3/16 Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Chorus of outrage over millions in AIG bonuses (AP) March 15, 2009 at 5:59 pm AP - Leaders of the White House economic team and the Senate's top Republican bellowed about bonuses at a bailed-out insurance giant and pledged to prevent such payments in the future. Millions in AIG bonuses ignite bipartisan fire (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 4:56 pm Reuters - President Barack Obama's top advisers and Democratic and Republican congressional leaders voiced outrage on Sunday that insurer American International Group, recipient of a $173 billion taxpayer bailout, is paying $165 million in employee bonuses. AP IMPACT: Immigrants face detentions, few rights (AP) March 15, 2009 at 4:33 pm AP - America's detention system for immigrants has mushroomed in the last decade, a costly building boom that was supposed to sweep up criminals and ensure that undocumented immigrants were quickly shown the door. Obama to announce steps to aid small businesses (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 4:18 pm Reuters - U.S. President Barack Obama will announce steps on Monday to make it easier for small business owners to borrow money, using $730 million in stimulus funds to cut lending fees, boost loan guarantees and expand other programs, officials said. Duke beats Florida St. 79-69, wins ACC tournament (AP) March 15, 2009 at 3:44 pm AP - Duke is back in a familiar position: champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The No. 9 Blue Devils swamped upstart Florida State with a barrage of 3-pointers on the way to a 79-69 victory in the title game Sunday, giving Duke its ninth ACC crown in 12 years. Bomb kills 4 US soldiers in Afghanistan's east (AP) March 15, 2009 at 3:40 pm AP - A roadside bomb killed four American soldiers in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday — new evidence of rising violence in a region where clashes and attacks in the first two months of 2009 more than doubled from the same period a year ago. 'Witch Mountain' races to top spot at box office (AP) March 15, 2009 at 3:06 pm AP - Disney's "Race to Witch Mountain" raced to No. 1 at the weekend box office, bypassing expectations with $25 million in ticket sales. Cheney: Obama detainee policies make US less safe (AP) March 15, 2009 at 1:56 pm AP - Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday that Americans are less safe now that President Barack Obama has overturned Bush terrorism-fighting policies and that nearly all the Republican administration's goals in Iraq have been achieved. Enough of the puff: tax may cut smoking rates (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 11:54 am Reuters - A big hike in the federal tax on cigarettes taking effect on April 1 may prompt 1 million U.S. smokers to quit, according to public health experts. Cheney unhappy Bush did not pardon former aide Libby (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 11:21 am Reuters - Former Vice President Dick Cheney said on Sunday he was unhappy with then-President George W. Bush's refusal to pardon Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Cheney's onetime chief of staff who was convicted in the CIA leak case. Millions in AIG bonuses fuel political storm (AFP) March 15, 2009 at 10:53 am AFP - President Barack Obama's top economic adviser Sunday blasted "outrageous" conduct at AIG as the bailed-out insurance giant readied to hand out millions in bonuses to top executives. For Liberians in US, a frightening waiting game (AP) March 15, 2009 at 10:42 am AP - Alexander Collins has two homes: a new one in the U.S. where he wants to stay and one in Africa he wants to leave for good. Man kills 4 at gathering in Miami, then kills self (AP) March 15, 2009 at 10:34 am AP - A man shot four people to death at a family gathering early Sunday, then went home and killed himself, police said. NASA fuels Discovery for mission to space station (AP) March 15, 2009 at 10:31 am AP - NASA is fueling space shuttle Discovery again in hopes of finally getting its mission going. Obama faces Democrat discord on spending plans (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 10:04 am Reuters - Republicans are not the only ones in the U.S. Congress squawking about President Barack Obama's record $3.55 trillion budget plan. Clashes as Pakistan ex-PM Sharif defies arrest (AFP) March 15, 2009 at 9:55 am AFP - Pakistan's main opposition leader Nawaz Sharif defied house arrest Sunday, ramping up his challenge to the government, as riot police clashed with stone-throwing mobs in street battles. Goolsbee sees private money helping U.S. banks (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 9:39 am Reuters - The Obama administration expects private capital to bolster government funds to help the recovery of U.S. banks, Austan Goolsbee, a key adviser to the Democratic president, said Sunday. OPEC faces vital output meet (AFP) March 15, 2009 at 9:26 am AFP - OPEC ministers held a crucial meeting here Sunday amid mounting pressure for an output cut after Algeria called for such a move, but the outcome remained unclear. Protests against Pakistani government turn violent (AP) March 15, 2009 at 9:01 am AP - Pakistan's opposition leader defied house arrest on Sunday to join anti-government protests that quickly descended into violence and chaos, with running battles between stone-throwing protesters and police. Atlantic City shows gambling isn't recession-proof (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 8:46 am Reuters - In the 20 years he's worked on the Atlantic City boardwalk, Joe Lochs has never seen business this bad. In bad economy, TV news turns to average Americans (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 8:40 am Reuters - In a slumping economy, U.S. network news programs are expanding their gaze beyond Wall Street and Washington to mainstream America, heralding projects that give voice to everyday people and their financial woes. Pakistani protesters clash with police in Lahore (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 8:34 am Reuters - Anti-government protesters fought street battles with police in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday in clashes that deepened concern about the deteriorating situation in the country. Madagascar opposition leader says controls army (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 8:19 am Reuters - Madagascar's opposition leader Andry Rajoelina said on Sunday that he had the army's backing and was giving the orders during a standoff with the Indian Ocean island's president. OPEC considers full compliance or fresh cuts (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 8:06 am Reuters - OPEC ministers began talks on Sunday to decide whether to set new output targets or stick to existing curbs against a backdrop of swelling oil inventories and a shattered world economy. No. 5 Louisville wins first Big East title (AP) March 15, 2009 at 7:57 am AP - Louisville's first Big East championship will be remembered as well for its runner-up's overtime work. Browns WR Stallworth hits, kills Fla. pedestrian (AP) March 15, 2009 at 7:57 am AP - Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth hit and killed a pedestrian with his Bentley on Saturday morning on a busy causeway linking Miami and Miami Beach, police said. Online records: Survey finds many states lagging (AP) March 15, 2009 at 7:56 am AP - Americans can easily learn about their state songs and state flowers with a quick search on the Internet, but most will have a harder time checking whether their children's school buses are safe or a local gas station is charging too much. Obama to unveil proposals to help small businesses (AP) March 15, 2009 at 7:51 am AP - Amid misgivings over his spending blueprint, President Barack Obama has decided to provide billions of dollars in federal lending aid aimed at struggling small business owners. Repaired space shuttle ready for launch try Sunday (Reuters) March 15, 2009 at 1:06 am Reuters - CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) -- NASA will try again on Sunday to launch space shuttle Discovery on a construction mission to the International Space Station after fixing a fuel leak that triggered a delay last week.