National

Senate Confirms Brennan As CIA Director

6:13pm March 07, 2013

The Senate easily confirmed the nomination of John Brennan as CIA director, that following the dramatics of Sen. Rand Paul, who filibustered against it for nearly 13 hours on Wednesday night. Is this the dawn of a new era of these, old-school, "talking" filibusters? Tamara Keith talks to Audie Cornish.

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Federal Probe Targets Uneven Discipline At Seattle Schools

6:13pm March 07, 2013

by Ann Dornfeld

Students of color have long been punished in far higher numbers than white students in Seattle. The Education Department is looking at whether black students are disciplined more frequently and more harshly than white students for the same behavior.

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Challenge To Michigan's Gay Marriage Ban Grows From Adoption Case

1:36pm March 07, 2013

by Rick Pluta

A federal judge could rule as soon as Thursday in the case, which comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is also set to deal with gay marriage later this month. In Michigan, a lesbian couple sued because the state bans same-sex couples from adopting kids. Then, the judge invited them to go even further.

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BP Bows Out Of Solar, But Industry Outlook Still Sunny

12:50pm March 07, 2013

by Jeff Brady

The energy giant says it has "thrown in the towel on solar." The industry has evolved since BP entered the ring, currently emphasizing cheap production rather than research and development. BP says it just wasn't making money, though it will continue investing in other renewable resources.

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President Obama speaks to reporters in the White House briefing room on Friday following a meeting with congressional leaders.

Obama Looks For A Spring Thaw With Congress To Start Melting Deficit

12:44pm March 07, 2013

by Scott Horsley

With across-the-board spending cuts now on autopilot, there's a momentary lull in Washington's budget brinksmanship. So the president is using this window to try to craft a more lasting approach to the federal debt.

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National

Sequestered Spring Means Fewer Rangers, Services At National Parks

11:49am March 07, 2013

by Kirk Siegler

Early March is when Yosemite National Park officials would normally be gearing up for the busy tourist season. Instead, they're figuring out how to cut $1.5 million from their budget because of the recent sequestration that forced across-the-board cuts. The National Park Service must now cut $134 million from sites around the country.

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John Kerry, A 'Recovering Politician,' Settles Into Diplomatic Role

8:44pm March 06, 2013

by Michele Kelemen

John Kerry's first trip as secretary of state took him to Europe — where he spent time growing up as the son of a diplomat. Kerry, who also had stops in the Middle East, says he can't speak as freely now as when he was a senator.

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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg poses during a group photo in September 2009 in the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Supreme Court's 'Heavyweight'

2:33pm March 06, 2013

In a profile of Ginsburg for this week's New Yorker, Jeffrey Toobin describes how the incremental philosophy of litigation that helped her win many precedent-setting women's rights cases as a lawyer is reflected in her career as a Supreme Court justice.

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Tilghman Logan and his instructor, Craig Stagg, do some practice turns using sit skis. Some ski resorts have created opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in snow sports.

With Adaptive Skiing, Disabled People No Longer Left Out In The Cold

11:18am March 06, 2013

by Carrie Jung

As the fresh snow falls in New Mexico's ski resorts and mild temperatures welcome visitors into the region, new ski enthusiasts are making their way to the mountain tops. Some ski resorts now offer lessons to people with disabilities, and owners say not only is it a great equalizer, it's also increasing business.

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National

Drones Come Home, Privacy Concerns Fly High

8:45am March 06, 2013

Across the country, law enforcement and first responders are flying unmanned aircrafts to take aerial photographs of traffic accidents and crime scenes. As the technology improves and more police departments acquire permits to fly them, concerns about privacy and regulation increase.

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