US & World News, Monday 12/31

US & World Summary --- New Same Sex Couples Law For New Hampshire The new year will bring a big change for same sex couples in New Hampshire. As of midnight, civil unions among such couples will be legal in the Granite State. While many will be celebrating the new year, there will be a group ceremony a minute after midnight at the State House Plaza. New Hampshire becomes the fourth state in the nation to allow civil unions. The law also recognizes as a civil union any marriage between same sex couples performed in another state. --- Edwards And Romney Land New Iowa Endorsement Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat John Edwards have picked up the backing of an Iowa newspaper just days before the caucuses. The first in the nation presidential Litmus test takes place on Thursday in the Hawkeye State. The countrys first primary takes place next Tuesday in New Hampshire. The most recent poll taken by MSNBC shows the Democratic race to be in a dead heat between Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards. On the Republican side, Romney is shown with a slight lead over Mike Huckabee. Over eleven-hundred princincts hold caucuses across Iowa. --- Jet Slides Off Runway (Kansas City, MO) -- Pilot error. Thats what officials are pointing to for a mishap in which a United flight slid off a runway at Kansas City International Airport and got stuck in mud and snow. The Boeing 757-with some 180 passengers on board was on its way to Denver yesterday but the pilots mistake while navigating through thick fog caused the travelers to be delayed for several hours. A spokesperson said the pilot had turned onto a narrow service road, instead of the runway. United gave each customer a ten-dollar food voucher. --- Arizona Man Fighting RIAA Over Music Collection (Scottsdale, AZ) -- Leading recording industry companies are taking aim at the personal use of music by fans who have copies stored on their computers. The "Washington Post" reports the Recording Industry Association of America has filed a case against Jeffrey Howell of Arizona. The Scottsdale man is accused of keeping two thousand copies of legally purchased CDs on his hard drive. The RIAAs stance is that any unauthorized copy of an artists work is illegal. --- Atlanta Sees Above Average Rainfall For December (Atlanta, GA) -- It has been ultra dry in Atlanta this year but recent rain has helped the city avoid breaking the record for its driest year ever. Close to five inches of rain have soaked the Atlanta area in December and forecasters are hoping the wet pattern signals the start of a normal rain pattern after going through drought conditions most of 2007. It is estimated that above normal rainfall will be necessary to reverse the damage done by the drought and return lake levels to normal. --- Chelsea Clinton Doesnt Do Media (Vinton, IA) -- Chelsea Clinton doesnt say much to the media, even if the reporter is just nine years old. Fourth grader Sydney Rieckhoff, a kid reporter with Scholastic News in Vinton, Iowa, asked Clinton how she thought her famous dad would fare as "first man" at a recent campaign stop in the Hawkeye State. According to the "Des Moines Register," the 27-year-old Chelsea replied quote, "Im sorry, I dont talk to the press and that applies to even you, unfortunately. Even though youre cute." --- Year Ends With Several NCAA Bowl Game Matchups The seemingly non-stop college bowl season continues New Years Eve day and night. Highlighting the last day of the year, the Clemson Tigers face the Auburn Tigers in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. At 2 p.m. Eastern, the Oregon Ducks take on the South Florida Bulls in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. In Tempe, Arizona, the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Indiana Hoosiers battle in the Insight Bowl at 5:30 p.m. Eastern. Other games include a 12:30 Eastern matchup between the California Golden Bears and the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets versus the Fresno State Bulldogs in Humanitarian Bowl at 2 p.m. Eastern, and the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Florida State Seminoles in the Music City Bowl at 4 p.m. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-12-31-07 0847CST