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Sources: Obama to move ahead on immigration reform

The White House is planning to start addressing the nation’s immigration system as early as May, two senior administration officials said Thursday. President Obama will rely on a bipartisan, diverse group of experts to help build the framework for legislation, the officials said. One official noted that immigration will not be “on the same track” as other key initiatives like health care and energy, and “nobody’s promising legislation or a vote this year.” There are roughly 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States

Injury-hit Serena beaten in Miami final

An injury-hampered Serena Williams slumped to a straight sets defeat to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the final of the WTA Tier One tournament at Key Biscayne in Florida. Williams played with heavy strapping on her left thigh, clearly struggling with her movement in Saturday’s final as Azarenka took ruthless advantage for a 6-3 6-1 win. The 19-year-old Azarenka has charged up the WTA world rankings this year with two victories in lesser-rated tournaments and only two defeats.

Endangered right whales appear to be on the rebound

North Atlantic right whales, sort of the homely underdogs of the whale world, birthed a record number calves this year off the coast of the southeast United States, giving some scientists hope that the uber-rare and often overlooked species can recover. “For me, personally, it is a source of optimism,” said Barb Zoodsma, a marine mammal biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “I just think we’re on the right track.” The record 39 new calves — each of which weights about 3,000 pounds — were born off the Atlantic coast of Florida and Georgia

Meningitis epidemic strikes Nigeria, Niger

More than 200 people have died of meningitis in the past week alone in Niger and Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization.

Soccer robots being built to beat humans

Picture this: The European champions and current highest-ranked soccer team in the world, Spain, are beaten 3-0…by a team of robots. It may sound ridiculous, but robot developers in Asia, the U.S

North Dakota gets ready for potential flood disaster

More rainfall combined with melting snow has increased the risk of severe flooding in North Dakota, with the city of Fargo bracing for what could be a local disaster of historic proportions. City officials estimated Tuesday that as many as 10,000 volunteers have come forward since Sunday to aid in a sandbagging effort that’s taken over North Dakota State University’s central arena, the Fargodome, and to help build levees along the now closely watched Red River. “We’ve had almost too many volunteers at most of our sites,” said Fargo Deputy Mayor Tim Mahoney

Livestock blamed for anthrax outbreak

Fifteen people have been diagnosed with cutaneous anthrax in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh over the past week, health officials said Friday. The total of goods and services produced around the world is projected to slump by 1 percent in 2009, compared with a 3.2 percent growth rate the year before. Leading the slump will be the world’s most developed economies, including the United States, Europe and Japan

IMF: Global economy to shrink for first time in 60 years

The global economic slowdown is so severe that the worldwide economy will contract for the first time in 60 years, the International Monetary Fund says. The total of goods and services produced around the world is projected to slump by 1 percent in 2009, compared with a 3.2 percent growth rate the year before. Leading the slump will be the world’s most developed economies, including the United States, Europe and Japan

U.N. Climate Change Czar Yvo de Boer

His colleagues call him the Flying Dutchman because of all the time Yvo de Boer spends in the air, traveling from one world capital to another as he tries to stitch together a global deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions — and possible save the world. As the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , de Boer is the U.N.’s point man for the ongoing global effort to plan a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. The deadline for a new treaty is coming up fast — at the U.N

A Brief History of Sweeps Week

Ah, sweeps week — that time of year where plot lines get thrown out the window as network executives feverishly pray that ratings will follow them through the roof.