WASHINGTON (AP) — Some places in the Mid-Atlantic have been dumped with two feet of snow, and others, such as the nation's capital, have only seen heavy rain and strong wind gusts. The storm that crippled parts of the Midwest has knocked out power to a quarter-million homes and businesses. Forecasters say the weather system will bring snow, strong winds and possibly flooding to parts of the Northeast tomorrow.
WASHINGTON (AP) —President Barack Obama and a group of Republican senators have met for dinner at a restaurant near the White House. The president is searching for bipartisan support for a deficit-cutting approach that includes the higher taxes he seeks as well as savings from Medicare and other benefit programs that they stress.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Rand Paul has spent hours blocking a vote on John Brennan's nomination to be CIA director. Paul isn't satisfied with answers about the possible use of the unmanned weapons against American citizens. Paul has been referring to various articles during the talk-a-thon. At one point he chewed on a snack.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has returned to the place where she was gunned down two years ago. Giffords spoke at a news conference with her husband in the parking lot of a Safeway store in Tucson and called for the Senate to pass background checks for gun purchases. She called on lawmakers to be bold and courageous. She was accompanied by her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Cardinals attending closed-door discussions ahead of the conclave to elect the next pope are closing ranks and their mouths to reporters. U.S. cardinals had been giving almost daily press briefings but there's been a blackout. The Americans had been vocal about allegations of corruption and dysfunction in the Holy See's governance. The Vatican denied it exerted any pressure on the American cardinals to keep quiet.
