US – Sunday, March 21

Final push is on for health care reform

Democrats in the House of Representatives on Thursday predicted weekend passage of a sweeping health care overhaul that budget analysts said would cut the U.S. deficit over 10 years and dramatically expand health coverage.

Pakistan charges U.S. 5 with terror

A Pakistani court formally charged five young Americans of plotting terrorism in the country yesterday, their lawyer said, in a case that has raised alarm over the danger posed by militants using the Internet.

Just when it couldn’t get worse for Bullock, here come the neo-Nazis

Sure, it’s Monday, but it could be worse — you could be Jesse James. On Saturday, James went back to work at West Coast Choppers, days after allegations surfaced that he cheated on his wife, Sandra Bullock, with a tattoo model. Us Weekly notes he was wearing a wedding ring.

SXSW ’10: Get your dance on, great songs optional

The trends that emerged from the SXSW Music Conference in Austin last week are still bubbling to the top as I make sense of the hundreds of songs that filled the city for four days, but one thing I definitely noticed is that popular music may soon have a lot more emphasis on flexibility.

‘Free’ ad leads to fraud suit

NEW YORK. A Wisconsin college student is suing credit firm Experian — the brains behind the ubiquitous FreeCreditReport.com jingles — for fraudulent advertising after she inadvertently signed up for a monthly $14.95 monitoring service.

At AKC, it’s score one for the mutts

Founded in 1884 as a registry for pure-bred dogs, the American Kennel Club didn’t traditionally offer many perks for your beloved lab-poodle-schnauzer mix. But as of April 1, the AKC Canine Partners Program will offer mutts not only membership benefits, but opportunities to compete at dog sporting events.

Published 01:08, November the 20th, 2009

Much of New Orleans was under water.

Much of New Orleans was under water.

Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Hurricane Katrina: U.S. gov’t liable for damage

A U.S. judge ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers was negligent in maintaining a key navigational channel in New Orleans and was liable for some damage caused by massive flooding from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

It was the first time a U.S. court has found the federal government directly responsible for some of the damage caused on Aug. 29, 2005, when Katrina flooded 80 percent of New Orleans and caused about $80 billion in damage.

If upheld, the ruling could set a precedent for thousands of other plaintiffs to sue the government for billions of dollars in damages.

REUTERS