2/28 Yahoo! News: Top Stories

AP source: A-Rod to meet with MLB on Sunday (AP) February 27, 2009 at 6:15 pm AP - Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to meet with Major League Baseball officials on Sunday to discuss his admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03 while with Texas. The timing of the meeting was disclosed Friday by a baseball official with knowledge of the session who spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was made. AP Source: Obama to rescind Bush abortion rule (AP) February 27, 2009 at 6:14 pm AP - President Barack Obama plans to repeal a Bush administration rule that has become a flash point in the debate over a doctor's right not to participate in abortions. The regulation, instituted in the last days of the Bush administration, strengthened job protections for doctors and nurses who refuse to provide a medical service because of moral qualms. Court: Va. man owns 1776 copy of Declaration (AP) February 27, 2009 at 6:12 pm AP - A rare 1776 copy of the Declaration of Independence belongs to a Virginia technology entrepreneur, not the state of Maine, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday. Richard Adams Jr. of Fairfax County purchased the document from a London book dealer in 2001 for $475,000. But the state of Maine claimed it belongs to the town of Wiscasset, where it was kept by the town clerk in 1776. Obama budget gives Dems a roadmap, GOP a target (AP) February 27, 2009 at 6:11 pm AP - With ambitious plans to change health care, energy, farm payments, taxes and more, President Barack Obama's budget gives congressional Democrats goals to reach for. And highlights political targets for Republicans to aim at. "Our work is well cut out for us," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said as she praised a "wonderful blueprint" from the administration that looks beyond reviving a weak economy and restoring order to the credit markets. Guard to pull out of New Orleans after 3 1/2 years (AP) February 27, 2009 at 6:09 pm AP - Three and a half years after Hurricane Katrina, the National Guard is pulling the last of its troops out of New Orleans this weekend, leaving behind a city still desperate and dangerous. Residents long distrustful of the city's police force are worried they will have to fend for themselves. Stanford exec to walk free after posting bail (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 6:04 pm Reuters - Laura Pendergest-Holt, the first person arrested in the $8 billion Allen Stanford fraud investigation, can walk free once she posts $300,000 bond, a Houston judge ruled on Friday. Chinese e-cigs gain ground amid safety concerns (AP) February 27, 2009 at 5:53 pm AP - With its slim white body and glowing amber tip, it can easily pass as a regular cigarette. It even emits what look like curlicues of white smoke. Dobson resigns as chairman of Focus on the Family (AP) February 27, 2009 at 5:10 pm AP - Conservative evangelical leader James Dobson has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family but will continue to play a prominent role at the organization he founded more than three decades ago. Illinois mystery: Placentas found in sewage system (AP) February 27, 2009 at 4:39 pm AP - Someone is disposing of placentas in a central Illinois sewage system and authorities want it to stop. Workers in Urbana on Thursday found a placenta in a filter that keeps large objects out of the sewage treatment plant — the third such find this year. So police have enlisted medical experts. "It was one of the weirdest calls I've ever received," said Julie Pryde, who heads the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. California sees billions in losses from drought (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 4:33 pm Reuters - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday declared a state emergency due to drought, requested broad conservation measures and said agricultural revenue losses in the coming season could top $2 billion. Republicans set course in Congress budget battle (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 2:54 pm Reuters - Top Republicans charged President Barack Obama with driving the United States toward socialism on Friday, opening an ideological attack on his big spending plans. Stocks sink after Citi deal, GDP reading (AP) February 27, 2009 at 9:58 am AP - Wall Street stumbled again Friday as investors second-guessed Citigroup Inc.'s plans to turn over a big piece of itself to the government and as the economy shrank at a much faster pace than expected at the end of last year. Bangladesh security chief among mutiny dead (AFP) February 27, 2009 at 9:48 am AFP - Soldiers in Bangladesh uncovered 38 dead bodies of senior army officers in a mass grave Friday, including the chief of the border security force, bringing to 66 the number killed in a mutiny. Russian bomber neared Canada before Obama visit (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 9:32 am Reuters - Canadian fighters scrambled to intercept an approaching Russian bomber less than 24 hours before U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Ottawa last week, Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay said on Friday. World faces last chance to avoid fatal warming: EU (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 9:28 am Reuters - The world faces a final opportunity to agree an adequate global response to climate change at a U.N.-led meeting in Copenhagen in December, the European Union's environment chief said on Friday. Obama to end combat operation in Iraq by Aug 2010 (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 9:24 am Reuters - President Barack Obama was set to announce on Friday he will pull U.S. combat forces from Iraq by August 2010, winding down the unpopular six-year war but leaving behind up to 50,000 troops. Economy shrinks at fastest pace in 26 years (AP) February 27, 2009 at 9:20 am AP - The economy contracted at a staggering 6.2 percent pace at the end of 2008, the worst showing in a quarter-century, as consumers and businesses ratcheted back spending, plunging the country deeper into recession. Economists question budget's economic assumptions (AP) February 27, 2009 at 9:20 am AP - The administration insists it isn't so, but some private economists are wondering if the Obama administration has brought "Rosy Scenario" back to town. US troops to leave Iraq by end 2011 (AFP) February 27, 2009 at 9:13 am AFP - All US combat troops will leave Iraq by August next year and a full withdrawal will be completed by the end of 2011 under a strategy to be laid out Friday by President Barack Obama, top officials said. Government could own up to 36 pct. of Citigroup (AP) February 27, 2009 at 9:12 am AP - The U.S. government will exchange up to $25 billion in emergency bailout money it provided Citigroup Inc. for as much as a 36 percent equity stake in the struggling bank. Americans mixed on Obama budget, fret over deficit (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 9:12 am Reuters - Many Americans applauded the spending plans and tax breaks set out in President Barack Obama's record budget, while others questioned the yawning deficit it would entail. U.S. boosts stake in Citigroup (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 9:09 am Reuters - The U.S. government will boost its stake in Citigroup Inc to as much as 36 percent, bolstering the banking giant's capital base in one of the most dramatic efforts yet to prop up the ailing banking industry. Bishop's apology over Holocaust denial not enough: Vatican (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 9:02 am Reuters - The Vatican said on Friday that an apology by a traditionalist bishop who denied the Holocaust fell short of meeting the Holy See's demand for a full and public recanting of his position. U.S. economy shrank at faster rate in fourth quarter (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 8:59 am Reuters - The U.S. economy contracted at its sharpest rate since early 1982 in the fourth quarter, revised data showed on Friday, as exports plunged and consumers cut spending by the most in more than 28 years. Calif. aquarium blames flooding on curious octopus (AP) February 27, 2009 at 8:15 am AP - Staff at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium in California say the trickster who flooded their offices with sea water was armed. Eight-armed, to be exact. Haynesworth gets 7-year, $100 deal from Redskins (AP) February 27, 2009 at 8:07 am AP - Moving swiftly in the first hours of free agency, the Washington Redskins opened their deep pockets and snagged perhaps the biggest name available: All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. Nick nixed: `Idol' chooses 3 more finalists (AP) February 27, 2009 at 7:23 am AP - Nick Mitchell probably won't be having the last laugh on "American Idol." The outrageous 27-year-old sketch comedian, who performed as his over-the-top alter ego Norman Gentle, was one of nine semifinalists sent packing Thursday on the popular Fox singing competition. Officials: Obama sets Aug. 2010 as Iraq end date (AP) February 27, 2009 at 7:07 am AP - A "substantial" number of the roughly 100,000 U.S. combat troops to be pulled out of Iraq by Aug. 31, 2010, will remain in the war zone through at least the end of this year to ensure national elections there go smoothly, senior Obama administration officials say. Facebook to let users give input on policies (AP) February 27, 2009 at 7:07 am AP - Facebook is trying its hand at democracy. The fast-growing online hangout, whose more than 175 million worldwide users could form the world's sixth-largest country behind Brazil, said Thursday that those users will play a "meaningful role" in deciding the site's policies and voting on changes. Top N.Y. legal officer demands bonus list from BofA CEO (Reuters) February 27, 2009 at 2:32 am Reuters - New York's top legal officer on Thursday demanded Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis provide names of Merrill Lynch executives who received 2008 bonuses, and how much they got, before the bank's takeover of the firm in January.