3/1 Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Israel's Netanyahu gives up on alliance with Livni (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 5:46 pm Reuters - Israel's right-wing Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has abandoned efforts to woo centrist Tzipi Livni into forming a broad coalition government, a spokeswoman said on Saturday. Obama picks Sebelius as health secretary (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 5:42 pm Reuters - President Barack Obama will nominate Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to head the Department of Health and Human Services, a U.S. official said on Saturday. HSBC looks to raise $18 billion (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 5:02 pm Reuters - British banking giant HSBC will try to raise $18 billion to quell investor concerns as a worsening global economy punished famed investor Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway with a 96 percent plunge in profits. Avalanche kills 3 on Wyoming-Idaho state line (AP) February 28, 2009 at 4:13 pm AP - A mile-long avalanche near the Wyoming-Idaho state line swept three snowmobilers to their deaths, authorities said Saturday. Pakistan says Taliban beaten back in border region (AP) February 28, 2009 at 4:11 pm AP - Pakistan has beaten the Taliban in a major stronghold close to the Afghan border, is close to victory in another and expects to pacify most of the remaining tribal areas before the end of the year, commanders said Saturday. Iraq: Oil prices may drag budget lower (AP) February 28, 2009 at 4:09 pm AP - Iraq's parliament pushed back voting Saturday on this year's budget and could be forced to make further cuts because of falling oil prices. Leaving Iraq: Shift to south, exit through desert (AP) February 28, 2009 at 3:19 pm AP - The U.S. military map in Iraq in early 2010: Marines are leaving the western desert, Army units are in the former British zone in the south and the overall mission is coalescing around air and logistics hubs in central and northern Iraq. 2 months into 2009, US deaths spike in Afghanistan (AP) February 28, 2009 at 3:16 pm AP - U.S. deaths in Afghanistan increased threefold during the first two months of 2009 compared with the same period last year, after thousands more troops deployed and commanders ramped up winter operations against an increasingly violent insurgency. Dublin cops arrest 7 after historic bank heist (AP) February 28, 2009 at 3:04 pm AP - Police recovered millions in stolen cash and interrogated seven suspected robbers Saturday, a day after a gang took a bank employee's family hostage and forced him to rob his own branch. Pakistan in victory over Taliban in border area: commander (AFP) February 28, 2009 at 3:01 pm AFP - Pakistan said on Saturday it had forced Taliban militants out of a key battleground in the global fight against extremism and boasted of major gains in another region bordering Afghanistan. Berkshire has worst year, Buffett still optimistic (AP) February 28, 2009 at 2:46 pm AP - Warren Buffett says the economic turmoil that contributed to a 62 percent profit drop last year at the holding company he controls is certain to continue in 2009, but the revered investor remains optimistic. Car with 5-year-old inside sinks in icy Utah river (AP) February 28, 2009 at 1:57 pm AP - Police in Utah say a car plunged 60 feet into a canyon and sank in the icy Colorado River with a 5-year-old girl trapped inside. Marbury makes Celtics debut; Boston wins 104-99 (AP) February 28, 2009 at 11:45 am AP - Stephon Marbury was so unwanted in New York that the Knicks were willing to pay him most of his $20.8 million salary to stay away — and go away. Abbas, Hamas signal first dispute over unity talks (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 10:43 am Reuters - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday any unity government with Hamas would have to agree to a two-state solution with Israel, a demand quickly rejected by his Islamist rivals. Obama challenges lobbyists to legislative duel (AP) February 28, 2009 at 8:18 am AP - President Barack Obama challenged the nation's vested interests to a legislative duel Saturday, saying he will fight to change health care, energy and education in dramatic ways that will upset the status quo. Emergency plane landing in Romania; all 51 safe (AP) February 28, 2009 at 8:01 am AP - A Romanian plane carrying 51 people made a safe emergency landing in western Romania on Saturday and all the occupants escaped injury, officials said. Bruce Willis being sued for $4 million (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:52 am AP - Actor Bruce Willis and his production company are being sued in Los Angeles for $4 million for breach of contract. Bosh questions Shaq's big scoring night (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:52 am AP - Toronto's Chris Bosh had an explanation for how Shaquille O'Neal scored 45 points: He cheated. Focus in Hariri assassination shifts to courtroom (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:51 am AP - Investigators have pored over evidence for four years — a human tooth found at the bombing site, a suicide truck that was stolen in Japan and made its way to Lebanon, reams of phone records and hundreds of interviews. Unions try to heal wounds of bitter split (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:51 am AP - Nearly four years after a nasty breakup split organized labor, union leaders are again talking about reuniting under a single, more powerful federation, possibly this year. Vegas jurors view graphic tape in toddler sex case (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:49 am AP - Jurors grimly viewed key evidence in the trial of a man accused of sexually assaulting two little girls in separate incidents in 2003. Congress finds consensus on Iraq plan (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:48 am AP - After years of bitterly debating whether to set a timetable for troop withdrawals in Iraq, Congress has agreed to one. Clinton to visit Mideast, reconnect with Europeans (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:47 am AP - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is using her second overseas trip as the nation's top diplomat to assess peace prospects in the Middle East, reconnect with European allies and remind her Russian counterpart that U.S. efforts to rebuild relations with Moscow has its limits. Obama moved toward commanders in Iraq decision (AP) February 28, 2009 at 7:46 am AP - President Barack Obama leaned heavily toward field commanders' preferences in settling a time frame for ending the war in Iraq, as he weighed the fervent desires of the anti-war community that propelled him into office and the equally strong worries of the generals commanding troops in the war zone. Iraq welcomes Obama plan but still needs US help (AFP) February 28, 2009 at 7:44 am AFP - Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on Saturday welcomed the pullout of US combat troops outlined by President Barack Obama but stressed that Washington still has a "great responsibility" to help Iraq. Second mass grave found after Bangladesh revolt (AFP) February 28, 2009 at 7:38 am AFP - Bangladeshi soldiers recovered 10 bodies in a second mass grave in a military compound in the capital Saturday, bringing to 76 the death toll from an armed mutiny staged by border guards over pay. Combative Obama vows to fight for his budget (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 6:02 am Reuters - A combative President Barack Obama warned on Saturday he was bracing for a fight against powerful lobbyists and special interests who sought to pick apart the $3.55 trillion budget he wants to advance his agenda of reform. Pakistan closes in on militants in tribal regions (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 5:38 am Reuters - Pakistani forces expect to clear militants out of part of lawless tribal areas on the Afghan border by the end of the year, the commander of a paramilitary force involved in the campaign said on Saturday. At least 37 still missing in Australia fires: army (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 5:09 am Reuters - At least 37 people are still missing three weeks after devastating bushfires killed at least 210 in Australia's southern state of Victoria, a senior army officer said on Saturday. U.S. looks to China for support on Afghanistan: Pentagon (Reuters) February 28, 2009 at 4:57 am Reuters - The United States is looking to stronger Chinese cooperation on Afghanistan, piracy, and other international troubles, a Pentagon official said on Saturday after talks that he said also addressed strains over Taiwan. Citigroup gets new rescue, U.S. may own 36 percent (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 8:51 pm Reuters - The U.S. government will boost its equity stake in Citigroup Inc to as much as 36 percent, bolstering the bank's capital base in the latest emergency effort to save the banking giant. U.S. charges Stanford with massive Ponzi scheme (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 8:38 pm Reuters - U.S. securities regulators on Friday accused Texas billionaire Allen Stanford, his college roommate and three of their companies of carrying out a "massive Ponzi scheme" over at least a decade and misappropriating at least $1.6 billion of investors' money.