host Mustafa Nayyem, who was clubbed on the head by police. The Daily Beast's Anna Nemtsova reports on the chaos in Kiev. Read it at The Daily Beast FAMILY TIES Kim Jong-un's Uncle 'Dismissed' Two aides executed in public for corruption. Click Click Click Cyber Monday Sales Hit a Record Could be "biggest online shopping day in history." 'WITHOUT PRECEDENT' Iceland Police Kill Shooter For the first time in country's history. WHISKEY REBELLION $10K Reward Offered for Bourbon "We're just trying to bring Pappy home." CLINTON DRAMA Hillary Movie Might Get Made Lionsgate in talks about "Rodham." PopSugar 'The Year in Celeb PDA! GQ The 25 Least Influential People of 2013 Your Tango 10 Reasons Southern Guys Make the Best Boyfriends! GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors. GET Culture Beast Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast. The RNC's Latest Race Gaffe by Michael Tomasky Can Mommyhood Be Monetized? by Keli Goff Carey and the Coen Brothers by Marlow Stern

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