2/18 Yahoo! News: Most Popular

Muslim TV exec accused of beheading wife in NY (AP) February 17, 2009 at 9:17 pm AP - The crime drips with brutal irony: a woman decapitated, allegedly by her estranged husband, in the offices of the television network the couple founded with the hope of countering Muslim stereotypes. Los Angeles nears water rationing (Reuters) February 17, 2009 at 7:59 pm Reuters - With a recent flurry of winter storms doing little to dampen California's latest drought, the nation's biggest public utility voted on Tuesday to impose water rationing in Los Angeles for the first time in nearly two decades. Israel engaged in covert war inside Iran: report (Reuters) February 17, 2009 at 7:07 pm Reuters - Israel is involved in a covert war of sabotage inside Iran to try to delay Tehran's alleged attempts to develop a nuclear weapon, a British newspaper said on Tuesday, quoting a former CIA agent and intelligence experts. Obama OKs 17,000 more Afghanistan troops (AP) February 17, 2009 at 6:40 pm AP - President Barack Obama approved adding some 17,000 U.S. troops for the flagging war in Afghanistan, his first significant move to change the course of a conflict that his closest military advisers have warned the United States is not winning. Hundreds of television stations cut analog signals (AP) February 17, 2009 at 6:37 pm AP - About a quarter of the nation's TV stations cut off their analog signals Tuesday, causing sets to go dark in households that were not prepared for digital television despite two years of warnings about the transition. GM seeks up to $30B in aid, to cut 47,000 jobs (AP) February 17, 2009 at 6:31 pm AP - General Motors Corp., presenting a dire outlook for the future, said Tuesday it may need $30 billion in total government financing to weather the economic downturn and would cut 47,000 jobs worldwide and shutter five more U.S. factories in a massive restructuring plan. Drug gangs drive off cops, terrorize Mexican town (AP) February 17, 2009 at 4:56 pm AP - For people caught inside Mexico's drug corridors, life is about keeping your head down and watching your back, especially when the sun dips behind the cactus-studded horizon. Burris tried to raise funds for Blagojevich (AP) February 17, 2009 at 4:32 pm AP - U.S. Sen. Roland Burris now acknowledges attempting to raise money for ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich — an explosive twist in his ever-changing story on how he landed a coveted Senate appointment from the man accused of trying to sell the seat. Obscure Tolkien book to come out this spring (AP) February 17, 2009 at 4:29 pm AP - An early, long-unpublished work by J.R.R. Tolkien is coming out. How government stimulus plan will affect you (AP) February 17, 2009 at 3:58 pm AP - An examination of how the economic stimulus plan will affect Americans. Homeowners' rallying cry: Produce the note (AP) February 17, 2009 at 3:54 pm AP - Kathy Lovelace lost her job and was about to lose her house, too. But then she made a seemingly simple request of the bank: Show me the original mortgage paperwork. 2nd soldier at Missouri base dies of meningitis (AP) February 17, 2009 at 3:49 pm AP - A second soldier stationed at the Army's Fort Leonard Wood has died of meningitis, officials said Tuesday. Leonard Wood officials said Pvt. Randy Stabnick, 28, of South Bend, Ind., died Tuesday at a hospital in Springfield. Another soldier from the base died Feb. 9. His name has not been released. Backward green comet makes one-time only visit (AP) February 17, 2009 at 3:23 pm AP - An odd, greenish backward-flying comet is zipping by Earth this month, as it takes its only trip toward the sun from the farthest edges of the solar system. The comet is called Lulin, and there's a chance it can be seen with the naked eye — far from city lights, astronomers say. But you'll most likely need a telescope, or at least binoculars, to spot it. Stocks drop on worries about economy, automakers (AP) February 17, 2009 at 3:21 pm AP - Investors are absorbing the reality of a deepening global recession — and dumping stocks on exchanges around the world. Oil slips below $35 as global markets slump (AP) February 17, 2009 at 3:21 pm AP - A new batch of lousy economic news dragged oil prices down nearly 7 percent Tuesday, as signs from across the globe pointed to a prolonged and painful recession. SEC charges Texas financier with 'massive' fraud (AP) February 17, 2009 at 2:43 pm AP - Federal regulators on Tuesday charged Texas financier R. Allen Stanford and three of his firms with a "massive" fraud that centered around high-interest-rate certificates of deposit, and raided some of the companies' offices. Obama to sign $787B stimulus bill to boost economy (AP) February 17, 2009 at 2:33 pm AP - President Barack Obama signs into law on Tuesday his hard-fought stimulus plan, hoping the measure will put a floor under the collapsing U.S. economy. `Slumdog Millionaire' kid stars face uphill battle (AP) February 17, 2009 at 2:22 pm AP - They are not your typical movie stars. Police: Rap producer injured in Ariz. hotel fight (AP) February 17, 2009 at 1:45 pm AP - Police using Tasers broke up an early morning fight that sent rap impresario Marion "Suge" Knight to an Arizona hospital for treatment of face injuries, authorities said Monday. Japan finance chief quits over alleged drunkenness (AP) February 17, 2009 at 1:12 pm AP - Japan's finance minister resigned in disgrace Tuesday after slurring his speech and nodding off during the G-7 summit in Rome last weekend in yet another political distraction as the world's No. 2 economy battles an ever-deepening recession. Acclaimed jazz drummer Louis Bellson dies at 84 (AP) February 17, 2009 at 9:27 am AP - Big band and jazz drummer Louie Bellson, a master musician who performed with such greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and his late wife, Pearl Bailey, has died. He was 84. Sudan, Darfur rebel group sign peace framework (AP) February 17, 2009 at 9:26 am AP - The Sudanese government and Darfur's most powerful rebel group signed an declaration Tuesday to conduct future peace negotiations, but failed to agree on a hoped-for cease-fire after a week of talks. Liberty Media to invest in Sirius XM Radio (AP) February 17, 2009 at 9:08 am AP - Liberty Media Corp. will invest $530 million in financially struggling satellite radio company Sirius XM Radio Inc., the companies said Tuesday.