Extras: Yahoo! Top Stories


Democrats predict health bill will pass House (AP) -

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., seated left, has a verbal exchange with Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., center,  as Ranking Member David Dreier, R-Calif., left, and James McGovern,D-Mass, right,  listen as the House Rules committee meets to discuss the health care legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington, Saturday, March 20, 2010.(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)AP - A pair of House Democratic leaders predicted Sunday the final tally on President Barack Obama's historic health care bill will meet or exceed the 216 votes required for passage. But they acknowledged having yet to nail down commitments from a handful of members, some of whom remained concerned about the abortion issue.




Pope does not mention rebuke to Irish bishops (AP) -

Pope Benedict XVI greets faithful during the Angelus prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, March 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo  Cito)AP - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged Catholics to refrain from judging sinners a day after he rebuked Irish bishops for their handling of a half-century of sexual abuse of minors by clergy.




Fargo's fight against flooding nears its climax (AP) -

Jon Forknell and his daughter Jenna look out onto the swollen Red River on Saturday, March 20, 2010 from the backyard of their south Fargo, N.D. home along River Drive. (AP Photo/Jay Pickthorn)AP - A weeklong fight against flooding neared its climax in Fargo on Sunday, with miles of sandbags and clay dikes expected to hold back the bloated Red River at its crest with room to spare.




Volcano erupts in Iceland, hundreds evacuated (AP) -

In this aerial photo, showing molten lava as it vents from a rupture near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland, as a volcano erupts early Sunday March 21, 2010. some hundreds of people have been evacuated from a small village in southern Iceland on Sunday after a volcanic eruption which shot ash and molten lava into the air, the first major eruption here in nearly 200 years. (AP Photo/Ragnar Axelsson )AP - A volcano erupted near a glacier in southern Iceland, shooting ash and molten lava into the air and forcing the evacuation Sunday of hundreds of people from nearby villages.




Israel: East Jerusalem construction to continue (AP) -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, second left, arrives at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 21, 2010. To defuse a grave feud with the U.S., Netanyahu has promised to slow construction in contested east Jerusalem, free Palestinian prisoners and discuss the main issues dividing Israel and the Palestinians in upcoming, U.S.-mediated talks, senior Israeli officials said Sunday. (AP Photo/Uriel Sinai, Pool)AP - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday that Israel would not restrict construction in east Jerusalem, a step the U.S. has requested — sticking to a tough position hours before he sets off on his first trip to Washington since a diplomatic row erupted between the two allies.




Iraqi president demands recount in tight election (AP) -

Iraqis chant anti-Baathist slogans at a protest in Najaf, south of Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 21, 2010. Hundreds of residents protested outside the local government office demanding a manual recount of the election votes, carrying banners that said 'No to stealing our votes.'     (AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)AP - Iraq's president on Sunday called for a recount in this month's parliamentary elections, which have turned into a tight race between the prime minister and a secular rival amid accusations of fraud. A new count could further extend political wrangling in the contentious race.




US-Russian deal on nukes nearly completed (AP) -

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, second right, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, third left, seen during a meeting at the Barvikha residence outside Moscow, Friday, March 19, 2010. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that American and Russian negotiators are 'on the brink' of agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty. Third right is Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Vladimir Rodionov, Presidential Press Service)AP - Nearly a year after President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered negotiators to work on a new treaty to reduce their nuclear arsenals, the two countries say they are finally close to completing a deal.




Demise of coral, salamander show impact of Web (AP) -

In this Nov. 26, 2009 photo, orange-colored ringed rice coral, or montipora patula, is seen in waters off Waimanalo, Hawaii. Ringed rice coral is among 82 coral species the federal government is considering listing as endangered or threatened. (AP Photo/Keoki Stender)AP - The Internet has emerged as one of the greatest threats to rare species, fueling the illegal wildlife trade and making it easier to buy everything from live baby lions to wine made from tiger bones, conservationists said Sunday.




British Airways cabin crews strike for 2nd day (AP) -

A British Airways airplane descents to land over other BA planes parked at London's Heathrow airport, Sunday March 21, 2010. British Airways cabin crews walked off the job for a second day Sunday, upsetting travel plans for scores of customers, but the airline said its contingency plans were working well and more planes were taking off than expected. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)AP - British Airways cabin crews walked off the job for a second day Sunday, upsetting travel plans for scores of customers, but the airline said its contingency plans were working well and more planes were taking off than expected.




Bracket buster: Northern Iowa stuns No. 1 Kansas (AP) -

Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor, right, consoles Kansas forward Marcus Morris (22) after their 69-67 loss to Northern Iowa in an NCAA second-round college basketball game, Saturday, March 20, 2010, in Oklahoma City. Northern Iowa upset top overall seed Kansas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)AP - Leading by one against the colossus of the bracket, Ali Farokhmanesh stood at the 3-point line, no one around. The prudent play? Pull it out, burn some clock.




House Democrats expect healthcare bill passage (Reuters) -

Protesters are pictured in the area where U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with members of the House Democratic Caucus to discuss the health care package in the Capitol Visitors Center Auditorium on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 20, 2010. REUTERS/Larry DowningReuters - Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives said they believe they will have the votes on Sunday to pass landmark healthcare overhaul legislation, President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.




Netanyahu stands firm on Jerusalem before U.S. visit (Reuters) -

Interactive graphic on East Jerusalem as hundreds of Palestinians clash with security forces amid heightened tensions in the Holy City where Israel has vowed to expand Jewish settlements.(AFP iactiv)Reuters - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had informed Washington in writing that Israel would not stop Jewish settlement in and around Jerusalem, setting the stage for a defiant visit to the United States this week.




California governor's race to set spending record (Reuters) -

California Republican Gubernatorial candidate and former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman is applauded at the conclusion of her speech before the opening of her campaign's Orange County headquarters in Costa Mesa, California February 22, 2010. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniReuters - The California governor's race is on track to be the most expensive nonpresidential election in U.S. history, sparking a debate over money and influence that could become the campaign's defining issue.




Thai activists reject peace talks offer (Reuters) -

A supporter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra walks past a placard during a rally in Bangkok March 21, 2010. REUTERS/Chaiwat SubprasomReuters - Opposition activists in Thailand rejected a government offer for dialogue on Sunday after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ruled out dissolving parliament and assigned a junior minister to attend the talks.




U.N.'s Ban in Gaza, calls on Israel to end closures (Reuters) -

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks to the media during a visit to new houses built with U.N. funding for Palestinians who lost their homes during Israel's three-week offensive last year, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip March 21, 2010. REUTERS/Mahmud Hams/PoolReuters - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Sunday urged Israel to end a three year-long blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and called on Palestinians to heal their political rifts.




Iraq's Maliki asks for recount, warns of violence (Reuters) -

Iraqi challenger Iyad Allawi attends an interview with Reuters in Beirut, March 19, 2010. REUTERS/Jamal SaidiReuters - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called for a nationwide recount of votes from Iraq's March 7 parliamentary election, saying the country could return to violence if the demand were not met.




Pope apology disappoints, victims seek accountability (Reuters) -

A statues of a cherub is displayed at a souvenir shop in front of the main entrance to the church of the Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln March 20, 2010. REUTERS/Christian HartmannReuters - Pope Benedict's apology to Ireland went further than any other papal statement on child sex abuse by priests, but still fell far too short for many victims of the scandals shaking the Roman Catholic Church across Europe.




U.S. actions contrary to desire for better ties: Iran (Reuters) - Reuters - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that Washington's actions contradict its call for friendly ties, a day after a renewed offer of dialogue by President Barack Obama.

House to vote on Obama's historic health plan (AFP) -

People rally in opposition to government reform of health care in Washington, DC. The US House of Representatives was to vote Sunday on Barack Obama's historic plan to overhaul the US health care system that the president says will provide health insurance coverage to the overwhelming majority of Americans.(AFP/Chris Kleponis)AFP - The US House of Representatives was to vote Sunday on Barack Obama's historic plan to overhaul the US health care system that the president says will provide health insurance coverage to the overwhelming majority of Americans.




Obama invites defiant Israeli PM for talks (AFP) -

US President Barak Obama welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in May 2009. Obama has invited Netanyahu to meet him on March 23 to discuss Middle East peace efforts.(AFP/GPO/File/Moshe Milner)AFP - US President Barack Obama on Sunday invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet him at the White House, even as the Israeli leader rebuffed a key US demand to halt settlement construction in east Jerusalem.