msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines

U.N. climate panel faces major review

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:31:43 GMT

The world's biggest scientific guns are being called in to mop up after a trickle of unsettling errors in the authoritative reports written by a global warming panel.

Female WWII aviators honored with medal

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:24:12 GMT

A long-overlooked group of women who flew aircraft during World War II are awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Sick ships: Cruises see rise in norovirus cases

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:38:36 GMT

More than 400 passengers were sickened by the norovirus on a Celebrity Cruise lines ship in mid-February. That outbreak of gastrointestinal illness is one of eight to hit cruise ships in 2010 — with four in just one week, according to the CDC.

Biden: Palestinians deserve ‘viable’ state

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:48:38 GMT

Vice President Joe Biden voices displeasure over an Israeli plan to enlarge an east Jerusalem settlement and reassures his Palestinian hosts that they deserve an independent state.

Tainted ingredient sold after salmonella found

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:39:13 GMT

The company responsible for a ballooning recall of processed foods continued to manufacture and distribute a flavor-enhancing ingredient for a month after tests confirmed it was made with contaminated equipment, according to a Food and Drug Administration report.

Actor Corey Haim dies at age 38

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:40:35 GMT

Haim had flulike symptoms before he died and was getting over-the-counter and prescription medications, Police Sgt. William Mann said.

Obama hosts Haitian President Preval for talks

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:48:55 GMT

President Barack Obama is renewing America's commitment to the recovery and reconstruction of earthquake-devastated Haiti, telling visiting President Rene Preval he understands the situation there "remains dire."

Toyota luring buyers back with incentives

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:34:27 GMT

A high-ranking Toyota executive says the auto company's North American sales spiked around 50 percent the first eight days of March as incentives helped lure customers.

German Catholics to investigate abuse charges

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:24:42 GMT

Catholic authorities in Germany announced two major abuse investigations Wednesday.

Massa admits tickling, denies sexual intent

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:16:32 GMT

A day after former Rep. Eric Massa acknowledged tickling a colleague but denied the intent was sexual, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer accused "some people" of seeking to politicize the situation.

U.S. lays out set of common school standards

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:19:15 GMT

New educational standards say 4th graders should know the difference between poetry and prose, 8th graders must be able to prove Pythagoras’ theorem.

Minority babies set to become majority in 2010

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:50:34 GMT

Demographers say this year could be the "tipping point" when the number of babies born to minorities outnumbers that of babies born to whites.

NYT: Michelangelo bumped from art chart by ...

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:01:31 GMT

By one new metric, Michelangelo has been bumped from his perch atop the Italian art charts by Caravaggio.

'Extreme' 2010 hurricane season possible

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:54:26 GMT

Five hurricanes, two or three of them major, are expected to strike the U.S. coast this season, private forecaster AccuWeather.com said Wednesday.

Tornado alert across several states

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:39:29 GMT

Oklahoma, northern Texas and other states were on the watch Thursday for new twisters after one on Monday night that destroyed five homes and damaged others.

NYT: Flu shots in kids provide ‘herd immunity’

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:38:19 GMT

Although previous studies have demonstrated what scientists call “herd immunity,” none have been so incontrovertible as a study of farming colonies in Canada.

Boy, 7, rescues family from home invaders

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:12:27 GMT

“They have guns. Can you come really fast? And bring soldiers, too.” That was the urgent message a Southern California boy gave a 911 operator he dialed from a bathroom when three armed robbers threatened his parents. A sheriff credited the boy with averting a tragedy.

HTC Legend: Frankly, it feels expensive

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:57:54 GMT

With HTC's upcoming crop of Androids, you'll be able to separate people into two distinct groups: those who spring for the brainier, better-specced Desire, and those who get bowled over by the beautiful, yet lesser-specced Legend.

A-Rod to interview with feds about drug probe

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:30:41 GMT

Alex Rodriguez's lawyers are setting up an interview with federal authorities as part of an investigation into a Canadian doctor who is the focus of a cross-border drug smuggling case involving human growth hormone.

List of banks under stress keeps growing

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:45:13 GMT

The number of banks with risky levels of bad loans rose slightly in the latest quarter. Check yours in the BankTracker from msnbc.com and the Investigative Reporting Workshop.

NYT: Throwing exit-row seats into the ‘for sale’ bin

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:21:05 GMT

Evacuation is the sole purpose of the exit rows, which abut emergency doors. So in selling exit-row seats to all comers, airlines may raise concerns about who is sitting in those seats.

Roberts: Scene at State of Union ‘troubling’

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:45:19 GMT

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address was "very troubling" and that the annual speech to Congress has "degenerated into a political pep rally."

Donating a kidney doesn’t shorten donor’s life

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:08:31 GMT

People who donate one of their kidneys are likely to live just as long as someone with two healthy kidneys, assuming they survive the initial somewhat riskier period.

Family of slain U.S. activist sues Israel

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 19:18:31 GMT

The family of an American killed by an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza will launch a damages case on Wednesday, stoking controversy over the treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters and angering Israelis frustrated by international criticism.

WP: When jobless benefits turn to welfare

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 20:19:19 GMT

Millions of Americans have been forced to rely on unemployment payments for extended periods, and critics are taking aim.

Dalai Lama: China aims to annihilate Buddhism

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:47:44 GMT

The Dalai Lama lashed out at China on Wednesday, accusing it of trying to "annihilate Buddhism" in Tibet and rebuffing all his efforts to reach a compromise over the disputed Himalayan region.

Swedish artist: cartoon murder plot 'low-tech'

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:41:48 GMT

A Swedish artist who angered Muslims by drawing the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog said Wednesday he has no regrets and believes the suspects in an alleged plot to kill him were not professionals.

Osmonds return to stage after death of Marie's son

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:51:21 GMT

Marie Osmond told a Las Vegas Strip audience as she returned to the stage less than two weeks after her son's apparent suicide that she has relied on her spirituality to cope with his death

Ex-spy chief: US misled allies over detainees

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 22:54:28 GMT

United States intelligence agencies misled key allies, including Britain, about its mistreatment of suspected terrorists, the former head of the country's domestic spy agency, MI5, said Tuesday.

NYT: Food aid to Somalia diverted

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 23:47:48 GMT

As much as half the food aid sent to Somalia is diverted from needy people to a web of corrupt contractors, Islamist militants and local U.N. staff, according to a new report.