The Starting Point: Homelessness in America and a missing plane

The Starting Point is a snapshot of the news stories that occurred overnight. Look for updates throughout the day on Yahoo! News and in the news box on Yahoo.com.

Top story overnight: A spate of deadly bombings hit Afghanistan and Iraq today. A massive bomb blast in central Afghanistan killed 25 people, including 13 students. And a roadside bombing in the south took the lives of two NATO soldiers. In Iraq, the situation wasn't much better. Thirty-four people were killed and 70 injured when a suicide bomber set off an explosion near a judge's home in northern Iraq. Eight others died in separate roadside bombings in Baghdad.

In other news: The face of homelessness in America is changing. According to the Housing and Urban Development Department, about 1.6 million people used a homeless shelter or lived in transitional housing between Oct. 1, 2007, and Sept. 30, 2008. However, more than half a million were American families. What do you think should be done to prevent/end homelessness in the U.S.? Click here to share your thoughts.

The Coast Guard is continuing its search for five people believed to be on a plane that went missing off Florida's Gulf Coast, The Associated Press reported. The twin-engine Cessna was flying from McKinney, Texas to Tampa when it went down on Wednesday afternoon. At the time of this writing, a two-mile debris field has been found.

Finally, embattled Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) is now being accused of paying his mistress $25,000 in severance when she stopped working for him. The mistress's husband, who learned of the affair between his friend the senator and his wife through an incriminating text message, reportedly gave a letter to the Las Vegas Sun that he claimed was a handwritten apology from Ensign. Through a spokesman, Ensign accused the woman's husband of making "exorbitant demands for cash and other financial benefits."

Most-read stories overnight: An 8-year-old South Carolina girl was shot to death yesterday by the estranged husband of her father's girlfriend, police said. The suspect, who has not been identified, then shot himself in the stomach. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said the suspect was taken to a hospital last night and will be charged with the girl's murder if he recovers.

Readers were also interested in this AP story about a grave robbery scheme. Authorities said workers dug up more than 100 bodies at a historic Illinois cemetery, dumped them into mass graves, then resold the plots to unsuspecting customers. An investigation was launched six weeks ago when the cemetery's owner reported that an employee who began feeling guilty revealed what allegedly had been going on, possibly for as long as four years.

Looking ahead: The Obama administration is sponsoring a swine flu summit, and has asked health and education officials from every state to determine their readiness for the fall when schools are back in session. Also, former NFL star Bruce Smith will appear in a Virginia court to face a drunken driving charge.

Yesterday's poll: A computer attack that began on July 4 knocked out the Websites of several government agencies, including The Treasury Department and the Secret Service. What do you think the U.S. should do to shore up its computer systems? Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they wanted the government to recruit hackers to fend off such attacks. Twenty-one percent called for investing more money in combating cyberterrorism and/or improving encryption options.

Today in history: In 1995, The Grateful Dead played their last concert at Soldier Field in Chicago. Lead guitarist Jerry Garcia died the following month.

Birthdays: Actress Georgie Henley, 14. Actor Mitchel Musso, 18. Actor/director Fred Savage, 33. Musician Dan Estrin (Hoobastank), 33. Actor Enrique Murciano, 36. Actor Scott Grimes, 38. Musician Frank Bello (Anthrax), 44. Singer/actress Courtney Love, 45. Singer Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), 50. Actress Kelly McGillis, 52. Singer Marc Almond (Soft Cell), 52. Actor Tom Hanks, 53. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), 54. Actor Jimmy Smits, 54. Singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge), 55. Musician/TV personality John Tesh, 57. Actor Chris Cooper, 58. Football Hall of Famer/criminal O.J. Simpson, 62. Author Dean Koontz, 64. Actor Richard Roundtree, 67. Actor Brian Dennehy, 71. Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, 77.

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--Jade Walker is the overnight editor of Yahoo! News. News doesn't stop when the lights go out, and neither does Jade.

**Yahoo! News bloggers compile the best news content from our providers and scour the Web for the most interesting news stories so you don't have to.