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  Snow shuts down federal government, life goes on

  If snow keeps 230,000 government employees home for the better part of a week, will anyone notice? With at least another foot of snow headed for Washington, Philadelphia and New York, we're about to find out. The federal government in the nation's capital has largely been shut down since Friday aftrnoon, when a storm began dumping up to 3 feet of snow in some parts of the region.

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  NY governor says he'll step aside only 'in a box'

  New York Gov. David Paterson, defying calls from even fellow Democrats to drop out of the race for a full term, said Tuesday that he would leave only if the voters turned him out through the ballot box, or he's carried out "in a box."

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  Space shuttle Endeavour pulls in at space station

  Shuttle Endeavour arrived at the International Space Station early Wednesday, delivering a new room and observation deck that will come close to completing construction 200 miles above Earth.

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  LA-area foothills under mudslide threat

  A new winter storm washed over the wildfire-scarred foothills north of Los Angeles Tuesday, leaving some residents to flee their homes in baggage-laden cars while others used shovels and buckets to try to hold back the muddy deluge.

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  Anthem asked to justify rate hike in California

  In his push to move stalled health care reform, President Barack Obama is appealing to American pocketbooks by calling one health insurer's major rate hike in California a harbinger of rising premiums.

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  Teen arrested in killing of LA anti-gang counselor

  When Ronald "Loony" Barron urged a young graffiti tagger to put away his paint cans, he was doing what he viewed as his mission — steering kids away from crime — but he paid for it with his life.

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  Target pulls Valentine's toys over lead concerns

  Target Corp. said Tuesday it was pulling its Valentine's Day "Message Bears" from store shelves after California's attorney general raised concerns that the toys have illegal levels of lead.

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  Kerrigan family disputes autopsy report on father

  The family of Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan insisted Tuesday that they do "not blame anyone" for her father's death and criticized a medical examiner's finding that Daniel Kerrigan died of a heart rhythm problem after a fight with his son.

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  NY Senate votes to expel convicted lawmaker

  The New York Senate voted Tuesday night to expel a senator convicted of a misdemeanor charge of assaulting his girlfriend, a resolution the lawmaker assailed as an injustice to the people who elected him.

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  ATF blames Texas church fires on serial arsonist

  A spate of recent fires that destroyed or damaged several churches in eastern Texas were intentionally set, likely by the same person or group, federal authorities said Tuesday.

• Death of Kerrigan’s Father Ruled Homicide

  Daniel Kerrigan, the father of the former Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan, died after a fight with his son Mark on Jan. 24.

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  Storm Batters East, Closing Schools and Grounding Planes

  A major snowstorm forced pre-emptive school closures in New York City and grounded hundreds of flights on the East Coast for the second time in a week.

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  Music Review: Music That Changed History and Still Resonates

  “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement” was the Black History Month event in Michelle Obama’s continuing music series.

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  Chicago News Cooperative: New Chef Will Help Pastry Level to Rise

  Pierre Zimmerman, who will join the faculty of Chicago’s French Pastry School, stands out in the tightly-knit and highly competitive international baking scene.

• An 'Israeli Remix' of a Palestinian Scarf

  A Jewish D.J. in Brooklyn finds himself defending his right to market what he calls an "Israeli remix of the keffiyeh," a symbol of Palestinian identity.

• Woman Detained in Haiti Also Due in Idaho Court

  A decision is expected Thursday on the fate of ten Americans who were stopped by Haitian authorities last week as they attempted to drive 33 children out of the country to an orphanage they hoped to stablish in the Dominican Republic.

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  U.S. Eyes Tougher Sanctions Over Iran Nuclear Program

  The Obama administration hopes to undermine the group that runs Iran’s nuclear program, supports militant organizations and cracks down on protesters.

• Revising Book on Disorders of the Mind

  Changes to the psychiatry guidebook that largely sets society’s line for normal behavior could affect treatment.

• Questions for Baptists, Praise for Scientologists in Haiti

  On Wednesday, as a Haitian judge continued to question 10 Americans whose faith-based mission to Haiti went badly astray, the work of volunteer ministers from the Church of Scientology was lauded in report on American television.

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  Lawyers Back Creating New Immigration Courts

  Citing a crushing caseload, the American Bar Association endorsed a recommendation to Congress for an independent immigration court system.

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• Nancy Kerrigan's family insists father's death not a homicide

  The family of Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan insisted Tuesday that they do "not blame anyone" for her father's death and criticized ...

• Alcohol abuse weighs on Army

  The Army needs to double its staff of substance-abuse counselors to handle the soaring numbers of soldiers seeking alcohol treatment, ...

• Psychiatry's bible: Autism, binge-eating updates proposed for 'DSM'

  Autism, binge-eating and addiction diagnoses could change in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5.

• Study uses bark beetles' calls to get rid of them

  Researchers at Northern Arizona University think they may have found an environmentally safe and readily available weapon against ...

• U.S. request for foreign fliers' data meets resistance

  The government is pushing foreign countries and airlines to deliver personal and criminal information about people planning to ...

• Snow grounds thousands of flights

  As people on the East Coast waited for the second snowshoe to drop, airlines canceled thousands of flights, and Meals on Wheels ...

• Motorists killed near vehicle breakdowns

  Recent accidents raise the question of what drivers should do when their vehicles break down or have accidents on busy interstates.

• ACLU: Public college instructor preaches on gays, abortion

  An instructor at a public community college in Fresno has been presenting his religious views on homosexuality, abortion and ...

• Pet Talk: 'Gothic cats' animal cruelty case highlights oddities

  A pet groomer from Wilkes Barre, Pa., did body piercings and tail cropping on kittens to market them as "gothic cats."

• New round of snow begins in Mid-Atlantic

  Starting tonight, snow forecast to hit Eastern cities still digging out from a weekend wallop could keep some people stuck at ...

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• Revision to the bible of psychiatry, DSM, could introduce new mental disorders

  Children who throw too many tantrums could be diagnosed with "temper dysregulation with dysphoria." Teenagers who are particularly eccentric might be candidates for treatment for "psychosis risk syndome.

• State Farm says it first warned safety agency about Toyota accelerators in 2007

  The nation's largest auto insurer alerted federal safety regulators on numerous occasions starting in 2007 about a rise in reports of unexpected acceleration in Toyotas, according to the insurer, Stae Farm.

• Dad of Palin grandson bares all for Playgirl cover

  The teen father of Sarah Palin's grandson is featured on the cover of the upcoming print version of Playgirl magazine - sporting nothing but a sultry gaze.

• More tolerance for gay troops as end of 'don't ask, don't tell' is debated

  BAGHDAD -- Days before a deployment to Iraq last year, the 26-year-old soldier's sergeant told his troops that they would get to know one another pretty well over the next few months.

• Obama holds traditional news conference to talk bipartisanship

  When President Obama dropped by the White House briefing room unannounced Tuesday, it marked a tactical shift: He had not held a full-scale news conference since July, instead bypassing the traditionl format in favor of other speaking venues.

• Passengers angry about lack of information from Metro during fire on Blue Line

  Frightened commuters who were stuck in a Blue Line train for about 40 minutes Tuesday morning lashed out at Metro because they said they received little information about what was happening in a tunnl near Smithsonian Station.

• Office of Personnel Management redirects visitors after Web site becomes deluged

  The Office of Personnel Management redirected visitors to its Web site for a time Monday to cope with a crush of traffic from those curious about whether the government would be open Tuesday.

• Criminal probe is launched in Connecticut power plant blast

  Authorities looking for the cause of an explosion that killed five people at a power plant under construction launched a criminal investigation Monday, saying they could not rule out criminal negligece as the cause.

• Limited bus and rail service tests Metro and its users

  Metrorail service will be extended Tuesday to some aboveground stations, although the time between trains will continue to be 30 minutes, Metro said Monday night. Rail and a modified bus service willstart at 5 a.

• Analysis: Iranian plan will put nation a step closer to having material for bomb

  Iran's formal notification Monday to a United Nations nuclear watchdog that it will begin producing higher-grade enriched uranium marks a new and potentially dangerous turn in Tehran's confrontation ith the West over its nuclear ambitions.

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• More snow keeps government closed in D.C.

  At least another foot is headed for Washington, Philadelphia and New York. Flights are canceled, schools are closed and federal agencies cancel hearings - including one on the Toyota recall. With at least another foot of snow headed for Washington, Philadelphia and New York, the federal government...

• Antiabortion killer has little sympathy for Tiller's family

  In an online video, convicted murderer Scott Roeder likens the slain abortion provider's loved ones to relatives of a hit man. The convicted killer of a Kansas abortion provider has little sympathy for the family of his victim, comparing them to the relatives of a hit man in a recording posted onl...

• Obama to Senate: Stop stalling on nominees

  The president calls on Republicans to stop blocking federal appointments. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama is singled out, though not named. Unhappy with Senate Republicans for blocking his nominations, President Obama warned Tuesday that he would use a procedural tactic to bypass lawmakers unless t...

• Senate jobs bill a show of bipartisanship

  Senior Democrats and Republicans were working to blend their ideas, adopting proposals such as payroll tax breaks for employers who create new jobs and aid to small businesses. In a rare move toward bipartisanship, Senate Democrats prepared Tuesday to unveil an $85-billion jobs bill that would inc...

• Gastric bypass bands effective for severely obese teens, study finds

  Some doctors hope the FDA will approve use of the band device for adolescents now that new research shows the procedure works better than lifestyle changes. Gastric banding surgery appears to be significantly more effective than lifestyle interventions in helping severely obese teenagers lose a si...

• Obama to Senate: Stop nominee holdups

  The president calls on Republicans to stop blocking federal appointments. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama is singled out, though not named. Unhappy with Senate Republicans for blocking his nominations, President Obama warned Tuesday that he would use a procedural tactic to bypass lawmakers unless t...

• FDA addresses radiation safety

  The agency aims to protect patients from unnecessary exposure, with safety controls on medical devices and development of more precise dosing standards. The Food and Drug Administration has decided to impose new safety controls on medical imaging devices and encourage development of more precise d...

• Gastric banding more effective than lifestyle changes for severely obese teens, study finds

  With the success of gastric bypass surgery, some doctors hope the FDA will approve use of the band device for adolescents. Gastric banding surgery appears to be significantly more effective than lifestyle interventions in helping severely obese teenagers lose a significant amount of weight and kee...

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  New Orleans turns out to welcome Saints home

  Fans have a long tradition of greeting their team at the airport, even on losing weeks. But the morning after the Super Bowl is extra sweet - even following a long, sloshy night of celebrations. Forthe paint store owners in the rest of the world, Monday was Monday.

• Governor of New York faces an avalanche of woes

  Democrat David Paterson, who is battling the legislature over budget deficits and has been asked not to run again by President Obama, now is denying Internet rumors involving sex and drugs. This is how bad it is for David Paterson, Democratic governor of New York:

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• Secretive Culture Led Toyota Astray

  New details from the crisis enveloping Toyota reveal a growing rift between the auto maker and U.S. regulators. The heart of Toyota's problem: Its secretive corporate culture clashed with U.S. requirments that auto makers disclose safety threats.

• Mental Health 'Bible' Gets Revamp

  Draft revisions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders could have effects that ripple through mental health care.

• Let's Win the Oddball Events, Too

  The Vancouver Games will show whether a U.S. plan hatched more than 20 years ago, to learn to compete in offbeat events like Nordic combined, has borne fruit.

• D.C. Braces for More Snow

  Washington and Mid-Atlantic states prepared for a second big storm that could leave as much as 14 inches of new snow in Washington by Wednesday night.

• Obama, GOP Seek Accord

  Obama, in a surprise press briefing, said policy makers should be able to reach a bipartisan consensus on high-profile issues, if Republicans will negotiate.

• Secretive Culture Led Toyota Astray

  New details from the crisis enveloping Toyota reveal a growing rift between the auto maker and U.S. regulators. The heart of Toyota's problem: Its secretive corporate culture clashed with U.S. requirments that auto makers disclose safety threats.

• A Corolla Owner's Tale of Woe

  As authorities in the U.S. were reviewing steering complaints from Toyota Corolla drivers, complaints about the model emerged in Europe.

• He Turned TV News Into Entertainment

  As one of television's original "news doctors," Frank Magid helped re-imagine television news as a form of entertainment.

• Their Rejection, Our Loss

  In the end, the IOC decision to exclude women's ski jumping may have had more to do with protecting the men's event.

• Union-Backed Nominee Blocked in Senate

  The nomination of union lawyer Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board fell short of the 60 votes needed to end a Republican filibuster.

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  Brennan Slams GOP Over Obama Christmas Bomber Criticism

  John Brennan, the Obama Administration's counterterrorism chief, has helped move Obama closer to Bush policies, but the GOP is attacking from even further to the right

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  Obama and Counterterrorism: The Debate Moves Right

  John Brennan, the Administration's counterterrorism chief has helped move Obama closer to Bush policies, but the GOP is attacking from even further to the right

• Top 10 Political Sequels

  As Viktor Yanukovych once again prepares to become Ukraine's President, TIME takes a look at other politicians who have made comebacks at the polls

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  Jim Frederick, Black Hearts in Iraq's Triangle of Death

  The second and final excerpt of TIME contributing editor Jim Frederick's new book highlights how Private First Class Steven Green and his co-conspirators masterminded their crime in Iraq

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  Book Excerpt: Anatomy of an Iraq War Crime

  The second and final excerpt of TIME contributing editor Jim Frederick's new book highlights how Private First Class Steven Green and his co-conspirators masterminded their crime in Iraq

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  Marja: Operation Moshtarak Tests Obama's Afghan War Plan

  The looming battle for the small town of Marja could prove to be an important indicator of the prospects for U.S. forces in Afghanistan

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  California Tree Carving Hints at Early Chumash Astronomy

  Hidden behind property signs, a California tree carving has become an eloquent clue to the science of the Chumash people, whose descendants still live in the state

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  'Black Hearts': On Green, Iraq's 'Triangle of Death'

  The first of two excerpts from TIME contributing editor Jim Frederick's new book, Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death

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  Tea-Party Convention: Lessons on Palin and the Movement

  Rather than form a new party, the movement will remain leaderless and campaign for approved conservatives. And they all love Sarah Palin

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  How to Tame the Budget Deficit

  With our economy on the brink, Americans need to cut spending and raise taxes. Sound impossible? Here's a way to forge a grand compromise between two warring parties

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