Decision day for health care in the House WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is trying to close the deal in the House on his health care overhaul, facing a make-or-break vote that's certain to be seen as a test of his presidency. Obama scheduled a visit late Saturday morning to meet with House Democrats, who planned a rare weekend session. The legislation is intended to remake the health care system by extending coverage to tens of millions uninsured people and banning insurance company practices such as denying coverage base...
Shock, sadness grip tight-knit Fort Hood community FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - A chaplain exhorted hundreds of mourners gathered at a candlelight vigil to not give up hope as Fort Hood and its surrounding community looked to each other for comfort after an Army psychiatrist allegedly went on a deadly shooting spree at the military post. A grief counseling center was set up Friday at the Killeen Community Center to help residents struggling to make sense of one of the worst mass shootings ever on a military facility in the United States. At leas...
Afghan gov't says UN representative out of line KABUL (AP) - Pushing back against international criticism, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said Saturday that the top U.N. official in the country overstepped his authority by giving instructions on how to rid the government of corruption and warlords. Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide joined a host of international figures, including President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who have called on the Afghan government to take concrete steps to clean up the government following ...
Police: Fla. shooting suspect was angry at company ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Employees at an engineering firm recognized their former co-worker when he drew a handgun from under his shirt, police said, and shot his first victim dead in the reception area. He then walked into the office and unloaded several more rounds, wounding five other employees at the company that fired him two years ago. Jason Rodriguez was taken into custody several hours after the shooting Friday at a downtown Orlando office tower, and police say he will be charged with f...
Afghan ministry: NATO strike kills Afghan soldiers KABUL (AP) - Afghanistan's Defense Ministry said Saturday that a NATO airstrike in the western province of Badghis the previous day mistakenly hit a joint base housing coalition troops and Afghan security forces, killing four Afghan soldiers and three policemen. NATO said it and Afghan authorities were investigating whether an alliance airstrike during an operation Friday to rescue two missing American paratroopers had caused casualties. It said it could not confirm whether the base had bee...
Another attack leaves US Muslims fearing backlash As word spread that a gunman had opened fire at Fort Hood leaving a trail of carnage, a chilling realization swept across the U.S. Muslim community: He has an Islamic name. From a professor who just testified in Congress, to a White House adviser appearing before a Jewish group and a former Marine driving home from work, Muslims across the country were shocked, angry and afraid that the attack would erode efforts to erase anti-Islamic stereotypes....
Britain urges steps to insure financial system ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) - Britain called for consideration of a global tax on financial transactions to insure against another crisis and urged world finance officials meeting Saturday in Scotland to agree on bearing the cost of fighting climate change. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told finance ministers from the Group of 20 rich and developing countries it was time to consider a global financial levy such as a tax on transactions or an insurance fee....
Iran lawmakers: No shipment of uranium abroad TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Senior Iranian lawmakers rejected on Saturday any possibility of Tehran shipping uranium abroad for further enrichment, intensifying pressures on the government to reject the U.N.-backed plan altogether. Prominent conservative lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi said Iran won't ship its low enriched uranium abroad in a single batch or in several shipments, a compromise suggested by some government officials, under any circumstances....
Police: LA celebrity burglaries led by 19-year-old LAS VEGAS (AP) - Investigators cracked a youthful burglary ring that preyed on Hollywood's rich and famous, often brazenly walking into their unlocked homes to make off with cash, jewels and family heirlooms, authorities said. A suspect turned informant told police that a 19-year-old woman was the "driving force" in the thefts, motivated by a desire to own the designer clothes and jewelry of such celebrities as Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton....
Mickelson takes lead over Woods, Watney at HSBC SHANGHAI (AP) - Tiger Woods stalled with pars. Phil Mickelson poured it on with birdies. The back nine Saturday at the HSBC Champions changed names atop the leaderboard, as Mickelson made three birdies over the last five holes for a 5-under 67 that took him from a two-shot deficit to a two-shot lead over Woods and Nick Watney in the final World Golf Championship of the year....
