list USATODAY.com News - Top Stories http://www.usatoday.com/news/default.htm USATODAY.com News - Top Stories (USA TODAY) en-us Copyright 2009, USATODAY.com, USA TODAY Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:53:15 GMT USATODAY.com News - Top Stories 142 18 http://www.usatoday.com/news/default.htm http://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/usatodaycom_135x20.gif Senators overseeing health bill debate get dose of PAC money http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/z_xEHeUYzJA/2009-12-21-health-care-PAC-money-senators_N.htm Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:52:41 GMT As the health care bill moves toward a critical vote in the Senate, the five senators charged with overseeing the floor debate ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/zxwNKt7W2Heu_GtWz4TdtBC7sRQ/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/zxwNKt7W2Heu_GtWz4TdtBC7sRQ/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/zxwNKt7W2Heu_GtWz4TdtBC7sRQ/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/zxwNKt7W2Heu_GtWz4TdtBC7sRQ/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/z_xEHeUYzJA" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-12-21-health-care-PAC-money-senators_N.htm?csp=34 Investigators: Balloon boy parents acted alone http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/F_47MTu2ccs/2009-12-21-balloon-boy_N.htm Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:11:42 GMT Colorado couple Richard and Mayumi Heene acted alone when they fabricated a story about their son floating off in a runaway balloon ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/dkHz_6fvvJFx9mUxPIe5Bbjo5B0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/dkHz_6fvvJFx9mUxPIe5Bbjo5B0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/dkHz_6fvvJFx9mUxPIe5Bbjo5B0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/dkHz_6fvvJFx9mUxPIe5Bbjo5B0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/F_47MTu2ccs" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-21-balloon-boy_N.htm?csp=34 Troops, Taliban race to build up local Afghan governments http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/WzxqlwpdilA/2009-12-21-afghanistan-local-troops_N.htm Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:41:59 GMT The governor of this remote district in southern Afghanistan has employees he can't afford to pay, a school he struggles to staff ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Shcgcq6Jk1yKjLUocNlR_nOxPNk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Shcgcq6Jk1yKjLUocNlR_nOxPNk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Shcgcq6Jk1yKjLUocNlR_nOxPNk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/Shcgcq6Jk1yKjLUocNlR_nOxPNk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/WzxqlwpdilA" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-12-21-afghanistan-local-troops_N.htm?csp=34 Decree praising Pope Pius XII upsets Jewish leaders http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/SpoLhOc7HcE/2009-12-22-popepius22_ST_N.htm Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:10:58 GMT Jewish leaders warned of new strains in Catholic-Jewish relations after Pope Benedict XVI moved Pope Pius XII one step closer ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HoH-4yj4JuXDh-MkiPN7L_C3rmg/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HoH-4yj4JuXDh-MkiPN7L_C3rmg/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HoH-4yj4JuXDh-MkiPN7L_C3rmg/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HoH-4yj4JuXDh-MkiPN7L_C3rmg/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/SpoLhOc7HcE" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-12-22-popepius22_ST_N.htm?csp=34 Seattle tops list of literate cities http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/WAiDiJRzTa8/2009-12-21-literate-cities_N.htm Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:01:08 GMT Cities where lots of people read also tend to feature a vibrant singles' scene, a study suggests. It finds that Boston, Seattle, ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/WeQ4d0e0Xyh5sbO0-U2pnekOzDU/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/WeQ4d0e0Xyh5sbO0-U2pnekOzDU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/WeQ4d0e0Xyh5sbO0-U2pnekOzDU/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/WeQ4d0e0Xyh5sbO0-U2pnekOzDU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/WAiDiJRzTa8" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-21-literate-cities_N.htm?csp=34 Mbeki says Darfur peace deal is possible soon http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/UUia2NU2rFY/2009-12-21-Darfur_N.htm Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:19:25 GMT Former South African president Thabo Mbeki said Monday "it is possible and necessary" to conclude a peace agreement on Darfur ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/575bQ-8faYE-UlwrugJmY0F1buo/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/575bQ-8faYE-UlwrugJmY0F1buo/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/575bQ-8faYE-UlwrugJmY0F1buo/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/575bQ-8faYE-UlwrugJmY0F1buo/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/UUia2NU2rFY" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-12-21-Darfur_N.htm?csp=34 Taste-test 5 diabetic cookbooks http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/OuYSJRUtEtM/2009-12-21-diabetes-recipes_N.htm Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:27:57 GMT Almost 24 million Americans have diabetes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. With diabetes, weight management ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/ebAOlOMK1BkRSIaKJmNyjP4koCs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/ebAOlOMK1BkRSIaKJmNyjP4koCs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/ebAOlOMK1BkRSIaKJmNyjP4koCs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/ebAOlOMK1BkRSIaKJmNyjP4koCs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/OuYSJRUtEtM" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-12-21-diabetes-recipes_N.htm?csp=34 Survey: Southerners lead U.S. in religious devotion http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/H6CFzMtZpK4/2009-12-21-south-bible-belt_N.htm Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:55:08 GMT There's a reason the South is known as the Bible belt: A survey shows that Southerners and Mississippians in particular are ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fOgFOUOzovT9BPxIIDqUirzQaOw/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fOgFOUOzovT9BPxIIDqUirzQaOw/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fOgFOUOzovT9BPxIIDqUirzQaOw/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/fOgFOUOzovT9BPxIIDqUirzQaOw/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/H6CFzMtZpK4" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-12-21-south-bible-belt_N.htm?csp=34 Mexico City to approve gay marriage http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/WBT1F2KELWs/2009-12-21-Mexico-gay-marriage_N.htm Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:50:31 GMT Mexico City lawmakers have become the first in Latin America to legalize gay marriage. <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/qHc8OjSXfH-Pyq3M1VUUmBybcjI/0/da"><img 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ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/dbs9WMLJYzA" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2009-12-21-snow-ice-removal_N.htm?csp=34 Two men drown trying to rescue dog in lake http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/mCsYnijt_38/2009-12-21-dog-saved-men-drown_N.htm Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:48:27 GMT Authorities say two brothers drowned after falling into icy waters while attempting to rescue a dog that fell into a Northern ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/uoAqu7_qswNR98uLga6lH9riQkA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/uoAqu7_qswNR98uLga6lH9riQkA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/uoAqu7_qswNR98uLga6lH9riQkA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/uoAqu7_qswNR98uLga6lH9riQkA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/mCsYnijt_38" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-21-dog-saved-men-drown_N.htm?csp=34 D.C. chief slams detective over gun at snowball fight http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/2yhQh6q3404/2009-12-21-chief-snowball-detective_N.htm Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:43:57 GMT Washington's police chief criticized a veteran detective Monday for pulling a gun during a mass snowball fight. Authorities ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hBCoFUOntC-mj9WnjUPgTK7KwoY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hBCoFUOntC-mj9WnjUPgTK7KwoY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hBCoFUOntC-mj9WnjUPgTK7KwoY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/hBCoFUOntC-mj9WnjUPgTK7KwoY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/2yhQh6q3404" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-21-chief-snowball-detective_N.htm?csp=34 NYC mayor blasts EMTs accused of refusing to help http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~3/I43Jq4396YM/2009-12-21-nyc-emts-blasted_N.htm Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:54:18 GMT Mayor Michael Bloomberg has criticized two New York City emergency medical technicians accused of ignoring a pregnant woman who ... <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HHT3oCw_pxKGdyWbIjcvgYDvk7E/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HHT3oCw_pxKGdyWbIjcvgYDvk7E/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HHT3oCw_pxKGdyWbIjcvgYDvk7E/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/HHT3oCw_pxKGdyWbIjcvgYDvk7E/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/usatoday-NewsTopStories/~4/I43Jq4396YM" height="1" width="1"/> http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-12-21-nyc-emts-blasted_N.htm?csp=34