Yahoo! Buzz: Top U.S. News Stories

Rescuers dig for thousands buried in China quake

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:18:22 PDT

AP - Rescue workers dug through schools and homes turned into rubble by China's worst earthquake in three decades to reach thousands of victims trapped beneath slabs of concrete, as the death toll of 10,000 appeared certain to rise on Tuesday.

The Angry Earth

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:06:56 PDT

China Earthquake: The AP reported that the death toll from Monday's earthquake in China climbed above 10,000: The 7.9-magnitude quake devastated a region of small cities and towns set amid steep hills north of Sichuan's provincial capital of Chengdu. Striking in midafternoon, it emptied office buildings across the country in Beijing and could be felt as far away as Vietnam. Snippets from state media and photos posted on the Internet underscored the immense scale of the devastation. In the town of Juyuan, south of the epicenter, a three-story high school collapsed, burying as many as 900 students and killing at least 50, the official Xinhua news agency said. Photos showed people using cranes, mechanical hoists and their hands to remove slabs of concrete and steel. Florida Wildfires: CNN reports that Gov. Charlie Crist has declared a state of emergency in Florida: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency Monday as wildfires fed by drought conditions threatened homes and businesses and forced the closing of part of Interstate 95 in Brevard County. Seven to 10 structures, including some homes, have been destroyed by the largest of the fires, said Yvonne Martinez of the Palm Bay Fire Department. "The fire situation has been very unpredictable," she said. "The winds have basically caused what fires we had yesterday to jump a half a mile at a time." Burma Cyclone: HuffPost contributor Hanna Ingber Win reported that local corruption was hampering recovery efforts in Burma: In the midst of a massive humanitarian crisis in Burma in which 1.5 million people are at risk of dying from disease, local government officials in Rangoon have been selling aid and bribing residents in order to turn a profit, according to sources in Rangoon. It has been eight days since Cyclone Nargis wiped out entire villages along the Irrawaddy delta and left Rangoon in shambles, but the ruling junta has prevented relief efforts from barely making a dent in the recovery process. Government officials have stolen donations of rice, cooking oil and diesel and sold them on the black market, a businessman in Rangoon said on Sunday. In several townships around the major city, the government announced that it would provide a certain amount of rice and cooking oil to each household, but local township officers were found refusing families their quotas and instead selling the goods on the black market. US Tornadoes: The AP reported that 22 people were killed in tornadoes that swept across the central U.S.: More than a third of the 22 people killed by a tornado that smashed parts of Oklahoma and Missouri over the weekend died in cars, troubling experts who say vehicles are one of the worst places to be during a twister. "It's like taking a handful of Matchbox cars and rolling them across the kitchen floor," said Sgt. Dan Bracker of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, surveying the damage in and around Seneca, near the Oklahoma line, the hardest hit area. "This is devastating." Among those killed were three people in Oklahoma who were rushing to reach a relative's house in their car; a woman whose car was blown off a road near Seneca; and four family members _ Rick Rountree, his wife, his 13-year-old son, and his mother-in-law _ who were in a van on the way to a friend's wedding when a twister packing winds of 170 mph struck the Seneca area on Saturday night.

Ben Cohen: PLEASE - No Coverage Of Jenna Bush's Wedding

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:06:18 PDT

You can feel the momentum building. CNN, MSNBC, Fox etc are gearing themselves up for the ratings war over Jenna Bush's wedding, and are about to subject us to relentless coverage of an event they won't actually be allowed to cover. While the U.S faces massive food instability, imploding disasters in Afghanistan and Iraq and a looming environmental crisis, the wedding of Jenna Bush will take up precious hours of news coverage. The news media already ridiculed themselves by asking questions about the wedding during Laura Bushes speech on the humanitarian disaster in Myanmar, and will no doubt do the same today. This plea is probably too little too late, but I am begging the media to leave the story alone. 30 seconds should suffice, and it should not be considered anything near to headline news. We should all be happy for Jenna, but let's be honest, asides from Paris Hilton's latest up-skirts, it is about the least important piece of news on earth.

More superdelegates for Obama

Mon, 12 May 2008 15:40:00 PDT

Democratic superdelegates continue a steady march to Barack Obama; it's now widely estimated that he leads Hillary Clinton in superdelegate endorsements.

Bush says world should condemn Myanmar

Mon, 12 May 2008 14:50:05 PDT

President Bush said Monday that an angry world should condemn the way Myanmar's military rulers are handling the aftermath of a devastating cyclone. "Here they are with a major catastrophe on their hands, and (they) do not allow there to be the full kind of might of a compassionate world ...

Clinton: 'Crucial turning point in election'

Mon, 12 May 2008 14:07:19 PDT

Senator Hillary Clinton was campaigning in West Virginia Monday, one day before that state holds its primary. Polls suggest Clinton should win the state easily. (May 12)

Stocks up as oil price drop eases fears

Mon, 12 May 2008 14:52:21 PDT

NEW YORK — Wall Street rallied Monday as oil prices fell back and alleviated some of investors' concerns about accelerating inflation. The Dow Jones industrials gained 130 points. Oil's retreat helped soothe some of Wall Street's worries about inflation's impact on consumer spending. Crude bri...

TV Daily

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:13:08 PDT

Tuesday: Frontline's thorough and gripping "Storm Over Everest." Plus: What did you think of "The Bachelor," "The Hills" and "American Gladiators" on Monday?

Gas prices may keep vacationers close to home

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:27:46 PDT

State and regional tourism officials predict the high price of gas will have visitors flocking ot Western Pennsylvania travel destinations this summer.

Deaf umpire finds his calling

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:13:39 PDT

Mark Wallach stresses one rule when he trains and certifies softball umpires.

Hundreds arrested in Iowa immigration raid - USATODAY.com

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:27:11 PDT

UN chief 'immensely frustrated' with Burmese regime's cyclone aid

Mon, 12 May 2008 19:36:58 PDT

Books of The Times: A World of Stories From a Son of Vietnam

Mon, 12 May 2008 15:32:04 PDT

Whether it’s the prospect of dying at sea or being shot by a drug kingpin or losing family members in a war, Nam Le’s people are individuals trapped in the cross hairs of fate.

Sex and the City premieres in London

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:35:18 PDT

The "Sex and the City" stars lit up London's Leicester Square for the world premiere of the cinematic sequel to their New York adventures, delighting fans with glamorous — and sometimes quirky — outfits that helped make the show an international hit. Sarah Jessica Parker, who ...

Bateman: What's up with Cindy McCain's tax returns?

Mon, 12 May 2008 18:06:00 PDT

And other questions for the candidate's rich, animatronic wife.