US – Sunday, March 21
National
Final push is on for health care reform
Democrats in the House of Representatives on Thursday predicted weekend passage of a sweeping health care overhaul that budget analysts said would cut the U.S. deficit over 10 years and dramatically expand health coverage.
 
International
Pakistan charges U.S. 5 with terror
A Pakistani court formally charged five young Americans of plotting terrorism in the country yesterday, their lawyer said, in a case that has raised alarm over the danger posed by militants using the Internet.
 
The Word
Just when it couldn’t get worse for Bullock, here come the neo-Nazis
Sure, it’s Monday, but it could be worse — you could be Jesse James. On Saturday, James went back to work at West Coast Choppers, days after allegations surfaced that he cheated on his wife, Sandra Bullock, with a tattoo model. Us Weekly notes he was wearing a wedding ring.
 
My Television
Metro’s spring ’10 guide to television
Check us out all this month for our picks for the best series premieres, season returns and must-see episodes.
 
Business
‘Free’ ad leads to fraud suit
NEW YORK. A Wisconsin college student is suing credit firm Experian — the brains behind the ubiquitous FreeCreditReport.com jingles — for fraudulent advertising after she inadvertently signed up for a monthly $14.95 monitoring service.
 
My Pets
At AKC, it’s score one for the mutts
Founded in 1884 as a registry for pure-bred dogs, the American Kennel Club didn’t traditionally offer many perks for your beloved lab-poodle-schnauzer mix. But as of April 1, the AKC Canine Partners Program will offer mutts not only membership benefits, but opportunities to compete at dog sporting events.
 
Published 18:40, March the 17th, 2009
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Conn. AG counters AIG legality claim

 
 
Arianna says

"Obama didn’t realize soon enough how ineffective and powerless allowing these bonuses would make him and his administration look. He needs to win this fight."

 
NEW YORK. Connecticut's attorney general said he had "significant doubts" that $165 million of bonuses recently awarded by American International Group Inc are required under state law.

"AIG is shamelessly shielding itself behind the Connecticut Wage Act, a joke of a justification for squandering scarce taxpayer resources," Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement on Tuesday. "We should use any and every well-founded legal weapon to recapture these baseless bonuses."

Blumenthal said his office will "carefully investigate" the merits of AIG's claims, but added: "Corporate collapse demands accountability -- not windfall payments."

AIG awarded the bonuses even after getting a series of taxpayer bailouts totaling roughly $180 billion, and incurring a $61.7 billion fourth-quarter loss.

A slew of federal and state politicians, including President Barack Obama, and regulators, have demanded steps to ensure the repayment of the bonuses. Some of the bonuses went to employees of the AIG unit responsible for much of the insurer's troubles.

Reuters