9 seconds ago 2009-11-21T01:45:24-08:00
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: Islamist militants blew up a girls' school in Pakistan's Khyber district today, Agence France-Presse reported. A local official said the attack involved 55 to 66 pounds of explosives and completely destroyed eight rooms in the building. This was the second such attack in the lawless region in four days; the previous bombing damaged an 18-room high school for girls and wounded four people in neighboring homes.
In other news: A judge issued a restraining order on a long-debated Illinois law that would require doctors to notify the parents of girls 17 or younger before the teens obtained abortions. Cook County Judge Daniel Riley said he felt the American Civil Liberties Union, which sought the order, had "demonstrated the distinct possibility of irreparable harm." According to The Associated Press, the law was passed in 1995, but has never been enforced because of legal actions. Thirty-five other states have similar parental notification laws.
A Florida baby who has been missing for five days was found alive under her baby sitter's bed, The AP reported. Seven-month-old Shannon Dedrick was reported missing by her parents on Saturday morning, prompting dozens of law enforcement agents and volunteers to scour the woods near the family's home. When investigators were granted access to search the sitter's house, they discovered the infant tucked in a box under a bed. Shannon was taken to a local hospital but she appeared healthy, police said. Authorities plan to charge the sitter Elizabeth Baker, her husband James Arthur Baker and the child's mother, Chrystina Lynn Mercer; however, police would not say what charges would be issued or why they believe the baby's mother was involved.
Finally, a parents group is urging CW stations not to air "Gossip Girl" on Nov. 9, The AP reported. The prep-school soap opera has been promoting an upcoming episode involving a sexual threesome that the Parents Television Council believes is "reckless and irresponsible." In a letter to the affiliates, PTC president Tim Winter wrote: "Will you now be complicit in establishing a precedent and expectation that teenagers should engage in behaviors heretofore associated primarily with adult films?" The network had no comment on the PTC's complaint.
Most read stories: A California bus driver was sentenced to more than 26 years in prison for his involvement in a fatal crash last year, The AP reported. Quintin Watts was behind the wheel in October 2008 when his bus veered off the road and rolled over, killing 11 people. Authorities say Watts apparently fell asleep. Last month, he was convicted of 11 counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and 21 counts of great bodily injury.
Readers were also interested in this AP story about a man who allegedly owns a unique truck. Jim Stevens of Jonesborough, Tenn., claims an image of Jesus Christ appears every morning on the window of his Isuzu pick-up. Click here to view a Johnson City Press picture of the truck's window.
Looking ahead: President Barack Obama will discuss Native American issues with representatives of the 564 federally recognized tribes, then meet with President Ian Khama of Botswana. And former NYC police commissioner Bernard Kerik is expected to enter a guilty plea to resolve three pending criminal trials. The plea deal could send him to prison for 2 1/2 years.
Today's poll: Were you happy that the New York Yankees won the World Series? Click here to share your thoughts.
Yesterday's poll: Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin have been tapped to co-host the Oscars ceremony. What were your thoughts on this decision? Respondents were split; 39 percent said they thought it was a smart choice and 37 percent said they would have preferred Hugh Jackman to host the event. Twenty-four percent selected "other."
Today in history: In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Willkie and won an unprecedented third term in office.
Birthdays: Musician Kevin Jonas (The Jonas Brothers), 22. Musician Ryan Adams, 35. Musician Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead), 38. Actor Corin Nemec, 38. Actor Sam Rockwell, 41. Actress Tatum O'Neal, 46. Actress Tilda Swinton, 49. Singer Bryan Adams, 50. Actor Nestor Serrano, 54. Actor/playwright Sam Shepard, 66. Singer Art Garfunkel, 68. Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, 69.
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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.Th

