What's in the News

Baghdad bombings kill at least 20

World News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:31:55 +0000

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Car bombs struck across Baghdad Thursday, killing at least 20 people and wounding dozens, in the latest wave of attacks on the Iraqi capital since a political crisis erupted in December, security officials said. One car bomb killed at least nine people and wounded 27 in the upmarket Karrada neighborhood, hurling shrapnel into the next street and blowing out glass from nearby buildings. At least two other blasts hit Karrada, including another car bomb attack that killed one person, police said. ...

Taliban urge Afghans to kill "invaders" amid new Koran protests

Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:23:04 +0000

KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban urged Afghans on Thursday to target foreign military bases and kill Westerners in retaliation for burnings of copies of the Koran at NATO's main base in the country as a third day of violent protests began. Thousands of demonstrators rallied across the country, some chanting "Death to America!," Reuters witnesses and officials said. In eastern Kabul, hundreds of youths threw rocks at police, who fired shots into the air to try disperse the crowds. ...

How the poll was conducted

Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:56:13 +0000

The Associated Press-GfK Poll on President Obama and the economy was conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications from Feb. 16-20. It is based on landline and cellphone telephone interviews with a nationally representative random sample of 1,000 adults. Interviews were conducted with 700 respondents on landline telephones and 300 on cellular phones.

Poll: Obama benefiting from improving economy

Business News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:55:48 +0000

President Barack Obama is reaping political benefits from the country's brighter economic mood. A new poll shows that Republicans and Democrats alike are increasingly saying the nation is heading in the right direction and most independents now approve the way he's addressing the nation's post-recession period.

China’s policy-led slowdown spawns property showdown

Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:54:59 +0000

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's policy-induced property slowdown has put the central and local governments on a $320 billion collision course in one of the economy's biggest growth-generating sectors. Beijing wants local governments to bear most of the 2 trillion yuan cost to construct millions of affordable homes this year. This would offset a slowdown in private real estate investment as developers chop expansion plans following a state drive to curb property speculation. ...

Nancy Pelosi Relents, Appears on ‘The Colbert Report’

Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:50:52 +0000

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi relented on her oath not to appear on Comedy Central’s “Colbert Report” when she joined host Stephen Colbert Wednesday for a segment to promote the DISCLOSE act. Prior to the segment featuring Pelosi Colbert teased a video clip of a...

Australian PM Gillard calls for leadership vote

World News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:47:49 +0000

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has dared her political rival, former foreign minister Kevin Rudd, to challenge her in a leadership vote next week, hoping to end infighting that threatens to sink the minority government and its reform agenda. Gillard called on Thursday for the vote to be held by ruling-party lawmakers next Monday, gambling that a victory for her would silence Rudd whom she accused of trying to destabilize her unpopular government and regain the top job. ...

Sweden’s crown princess gives birth to baby girl

Entertainment News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:30:29 +0000

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria gave birth to her first child early Thursday, a baby girl that is second in line to the throne, her husband, Prince Daniel, said.

Romney clawing his way back in Republican race

Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:24:31 +0000

MESA, Arizona (Reuters) - Mitt Romney is fighting his way back into the driving seat in the Republican presidential race, putting in a strong debate performance in Arizona and gaining in polls against conservative rival Rick Santorum. An aggressive Romney repeatedly put Santorum on the defensive in a CNN debate on Wednesday and attacked the former U.S. senator and staunch social conservative for supporting big-spending government programs. Romney has also battled his way into a slight lead in a new poll in Michigan, which along with Arizona will hold a primary contest on February 28. ...

Analysis: Obama goes on offense over high gasoline prices

Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:04:44 +0000

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As Republican presidential candidates toss barbs at Barack Obama over expensive gasoline, the U.S. president and his team are going on the offensive with a strategy to divert blame and prepare voters for higher costs. In subtle and not so subtle ways, Obama, a Democrat, is raising the issue of high prices to promote his own policy priorities and blunt criticism from the men vying to unseat him in the November 6 election. His strategy is both politically- and policy-oriented. The president wants to advance his plans to increase renewable energy sources and reduce U.S. ...

Celeb birthdays for the week of Feb. 26-March 3

Entertainment News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:03:23 +0000

Feb. 26: Singer Fats Domino is 84. Guitarist Paul Cotton of Poco is 69. Actor-director Bill Duke is 69. Singer Mitch Ryder is 67. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain of Journey is 62. Singer Michael Bolton is 59. Actor Greg Germann ("Ally McBeal") is 54. Actress Jennifer Grant is 46. Bassist Tim Commerford (Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine) is 44. Singer Erykah Badu is 41. R&B singer Rico Wade of Society of Soul is 40. Singer Kyle Norman of Jagged Edge is 37. Drummer Chris Culos of O.A.R. is 33. Singer Corinne Bailey Rae is 33. Actress Taylor Dooley ("The Adventures of Shark Boy and a Lava Girl in 3-D") is 19.

Iran talks failure sparks confrontation fears

Politics News Headlines - Yahoo! News — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:01:30 +0000

VIENNA/TEHRAN (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog's latest mission to Iran failed to budge a defiant Tehran over its disputed nuclear program, sending oil prices to a nine-month high over fears of an increasing risk of confrontation with the West. The United States criticized Iran on Wednesday over the collapse of the International Atomic Energy Agency's talks in Tehran, saying it again showed the Islamic Republic's refusal to abide by international obligations over its nuclear program. ...