Extraordinary Sight: Two Climbers Scale Yosemite’s El Capitan

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Frozen Nation  Bone-chilling temperatures hit 200 million Americans today as the arctic blast continued with white outs, icy roads and fatal car crashes from Iowa to Indiana. The dramatic plunge continues, with Chicago already closing 80 schools for tomorrow and a forecast for temperatures below zero degrees. Get the latest forecast, with winter storm warnings in place for a dozen states.     Learn More

Washington Mudslides  Residents in Washington State scrambled to safety as mudslides tore through some homes and swept others from their foundations. Nine inches of rain yesterday flooded rivers, cracked roads and left picturesque Snoqualmie Falls cascading at three times its normal rate. One town remains cut-off by a mudslide and homes now teeter on the edge.     Learn More

Power Shift  Ceremony, spectacle and plenty of selfies dominated as the newly-elected Congress was sworn in today in snowy Washington. A small, but noisy, conservative rebellion nearly cost Rep. Boehner his Republican leadership, and a battered Harry Reid missed the occasion. He spoke from home, wearing an eye patch, to explain he wasn’t hurt “bull riding” or on a “motorcycle.”     Learn More

Oil Prices: A Game of Chicken?  As drivers celebrate falling gas prices and savings, there could be a bigger price to pay. Stocks are tumbling amid plummeting energy prices and layoffs could be next. Some analysts think Saudi Arabia is playing a “game of chicken” with the U.S. and they have an advantage that could force prices much lower. That could wreak havoc on America’s oil boom.     Learn More

A Real Cliffhanger  It’s as tall as two Empire State Buildings and now two guys are trying to become the first to scale Yosemite’s famed El Capitan. These friends are well into the challenge and now face a critical phase. It requires tremendous courage, heart and brains as they wedge their fingertips into tiny crevices, using only their strength to ascend.     Learn More

Furry Friends Frolicking  The snow blanketing the country gave us some adorable images of our furry friends in the nation’s capital. Watch Bo Obama and 16-month-old panda bear Bao Bao play and you’re reminded what’s great about a snow day.     Learn More

Battling Alzheimer’s  A movie on its way to theaters about Alzheimer’s Disease may scare a lot of families. “Still Alice” shows what early onset looks like as it strikes a woman in the prime of her life. The role may finally earn Julianne Moore an Oscar and she talked with one of its producers, Maria Shriver, who watched her own father slip away in the clutches of the disease.     Learn More