Political Scene

COMMERCE

Housing construction drops in February

Housing construction fell in February as winter blizzards held down activity in the Northeast and Midwest. The decline highlighted the challenges facing builders as they struggle to emerge from the worst housing slump in decades.

The Commerce Department said that construction of new homes and apartments fell 5.9 percent in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 575,000 units, slightly higher than the 570,000 that economists were expecting. January activity was revised up to a pace of 622,000 units, the strongest showing in 14 months.

Home builders are trying to emerge from a severe housing downturn. A rebound in housing is seen as critical to sustaining the overall economic recovery.

WHITE HOUSE

Obama to speak with Fox News

President Obama is taking his health care pitch directly to Fox News viewers.

The White House on Tuesday said Mr. Obama would speak with anchor Bret Baier for his Wednesday program. Mr. Obama is in the middle of his final, aggressive push for a health care overhaul he wants completed before leaving for Australia and Indonesia on Sunday.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says Mr. Obama wants to speak to as many people as possible about the potential benefits of his top domestic priority.

The White House last year was publicly critical of Fox News and its programs.

WILDLIFE SERVICE

Group: Set aside section for jaguars

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. | Environmentalists want the federal government to set aside more than 53 million acres in New Mexico, Arizona, California and Texas as critical habitat for the endangered jaguar.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is evaluating which areas of the Southwest will be set aside for the elusive cat, once thought to have disappeared from the United States.

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