jeudi 2 août 2012

Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines

Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines


N.C. law bans scientific predictions of rising sea levels

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 01:02 PM PDT

New Law in North Carolina Bans Latest Scientific Predictions of Sea-Level RiseOpponents Say Law Ignores Reality; Supporters Say Alarmist Predictions Threaten Coastal Residents


Fewer than 50 followers on Twitter? You probably support Obama

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 12:44 PM PDT

A Twitter page is displayed on a laptop computer in Los AngelesWhen it comes to preferences in the 2012 presidential campaign, Twitter follows a familiar political narrative. The Democrat, Barack Obama, draws his support from large numbers of people with limited influence, while the Republican, Mitt Romney, relies on tweets from a smaller, more powerful set of people. And by power, of course, we mean one's [...]


Romney attacks Obama's economic 'report card'

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 12:44 PM PDT

Mitt Romney on Colorado Shooting: 'Our Hearts Break'In his first public event since his less-than-smooth overseas trip, Mitt Romney sought to return the focus back to President Barack Obama's record, arguing that Obama hasn't delivered on his promises to turn the country around. Ahead of Friday's much-anticipated monthly jobs report, Romney trashed Obama for the nation's high unemployment rate and for fostering [...]


Cinnabon is first U.S. franchise to open in Libya

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 12:12 PM PDT

Just months after the country went through a dramatic revolution, Tripoli is welcoming Cinnabon, the first U.S. franchise to open in Libya. Mike Shattuck, president of the Atlanta-based company, Focus Brands International, tells CNN there are plans to open Cinnabon outlets in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco as well. Shattuck said the 7,500-square-foot Cinnabon store is [...]

Surf’s up: Arctic waves call California wave riders

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 11:36 AM PDT

Surf's up: Arctic waves call California wave riders

Senate fails to approve cybersecurity legislation

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 10:46 AM PDT

The Senate failed Thursday to pass legislation to protect the U.S. electrical grid, water supplies and other critical industries from cyberattack and electronic espionage despite dire warnings from top national security officials about the potential for devastating assaults on American computer networks.

Hitler’s nephew begged FDR to allow him to enlist to fight uncle

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 10:12 AM PDT

The nephew of Adolf Hitler sent a letter begging President Franklin D. Roosevelt to allow him to enlist in the U.S. military to fight his uncle's "devilish and pagan regime."

Estimate: $6 billion will be spent on elections this cycle

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:55 AM PDT

Veterans weigh in on Obama, Romney speechesTotal political spending on elections this cycle is estimated to reach nearly $6 billion, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks the influence of money in politics. The researchers who compiled the report gathered data through public disclosure documents submitted to the Federal Election Commission and tax [...]


Odds of Syria peace get bleaker as Annan quits U.N. mission

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:20 AM PDT

U.N.-Arab League mediator Annan addresses a news conference in GenevaSpeaking to reporters in Geneva, Annan cited "finger-pointing and name-calling" in the 15-nation Security Council as one of the reasons for his decision to step down.


Drew Peterson denied mistrial again after prosecution's missteps

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:20 AM PDT

Drew Peterson Denied Mistrial Again After Prosecution's MisstepsPeterson is charged with killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio, and making it look like an accident in 2004.


Spain says al Qaeda planned airborne attack

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:20 AM PDT

'Ultralight' Terrorists? Spain Says Al Qaeda Planned Airborne AttackPolice believe at least two of those arrested had practiced flying small "ultralight" airplanes or using small drones, the police said.


Judge: No mistrial in Drew Peterson murder case

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:04 AM PDT

FILE - In this May 7, 2009 file booking photo provided by the Will County Sheriff's office in Joliet, Ill., former Bolingbrook, Ill., police officer Drew Peterson is shown. Peterson is charged with first-degree murder in the 2004 drowning death of his former wife Kathleen Savio. Opening statements in his trial are scheduled to begin Tuesday, July 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Will County Sheriff's Office, File)A judge decided against declaring a mistrial in Drew Peterson's murder case Thursday, saying the former police officer still can get a fair trial despite prosecutors' missteps.


Annan quits as international Syria mediator: U.N.'s Ban

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:26 AM PDT

Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan speaks at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Cape TownUNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is stepping down as the U.N.-Arab League mediator in the 17-month-old Syria conflict at the end of the month, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said in a statement on Thursday. "Mr. Annan has informed me, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Nabil Elaraby, of his intention not to renew his mandate when it expires on 31 August 2012," Ban said in a statement, adding that he and Elaraby were in discussions on appointing a successor to Annan. ...


Trading company says it lost $440 million on glitch in minutes

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:08 AM PDT

A trader works at the Knight Capital kiosk on the floor of the New York Stock ExchangeKnight Capital Group Inc is being forced to raise money after an erroneous trading position wiped out $440 million of its capital, the firm said.


Video: A sinkhole grows in Brooklyn

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:51 AM PDT

A massive sinkhole opened up in Brooklyn on Wednesday, nearly swallowing a parked car and causing giant headache for city officials who plan to work through the weekend to repair it.

Spain arrests al Qaeda suspects planning European attacks

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:51 AM PDT

Spain's Interior Minister Diaz gestures during news conference at ministry headquarters in MadridMADRID (Reuters) - Three people linked to al Qaeda have been arrested in the south of Spain, one in possession of explosives they planned to use in attacks in either the Iberian country or other European nations, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said on Thursday. He said police arrested on Wednesday two al Qaeda members from ex-Soviet republics close to Ciudad Real who were likely heading to France, and a Turkish man near Cadiz whose house was searched and where explosives were found. ...


Rafalca watch: Romney horse makes Olympic debut

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:51 AM PDT

Jan Ebeling of U.S. rides Rafalca, part-owned by Mitt Rommey's wife Ann, during the equestrian individual dressage Grand Prix Day 1 at the Greenwich Park at the London 2012 Olympic GamesAnn Romney says she was "thrilled to death" by her horse Rafalca's performance at today's Olympic dressage competition.


Aetna CEO and 30-year-old bond over staggering cancer bills

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 06:59 AM PDT

Last week, Aetna CEO Mark T. Bertolini, a former paramedic who has had his own share of medical crises, tweeted directly with with a colon cancer patient and agreed to pay "every last penny" of his bills.

Commuter jets avoid last-second collision near Washington, D.C

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 06:59 AM PDT

Three US Airways jets, carrying a total of 192 passengers and crew members, were reportedly taking off or landing at Washington's Reagan National Airport when they came within 12 seconds of a mid-air collision

Rafalca watch: Romney horse and rider unfazed by hype

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 06:41 AM PDT

Jan Ebeling of U.S. rides Rafalca, part-owned by Mitt Rommey's wife Ann, during the equestrian individual dressage Grand Prix Day 1 at the Greenwich Park at the London 2012 Olympic GamesRafalca, the dressage horse part-owned by Mitt Romney's wife Ann, made a solid Olympic debut on Thursday as rider Jan Ebeling ignored the media hype and political jibing surrounding them.


Vampire bat bites may make jungle dwellers in Peru immune to rabies

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 05:32 AM PDT

Vampire Bat Bites Help Shield Peruvians from RabiesRabies has been thought of as virtually 100-percent fatal unless treated immediately, but new research shows that a small number of isolated Peruvians have natural immunity from the animal-transmitted disease.


Boxing: Judges under fire amid 'fix' claims

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 05:32 AM PDT

Iran's Mazaheri refuses to take part in the decision after being disqualified during his Men's Heavy (91kg) Round of 16 boxing match against Larduet Gomez of Cuba at the London 2012 Olympic GamesOlympic judges and referees came under fire on Wednesday with one fighter accusing them of "a fix", another successfully appealing a loss and even boxing great Lennox Lewis questioning some of their calls.


Detroit boy sells snacks to save Motor City

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 04:58 AM PDT

Detroit Boy, 9, Saving Motor City with Snack StandJoshua decided to figure out what he could do to help the city, and wound up deciding on what Americans have done for years: Start a small business.


Nuke ops halted after protesters enter TN complex

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 04:42 AM PDT

Nuclear operations were temporarily halted Wednesday at a Tennessee complex that stores and processes uranium after three protesters, including a nun, were able to intrude into a high-security area over the weekend. The Y-12 National Security Complex said all nuclear material is safe.

Laser fires pulses more powerful than all the world's electric plants combined

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 04:42 AM PDT

A new laser at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was put through its paces July 20, delivering pulses with a petawatt of power once per second.

mercredi 1 août 2012

Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines

Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines


Pepper-spray cop no longer employed by UC Davis

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 10:53 AM PDT

Lt. John Pike, the University of California Davis police officer who pepper-sprayed student protesters last November, is no longer employed by the university. The Sacramento Bee reported that the circumstances of Lt. Pike's departure are not known. UC Davis spokesperson Barry Shiller said, "Consistent with privacy guidelines established in state law and university policy, I [...]

Gore Vidal, immensely quotable writer, remembered on Twitter

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 10:18 AM PDT

American author Gore Vidal in 2006As news of Gore Vidal's death spread on Wednesday, the celebrated American writer's name began trending as fans took to Twitter to remember his immensely quotable—and tweetable—work.


Putin rolls back freedoms, ups efforts to intimidate opposition

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 10:18 AM PDT

Putin Rolls Back Freedoms, Ups Efforts to Intimidate OppositionSince Putin's inauguration, the Kremlin has pushed through several pieces of legislation and orchestrated an apparent attempt to systematically restrict and intimidate the opposition.


California cop who pepper-sprayed protesters off police force

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 09:43 AM PDT

(Reuters) - The campus police lieutenant captured on video pepper spraying seated Occupy Wall Street protesters last November at the University of California, Davis is no longer on the force, a university spokeswoman said on Wednesday. The image of a cop pepper spraying seated protesters came to symbolize law enforcement aggression against the movement and sparked multiple investigations. UC Davis police Lieutenant John Pike remained on the force until Tuesday, said university spokeswoman Claudia Morain. Citing the school's personnel privacy guidelines, she declined further comment. ...

How Oakland became the spiritual capital of Occupy Wall Street

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 09:43 AM PDT

A chalk drawing from Occupy Oakland (Peter Bohler /The New York Times)Last Spring, as the Occupy movement struggled, vainly, to recapture its lost energy in New York and elsewhere, in Oakland it remained vital.


New seal flu could pose threat to humans

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 09:43 AM PDT

A new influenza strain found in New England harbor seals could potentially threaten people as well as wildlife, new research suggests.

60 House bills to name post offices, zero to fix mail service

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 09:08 AM PDT

This photo taken July 27, 2012 shows a mailbox outside a US Post Office in Lawrence, Mich. The U.S. Postal Service is bracing for a first-ever default on billions in payments due to the Treasury, adding to widening uncertainty about the mail agency's solvency as first-class letters plummet and Congress deadlocks on ways to stem the red ink. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)At a point when the Postal Service is bleeding money, the 112th Congress has been sworn in, the House has introduced 60 bills to rename post offices. 


No more co-pays for contraception

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 08:52 AM PDT

Health insurance companies are required to stop charging women co-pays for contraceptives such as birth control and condoms Wednesday under new rules in President Obama's health care reform law.

Obama pitches tax cuts as pocketbook issue in Ohio

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 08:52 AM PDT

President Barack Obama prepares to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Wednesday, Aug., 1, 2012. Obama is traveling to Ohio for campaign stops in Mansfield and Akron. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)President Barack Obama is urging the House to pass a tax cut for households earning less than $250,000 a year and drawing a bright line with rival Mitt Romney on a pocketbook issue for voters.


How the media should cover mass shootings, and why it can't

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 08:35 AM PDT

Pallbearers and funeral workers carry the casket bearing the body of Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting victim AJ Boik to a hearse following Boik's funeral, Friday, July 27, 2012, in Aurora, Colo. Boik, 18, was one of twelve people killed in a shooting attack, that also wounded dozens, last Friday at a packed movie theater during a showing of the Batman movie, The ghastly theatricality of the July 20 shooting in an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater guaranteed nonstop media attention, amplified by social media.


Chick-fil-A supporters plan appreciation day

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 08:35 AM PDT

Conservative groups gather for 'Chick-fil-A appreciation day'Supporters of Chick-fil-A are planning to eat at restaurants in the chicken chain as the company continues to be criticized for an executive's comments about gay marriage.


London Mayor Boris left dangling in Olympic tangle

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 07:43 AM PDT

Mayor of London Boris Johnson recites a poem at the opening of the 124th IOC session in LondonLONDON (Reuters) - London Mayor Boris Johnson was left dangling in the air on Wednesday when he got stranded on a zip wire while trying to make a dramatic entry to an Olympic party in one of London's parks. In his trademark black suit and shoes, helmeted and holding two Union Jack flags in the drizzle, the portly Johnson shouted for help after his zip wire - an attraction favoured by school children - got into a tangle in London's Victoria Park. ...


What a tea party candidate's win means for Washington

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 07:25 AM PDT

Texas Toast: What A Tea Party Candidate's Win Means For WashingtonRegardless of who wins control of the Senate this November, we know that the upper body in Washington is going to be as polarized and uncompromising as ever.


Cape Cod shark attack victim 911 calls released

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 07:08 AM PDT

Cape Cod Shark Attack Victim 911 Calls Released"It will take some gentle effort to get back in the water, but I hope one day," Chris Myers said after being bitten.


Bird punches a hole in the nose of plane in midair

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 06:51 AM PDT

A jet carrying 151 passengers landed safely at Denver International Airport after declaring an emergency when a bird damaged the nose of the plane. United Airlines flight 1475 from Dallas-Fort Worth apparently stuck a large bird as it was descending into Denver. There were no injuries reported, according to ABC News. Pictures from the airport [...]

Can Mitt Romney end the gaffe track?

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 05:58 AM PDT

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with wife Ann bows to Polish WWII veterans and a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp prior to laying a wreath at the Warsaw 1944 Uprising monument in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, July 31, 2012. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)One thing Mitt Romney brings home from his trip abroad this week is a whole lot of baggage, so much so that the campaign has to be worrying about the fact that he has now become the gaffe candidate.


Olympic officials fuming after badminton team tries to lose

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

International Olympic Committee press spokesman Mark Adams gestures during a news conference in the Olympic Park at the London 2012 Olympic GamesLONDON (Reuters) - A Badminton fiasco, involving women players who "threw" matches to manipulate the draw, has triggered the ire of the London Games organizers and the International Olympic Committee but no player will be expelled from the Games, they said on Wednesday. The controversy prompted the international federation to charge eight players for failing to adhere to the sports code of conduct and overshadowed spectacular action late on Tuesday, including U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps becoming the most decorated Olympian with 19 medals. "This is not acceptable," said IOC spokesman Mark ...


Obama leads Romney in three battleground states, new poll shows

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 04:33 AM PDT

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at the 113th VFW National Convention in RenoPresident Barack Obama holds an edge over Mitt Romney in Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania, a new Quinnipiac University/New York Times/CBS News poll out Wednesday shows.


Crunching the numbers on an election: It's going to be a squeaker

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 04:33 AM PDT

Professor Abramowitz stands in front of a slide predicting Obama as winning U.S. Presidential election at Emory University in Atlanta.For anyone wondering how much of the vote President Barack Obama might lose in the November 6 election because he is black, a professor in Iowa has crunched polling data and come up with an estimate: 3.3 percent.


Rausing pleads guilty to preventing wife's burial

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 04:16 AM PDT

A judicial official says that Hans Kristian Rausing has pleaded guilty to preventing the proper burial of his wealthy wife Eva Rausing.

White House aide Pfeiffer apologizes for Churchill bust controversy

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 04:16 AM PDT

After lampooning Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer last week for getting his facts wrong on the controversy surrounding the Winston Churchill bust at the White House, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer has apologized. On Friday, Pfeiffer slammed Krauthammer for repeating "this ridiculous claim" that...

Syrian aircraft strike Aleppo, rebels claim successes

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 03:25 AM PDT

Smoke rises between buildings after shelling by forces loyal to President Assad in AleppoSyrian combat aircraft and artillery pounded Aleppo late into the night as the army battled for control of the country's biggest city, where rebel fighters said troops loyal to President Assad had been forced to retreat.


Security in focus as Clinton begins Africa trip

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 03:25 AM PDT

Clinton delivers the keynote address at a symposium on ending genocide, at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in WashingtonSecretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Senegal, beginning a trip that will take her both to Africa's newest nation South Sudan and on a private visit to the continent's elder statesman, 94-year-old Nelson Mandela.


Power restored across India after historic failure

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 02:18 AM PDT

Indian commuters exit an underground metro station where services were fully restored after Tuesday's power outage in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012. Factories and workshops across India were up and running again Wednesday, a day after a major system collapse led to a second day of power outages and the worst blackout in history. An estimated 620 million people were left without electricity after India's northern, eastern and northeastern grids cascaded into failure Tuesday afternoon. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)Factories and workshops across India were up and running again Wednesday, a day after a major system collapse led to a second day of power outages and the worst blackout in history.


Michael Phelps swims into the history books

Posted: 01 Aug 2012 02:18 AM PDT

Michael Phelps swims into the history booksMichael Phelps of the U.S. holds his 19th Olympic medal presented to him in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay victory ceremony during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre July 31, 2012. REUTERS/Michael Dalder (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT OLYMPICS SPORT SWIMMING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)