US & World News, Friday 2/1

US & World Summary Wintery Weather Hits Upper Midwest Winter is once again battering the Midwest with winter storm warnings in effect for most of the region. The Chicago area is expected to see between six and 12 inches of snow with most of it coming during the morning rush hour. More than 600 flights were cancelled yesterday at OHare Airport, which is still experiencing flight delays of up to two and half hours because of the bad weather. Weather forecasters are predicting a messy winter blend of snow, sleet and freezing rain in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia throughout most of today. --- Microsoft Announces Yahoo! Buyout Offer (New York, NY) -- Microsoft wants to add Yahoo! to the family. The software giant announced this morning that it has made an offer to purchase Yahoo! for 44-point-six-billion-dollars in cash and stock. Microsoft offered to pay Yahoo! 31-dollars per share which it says represents a 62-percent premium above the companys closing stock price. Tim Smalls, with a Connecticut brokerage firm calls the deal, quote, "shocking," and says the offer seemed exorbitant for what he called a, quote, "dwindling business." --- Democrats Clinton, Obama Debate Before Super Tuesday (Hollywood, CA) -- The last two Democrats running for president squared off last night in the final debate before next Tuesdays primaries and caucuses. A substantial part of the exchange centered on healthcare reform. Both candidates called for universal healthcare with minor differences between the two plans. Clintons plan would require everyone to carry health insurance while Obamas plan would apply to people who dont currently have health insurance. The candidates traded charges over their positions on immigration reform, but both agreed that the U.S. borders must first be enforced and employers who hire illegals be prosecuted. --- Supreme Court Stays Callahan Execution (Washington, DC) -- The scheduled execution of condemned killer James Callahan has been stayed by the Supreme Court. Callahan was scheduled to die by lethal injection last night for the 1982 kidnap-murder of a Jacksonville, Alabama, woman. In his latest appeal, Callahan had argued that lethal injection was unconstitutional. Although a federal appeals court rejected that claim, the nations high court has had a defacto moratorium on executions since it accepted a Kentucky case challenging lethal injection. --- Brawl At New Jersey High School Campus Leads To Arrest (Camden, NJ) -- More than a dozen people were arrested after a brawl yesterday at one New Jersey high school. According to the "Cherry Hill Courier-Post," 18 people were busted after the melee, which began in the cafeteria at Camden High School and then spread to other areas of the campus. Nine of those arrested were involved in the original fight while nine others were taken into custody for not following police orders after the scuffle started. --- Tours Offered Of Versace Crime Scene (Miami Beach, FL) -- A well known crime scene is about to become a tourist attraction. The site of fashion designer Gianni Versaces murder in Miamis South Beach has become popular with tourists, who can frequently be seen taking pictures of the mansion where Versace died. Now, a tour operator is hoping to capitalize on the morbid curiosity by offering a two-hour Versace Murder Tour. For 25-bucks, Diego Caiola will take visitors to the sidewalk cafe where Versace spent his final hours and the defunct houseboat where killer Andrew Cunanan committed suicide. --- Hannah Montana Hit The Big Screen In 3-D Hannah Montana is going 3-D. Beginning today, and for just one week, teen sensation Miley Cyrus wildly popular "Hannah Montana" show hits the big screen in 3-D. The feature length film, "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert," was shot during Cyrus recent 69-city tour. It follows the young star on and off the stage with a mix of concert footage, fan montages and backstage confessions. The 3-D film is rated PG. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-02-01-08 0757CST