Divided Senate opens health care debate on Monday

WASHINGTON (AP) - With the Senate set to begin debate Monday on President Barack Obama's signature domestic issue, the all-hands-on-deck Democratic coalition that allowed the health care reform legislation to advance is coming apart. While majority Democrats will need 60 votes again to finish, some in the party say they'll jump ship from the bill without tighter restrictions on abortion coverage. Others say they'll go unless a government plan to compete with private insurance companies gets tossed. Such concessions would enrage liberals, the party's heart and soul.

Police: Suspect in police deaths hurt, maybe dead

SEATTLE (AP) - A suspect in the slaying of four police officers who were gunned down in a suburban coffee shop was holed up at a Seattle house early Monday, wounded and possibly dead, police said. Negotiators were trying to communicate with Maurice Clemmons, 37, using loudspeakers and explosions to try to prod him from hiding. At one point, gunshots rang through the neighborhood, about 30 miles from the original crime scene.

Iran says UN criticism prompted new nuclear plans

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -Iran's nuclear chief asserted Monday that the U.N. atomic watchdog's critical report was pushing Tehran to develop new nuclear facilities. France, meanwhile, pressed for new sanctions against Iran, saying diplomacy was not working. Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi told state radio that Iran's decision to build 10 new uranium enrichment facilities was necessary after the International Atomic Energy Agency's resolution Friday demanded that Iran halt all enrichment activities.

Honduras hopes to move past coup with election

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - Honduras has a newly elected president. The question is whether he can convince the world the vote was legitimate and show that Hondurans want to put a summer coup behind them. Announcing that conservative rancher Porfirio Lobo was headed for victory in Sunday's presidential contest, election officials said more than 60 percent of registered voters cast ballots, an increase from the last election, when about 55 percent voted.

Somali pirates hijack oil tanker going to US

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Somali pirates seized a tanker carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia to the United States in the increasingly dangerous waters off East Africa, an official said Monday, an attack that could pose a huge environmental or security threat to the region. The Greece-flagged Maran Centaurus was hijacked Sunday about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) off the coast of Somalia, said Cmdr. John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force. Harbour said it originated from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and was destined for the United States. The ship has 28 crew members on board, he said.

Dubai exchange nosedives as trading resumes

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Dubai's main stock exchange dropped more than 7 percent and Abu Dhabi markets slid more than 8 percent on the first day of trading in the United Arab Emirates since officials went public that conglomerate Dubai World was struggling with its $60 billion in debts. Shares of DP World, a profitable port operating division of the debt-ridden Dubai World, were off nearly 15 percent in early trading Monday when the market opened. The overwhelming majority of companies whose shares traded Monday on the Dubai Financial Market, the city-state's main bourse, were also deeply in the red.

Geneva Big Bang machine beats Chicago lab record

GENEVA (AP) - The world's largest atom smasher on Monday broke the record for proton acceleration previously held by a U.S. lab, sending beams of the particles at 1.18 trillion electron volts around the massive machine. The Large Hadron Collider eclipsed the previous high of 0.98 1 TeV held by Fermilab, outside Chicago, since 2001, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, also known as CERN, said.

Workers plow for Polanski; Monday release unclear

GSTAAD, Switzerland (AP) - Workers were plowing snow to clear the way to Roman Polanski's chalet in the Alpine resort of Gstaad ahead of his transfer from a Swiss jail. The Swiss Justice Ministry wouldn't say if Polanski would be released Monday on $4.5 million bail.

Woods speaks up, says crash is 'private matter'

WINDERMERE, Fla. (AP) - Despite presenting his side of the car-crash story and asking that it remain "a private matter," Tiger Woods may still not be in the clear. Troopers arriving at his Isleworth home requesting an interview were turned down for a third straight day, but the Florida Highway Patrol said it will continue to investigate. Yet the tabloid-fueled rumors now swirling around one of the world's richest and most-recognizable athletes could turn out to be more troublesome still.

0-17: Nets match worst start with loss to Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The New Jersey Nets matched the worst start to an NBA season with their 17th straight loss Sunday night, with Kobe Bryant scoring 30 points in the Los AngelesLakers' 106-87 victory. A few hours after New Jersey fired coach Lawrence Frank, the undermanned Nets had little prayer of keeping up with the defending league champions, who won their sixth straight game.

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