Over the next four years, five major league teams will be renegotiating their spring training leases in Florida. With millions in economic benefits at stake, local communities and the Sunshine State are looking to upgraded facilities in hopes of keeping teams from moving to other locations in Florida and Arizona.

Optimists have had no trouble finding fresh evidence to suggest that the real estate market is recovering. Home sales are at the highest levels in years, borrowing rates are at historical lows, and builders are hiring again. But not everyone is convinced that the sector's momentum has staying power.

Economists said this means progress in the job market, mostly through a reduction in layoffs.

Also: Sam Lipsyte is interviewed by household pets; a new study tracks mood in literature; and Bret Easton Ellis' new book.

South Korea was hit by a cyberattack Wednesday that took out the systems at the country's banks and television networks. More than 30,000 computers went down. An initial investigation shows a Chinese Internet address was the source of the attack.

When you add up all the country's banks, they don't even match the 30th largest bank in the U.S. But people all over the world have good reason to be freaked out over what's happened there this week.

Budget cuts known as the sequester began over the weekend (and this NBC News blog has a good explainer on the various numbers floating around). Maryland,…

It's not easy to connect with both nature and the Internet. Kelcie Pegher of the Carroll County Times wrote a piece over the weekend about the limited…