Copyright (c) 2009 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. http://news.yahoo.com/i/3337 topstories From the Yahoo! Newsroom en-us Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:07:20 GMT 5 142 18 http://news.yahoo.com/i/3337 http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/th/main_142b.gif http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091103/ts_ynews/ynews_ts962 ynews/20091103/ynews_ts962 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:07:20 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091103/ts_ynews/ynews_ts962"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20091030/capt.5aa7f4495c5aaa61cfb3909f832bb9de.jpeg?x=122&y=130&q=85&sig=EljvSdUCn9cxueSPqSunhA--" align="left" height="130" width="122" alt="Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich., questions AIG Chairman Edward Liddy during a hearing before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capitol Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 18, 2009. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - Republican Rep. Thaddeus G. McCotter is Chair of the Republican House Policy Committee and serves the 11th congressional district of Southeast Michigan. He is currently serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091103/ts_ynews/ynews_ts962"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20091030/capt.5aa7f4495c5aaa61cfb3909f832bb9de.jpeg?x=122&y=130&q=85&sig=EljvSdUCn9cxueSPqSunhA--" align="left" height="130" width="122" alt="photo" title="Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, R-Mich., questions AIG Chairman Edward Liddy during a hearing before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capitol Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 18, 2009. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091103/ts_ynews/ynews_ts964 ynews/20091103/ynews_ts964 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:15:04 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091103/ts_ynews/ynews_ts964"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091103/capt.895b9d67d391428e82d5941616fbe6c5.philadelphia_transit_strike_pamr101.jpg?x=130&y=101&q=85&sig=UxPnZIkul0_iKegyYzGbcg--" align="left" height="101" width="130" alt="Transport workers are seen on strike at the The Frankford Transportation Center in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009. The Philadelphia transit system's largest union went on strike early Tuesday, bringing the city's bus, subway and trolley operations to a halt a day after the World Series shifted to New York. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - The Starting Point is a snapshot of the news stories that occurred overnight. Look for updates throughout the day on Yahoo! News and in the news box on Yahoo.com.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091103/ts_ynews/ynews_ts964"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091103/capt.895b9d67d391428e82d5941616fbe6c5.philadelphia_transit_strike_pamr101.jpg?x=130&y=101&q=85&sig=UxPnZIkul0_iKegyYzGbcg--" align="left" height="101" width="130" alt="photo" title="Transport workers are seen on strike at the The Frankford Transportation Center in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009. The Philadelphia transit system's largest union went on strike early Tuesday, bringing the city's bus, subway and trolley operations to a halt a day after the World Series shifted to New York. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091102/ts_ynews/ynews_ts963 ynews/20091102/ynews_ts963 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:09:48 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091102/ts_ynews/ynews_ts963"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091027/capt.e0ad4c058b3e415eb5a5acf0a3cc69bb.tv_leo_frank_lynching_nyet199.jpg?x=99&y=130&q=85&sig=dcu2wnKP51haP9AmubziRg--" align="left" height="130" width="99" alt="In this publicity image released by PBS, Leo Frank is shown. Frank, a Jewish supervisor of a pencil factory in Atlanta, was convicted of the 1913 murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old laborer in the factory. Frank's story will be told in 'The People v. Leo Frank,' a 90-minute film on PBS airing Monday, Nov. 2 at 10:00 p.m. EDT. (AP Photo/PBS)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - Nearly 100 years later, the case and trial of Leo Frank is making headlines again. Doubts about the 1913 murder of Atlanta teen Mary Phagan and accused suspect Frank &mdash; said to be U.S. history&rsquo;s only Jewish lynching victim &mdash; have long fueled conspiracy theories.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091102/ts_ynews/ynews_ts963"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091027/capt.e0ad4c058b3e415eb5a5acf0a3cc69bb.tv_leo_frank_lynching_nyet199.jpg?x=99&y=130&q=85&sig=dcu2wnKP51haP9AmubziRg--" align="left" height="130" width="99" alt="photo" title="In this publicity image released by PBS, Leo Frank is shown. Frank, a Jewish supervisor of a pencil factory in Atlanta, was convicted of the 1913 murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old laborer in the factory. Frank's story will be told in 'The People v. Leo Frank,' a 90-minute film on PBS airing Monday, Nov. 2 at 10:00 p.m. EDT. (AP Photo/PBS)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091029/ts_ynews/ynews_ts960 ynews/20091029/ynews_ts960 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:33:40 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091029/ts_ynews/ynews_ts960"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20091028/capt.3f1e3caa32393bde61ceb5d7ca9c0b0d.jpeg?x=100&y=130&q=85&sig=jYKyHbApYW19qAi260xkGQ--" align="left" height="130" width="100" alt="Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., smiles in his office on Capitol Hill in Washington in this Dec. 13, 2005 file photo. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook, File)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - Washington, DC &mdash; We have the best medical professionals in the world, but fewer and fewer Americans can afford to pay for the care they can provide. The trends indicate that problem will get much worse.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091029/ts_ynews/ynews_ts960"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20091028/capt.3f1e3caa32393bde61ceb5d7ca9c0b0d.jpeg?x=100&y=130&q=85&sig=jYKyHbApYW19qAi260xkGQ--" align="left" height="130" width="100" alt="photo" title="Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., smiles in his office on Capitol Hill in Washington in this Dec. 13, 2005 file photo. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook, File)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091029/ts_ynews/ynews_ts961 ynews/20091029/ynews_ts961 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:30:20 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091029/ts_ynews/ynews_ts961"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091012/capt.b06f7b6b5257457292f1f830d609ad71.poison_politics_wx101.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=WazqZzpFcxS9p_Q8QqkadQ--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2009 file photo, House Financial Services Committee member Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla. listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, FILE)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - Earlier in the month, shortly after he burst onto the political scene by presenting his "Die Quickly" interpretation of the Republican health care plan on the floor of the House, we asked, "Is Alan Grayson the Democrats' Joe Wilson?"</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091029/ts_ynews/ynews_ts961"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091012/capt.b06f7b6b5257457292f1f830d609ad71.poison_politics_wx101.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=WazqZzpFcxS9p_Q8QqkadQ--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="photo" title="FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2009 file photo, House Financial Services Committee member Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla. listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, FILE)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/ts_ynews/ynews_ts958 ynews/20091028/ynews_ts958 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:57:49 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/ts_ynews/ynews_ts958"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091016/capt.60371134a0b5406c8ad02fbc4fb44edc.elizabeth_smart_ny135.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=S8bkCOr2xNs5tZVtRisnIw--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="Wanda Barzee, left, stands with her attorney, Scott Williams, for her competency review, in Judge Judith Atherton's courtroom at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 16, 2009. A state court judge says the Utah State Hospital has determined that Wanda barzee, charged in the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, is competent for trial. (AP Photo/Rick Egan, Pool)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - In June of 2002, then-14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her family's home in Salt Lake City, Utah. In March of 2003 she was found alive, 18 miles away, with presumed kidnappers Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Ileen Barzee. She was returned to her family. In the years that followed, Smart refused to discuss the specifics of her abduction with the press, even though her ordeal captivated the nation. However, in recent weeks she has begun to open up publicly, notably at a women's conference, "Overcoming the Unimaginable," sponsored by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/ts_ynews/ynews_ts958"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091016/capt.60371134a0b5406c8ad02fbc4fb44edc.elizabeth_smart_ny135.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=S8bkCOr2xNs5tZVtRisnIw--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="photo" title="Wanda Barzee, left, stands with her attorney, Scott Williams, for her competency review, in Judge Judith Atherton's courtroom at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 16, 2009. A state court judge says the Utah State Hospital has determined that Wanda barzee, charged in the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, is competent for trial. (AP Photo/Rick Egan, Pool)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/wl_ynews/ynews_wl959 ynews/20091028/ynews_wl959 The Yahoo! Newsroom world Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:46:44 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/wl_ynews/ynews_wl959"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20091028/capt.photo_1256699844329-1-0.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=Iu2dLfeOLkrU6ezPhKTZmg--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="Ahmed Wali Karzai, brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in Kandahar in August. Ahmed Wali Karzai, a suspected drug trafficker, has been on the CIA payroll for most of the past eight years, The New York Times reported.(AFP/File/Banaras Khan)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - The brothers of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Ahmed -- reported Wednesday to be on the CIA payroll -- and Mahmoud, talk exclusively with The Daily Beast's Gerald Posner. They fiercely deny the CIA claim and blame it on enemies of the Afghan regime and The New York Times.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/wl_ynews/ynews_wl959"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20091028/capt.photo_1256699844329-1-0.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=Iu2dLfeOLkrU6ezPhKTZmg--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="photo" title="Ahmed Wali Karzai, brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in Kandahar in August. Ahmed Wali Karzai, a suspected drug trafficker, has been on the CIA payroll for most of the past eight years, The New York Times reported.(AFP/File/Banaras Khan)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/pl_ynews/ynews_pl957 ynews/20091028/ynews_pl957 The Yahoo! Newsroom politics Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:21:40 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/pl_ynews/ynews_pl957"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091028/capt.6b92bdba87314e5d8e7c1288d2b2b75e.obama_brooke_whgh107.jpg?x=99&y=130&q=85&sig=XbtmHNM2jivGKya5gSG5dA--" align="left" height="130" width="99" alt="President Barack Obama speaks in the Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, during a ceremony where former Massachusetts Sen. Edward Brooke received the Congressional Gold Medal. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - In a presidential campaign, what do you make of a candidate that stands quietly listening to one of his advisors micromanage the way he tells the room to "Fire it up?"</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091028/pl_ynews/ynews_pl957"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091028/capt.6b92bdba87314e5d8e7c1288d2b2b75e.obama_brooke_whgh107.jpg?x=99&y=130&q=85&sig=XbtmHNM2jivGKya5gSG5dA--" align="left" height="130" width="99" alt="photo" title="President Barack Obama speaks in the Rotunda on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, during a ceremony where former Massachusetts Sen. Edward Brooke received the Congressional Gold Medal. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091027/ts_ynews/ynews_ts956 ynews/20091027/ynews_ts956 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:41:07 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091027/ts_ynews/ynews_ts956"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091101/capt.d31111a65ca8416cb413304e9364fd1a.scientology_woes_ny110.jpg?x=90&y=130&q=85&sig=lnzWAp5GPOOL4BZjHrRWVQ--" align="left" height="130" width="90" alt="FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2004 photo, confetti rains down as U.S. actor Tom Cruise, left, embraces leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige, during the official opening of a new Scientology church in central Madrid. The Church of Scientology is going through a difficult season. The church's most recent setbacks - a fraud conviction in France last week and several high-profile defections - have the controversial group on the defensive amid signs of a declining membership in the U.S. (AP Photo/Paul White)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - On Monday, a French court convicted the Church of Scientology on fraud charges stemming from complaints by two women. The judge in the case levied massive fines as punishment, fueling a long-running battle between Scientology and France, which considers the group a "sect" rather than a religion. The legal ruling is the latest in a string of recent setbacks for the star-studded organization. Here's a recap of what's taken place recently:</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091027/ts_ynews/ynews_ts956"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091101/capt.d31111a65ca8416cb413304e9364fd1a.scientology_woes_ny110.jpg?x=90&y=130&q=85&sig=lnzWAp5GPOOL4BZjHrRWVQ--" align="left" height="130" width="90" alt="photo" title="FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2004 photo, confetti rains down as U.S. actor Tom Cruise, left, embraces leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige, during the official opening of a new Scientology church in central Madrid. The Church of Scientology is going through a difficult season. The church's most recent setbacks - a fraud conviction in France last week and several high-profile defections - have the controversial group on the defensive amid signs of a declining membership in the U.S. (AP Photo/Paul White)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091027/ts_ynews/ynews_ts954 ynews/20091027/ynews_ts954 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:34:08 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091027/ts_ynews/ynews_ts954"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20091026/capt.78250a9979f7c415a6cf9af88f81bd1f.jpeg?x=130&y=88&q=85&sig=V5t7FFNbs5RW5drcd8cRWw--" align="left" height="88" width="130" alt="George P. Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and nephew of former President George W. Bush, listens to a speaker during the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials annual convention in this June 23, 2006 photo, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - George P. Bush, or "P" as he's known to some, is thought to be the biggest hope for a fourth generation of Bush family political leaders, with some suggesting that he might run for statewide office in Texas at some point in the next four to eight years. But, as The Daily Beast points out today, any future George P. Bush political ambitions will have to be put on hold as his Navy Reserve unit is set to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in the coming weeks.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091027/ts_ynews/ynews_ts954"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/net/20091026/capt.78250a9979f7c415a6cf9af88f81bd1f.jpeg?x=130&y=88&q=85&sig=V5t7FFNbs5RW5drcd8cRWw--" align="left" height="88" width="130" alt="photo" title="George P. Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and nephew of former President George W. Bush, listens to a speaker during the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials annual convention in this June 23, 2006 photo, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091023/pl_ynews/ynews_pl953 ynews/20091023/ynews_pl953 The Yahoo! Newsroom politics Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:00:12 GMT The Yahoo! Newsroom - This week the White House released the much-anticipated official Obama family photo on its Flickr page. The portrait was taken in the Green Room of the White House on September 1 by famed Vanity Fair photographer Annie Leibovitz, notable for her decades of work capturing the images of rock stars and Hollywood's elite as well as for her multimillion-dollar fortune's recent collapse. The seated and beaming first family looks happy and relaxed, with Sasha and Malia Obama each draping an arm over mom and dad. (See the first family's Flickr photostream.) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091022/hl_ynews/ynews_hl951 ynews/20091022/ynews_hl951 The Yahoo! Newsroom health Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:40:56 GMT The Yahoo! Newsroom - Embattled health insurance companies are taking a page from Goldlilocks. Last week, a 4-month-old child was denied insurance for being too heavy (the company has since changed its mind). Now the Web is buzzing about a toddler who was denied coverage for being too small. http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091021/pl_ynews/ynews_pl952 ynews/20091021/ynews_pl952 The Yahoo! Newsroom politics Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:13:05 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091021/pl_ynews/ynews_pl952"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20091015/capt.photo_1255568197963-1-0.jpg?x=130&y=122&q=85&sig=Pr4vdk9K25fTdKmzw4vQ5A--" align="left" height="122" width="130" alt="A woman holds a sign to show her support for a strong public health insurance option in the health care reform bill in Coral Gables, Florida. Top US Senators working with the White House to merge rival health care bills reported no breakthroughs after a first day of talks but promised that "failure is not an option."(AFP/Getty Images/Joe Raedle)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - The hotly debated "public option"of health care reform plans being considered by Congress seems to be getting revived. The mood is changing both with the public and inside the halls of Congress, where Tuesday night House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told fellow Democrats that she's close to securing the 218 votes she needs to pass the plan.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091021/pl_ynews/ynews_pl952"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20091015/capt.photo_1255568197963-1-0.jpg?x=130&y=122&q=85&sig=Pr4vdk9K25fTdKmzw4vQ5A--" align="left" height="122" width="130" alt="photo" title="A woman holds a sign to show her support for a strong public health insurance option in the health care reform bill in Coral Gables, Florida. Top US Senators working with the White House to merge rival health care bills reported no breakthroughs after a first day of talks but promised that "failure is not an option."(AFP/Getty Images/Joe Raedle)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091021/ts_ynews/ynews_ts950 ynews/20091021/ynews_ts950 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:02:58 GMT The Yahoo! Newsroom - An internal congressional report questioning the ability of the Secret Service to continue fulfilling its duties was leaked to the Boston Globe. The report says the Secret Service is strained by a drastic increase in threats to President Obama, coupled with deep budget cuts. Some are speculating that the agency may need to relinquish all or part of its roles in protecting the country's financial machinery in order to focus resources on the protection of the president and other high-profile leaders. http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091016/ts_ynews/ynews_ts948 ynews/20091016/ynews_ts948 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:08:26 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091016/ts_ynews/ynews_ts948"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20091029/capt.photo_1256847538389-1-0.jpg?x=130&y=84&q=85&sig=EJrl0KTpRNRPdZ2lO3Uh0g--" align="left" height="84" width="130" alt="These two police mugshots released in August 2009 by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDCS) in California, shows Phillip (L) and Nancy Garrido who were arrested in the case of Jaycee Lee Dugard. A woman raped in 1976 by Jaycee Dugard kidnap suspect Phillip Garrido faced her tormentor in a California court-room Thursday at the latest legal proceedings in the case.(AFP/EDCS/File)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - This morning People magazine revealed its new cover featuring a photograph of a beaming Jaycee Dugard. The image of the 29-year-old Dugard is the first to be released to the public since she was was freed after spending the past 18 years in captivity and reunited with her family. A quote from Dugard accompanies the cover photo that says simply, "I'm so happy to be back with my family."</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091016/ts_ynews/ynews_ts948"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20091029/capt.photo_1256847538389-1-0.jpg?x=130&y=84&q=85&sig=EJrl0KTpRNRPdZ2lO3Uh0g--" align="left" height="84" width="130" alt="photo" title="These two police mugshots released in August 2009 by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDCS) in California, shows Phillip (L) and Nancy Garrido who were arrested in the case of Jaycee Lee Dugard. A woman raped in 1976 by Jaycee Dugard kidnap suspect Phillip Garrido faced her tormentor in a California court-room Thursday at the latest legal proceedings in the case.(AFP/EDCS/File)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091011/ts_ynews/ynews_ts947 ynews/20091011/ynews_ts947 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:07:50 GMT The Yahoo! Newsroom - For hundreds of years, fully grown adults and very young children have dreamed about flying. People have made wings out of feathers and wood and jumped off buildings and cliffs in order to soar like a bird. And a lot of them have died trying. http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091009/ts_ynews/ynews_ts946 ynews/20091009/ynews_ts946 The Yahoo! Newsroom topstories Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:14:45 GMT The Yahoo! Newsroom - An incident involving actor/singer Harry Connick Jr. during his appearance as a judge on an Australian variety show is causing an international stir. The evening turned tense when an act performed in blackface, prompting Connick - himself once entangled in the sensitive issue - to give some tough talk on-air. http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091007/hl_ynews/ynews_hl945 ynews/20091007/ynews_hl945 The Yahoo! Newsroom health Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:42:05 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091007/hl_ynews/ynews_hl945"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091007/capt.740efee07f0a477d8af84c7f912b6886.swine_flu_oregon_ordr102.jpg?x=89&y=130&q=85&sig=iNyQBQJxyM_fMWw73zholg--" align="left" height="130" width="89" alt="A box of the nasal spray swine flu vaccine is shown here in Oregon City, Ore., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. Children and health workers are the first to receive vaccines from the first batch to hit Oregon.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - The first sets of H1N1 flu virus vaccines were shipped this week and, according to the Food and Drug Administration, online pharmacies are already trying to cash-in on people trying to get vaccinated.</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091007/hl_ynews/ynews_hl945"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091007/capt.740efee07f0a477d8af84c7f912b6886.swine_flu_oregon_ordr102.jpg?x=89&y=130&q=85&sig=iNyQBQJxyM_fMWw73zholg--" align="left" height="130" width="89" alt="photo" title="A box of the nasal spray swine flu vaccine is shown here in Oregon City, Ore., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. Children and health workers are the first to receive vaccines from the first batch to hit Oregon.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091006/pl_ynews/ynews_pl944 ynews/20091006/ynews_pl944 The Yahoo! Newsroom politics Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:42:04 GMT <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091006/pl_ynews/ynews_pl944"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091102/capt.b932aea1da55438e96d5496e9b38e20c.michelle_obama_dchg120.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=kS8dMJXMjz4D6KLVRGylUA--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="First lady Michelle Obama hosts a White House leadership and mentoring initiative event, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in the White House State Dinning Room in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)" border="0" /></a>The Yahoo! Newsroom - In the past it's been almost a tradition for America's first ladies to catch flack from their husbands' political opponents over the size of their staffs, and Michelle Obama certainly hasn't been exempt from that. Criticism of her "massive" staff has popped up on email chains, blogs, and chat rooms. But what are the facts regarding how many people are under her employ, and how does the size of her staff compare to that of past first ladies?</p><br clear="all"/> <p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091006/pl_ynews/ynews_pl944"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091102/capt.b932aea1da55438e96d5496e9b38e20c.michelle_obama_dchg120.jpg?x=130&y=86&q=85&sig=kS8dMJXMjz4D6KLVRGylUA--" align="left" height="86" width="130" alt="photo" title="First lady Michelle Obama hosts a White House leadership and mentoring initiative event, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in the White House State Dinning Room in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)" border="0"/></a></p><br clear="all"/> (The Yahoo! Newsroom) http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/yahoonewsroom/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091006/wl_ynews/ynews_wl943 ynews/20091006/ynews_wl943 The Yahoo! Newsroom world Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:30:38 GMT The Yahoo! Newsroom - Over the weekend, a British newspaper published an item which claimed that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, perhaps the most vocal anti-Jewish leader of the modern era, was, in fact, Jewish by birth. Unfortunately for those who appreciate irony, it appears as though that that initial report was inaccurate.