Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend
The shutdown is now the longest ever, with no end in sight
The partial government shutdown is now the longest in American history, with a fourth of the federal government still shuttered as the standoff enters a fourth week with no end in sight. The shutdown hit its 22nd day on Saturday, surpassing the 21-day record set in 1996 during the Clinton administration. Lawmakers won’t return to Washington until Monday, guaranteeing the government will remain partially closed at least through early this week.
Americans widely blame the shutdown on President Donald Trump, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll found. Trump's demands for border wall funding remain central to the prolonged shutdown, with Democrats doubting the effectiveness of a physical barrier. Last week, Mexican authorities uncovered a tunnel across from Arizona that they believe was used to smuggle drugs and people across the U.S.-Mexico border — the third such discovery in less than a month.
The FBI investigated whether Trump was secretly helping Russia, reports say
Federal counterintelligence agents began an investigation of Donald Trump last year that aimed to find out whether the president had a clandestine agenda to help Russia, the New York Times and CNN reported Friday. The revelation, which the White House called "absurd" in a late-evening statement, suggests the FBI felt Trump's firing of director James B. Comey in May 2017 was motivated by Russian interests and might constitute a threat to U.S. national security, the Times reported. Trump responded Saturday by insulting "losers" at the FBI and claiming that "getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing."
Details emerge on Jayme Closs' accused kidnapper
The Wisconsin man accused of killing Denise and James Closs and kidnapping their 13-year-old daughter, Jayme, was described by former classmates as funny and intelligent – but seemingly indifferent. "He was just kind of there," one student said about Jake Thomas Patterson, 21, who was apprehended Thursday after Closs escaped from a home in Gordon, Wisconsin, where she was allegedly held by Patterson for 88 days. Police said Patterson's goal was to kidnap Jayme, not kill her parents. He is due to make his initial court appearance Monday. Meanwhile, Closs and her hometown of Barron now face the tough task of healing after the long ordeal.
Julián Castro is running for president
Julián Castro, a former Obama cabinet member and San Antonio mayor, officially threw his hat in the ring Saturday, announcing he would run for president. The Texas Democrat declared his White House bid from a stage in his hometown of San Antonio, making remarks in both English and Spanish. Castro, 44, may be the most well-known Latino in a race likely to revolve around immigration. He also rolled out his campaign slogan: "One Nation. One Destiny." Castro is among four candidates so far who have taken steps toward or officially announced their candidacies.
Deadly winter storm roars east
A bitter winter storm dumped at least 10 inches of snow on St. Louis Saturday and left several dead in crashes on slick roadways before spreading eastward across the country. At least six deaths had been reported of Sunday, including three in Missouri, two in Kansas and one in Virginia. In Ohio, a Delta aircraft carrying 126 passengers and crew slid off the pavement on its way to the terminal. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Nationwide, more than 600 flights have been canceled and another 913 delayed due to the storm. Sunday’s hardest-hit airports were those serving Washington, D.C., where snow accumulations threatened to exceed the 4-8-inches forecasters initially called for. More than 35 million people from Ohio to the East Coast remained under winter storm advisories or warnings Sunday, the National Weather Service said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend
