Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Friday:
1. `OH, NOT AGAIN’: NORTHEAST SLAMMED BY ANOTHER STORM
At least 20 people killed, including a pregnant New York City woman hit by a snow plow while loading groceries into her car.
2. WHY YOU COULDN’T FOLLOW THE DEBT LIMIT VOTE AS IT UNFOLDED
Senators on both sides worried that investors might panic when passage appeared dicey, so the tally clerk was asked to keep quiet on the running count.
3. FACEBOOK MAKES BIG MOVE ON GENDER LABELS
The social media giant adds about 50 different terms beyond male and female for users to identify themselves.
4. COMCAST-TIME WARNER DEAL POSES QUANDARIES
Watchdogs say the agreement will give the company too much power and lead to higher prices while regulators wonder how they should handle the conglomerate.
5. PEDIATRICIAN CONVICTED OF WATERBOARDING
A Delaware jury convicted Melvin Morse for holding the head of his companion’s 12-year-old daughter under a faucet.
6. THE U.S. IS BACKING AWAY FROM AN AFGHANISTAN TIMETABLE
White House officials signal they may wait to see whether Karzai’s successor might be easier to work with on a security pact.
7. ATLANTA WON’T BELIEVE IT, BUT JANUARY TEMPS ABOUT NORMAL
Nearly every state west of Colorado and Wyoming had a much warmer than normal month, offsetting the cold that hit the rest of the country.
8. ONE OF FIGURE SKATING’S ALL-TIME GREATS SAYS GOODBYE
Evgeni Plushenko, the first figure skater in the modern era to win medals in four Olympics, retires shortly after withdrawing from the men’s competition in Sochi.
9. GOOGOO AND GAGA DON’T CUT IT
New research shows that talking to babies sooner with longer and more complex sentences helps build crucial skills.
10. DRAKE SAYS HE’S DONE WITH MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS
The rapper says he’s “disgusted” after Rolling Stone replaced him on the cover with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.
