Good morning. Here are some of the headlines we're following this morning:
1. Obama Could Win Supreme Court Battle — Even if Republicans Take White House
Seventeen crucial days in January could determine whether a Democrat or Republican fills the Supreme Court vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia's death. Even if the Senate refuses to confirm Obama's pick and a Republican wins the White House, the Democrats could win back the Senate, leaving time for Obama to send a Supreme Court nominee to that new Democratic majority. Read more in POLITICS.
2. SCOTUS Analyst: Loretta Lynch 'Likely Candidate' to Replace Scalia
Tom Goldstein, who runs the influential SCOTUSblog, had earlier predicted Ninth Circuit Judge Paul Watford would make the top of President Obama's shortlist for a Supreme Court justice to replace Antonin Scalia. But in a revised blog post, Goldstein said he now believes Attorney General Loretta Lynch is the leading contender. Read more in POLITICS.
3. Clinton, Trump Maintain Top Spots in National Poll
Hillary Clinton is maintaining her lead over Bernie Sanders nationally in the past week, dropping a single percentage point to 50 percent. Meanwhile, Donald Trump maintains his lead nationally, but he will face a different test among a more evangelical and conservative electorate in South Carolina on Feb. 20. Read more in POLITICS.
4. Rain Slicks Icy Roads in Northeast
Heavy rain, strong winds and ice threatened a dangerous commute for much of the East Coast on Tuesday as extreme weather brought slick roads, power outages and flight delays. After days of record-setting cold weather, the Northeast was expecting temperatures between five and 15 degrees warmer than normal, melting snow and potentially triggering flooding. Read more in WEATHER.
5. Airstrikes Kill Up to 50 at Syrian Hospitals and Schools: U.N.
As many as 50 civilians were killed in airstrikes on seven schools and hospitals Monday in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, the United Nations said. A U.N. spokesman said children were among the dead in the missile strikes on at least five medical facilities and two schools. Read more in NEWS.
6. Clinton Rants on Twitter About SCOTUS Nomination Battle
Hillary Clinton wrote on Twitter that Senate Republicans' pledges to block any nomination of a Supreme Court justice following the death of Antonin Scalia by President Barack Obama marked a "new low" in partisan politics. "Refusing to do your job isn't righteous," Clinton wrote. "It's disgraceful." Read more in POLITICS.
7. Who Won Big at the Grammys?
The 58th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Monday night included a (literally) explosive performance from Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga covering David Bowie, the much anticipated opening number from the Broadway play 'Hamilton' and more. Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars took home Record of the Year for "Uptown Funk," while Taylor Swift's 1989 beat out The Weeknd for Album of the Year. Read more in POP CULTURE.
Nightly Spotlight: These Boys Build Giant Snow Sculptures for a Cause
For five years, the Bartz brothers have taken to their snow-covered front yard in New Brighton, Minnesota, and transformed it into massive wintry works of art.