Homeland v. Immigrants: Defense and security-minded Congressional Republicans are edging toward allowing the Department of Homeland Security to be partially shut down in a fight with President Obama over legal protections the president has extended to half a million illegal immigrants. The Republicans want Obama to sign a spending bill that strips out the money for his own immigration policies. But the shutdown is less threatening than it sounds. About 85 percent of DHS employees are considered essential and would remain on the job.

Shopping Alert: Security is heightened at the giant Mall of America in Minnesota and other shopping areas after a supposed video threat by the Somalian al Shabab terror group that it would attack American shopping centers. The video also mentions the West Edmonton Mall in Canada, London’s Oxford Street and places in Paris. The Department of Homeland Security says it knows of no credible threat, but doesn’t fully dismiss it. Al Shabab is the group that attacked the Westfield shopping mall in Nairobi back in 2013, killing 67 deaths. Minnesota has a sizable Somalian population.

Ukraine: In the midst of what is supposed to be a ceasefire, pro-Russian troops are massing near the port city of Mariupol and continue to attack, the Kiev government said today. Taking Mariupol and a strip of territory to the south would give Russia a land bridge to the already-seized Crimean Peninsula. The West threatens additional sanctions on Russia if the fighting continues.

The Winner Is: The quirky movie “Birdman,” which won the Oscar for Best Picture last night, sold fewer tickets than some blockbusters on their opening weekend. Birdman is at 38 million so far … compared to the Hunger Games Mockingjay, which has sold $336 million worth of seats. It’s a difference of quality, not quantity. Ironically the movie stars Michael Keaton playing a former cartoon action hero named Birdman.

In case you were not watching:

–       Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything”

–       Best Actress: Julianne Moore in “Still Alice”

–       Best Supporting Male: J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash”

–       Best Supporting Female: Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood”

–       Best New Song: John Legend’s song “Glory,” written for the film “Selma”

The highlight; Lady Gaga, of all people, singing a medley of songs from The Sound of Music on its 50^th anniversary. She has an incredible voice.

Taxman: Most Americans think the wealthy don’t pay enough taxes, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. The poll found that most people support President Obama’s proposal to raise investment taxes on high-income families. In the poll 68 percent of respondents said the wealthy pay too little in federal taxes. On the other side of the tax coin, 60 percent said middle-class households pay too much in federal taxes. Also in financial news, four out of ten Americans have so little savings they live on the edge of financial ruin, according to a survey by Bankrate.com. About 24 percent have more credit card debt than savings.

Low Bored Scores: Eleven students at the small and exclusive Wesleyan University in Connecticut landed in the hospital Saturday night after taking a highly pure dose of the party drug Molly. Two of the students were reported to be in critical condition. Molly gives the user a surge of serotonin to the brain that produces feelings of euphoria and high energy, similar to taking speed.

Weather: A winter storm is spreading snow and ice all the way from the Four Corners region of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado to parts of the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma. Sleet and freezing rain are expected to hit northeast Texas, southern Arkansas, northern Louisiana and northern Mississippi through tomorrow. In the Northeast, a slight warming trend will be slammed shot by the return of arctic air tomorrow.

Out of the Pool: Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is engaged to marry his longtime girlfriend Nicole Johnson. Twenty-two Olympic medals and a gold ring.

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