Director and stuntman David R. Ellis has died, a rep for Ellis tells CNN. The "Snakes on a Plane" helmer passed away on Monday.
POLITICS
POL-Hagel-Pentagon
Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel wasted no time in starting formal preparations for what is expected to be a bruising Senate confirmation fight.
POL-New-Jersey-State-of-the-State
Gov. Chris Christie, the outspoken New Jersey Republican whose popularity soared after Superstorm Sandy, said Tuesday that 41,000 storm-affected families remained displaced from their homes, while calling for a "full, clean Sandy aid bill" to pass quickly through Congress.
POL-CT-Senator-Background-Checks
In the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting, one of the state's senators announced Tuesday he will introduce legislation requiring background checks to buy ammunition.
POL-obit-richard-ben-cramer
Richard Ben Cramer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer whose 1992 book "What It Takes" remains one of the most detailed and passionate of all presidential campaign chronicles, died Monday night, according to his longtime agent, Philippa "Flip" Brophy. He was 62.
POL-Ticketmaster-inaugural-ball
Sharon Ilstrup was looking forward to a very special date night with her husband, Blake -- a chance to attend one of the Inaugural balls with the president and the first lady. But a mistake by Ticketmaster -- the online sales agent tasked with managing the ticketing process -- led to the early release of all of tickets to the Inaugural balls and the Inaugural parade, derailing the plans for Ilstrup and thousands of other couples.
POL-NRA-WH-Meetings
A representative of the National Rifle Association will participate in a meeting this week with Vice President Joe Biden's gun violence task force, a spokesman for the gun lobbyist said on Tuesday.
POL-Return-to-Congress
Among the 84 House freshmen who unpacked new offices last week, a handful is intimately familiar with doing the opposite -- packing up and moving out of the Capitol.
POL-Congress-Brinksmanship
Partisan bickering, acrimony, mistrust, communication breakdowns, lines drawn in the sand and 11th-hour compromises are the new normal on Capitol Hill. Managing to function in a constant state of dysfunction while fiercely fighting to eke out a better deal during negotiations is what happens when the stakes are high and people involved are deeply vested. "From the outside it may look like insanity. But it is more complex than that ... both sides are testing their walk away point," said Peter Johnston, a negotiation expert and the author of "Negotiating with Giants." Just where that point rests will be tested anew in just a few weeks.
POL-Graham-CIA-Nomination
Saying he has "not forgotten about the Benghazi debacle," Sen. Lindsey Graham called for a delay in the confirmation process of John Brennan, the president's choice for CIA director, as investigations still continue surrounding the September 11, 2012 U.S. consulate attack in Libya.
POL-Ohio-Strickland-2014
Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland made it official Tuesday morning: He's not going to make a bid next year to try and reclaim his old job.
POL-Inauguration-Invocation
An Atlanta pastor and the widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers will deliver the invocation and benediction at President Barack Obama's inauguration January 21, two inauguration officials confirmed to CNN Tuesday.
MONEY
