CNN 2008-01-31（在线收听）

Good afternoon from the CNN Center in Atlanta. I'm Reggie Aqui. Thanks for checking in. Here is a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Former Senator John Edwards has officially announced that he is dropping out of the presidential race. Edwards finished in third place in three Democratic primaries or caucuses and he decided to call it quits where his campaign started more than a year ago in New Orleans.

It's possible the GOP field is also about to narrow. A pair of Republican sources tells CNN that Rudi Juliani plans to drop out of the race and throw his support behind Senator John McCain. Juliani finished well behind McCain and Mitt Romney in the Florida primary last night.

We are also watching the extreme weather across the country. In Washington State crews finally cleared the snow that was left on the Interstate 90 following several avalanches this week. A series of severe thunder storms pounded Kentucky. This is damage in Louisville: heavy winds blew out windows, downed signs and power lines, leaving thousands of people in the dark.

And the Middle East has also been hit by a rare winter snow storm and unusually chilly temperatures. In Israel bad weather shut down schools and businesses and public transportation. But it didn't necessarily keep people inside. They usually only see one or two snow storms a year but the snow rarely thickens. Forecasters say up to 8 inches of snow fell in Jerusalem. It's the same story across other parts of the Mideast and most cities aren't prepared to handle that kind of weather.

Let's talk football for a second. The NFL predicts the New England Patriots’ pursuit of history is going to make history in the ratings. Sports analysts say Sunday's Super Bowl telecast could be the most watched. The Patriots are shooting to become the first NFL team that finish undefeated since the 1972 Dolphins. The New York Giants are of course hoping to thwart those plans.

Be sure to stick with CNN.com 24/7 for news from around the world. Of course we are gonna have your updates right here throughout the day.