Mandela Funeral: Former South African President Nelson Mandela was buried today in the Eastern Cape village of Qunu where he lived as a child. After six hours of ceremony at the end of 10 days of national mourning, Mandela’s body …

Deal: House and Senate negotiators reached a budget deal for the first time in three years, potentially avoiding another government shutdown in January. Washington’s Democratic Sen. Patty Murray said, “We have broken through the partisanship and gridlock.”   The agreement …

Philippines: The government lowered its estimate of storm dead to about 2,500, down from an original figure of 10,000. About 660,000 people are homeless. Most reports are coming out of the city of Tacloban but there’s little information about conditions …

World: A storm 500 miles wide, described as the biggest in recorded history to make landfall, hit the Philippines early today. Sustained winds were 195 mph and gusts reached 235. One woman said, “Galvanized iron sheets were flying just like …

Friends: The Obama administration gave a shifty denial to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about monitoring her personal cell phone, according to the NY Times. National Security Advisor Susan Rice said the monitoring was not “currently” happening, but didn’t say it …

Kick Butt: President Obama came out from the government shutdown yesterday to give Congress a scolding. In a morning speech he said, “to all my friends in Congress, understand that how business is done in this town has to change.” …

Blocked Shot: Day 12. President Obama this morning rejected a House Republican offer to raise the debt ceiling and end the shutdown Thursday. Republican leaders were described as angry as they left a closed-door meeting. House members are heading home …

National: Shortly after submitting his budget plan, President Obama signed an order imposing $91 billion in automatic cuts for 2014 if Congress doesn’t make a deal. So far Congress has done nothing to avert the $89 billion in cuts already …

Hope Springs: Day 11. Talks between White House and Congressional aides continued through last night and President Obama is scheduled to meet today with the entire Republican caucus. House Republicans have offered a deal to raise the debt ceiling through …

Shutdown: Day 10. House Republicans today are considering a short-term raise in the debt limit to prevent the financial markets from taking a suicide jump. The Dow Jones is up almost 200 points on the news.   Treasury Secy. Jack …