2/20 Yahoo! News: Most Viewed

APNewsBreak: Black pastors to ask Burris to resign (AP) February 19, 2009 at 6:30 pm AP - A group of black ministers who previously supported U.S. Sen. Roland Burris now plan to ask for his resignation, one of the ministers told The Associated Press on Thursday. Many of the city's influential black pastors supported Burris because of his scandal-free reputation — even though he was appointed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich after the governor was arrested. Dow ends at lowest close in more than 6 years (AP) February 19, 2009 at 6:29 pm AP - An important psychological barrier gave way on Wall Street Thursday as the Dow Jones industrials fell to their lowest level in more than six years. The Dow broke through a bottom reached in November, pulled down by sharp declines in key financial shares. It was the lowest ending for the Dow since Oct. 9, 2002, when the last bear market bottomed out. FBI tracks down Texas financier in fraud case (AP) February 19, 2009 at 5:48 pm AP - Texas financier R. Allen Stanford was tracked down Thursday in Virginia, where FBI agents served him with legal papers in a multibillion-dollar fraud case. New atlas shows dying languages around the world (AP) February 19, 2009 at 5:45 pm AP - Only one native speaker of Livonian remains on Earth, in Latvia. The Alaskan language Eyak went extinct last year when its last surviving speaker passed away. British reality TV star battles cancer on camera (AP) February 19, 2009 at 5:32 pm AP - A brash British reality show star whose ups and downs captivated the nation is approaching her death the same way she has lived — on television. Chimp attack's victim admitted to Cleveland Clinic (AP) February 19, 2009 at 5:21 pm AP - A Connecticut woman grievously wounded in the face and hands this week by a rampaging chimpanzee has been transferred to the Cleveland Clinic, which two months ago performed the nation's first successful face transplant. AP IMPACT: Jobless hit with bank fees on benefits (AP) February 19, 2009 at 4:56 pm AP - First, Arthur Santa-Maria called Bank of America to ask how to check the balance of his new unemployment benefits debit card. The bank charged him 50 cents. New Yorkers to boycott NY Post over "racist" cartoon (Reuters) February 19, 2009 at 4:39 pm Reuters - Hundreds of demonstrators rallied to boycott the New York Post on Thursday, branding the newspaper as racist for publishing a cartoon that appeared to compare President Barack Obama to a chimpanzee. Arizona 9-year-old pleads guilty in shooting death (AP) February 19, 2009 at 4:20 pm AP - A 9-year-old boy accused of methodically shooting his father and his father's roommate to death last fall pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of negligent homicide, settling the case that shocked and mystified the nation. U.S. patrol finds anger and distrust in Afghanistan (McClatchy Newspapers) February 19, 2009 at 3:55 pm McClatchy Newspapers - BARAKI BARAK, Afghanistan — Five miles from the muddy bazaar where smiling merchants offered tea to U.S. Army Col. David Haight and insisted that outsiders were making all the trouble, a deadly reception had been prepared for his five-vehicle patrol. U.S. lawmakers make rare visit to Hamas-ruled Gaza (Reuters) February 19, 2009 at 3:37 pm Reuters - The highest-ranking U.S. delegation to visit the Gaza Strip in years toured bomb-damaged buildings Thursday and blamed the enclave's Hamas rulers for provoking Israel's wrath with cross-border rocket attacks. Malaria: Spoonful of sugar could save thousands of children (AFP) February 19, 2009 at 1:22 pm AFP - A teaspoon of moistened sugar under the tongue could save the lives of thousands of children suffering from hypoglycemia caused by malaria, a researcher who conducted clinical trials said Thursday. 2,500 languages threatened with extinction: UNESCO (AFP) February 19, 2009 at 12:17 pm AFP - The world has lost Manx in the Isle of Man, Ubykh in Turkey and last year Alaska's last native speaker of Eyak, Marie Smith Jones, died, taking the aboriginal language with her. FDIC sees housing plan impact in March (Reuters) February 19, 2009 at 10:27 am Reuters - The Obama administration's $275 billion program to stem a wave of U.S. home foreclosures will start having an impact as soon as March, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation chairman Sheila Bair said on Thursday. Netanyahu wins backing in Israeli PM contest (Reuters) February 19, 2009 at 9:43 am Reuters - Benjamin Netanyahu's chances of becoming Israel's prime minister were boosted on Thursday by the conditional backing of an ultranationalist politician who emerged as a kingmaker in a photo-finish election. California Senate approves long-awaited budget (AP) February 19, 2009 at 9:23 am AP - RAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The state Senate approved a long-awaited budget early Thursday intended to wipe out a $42 billion deficit, possibly steering the state clear of a fiscal disaster. 1 dead, 7 injured as severe storms pelt Ga., Ala. (AP) February 19, 2009 at 9:23 am AP - One person is dead and at least 7 injured after overnight thunderstorms swept Georgia and Alabama with tornadoes, hail and lightening. UK woman loses assisted suicide case (AP) February 19, 2009 at 8:35 am AP - A British woman with multiple sclerosis lost a court battle on Thursday aimed at protecting her husband from possible prosecution if he takes her to a suicide clinic overseas. The Risk from Underwater Homeowners (BusinessWeek Online) February 19, 2009 at 8:08 am BusinessWeek Online - The Obama Administration's $75 billion homeowner-rescue plan offers a lot of help to people in imminent danger of losing their homes. It does far less for those who are deep underwater on their mortgages but have the wherewithal to keep making their monthly payments. And that could be a problem -- not only for those homeowners themselves, but for the banking system and the economy in general. Soldier confessed killing Iraqi to investigators (AP) February 19, 2009 at 7:46 am AP - A U.S. soldier confessed to military investigators that he shot a bound and blindfolded Iraqi prisoner point-blank in the back of the head, according to a video played at his murder trial Thursday HUD Secretary: Banks must 'step up' on foreclosure (AP) February 19, 2009 at 7:37 am AP - Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan said Thursday it's critically important that banks and lending institutions "step up to the plate" to help make certain the Obama administration's new home foreclosure initiative succeeds. Will the real "Prawo Jazdy" please stand up (Reuters) February 19, 2009 at 6:11 am Reuters - Irish police have solved the mystery of a Polish recidivist who clocked up 50 traffic offences on different addresses and who was never caught, after one officer noticed his name meant driving licence in Polish. Man kills self in SoCal televangelist's cathedral (AP) February 19, 2009 at 5:30 am AP - A man shot and killed himself in front of a cross inside televangelist Robert H. Schuller's Crystal Cathedral on Wednesday as a nearby volunteer told a group of visitors about the church's suicide-prevention program, police and church officials said. Army says death at Ft Lewis possibly drug-related (AP) February 19, 2009 at 4:58 am AP - Army investigators believe the death of a 16-year-old civilian girl at a barracks on Fort Lewis was possibly drug-related, a spokesman said Wednesday. Mickey Rourke loses beloved chihuahua in Oscar week (Reuters) February 19, 2009 at 3:54 am Reuters - Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke's beloved Chihuahua has died just days before the actor hopes to crown his own professional resurrection at Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. Trial begins for Iraqi journalist who threw shoes (AP) February 19, 2009 at 2:45 am AP - Court proceedings against the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at then-President George W. Bush late last year have begun in Baghdad. COUPLES CHOOSE TO SEPARATE CHURCH AND STATE IN MARRIAGE (Dear Abby) February 19, 2009 at 2:17 am Dear Abby - DEAR ABBY: I must respond to the letter from "Deceived in Arizona" (Nov. 30). I agree the couple shouldn't have misled their guests and should have let them know it wouldn't be a state-sanctioned wedding. But these days, many couples choose not to legally wed, and for others it is not a choice. 'American Idol' selects first 3 finalists (AP) February 18, 2009 at 10:01 pm AP - Tatiana Del Toro had something else to cry about. The emotional 28-year-old crooner from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was one of nine "American Idol" semifinalists sent packing Wednesday. Del Toro, whom judge Simon Cowell called a "drama queen" after her performance Tuesday, bawled after she wasn't selected to continue in the "Fox" singing competition. Octuplets' grandmother faces foreclosure threat (Reuters) February 18, 2009 at 8:49 pm Reuters - The grandmother of California's newborn octuplets faces the threat of foreclosure on the house she has shared with her daughter and six of her grandchildren, property records revealed on Wednesday.