2009 August | US News

August 2009


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By msnbc.com on August 28, 2009

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World »

Strike on at British Airways

March 19, 2010

London, England (CNN) — British Airways cabin crew members went on strike Saturday, leaving thousands of would-be passengers travel plans during the next two weeks up in the air.

The strike came after British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh and the joint general secretary of the Unite union, Tony Woodley, emerged Friday from a meeting and announced the effort to avert the walkout had failed.

"This company does not want to negotiate," Woodley said of British Airways. "This company wants ultimately to go to war with my members and the union."

Walsh said he "deeply regrets" the inconvenience the strikes will cause to passengers but said the company will still try to operate as many flights as possible. "I am disappointed the union has not been able to see the sense of the proposal we tabled today," Walsh said.

Advice for passengers

British Airways posted lists on its Web site of flights that it plans to operate during the walkout.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he "believes that this strike is in no ones interest and will cause unacceptable inconvenience to passengers. He urges the strike be called off immediately" and the two sides return to bargaining.

In addition to the three-day strike beginning Saturday, Unite has decided to strike for four more days beginning March 27. Unite represents 95 percent of BAs 15,000 cabin crew members, but not all of them plan to strike.

Politics »

Angry Dems meet with Pelosi over abortion issue

March 19, 2010

Washington (CNN) — The divisive issue of abortion is once again causing problems for House Democrats as they plan to move forward with the health care bill.

Anti-abortion Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Michigan, is asking for a vote on his language restricting taxpayer funding for abortion, and a group of female abortion-rights Democrats came out of an emergency meeting in House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office Friday evening visibly angry about the request.

Rep. Diana Degette, D-Colorado, told reporters a vote on Stupaks measure was a "nonstarter," saying, "somewhere between 40 and 55" abortion-rights Democrats would bolt from the bill.

"We are holding firm this time," she said. "If Mr. Stupak and a few members along with the Republicans decide to use this to take health care down, that loss of health care will be in their hands."

It wasnt clear whether Democratic leaders were seriously considering allowing a vote on Stupaks abortion language, or in what form.

But Stupak said he is in talks with Pelosi, D-California.

Business »

Report: Linux Gains Ground, Windows Stumbles

January 26, 2010

Linux inched ahead in the operating-system arena during the final month of 2009, even as Windows and Mac gave up some ground. That’s according to research firm Net Applications, which recently released its Market Share report covering operating systems in December. Linux accounted for 1.02 percent of the market in December, up from an even 1 percent the month before.

Technology »

Dev Hacks Emulator to Pick WinPho7’s Brain

March 19, 2010

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Series emulator has been cracked. Windows Mobile Developer Dan Ardelean, who works out of Italy, announced Friday that he had hacked into the emulator, which allows users to run the WinPho7 platform on a full-sized computer. Microsoft had unveiled the emulator and other products, including Internet Explorer 9, this week at MIX10, Redmond’s conference for Web designers and developers.

Health »

End in sight, Dems lobby health bill waverers

March 19, 2010

March 19: Congressional Democrats struck an optimistic tone as President Barack Obama let loose, giving a fiery speech on why his signature issue should pass. NBC’s Chuck Todd reports. (Nightly News)President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders lobbied intensively for historic health care legislation Friday, striving to resolve a last-minute dispute over Medicare while gaining precious “yeses” less than 48 hours ahead of a climactic vote.

Sports »

NCAA tournament schedule, results

March 19, 2010

NCAA tournament schedule



SELECTED HEADLINES

Business »

Report: Linux Gains Ground, Windows Stumbles

January 26, 2010

Linux inched ahead in the operating-system arena during the ...

U.S. »

Sandbags in place as Red River rises

March 19, 2010

(CNN) -- Seven hundred thousand sandbags guarded the city ...

Politics »

Angry Dems meet with Pelosi over abortion issue

March 19, 2010

Washington (CNN) -- The divisive issue of abortion is ...

Technology »

Dev Hacks Emulator to Pick WinPho7’s Brain

March 19, 2010

Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 Series emulator has been cracked. ...

Health »

End in sight, Dems lobby health bill waverers

March 19, 2010

President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders lobbied intensively for ...

Fashion and Style »

Whooga is new alternative to Ugg Boots

March 19, 2010

Buyitright here will soon become the first authorized UK ...

Sports »

Wake Forest’s toughness concerns Calipari

March 19, 2010

Kentucky coach John Calipari isn't overlooking Wake Forest in Saturday's second-round NCAA tournament game.John Calipari had to stop watching film of Wake Forest, if only for the sake of his appetite. The Kentucky coach counts himself a big fan of New Orleans’ renowned restaurant scene, but if he wanted to be in any shape to dine out on Friday, he needed to take a break from the replays of Demon Deacon rebounders overwhelming Texas on the boards Thursday.

Sports »

Mariners’ Lee to miss week with abdominal injury

March 19, 2010

Cliff Lee’s eventful first spring with the Seattle Mariners continued on Friday when the lefty ace was diagnosed with a lower right abdominal strain that will cost him at least a week of spring training.

Sports »

Could BYU’s Fredette be next March darling?

March 19, 2010

BYU guard Jimmer Fredette scored a game-high 37 points in the Cougars' double-overtime thriller over Florida on Thursday.The Cougars’ Jimmer Fredette has all the ingredients to be the next out-of-nowhere star in the NCAA tournament: the catchy nickname, the sweet shot, the late-game heroics.