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Most popular news on 16 October 2009 |
Boy feared floating away in homemade balloon found
AP - A 6-year-old boy was found hiding in a cardboard box in his family's garage Thursday after being feared aboard a homemade helium balloon that hurtled 50 miles through the sky on live television.
Insurers dropping Chinese drywall policies
AP - James and Maria Ivory's dreams of a relaxing retirement on Florida's Gulf Coast were put on hold when they discovered their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked their insurer for help — and not only was their claim denied, but they've been told their entire policy won't be renewed.
Maine boy's trick shot becomes Internet sensation
AP - A youth hockey player's fantastic trick goal at Boston's TD Banknorth Garden has become an Internet sensation.
Interracial couple denied marriage license in La.
AP - A white Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have.
Mission finds bright ribbon at solar system border
Reuters - A bright ribbon of hydrogen atoms marks the edge of the solar system, where the Sun's wind meets emissions from the rest of the galaxy, researchers reported on Thursday.
Baucus: All Senate Dems will support health bill
AP - When it comes time to vote, every Democrat in the Senate — and perhaps more than one Republican — will support legislation overhauling the nation's health care system, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee predicted Thursday.
Kan. lawmaker's anti-Obama 'RedNeck Rap' off Web
AP - A video featuring a Kansas legislator criticizing President Barack Obama's policies while wearing a hat describing opossum as "the other dark meat" was removed Thursday from YouTube, where the lawmaker had posted it last month.
BofA's Ken Lewis to get no '09 salary, bonus
AP - Capping a year in which he faced shareholder fury, regulatory scrutiny and was stripped of his chairman post, outgoing Bank of America Corp. CEO Ken Lewis will get no salary or bonus for 2009 under an agreement with the government's pay czar.
Obama defends himself against New Orleans critics
AP - Insisting he's "just getting started," President Barack Obama defended his administration Thursday against complaints from some residents of the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast that federal help in recovering from the 2005 disasters hasn't improved much since he took office.
No Social Security COLA could prod $250 payments
AP - Social Security recipients won't get a cost-of-living increase next year for the first time in more than a third of a century, and that could boost President Barack Obama's plan to send seniors another round of $250 payments before the congressional elections.
New DOD photo rules prompt outcry
Politico - U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan are retreating somewhat from an effort to ban embedded journalists from publishing photos or video of American soldiers killed in action there, according to ground rules issued Thursday.
Tropical storm Rick forms off Mexico Pacific coast
Reuters - Tropical Storm Rick formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Thursday and could become a hurricane within the next day, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
Depeche Mode rep denies singer made slip in Peru
AP - A Depeche Mode representative is disputing reports that the British pop band's lead singer inadvertently sent a shout-out to the wrong country at a concert in Peru.
Garth Brooks says he's coming out of retirement
AP - Garth Brooks is coming to The Strip. The country superstar and casino owner Steve Wynn announced Thursday afternoon that Brooks will be taking over the Encore theater at Wynn Las Vegas about 15 weeks a year, perhaps for the next five years. And it only cost the entrepreneur a jet.
Tropical Storm Rick could be hurricane by Friday
AP - Forecasters say Tropical Storm Rick is quickly gaining strength off Mexico's western coast, and it could become a hurricane by Friday.
Giving babies Tylenol may blunt vaccines' effects
AP - Giving babies Tylenol to prevent fever when they get childhood vaccinations may backfire and make the shots a little less effective, surprising new research suggests.
Babies Love Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' Video on YouTube
Time.com - A year after the release of BeyoncÉ's song "Single Ladies," tributes to the video by diaper-clad toddlers continue to multiply on YouTube. Why does it resonate so much with the playdate set?
Mom of Fla. teen set on fire says it's a nightmare
AP - Michael Brewer loves his skateboard, SpongeBob and the tree swing in his front yard. Now the 15-year-old whose family calls him Mikey has burns over two-thirds of his body and is fighting to live after authorities say five other teens — some of whom were at his house to play a month ago — doused him in rubbing alcohol and flicked a lighter.
STIMULUS WATCH: Construction drives up new jobs
AP - Businesses reported creating or saving more than 30,000 jobs in the first months of President Barack Obama's stimulus program, according to initial data released Thursday by a government oversight board. Military construction led the way, and states in the South and Southwest saw the biggest boost.
Honduras, already poor, sinks further after coup
AP - A woman caring for six grandchildren can no longer afford milk. A bricklayer who used to work six days a week now is lucky to get two. A shop manager has seen his earnings evaporate.
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