BIG SNOWSTORM

SILVER SPRING, Maryland — A blizzard with hurricane-force winds brought much of the U.S. East Coast to a standstill Saturday, dumping as much as 3 feet (90 centimeters) of snow, stranding tens of thousands of travelers and shutting down Washington and New York City. 

PRESIDENTIAL RACE-SANDERS

DES MOINES, Iowa — Bernie Sanders is attracting Americans who are in search of more than a protest vote. Yes, Sanders' backers say, they're frustrated with a system they believe is rigged for the wealthy. But many say their support for the Vermont senator in the Democratic presidential race is also driven by real hope in his promise of a political revolution and a belief that his ideas are bold enough to bring economic security to the middle class. 

CANADA-SCHOOL SHOOTING

TORONTO — A 17-year-old boy was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder in a mass shooting at a school and home in a remote aboriginal community in western Canada, officials said. 

NICARAGUA-TOURIST BOAT CAPCIZES

MANAGUA, Nicaragua — A tourist boat carrying more than 30 people capsizes in bad weather off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua on Saturday, killing 13 Costa Rican passengers. 

INMATES ESCAPE

LOS ANGELES — An alleged killer and two other inmates escaped from a Southern California maximum-security jail by cutting through half-inch (1.3-centimeter) steel bars and rappelling from the roof by a makeshift rope, authorities said Saturday as they continued hunting for the men.

AP POLL-CAMPAIGN 2016-PRIORITIES

WASHINGTON — As the first voting nears in the presidential race, most Americans have little to no confidence in the federal government to confront what they see as the country's most important priorities, according to a national survey.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE-IOWA

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa — Donald Trump is so confident about the loyalty of his supporters that he predicted Saturday they would stick with him even if he shot someone. 

HAITI-POLITICS

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The international community appealed for dialogue and calm in Haiti on Saturday after a presidential and legislative runoff was put on hold indefinitely.