The Wrap: From canceled White House tours to snowed-out global warming hearings, the week that was

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul lasted over 13 hours in a marathon filibuster to get answers on the Obama administration's drone policy, while comedian Bill Cosby said that many of the president's critics are racist.

On the national stage, Kim Jong Un threatened to destroy the United States while Hugo Chavez died of cancer at 58.

Here's a recap, or wrap, on the week that was from The Washington Times:

After years in the shadows, the administration's secret drone program burst into very public view Wednesday with lawmakers grilling the attorney general over legal justification for targeted killings and Sen. Rand Paul launching an old-style one-man filibuster to demand answers from President Obama.

The Kentucky Republican held the floor for almost 13 hours, effectively blocking a vote on the nomination of John O. Brennan, whom Mr. Obama has tapped to be CIA director. He said he would relent only if the administration publicly vowed not to target Americans on U.S. soil.

• After almost 13 hours, Rand Paul ends Brennan filibuster

Almost exactly 24 hours after Mr. Paul began his information-seeking filibuster against John O. Brennan, Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham took to the Senate floor to denounce his demands and say he was doing a disservice to the debate on drones.

• Graham, McCain blast Paul filibuster

A furious North Korea threatened Thursday to attack America with nuclear weapons as punishment for perceived Western aggression — saber-rattling that came as the United Nations readied more sanctions against the Kim Jong-un's rogue regime.

• North Korea threatens to nuke America, destroy 'aggressors'

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a new family of bacteria, called CRE, that is resistant to antibiotics is killing half of the patients who are infected.

• CDC says 'nightmare bacteria' CRE superbug killing half of those who are infected

An unusually chilly March day and the snowstorm it spawned have shut down much of official Washington on Wednesday — including a hearing House Republicans had called to examine global warming.

• Hill hearing on global warming cancelled by D.C. snowstorm

Comedy and television icon Bill Cosby slammed Republicans who failed to stand for President Obama's State of the Union speech, likening them to racists who opposed desegregation.

• Bill Cosby says those who oppose Obama are racist

The White House announced Tuesday that it was canceling all public tours of the president's home because of the sequester spending cuts. "Due to staffing reductions resulting from sequestration, we regret to inform you that White House Tours will be canceled effective Saturday, March 9, 2013 until further notice. Unfortunately, we will not be able to reschedule affected tours," the White House said in an email.

• More sequester pain: White House cancels tours

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who led a socialist revolution in the heart of Latin America and garnered global notoriety for allying with Iran and railing angrily and often against the United States, died Tuesday after losing a long battle against cancer. He was 58.

• Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dies of cancer at 58; 'Chavistas' mourn strongman

In the internal email, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service official Charles Brown said he asked if he could try to spread out the sequester cuts in his region to minimize the impact, and he said he was told not to do anything that would lessen the dire impacts Congress had been warned of.

• Email tells feds to make sequester as painful as promised

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is set to be the first to offer special seats for obese fans.

• GOOAAALLL! Obese fans score special fat seats for 2014 World Cup in Brazil

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