Senate opens work on healthcare bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate began work on a sweeping healthcare overhaul on Monday, with senators on both sides pouncing on findings in a nonpartisan budget report on insurance premiums to bolster their arguments. With the debate expected to last up to three weeks, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid warned senators they would work on weekends if necessary to hammer out compromises on issues like a government-run insurance plan, abortion coverage and holding down costs.
Swine flu still down in U.S. but 198 children dead
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Swine flu continues to wane across the United States, but it has killed more than 30 children since the last count, U.S. health officials said on Monday. The latest update on the H1N1 virus, posted at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/, shows the infection is still at epidemic levels but below its October peak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Tiger Woods withdraws from tournament, not talking
MIAMI (Reuters) - Tiger Woods pulled out of a golf tournament this week, the latest fall-out from a minor car accident that has left a swirl of mystery and a hint of scandal around the world's top golfer and pushed him into full damage control. The Florida Highway Patrol said in a terse statement on Monday that it was pursuing the crash investigation but had still not been able to interview Woods, who declined to meet with investigators during the weekend.
Four police killed in Washington state coffee shop
OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - A gunman walked into a Tacoma, Washington-area, coffee shop on Sunday morning and fatally shot four police officers, law enforcement officials said. The four were preparing for their day shift shortly after 8 a.m. when the man shot them with a handgun, they said.
Croatian seamstress ordered to pay $5.7 million
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge has ordered a retired Croatian seamstress to pay more than $5.7 million for her role in an insider trading ring involving two former Goldman Sachs Group Inc employees. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood directed the seamstress, Sonja Anticevic, to give up $2.63 million of ill-gotten profits and interest, and pay a $3.08 million fine, in an order filed on Monday in Manhattan federal court.
Some kids still swallowing soda can safety tabs