5 things you need to know Tuesday

1. Have your fun now, Carnival fans

It's Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) where beads, music, parades and skin are all a part of New Orleans' tradition. But really, it's a family affair and a festival deeply rooted in tradition. The season of Carnival is wrapping up and everything comes to a screeching halt at the stroke of midnight as tonight turns to Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the holy season of Lent for Christians, and the party literally ends. Even on Bourbon Street. Here's a look at the world-famous Carnival in Rio de Janeiro:

2. New snowstorm, new target: South under siege

Winter isn't easing up yet. Today's forecast calls for a few inches of snow in Boston (after a weekend storm dumped 16.5 inches on the city), far short of what's rolling toward areas of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland. Washington, D.C., not known for its prowess in handling big storms, is bracing for between 4 and 8 inches of snow, most of it falling early today and tapering off during the morning commute. With up to a foot forecast farther south in Roanoke and Richmond, Va., Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a statewide emergency. Non-essential travel is discouraged, and thousands of students throughout the region will get another day off today, courtesy of Winter Storm Octavia.

3. White House opens summit on violent extremism

Vice President Biden opens a White House summit today on countering violent extremism. The three-day conference will highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting and inspiring others, particularly disaffected young people. A series of deadly attacks have been carried out in Denmark, France, Canada, Australia and elsewhere before and after the White House announced the summit last month.

4. Ukraine army and separatists miss weapons pullback deadline

Ukrainian government troops and Russia-backed separatists failed to start pulling back heavy weaponry from the front line in eastern Ukraine as the deadline to do so passed. Under a cease-fire agreement deal brokered Thursday in Minsk, Belarus, among the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany, the warring sides were to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line on Tuesday. A cease-fire between government troops and pro-Russian separatists came into effect Sunday, but fighting over the strategic railway hub of Debaltsev has continued.

5. Labor secretary to help reach West Coast port deal

The nation's top labor official is arriving in California in an attempt to resolve a damaging contract dispute between West Coast dockworkers and their employers. U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez will attend negotiations today. Processing of billions of dollars of cargo due to pass through 29 seaports from Southern California to Seattle has ground to a halt. Imports are stuck on massive vessels lined up outside the ports.

And, the essentials:

Weather: A snowstorm will slide off the East Coast Tuesday while more bitterly cold air will roar into the north-central U.S.

Stocks: U.S. stock futures were mixed Tuesday, after talks between Greece's new radical left government and its European creditors broke down.

TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Westminster Kennel Club finals and NCIS.

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Contributing: Associated Press