Construction of new homes and apartments surged more than 22 percent in January, and the Caterpillar company plans to lay off more than 2,400 employees across five factories.
The Senate will keep thousands of "earmarks" in a spending bill, and President Barack Obama denied a report that he offered Russia a deal on a planned U.S. missile shield. Jim Lehrer recaps the day's other news headlines.
A late winter storm on the East Coast shut down schools, grounded flights and caused hundreds of wrecks, and Ron Kirk, the nominee for U.S. trade representative, has agreed to pay an estimated $10,000 in back taxes.
In the day's other news headlines, California lawmakers failed to resolve the state's budget crisis, and Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., denied any dishonesty over his contacts with ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
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