US - News - Unites States Newspapers - NSBK

Calif. Prius Driver's Story Stirs Skeptics

2010-03-13 03:08:06: Man's Claim of Unintended Acceleration on Highway Presents Nagging Questions

After Months, Man Collects on $200M Ticket

2010-03-13 03:08:06: Virginia Carpenter Consulted Legal, Financial Advisers before Deciding to Take Cash Option in Lottery

Mom says daughter held in Ireland in terror plot

2010-03-13 02:38:03: A Colorado woman says her 31-year-old daughter is one of seven Muslims arrested this week in Ireland in an alleged plot to assassinate Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks.

Landfill search ends, no sign of missing Ariz. boy

2010-03-13 02:38:03: San Antonio police have called off a landfill search after finding no evidence in the disappearance of an 8-month-old Arizona boy.

NYC: Taxi drivers overcharged riders by $8.3M-plus

2010-03-13 01:48:04: NEW YORK -- Thousands of New York City taxi drivers overcharged passengers by more than $8.3 million over the past two years by setting their meters at a rate that was supposed to be used for trips to the suburbs, the Taxi and Limousine Commission said Friday.

Authorities: Haim's name on illegal prescription

2010-03-13 01:48:04: LOS ANGELES -- The name of the late actor Corey Haim was found on a fraudulent prescription for a powerful painkiller that authorities said Friday was obtained through a major drug ring.

New Florida case thwarts Calif. molester's release

2010-03-13 01:48:04: LOS ANGELES -- The feared release of a convicted child molester from a California prison was thwarted Friday by 11th-hour federal charges involving child porn and a woman's allegations that he bought her as a child in Asia and subjected her to years of sexual abuse while molesting her young friends.

Ohio man found guilty in teens' slayings

2010-03-13 01:48:04: CINCINNATI -- An Ohio registered sex offender, whose attorneys had told jurors he admitted to killing two teenage girls, has been found guilty of the slayings.

Calling shots in the Senate

2010-03-13 00:58:03: The parliamentarian, who holds an obscure post interpreting Senate rules, stands to become the central figure in a healthcare vote.

Alan Frumin, a bookish fellow, was squirreled away at his desk in a windowless room of the U.S. Capitol this week, jacket off, eating his lunch. He is the chief parliamentarian for the United States Senate, a man you wouldn't recognize in a job you've never heard of. But he could blow up President Obama's whole healthcare bill.

Government revisiting restrictions on blood donations by gay men

2010-03-13 00:58:03: Backers of a change, including Sen. John Kerry, say the policy is outdated medically. Hemophilia groups want to keep it.

Federal health officials announced Friday that they will reexamine a 27-year-old set of restrictions on blood donations by gay men.

Wolves kill teacher in Alaska

2010-03-13 00:58:03: Villagers in Chignik Lake on the Alaska Peninsula take precautions after the first known fatal wolf attack in U.S. in modern times.

Hunters were combing the snowy brush around Chignik Lake, Alaska, on Friday in an attempt to hunt down up to four wolves that killed a 32-year-old special education teacher in the first known fatal wolf attack in the U.S. in modern times.

Obama-backed website on government spending is found lacking

2010-03-13 00:58:03: An audit finds that USAspending.gov doesn't disclose all it's supposed to about federal contracts.

When he was a senator, Barack Obama pushed through a law setting up a kind of "Google-for-government" website -- a one-stop-shop for tracking the $1 trillion handed out in federal contracts.

2009 US wine exports down in Europe, up in Asia

2010-03-13 00:38:16: BSAN FRANCISCO — U.S. winemakers can be happy world consumers are buying their products in a tight economy, though exports were down in 2009 from 2008's record-setting year.

Southern California child molester faces new charges in Florida

2010-03-13 00:38:16: SANTA ANA— A convicted California child molester who was set to be released from prison was charged today in Florida with using a girl he bought in Vietnam as a sex slave.

New York cashier, 91, punched trying to fend off thief

2010-03-13 00:38:16: EAST NORTHPORT, N.Y. — A 91-year-old New York pharmacy cashier refused medical attention and went back to work after a thief punched her.

Same-sex marriages begin in Mexico

2010-03-13 00:38:15: MEXICO CITY — The mayor was there. So were the protesters. Judith Vazquez wore an ivory wedding dress.

Some in U.S. see growing rift between Taliban, al-Qaida

2010-03-13 00:38:15: Fissures appear between allies in attacks against U.S.

Colorado Mom Held in Terror Plot Case

2010-03-12 23:38:07: Jamie Paulin-Ramirez, a 31-year-old mom, is in the custody of Irish police, along with six others, arrested as part of a probe into the alleged plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist who made fun of the Prophet Mohammed.

Consumer Spending Perks Up Economy

2010-03-12 23:38:07: Retail sales increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in February from a month earlier. Sales excluding the volatile autos sales increased 0.8%. Compared with a year ago, sales rose 4%.

Apple's Cook Gets $22 Million Bonus

2010-03-12 23:38:07: Apple Chief Operating Officer Timothy Cook was awarded a cash and stock bonus worth about $22 million for his performance while filling in during Steve Jobs's medical leave last year.

Disney to Cut Film-Production Venture

2010-03-12 23:38:07: Walt Disney will close director Robert Zemeckis's film-production company next year amid efforts to cut costs.

Park Avenue Bank and Two Others Fail

2010-03-12 23:38:07: The failures on Friday bring to 30 the total number of financial institutions that have been seized in the U.S. this year.

Lions Gate Criticizes Icahn Offer

2010-03-12 23:38:07: Lions Gate urged shareholders to reject a recent tender offer from investor Carl Icahn, calling the bid for the film studio's shares inadequate and coercive.

MCM's Eastern Makeover

2010-03-12 23:38:06: MCM epitomizedglamour...in the 1980s. Now an ambitious South Korean businesswoman is attempting to resurrect the faded luxury brand.

Lawyers urge WTC workers to take settlement

2010-03-12 21:38:13: Lawyers and city officials expressed confidence Friday that they can get ground zero responders to sign on to a settlement that would pay up to $657 million to workers who developed health problems after toiling in the ruins of the World Trade Center.

Conservatives put stamp on Texas textbooks

2010-03-12 21:38:13:

The social studies changes approved by the Texas Board of Education will have a broad influence because the state is one of the nation's largest buyers of textbooks.

NYC: Taxi drivers ripped off passengers

2010-03-12 21:38:13: Thousands of New York City taxi drivers overcharged passengers by more than $8.3 million over the past two years, the Taxi and Limousine Commission says.

'Vampire' wearing pipe disrupts downtown Seattle

2010-03-12 21:38:13: A man wearing what appeared to be a pipe bomb was kicked out of a Seattle homeless shelter Friday morning after claiming to be a vampire, then wandered around before surrendering to police, authorities and witnesses said.

Maine man acquitted in ‘lobster wars’ trial

2010-03-12 21:38:13: A lobsterman and his daughter are acquitted� of all counts stemming from the shooting of a another lobsterman in a dispute over fishing territory off the coast of Maine.

Jogger jumps off Calif. cliff to flee attacker

2010-03-12 21:38:13: Authorities say a man tried to sexually assault a Southern California jogger who escaped by jumping off a cliff and sliding about 100 feet down a steep hillside.

Pentagon's future fighter aircraft doubles in cost

2010-03-12 21:08:04: The cost of the Pentagon's newest fighter jet will be more than double the original price, solidifying the F-35 joint strike fighter as the most expensive Pentagon weapons program ever.

Vaccine court finds no link to autism

2010-03-12 21:08:04: A special court ruled Friday that there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that vaccines caused autism in three cases.

FAA urges $787,500 in fines for American Airlines

2010-03-12 21:08:04: The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday proposed $787,500 in fines against American Airlines for maintenance violations.

Coroner: Drug overdose not ruled out in Corey Haim's death

2010-03-12 21:08:04: Although Corey Haim's heart was enlarged and he had fluid in his lungs, the coroner's chief investigator says a drug overdose has not been ruled out as the cause of the actor's death.

FBI, nuclear agency investigate terrorism suspect

2010-03-12 21:08:04: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is working with the FBI to determine whether a New Jersey man suspected of being an al Qaeda member had access to any sensitive areas of the nuclear plants where he once worked, a commission spokeswoman said Friday.

NYPD: Bar Beating Suspect in Custody

2010-03-12 20:28:10: Man Suspected of Brutally Beating Woman in Bar Restroom after She Rejected His Advances

Video: 'White Hot' Betty White

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Actress Betty White is suddenly the new "it girl" after a funny spot on a Super Bowl commercial. Richard Schlesinger reports on a campaign to get this "golden girl" to host "Saturday Night Live."

Video: Potholes Cost Drivers Big

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Rough roads cost drivers an estimated $335 a year in repairs. Jim Axelrod reports that the month of March can be especially hard on cars.

Video: Daylight Saving's Downside

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Losing an hour of sleep during spring Daylight Saving can have negative consequences. Ben Tracy reports that Wall Street has taken a blow more than once.

Video: Waiting to be Adopted

2010-03-12 20:28:09: More than 100,000 American kids are in foster care where the average stay is more than two years. Foster care children hope to be adopted one day, but as Mark Strassmann reports, some never will have their dream come true.

Video: Baby Sling Safety Warning

2010-03-12 20:28:09: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating at least 14 deaths involving baby slings. Safety officials warned parents of the potential danger of carrying infants in them. Elaine Quijano reports.

Spring Forward Messes with More than Time

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Studies Show Daylight Saving Time Increases Serious Heart Attacks, Decreases Returns on Investments in Week After Change

Video: Big Push For Health Care

2010-03-12 20:28:09: President Obama has postponed a trip to Indonesia and Australia to help pass the health care reform bill. Chip Reid reports Democrats are feeling more confident that they have the momentum.

Video: 9/11 Settlement for the Ill

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Approximately 10,000 ground zero responders will vote on a settlement to compensate them for their exposure to toxic elements. Michelle Miller reports.

Potholes: Beware the Rides of March

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Thawing out After a Tough Winter, Drivers Left to Jockey Street Craters While Cities Struggle to Stretch Budgets

American Foster Kids Hold Out Hope

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Brantwood Children's Home in Montgomery Alabama Hasn't Had A Single Adoption in Four Years

Woods Crash Raised Domestic Violence Flag

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Ambulance Crew Wouldn't Allow Golfer's Wife Elin to Ride With Husband to Hospital Because of Concern About Fight

Texas Social Studies Goes Conservative

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Far-Right Faction Wields Power to Shape Lessons on History, Religion, Free Enterprise

U.S. Knew of Sharif Mobley, Official Says

2010-03-12 20:28:09: NJ Man Arrested on Terror Charges in Yemen Had Been on Government's Radar, Law Enforcement Source Says

Video: Seattle Bomb Suspect on Tape

2010-03-12 20:28:09: CBS News RAW: A man wrapped in duct tape alarmed people in downtown Seattle by making threats and walking around with a pipe taped to his arm before surrendering.

WTC Workers Urged to Take $657M Settlement

2010-03-12 20:28:09: At Least 95 Percent of the Thousands of Workers Sickened at Ground Zero Must Approve Deal; Some Criticize it as Insufficient

Tiger Woods Left Mississippi Too Soon

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Opinion: Disgraced Golf Superstar Could Learn From Gay Teen's Courageous Stance to Attend Prom

Seattle Bomb Suspect in Custody

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Man Claimed to Have Explosives Attached to His Body, Prompting Police to Close Part of City

NYC Woman Beaten after Rebuffing Man

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Suspect Followed Victim into Bar Bathroom, Where He Attacked Her Until She Lost Consciousness; Police Pursue Video Leads

Stinky Feet Plague Florida Airport Workers

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Security Personnel at Palm Beach International Airport Complain of Stench Left by Passengers' Bare Feet

Kevin Garn: I Nude Hot-Tubbed with Minor

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Republican State House Majority Leader Kevin Garn Admits Paying Woman, Who was 15 at the Time, $150,000 to Keep Silent

Boys and Girls Club Execs' $1M Pay Probed

2010-03-12 20:28:09: GOP Senators Query Salaries, Travel and Lobbying Fees at Charity Benefiting Clubs

Video: Please Your Picky Eater

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Time to Play Magazine's Shannon Eis gave Erica Hill some tips on how to get children to eat healthy foods and explained the role of DNA in food preferences and picky eaters.

Video: 48 Hours Probes 1992 Murder Case

2010-03-12 20:28:09: 48 Hours Mystery's Erin Moriarty previews an upcoming report, "The Girl Who Knew too Much," about a 19-year-old college student found murdered in her car and the search for her real killer.

Video: Comic Take on Current Headlines

2010-03-12 20:28:09: Harry Smith spoke to comedians about their comic take on Lindsay Lohan's E-Trade commercial complaint, Conan O'Brien's return to stand-up, Tiger Woods' return to golf and more.

Manie man acquitted in 'lobster wars' trial

2010-03-12 19:58:04: A Maine lobsterman and his daughter were acquitted Friday of all counts stemming from the shooting of a lobsterman in a dispute over fishing territory off the coast of Maine.

SF police probe more hate crime BB-gun shootings

2010-03-12 19:58:04: Three men already accused of shooting a man with a BB gun because they thought he was gay could face additional charges for shooting at 11 others in San Francisco.

Schwarzenegger orders review of sex offender case

2010-03-12 19:58:04: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants a review of the way the state handled a molestation case involving a man who is now charged with murdering one California teenager and under investigation for another killing.

Clinton urges new fight for women's equality

2010-03-12 19:58:04: Fifteen years after electrifying a U.N. conference in Beijing with a call for women's equality, Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that millions of women and girls around the world are still poor, uneducated and treated as inferior human beings.

Runaway Prius case presents nagging questions

2010-03-12 19:08:05: SAN DIEGO -- Investigators are confronted with a series of nagging questions as they try to unravel the case of a California real estate agent who said his Toyota Prius turned into a runaway death trap after the gas pedal became stuck.

Reid's wife undergoes surgery after traffic crash

2010-03-12 19:08:05: FALLS CHURCH, Va. -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife underwent surgery Friday to stabilize serious injuries suffered when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the minivan she and their daughter were riding in on an interstate highway.

4 incendiary devices found in eastern Texas mail

2010-03-12 19:08:05: DALLAS -- At least four incendiary devices have been found recently in mailboxes or postal processing facilities in eastern Texas, although none posed a danger to the public, authorities said.

Medicare payments for physical therapy have poor prognosis

2010-03-12 18:18:04: With healthcare legislation stalled in Washington, a cap on coverage may leave a half-million patients to shoulder the financial burden or give up on treatment.

Glenn McDonald undergoes physical therapy twice a week for a bad back. He's already had surgery once, and treatment could help him dodge a second date with the scalpel.

Young veterans face steep unemployment

2010-03-12 18:18:04: More than 20% ages 18 to 24 can't find work, a problem attributed to a lack of education and job experience before entering the service.

Young combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have another challenge waiting for them when they return home: steep unemployment.

Utah House GOP leader says he paid off woman

2010-03-12 18:18:04: Utah's House majority leader said late Thursday he paid a woman $150,000 to keep silent about going nude "hot-tubbing" with her when she was minor a quarter century ago.

A pioneer of civil rights dies alone and nearly forgotten

2010-03-12 17:58:15: Residents wonder how civil rights icon dropped out of society

Obama gives away $1.4 million Nobel prize

2010-03-12 17:58:15: Charities named aid students, families
of veterans, Haiti

Author assumes guise of 10-year-old to punk famous

2010-03-12 17:58:15: Correspondence with criminals, leaders in a book

Legal Experts Say Lehman Criminal Case Would Be Difficult

2010-03-12 16:58:10: The allegations lodged by a bankruptcy-court examiner have raised questions about whether prosecutors could build a case against former Lehman executives.

Lehman Shows Benefits of Scrutiny

2010-03-12 16:58:10: The report by the court-appointed examiner for the bankrupt Lehman Brothers analyzes the bank's demise with forensic thoroughness. But it is also a depressing reminder of how much remains unknown about the near-collapses of AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Citigroup, Bear Stearns and Bank of America's Merrill Lynch.

Obama Fed Plans Come Into Focus

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Obama plans to nominate Janet Yellen as vice chairman of the Fed, and is vetting Maryland official Sarah Bloom Raskin for another open seat on the Board.

WaMu Dispute Gets Settled

2010-03-12 16:58:10: A lingering chapter of the 2008 financial crisis closed Friday when Washington Mutual, J.P. Morgan and federal regulators settled a dispute over billions of dollars in assets.

BofA Agrees to Be More Transparent With Donations

2010-03-12 16:58:10: New York City Comptroller John C. Liu has scored a coup in an ongoing national effort to increase corporate transparency after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a century-old ban on corporate political spending.

American Air Fines Proposed

2010-03-12 16:58:10: The FAA proposed $787,500 in civil penalties against American Airlines for alleged maintenance violations.

Lagarde: Greece Working to Solve Crisis

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Credible efforts by Greece's government to clean up its finances have so far negated the need for any bailout from the European Union, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said Friday.

Mortgage Modifications Rise 6%

2010-03-12 16:58:10: The number of U.S. households benefiting from lower mortgage payments under a government program was up 6% in February.

Chiesi Seeks Separate Trial

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Danielle Chiesi, a former hedge-fund firm consultant, asked to be tried separately from Galleon founder Rajaratnam on criminal insider-trading charges.

China Bankers Detail Obstacles

2010-03-12 16:58:10: The heads of three branches of China's central bank warned of obstacles in Beijing's fight against inflation as they offered rare examples of how China's massive stimulus plan is playing out in different parts of the country.

Pay Rises for New York Times Leaders

2010-03-12 16:58:10: New York Times' chairman and CEO received big increases in their 2009 compensation despite weakness in advertising markets.

Orange County to Sue Toyota

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Orange County prosecutors plan to file a civil lawsuit against Toyota over safety concerns with their vehicles.

Nigeria to Review Nitel Bidding

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Nigeria said it will review the potential $2.5 billion sale of the country's telecom giant, following last month's troubled auction involving China Unicom.

U.K. Gives Guarantee to GM Europe

2010-03-12 16:58:10: The U.K. will guarantee $410.4 million in bank loans to General Motors Europe as part of a support package for the auto maker from the U.S. and other European governments.

Discover Plans New Accounting Rule

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Discover Financial will implement a new accounting rule requiring companies to bring their off-the-books securitized loans onto their balance sheet in fiscal 2010.

MGM Mirage to Sell Borgata Stake

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Casino operator MGM Mirage agreed to sell its 50% stake in the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City in a settlement with New Jersey gambling regulators.

Court Upholds Cable-Contract Ban

2010-03-12 16:58:10: A divided federal appeals court upheld the FCC's extension of a ban on cable operators' withholding television programs from competitors through exclusive contracts.

Crude Carriers, Aveo IPOs Fall

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Two U.S. initial public offerings fell on their debuts, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the new-issues market.

Ex-Lloyds CEO Pitman Dies at 78

2010-03-12 16:58:10: Sir Brian Pitman, the veteran banker who helped transform Lloyds TSB into one of Europe's largest banks, has died at age 78.

AnnTaylor Swings to Profit

2010-03-12 16:58:10: AnnTaylor Stores eked out a surprise profit in its latest quarter as a sales decline stabilized and it cut back on discounting. The women's clothing retailer forecast a return to sales gains this year.

Enough with all the medical tests, experts say

2010-03-12 14:58:12:

Too much cancer screening, too many heart tests, too many cesarean sections. A spate of recent reports suggest that too many Americans — maybe even President Barack Obama — are being overtreated.

Insanity defense planned in Smart case

2010-03-12 14:58:12: On the seventh anniversary of Elizabeth Smart's return from her kidnapping ordeal, a judge sets a trial date for the man charged in the case.

Cashier, 91, attacked by thief but keeps working

2010-03-12 14:58:12: A 91-year-old New York pharmacy cashier refuses medical attention and goes back to work after a thief punches her.

Retail sales rise unexpectedly in February

2010-03-12 14:58:12:

Retail sales posted a surprising increase in February as consumers did not let major snowstorms stop them from storming the malls,

Affluent California county sues Toyota

2010-03-12 14:58:12: Prosecutors in Orange County, Calif., have filed a lawsuit against Toyota because of continuing problems with its vehicles.

Brake, driver problems cited in fatal Ariz. crash

2010-03-12 14:58:12: Authorities say a bus that rolled on an Arizona freeway last week, killing six passengers and injuring 16 others, had problems with its brakes and its drivers.

Man who murdered 2 executed in Texas

2010-03-12 14:58:12: A man whose cross-country crime spree with his girlfriend a decade ago ended in a gun battle with police in San Francisco was executed Thursday in Texas for killing a sheriff's officer.