Good morning. Here are some of the headlines we're following this morning:
1. Potentially Historic Blizzard to Cause 'Absolute Mess'
"Historic" may be an overused word, but it applies to the blizzard that's coming for the mid-Atlantic region, large parts of which could get more than 30 inches of snow over the weekend. The National Weather Service said Washington, D.C., itself could get as much as 29 inches by Sunday night — topping a 1922 record of 28 inches. Read more in NEWS.
2. Storm Watch: Live Updates and Latest Forecasts
We're providing ongoing coverage of the massive snowstorm that forecasters say could dump 2 feet or more of snow on the East Coast and bring severe conditions to millions of people. Read more at our LIVEBLOG.
3. National Review Slams Trump in Scathing Editorial
The conservative National Review launched a broadside against Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Thursday, publishing a scathing editorial that called the billionaire "a menace to conservatism." Read more in POLITICS.
4. U.S. Student Arrested in North Korea: State Media
North Korea has arrested an American college student over an alleged "hostile" act, state media reported Friday. Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency said that authorities detained a Virginia University student, who it identified as Otto Frederick Warmbier. Read more in NEWS.
5. EPA Official Quits as Agency Slams Response to Flint Crisis
The Environmental Protection Agency director overseeing a region that includes Flint, Michigan, is stepping down after contaminated water in that city exposed residents to lead poisoning. EPA Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman offered her resignation effective Feb. 1, and the offer was accepted, the EPA said in a statement Thursday. Read more in NEWS.
6. FBI Defends 'Measured' Response to Oregon Occupiers
The FBI on Thursday defended its response to an armed group that has occupied an Oregon wildlife refuge for weeks, calling it "deliberate and measured" as it seeks a peaceful solution. The statement by the FBI came a day after Oregon Governor Kate Brown called the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge "absolutely intolerable." Read more in NEWS.
7. Judge Tosses Woman's Defamation Suit Against Cosby
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by a Pittsburgh-area woman who claims Bill Cosby defamed her when he and his representatives responded to allegations that he drugged and sexually assaulted her and other women. Read more in NEWS.
8. Nightly Spotlight: Marine’s Life-Saving Gift to a Stranger Sparks a Love Story
When Marine Chris Dempsey donated part of his liver to a complete stranger, he didn’t expect that she would become his future wife.