Briefing

THE WEEK

SNOW SLAMMED THE EAST COAST

Emma Watson

The actor was cast as Belle in the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast

GOOD WEEK

BAD WEEK

Sam Smith

The singer will pay Tom Petty royalties on the Petty-like song “Stay With Me”

‘I will go anywhere I am invited to make the state of Israel’s case.’

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Israeli Prime Minister, who will address Congress at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner; Boehner didn’t consult President Obama, who won’t meet with Netanyahu when he’s in Washington

$2,631

Amount of cash in a bag that a New Hampshire woman was accidentally given when she went through a Burger King drive-through

15%

Improvement in fourth- and fifth-graders’ math scores after they participated in a meditation-mindfulness program vs. those who didn’t, according to a study

‘This isn’t ISIS. No one’s dying. ‘

TOM BRADY, New England Patriots quarterback, playing down the controversy over allegations that his team deflated footballs used in its AFC championship win; Brady and coach Bill Belichick have denied wrongdoing

‘I can’t tell you. Apparently there’s not a t in it.’

MILEY CYRUS, singer, when asked to spell the name of boyfriend Patrick Schwarzenegger, son of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger

‘THIS IS A BIG FORECAST MISS.’

GARY SZATKOWSKI, meteorologist at the U.S. National Weather Service, after forecasts of a “crippling” storm in New York City didn’t pan out; Boston, meanwhile, was buried in snow

2,212

Number of guns seized from carry-on luggage at U.S. airports in 2014, a 22% increase from 2013

‘I’m the first, but I won’t be the only.’

THE REV. LIBBY LANE, on her consecration as the Church of England’s first female bishop

Sources: AP; ESPN; Developmental Psychology; Good Morning America; TSA; BBC; Twitter; Reuters

This appears in the February 09, 2015 issue of TIME.

Contact us at letters@time.com.