Obama urges Dems to come together for health care (AP)

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., seated left, has a verbal exchange with Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., center, as Ranking Member David Dreier, R-Calif., left, and James McGovern,D-Mass, right, listen as the House Rules committee meets to discuss the health care legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington, Saturday, March 20, 2010.(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)AP - Victory within reach, President Barack Obama exhorted House Democrats on Saturday to stay true to their party's legacy and make history by bringing health insurance to millions of struggling families now left out. Leaders exuded confidence as they defused thorny problems in the countdown to a landmark vote.




Papal letter fails to calm anger over Irish abuses (AP)

FILE - The Dec. 30, 2009 file photo shows Pope Benedict XVI during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at The Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI's former diocese in Munich said Friday, March 19, 2010 it is facing new allegations of physical and sexual abuse on a daily basis. Last week, the diocese confirmed the case of a priest who was transferred in 1980 to Munich. That came after three sets of parents alleged he had abused their children in the northwestern city of Essen, the diocese there said. The priest underwent therapy, but then returned to work with youngsters. He was convicted of abuse in 1986. Pope Benedict, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was Archbishop of Munich and Freising at the time of the priest's transfer from Essen to Munich. The diocese has said Ratzinger knew about the transfer but not about the priest's continued work in Bavarian congregations after he assumed his duties at the Vatican. Erwin Wild, then spokesman of the diocese's council of priests, said he and his colleagues were not informed by Ratzinger that the priest was an offender, which he thinks was wrong. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)AP - Pope Benedict XVI's unprecedented letter to Ireland apologizing for chronic child abuse within the Catholic Church failed Saturday to calm the anger of many victims, who accused the Vatican of ducking its own responsibility in promoting a worldwide culture of cover-up.




Thousands rally on anniversary of invasion of Iraq (AP)
AP - Thousands of protesters — many directing their anger squarely at President Barack Obama — marched through the nation's capital Saturday to urge immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thousands of BA flights canceled as crew on strike (AP)

A British Airways plane is seen from Terminal 4 moving along the tarmac at Heathrow Airport in London, early Saturday, March 20, 2010. A three-day strike by British Airways cabin crew affecting thousands of travelers began Saturday after last-ditch talks between the airline's management and union leaders collapsed. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)AP - Retiree Richard Moore arrived at Heathrow with a suitcase of summer clothes for a Miami cruise only to be sent to Denver. Susan Danby wondered if plans for a joint 50th birthday celebration in Las Vegas would be a losing bet.




UN chief says Israeli settlements must be stopped (AP)

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, gestures with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, during a tour of the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, March 20, 2010. Israeli settlement building anywhere on occupied land is illegal and must be stopped, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Saturday, after getting a closer look at some of the Israeli enclaves scattered across Palestinian-claimed territories. During a high-profile West Bank visit, Ban was escorted to an observation point by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. (AP Photo/Mohamad Torokman, Pool)AP - Visiting U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Saturday that Israeli settlement building anywhere on occupied land is illegal and must be stopped, while a Palestinian teenager was killed in clashes with Israeli troops elsewhere in the West Bank.




Fargo calm, confident as Red River completes rise (AP)

Mona Headland, right, and her 9-year-old daughter Gracie walk back to their house after touring their neighborhood as floodwater from the Red River creeps closer to their home Saturday, March 20, 2010, in Fargo, N.D. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)AP - They passed out cigars in Fargo on Saturday, but no matches just yet, as a flood-weary city that's spent the last week getting ready to hold back the Red River cautiously prepared to celebrate what appeared to be a successful defense against the swollen waterway.




Colombian journalist slain in militia stronghold (AP)
AP - The killing of a veteran radio reporter by a motorcycle gunman in a northwestern state capital reignited concerns Saturday about the safety of journalists in Colombia.

New tip leads Aruba to search for missing US teen (AP)

In this October 2009 underwater photo provided by John F. Muldowney, is shown a portion of the ocean floor off the coast of Aruba. Muldowney feels the photo, taken by his wife, Patti, while the couple was on vacation in Aruba, may show the remains of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama honors student who disappeared in Aruba nearly five years ago. The Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era reported that the photo has been turned over to the FBI. (AP Photo/Patti Muldowney) NO SALESAP - Authorities will search once again for a missing U.S. teen after an American couple took an underwater picture of what they believe might be Natalee Holloway's remains, a spokeswoman for the prosecutors' office told The Associated Press on Saturday.




Police: Boy, 16, made racial comment at NJ Walmart (AP)

Washington Township Police chief Rafael Muniz, left, listens as Gloucester County, New Jersey prosecutor Sean Dalton answers a question Saturday, March 20, 2010, in Washington Township, N.J., as they announce police have arrested a 16-year-old Atlantic County boy on charges of harassment and bias intimidation in the case of a racial comment that was made over the public-address system at a Wal-Mart store in southern New Jersey. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)AP - A 16-year-old boy who police said made an announcement at Walmart ordering all black people in the southern New Jersey store to leave was charged with harassment and bias intimidation, authorities said Saturday.




NCAA: New Mexico, Washington tip off (AP)

Murray State center Tony Easley, left, and forward Edward Daniel, right, celebrate after a score during the first half of their NCAA second-round college basketball game against Butler in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, March 20, 2010. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)AP - New Mexico and Washington have tipped off from the Shark Tank in San Jose, where Steve Alford's Lobos are trying to match Murray State with its 31st win.




House leader: "we have votes" on healthcare (Reuters)

Chairwoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) (R) attend the committee's ranking member David Dreier (R-CA) arrive at the House Committee on Rules meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington March 20, 2010. REUTERS/Yuri GripasReuters - A top Democrat in the House of Representatives said on Saturday, "We have the votes" to pass President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul as Democrats dropped a much-criticized plan to approve the Senate's bill without a direct ballot.




Pope's shame and remorse over Irish child sex abuse (Reuters)

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his message during his visit to Rome's Lutheran church March 14, 2010. REUTERS/Gregorio Borgia/PoolReuters - Pope Benedict apologized on Saturday to victims of child sex abuse by clergy in Ireland and ordered an official inquiry there to try to stem a scandal gripping the Catholic Church which has swept across Europe.




Opposition "red shirts" try to win over Thai capital (Reuters)

Anti-government protesters gather by their motorcycles before marching through central Bangkok March 20, 2010. REUTERS/Damir SagoljReuters - Tens of thousands of opposition activists paraded through Thailand's sprawling capital on Saturday to try to win over Bangkok's middle classes to their anti-government campaign.




U.N.'s Ban in West Bank pushes for peace talks (Reuters)

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon delivers a speech before his meeting with Israel's President Shimon Peres at the president's residence in Jerusalem March 20, 2010. REUTERS/Baz RatnerReuters - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel and the Palestinians on Saturday to restart negotiations as one Palestinian was killed during clashes in the West Bank.




Obama to Iran: U.S. offer of dialogue still stands (Reuters)

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on health insurance reform at George Mason University's Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia, March 19, 2010. REUTERS/Jim YoungReuters - U.S. President Barack Obama renewed his administration's offer of dialogue and diplomacy with Tehran on Saturday, a year after his offer of a new beginning with Iran failed to achieve concrete results.




Magnitude-5.6 quake strikes near Guantanamo, Cuba (Reuters)
Reuters - A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck near Guantanamo city in eastern Cuba on Saturday, sending residents fleeing into the streets but a local government official said there were no casualties.

Israeli troops kill Palestinian in W.Bank: medics (Reuters)

Israeli border police officers detain a Palestinian stone-thrower during clashes in the Shuafat refugee camp in the West Bank near Jerusalem March 20, 2010. REUTERS/Ammar AwadReuters - A Palestinian youth was killed by Israel troops and another was seriously wounded on Saturday during a clash in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian hospital officials said.




Iran president suggests referendum on subsidy cuts (Reuters)
Reuters - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has suggested holding a referendum to approve subsidy cuts that the Islamic Republic's parliament has repeatedly blocked, a news agency said Saturday.

Obama says historic health plan will pass (AFP)

US President Barack Obama (L) and Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi arrive for a meeting with House Democrats on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Obama led Democrats in a triumphant, fist-pumping rally Saturday and confidently predicted Congress would rise to a century-old challenge and pass his health care overhaul.(AFP/Chris Kleponis)AFP - US President Barack Obama led Democrats in a triumphant, fist-pumping rally Saturday and confidently predicted Congress would rise to a century-old challenge and pass his health care overhaul.




UN chief backs Palestinian state on Mideast mission (AFP)

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a joint press conference with Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad following talks in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Ban said the international community AFP - UN chief Ban Ki-moon said on Saturday that the international community "strongly supports" Palestinian efforts to build a state and branded all Israeli settlement activity illegal.