Newser Premium News Archive Index
Newser Stories from June, 2009

Within this archive you´ll find more than 1.5 million premium articles from our content partner, Highbeam Research, dating from as far back as 1984. These pages provide a deep news history of the last three decades along with more current related Newser articles.

Premium news related to Farrah's Funeral: 'Goodbye, Sweet Girl'
People | Jun 30, 09 11:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - Farrah Fawcett’s family and friends gathered to honor the actress’ memory at her private funeral today in Los Angeles, People reports. Ryan O’Neal and son Redmond were among the 200 or so at the service, while longtime friend Alana Stewart and Fawcett's doctor, Lawrence Piro, delivered eulogies. "Farrah never felt sorry for...

Premium news related to Jackson Aide: He Took Drugs in Bid to Avoid London Shows
Daily Beast | Jun 30, 09 10:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - A confidante of Michael Jackson says the singer may have inadvertently triggered his own death by purposely taking an overdose of prescription drugs so he'd end up in the hospital and be excused from some of his London tour dates, reports Gerald Posner of the Daily Beast. “Like a child who doesn’t want to go to school, Michael thought he...

Premium news related to Wal-Mart Backs Plan to Make Employers Provide Coverage
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 9:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - President Obama has a big new supporter in his push for health-care reform: Wal-Mart. The nation's largest private employer reversed course today and told the White House it supports the idea of requiring large employers to provide health insurance to workers. Most large corporations, along with the US Chamber of Commerce, oppose an employer mandate...

Premium news related to Palin: I Can Beat Obama... in a Foot Race
Runner's World | Jun 30, 09 7:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Lifelong runner Sarah Palin tells Runner's World magazine that she could beat Barack Obama in a long-distance race. "I betcha I'd have more endurance," she says in response to a question. "If you ever talk to my old coaches they'd tell you, too. What I lacked in physical strength or skill I made up for in determination and endurance....

Premium news related to Fox Has Top 10 Cable News Shows
Mediabistro | Jun 30, 09 7:11 PM CDT
(Newser) - More evidence of Fox News' growing domination of cable TV: The network now has the top 10 programs in terms of total viewers, reports Mediabistro's TVNewser blog. Bill O'Reilly still leads the way, followed by Sean Hannity. Glenn Beck is in third, but his viewership of about 2 million is up a whopping 110% over last year, the most by far of any show....

Premium news related to How Fluffy Towels May Point to Economic Recovery
Time | Jun 30, 09 6:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Everyone's reading tea leaves to figure out where the economy's headed, and Time finds reason for hope in something it calls the "Bed, Bath & Beyond barometer." The retailer's profits were up in the first quarter, and same-store sales weren't as bad as expected. This is especially good news, writes Sean Gregory, because analysts...

Premium news related to 7 Detroit Teens Shot; 3 Critically Injured
Detroit News | Jun 30, 09 5:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - "You know who we're looking for." With that, two gunmen in ski masks opened fire on a group of teenagers waiting at a bus stop in Detroit, hitting seven of them and leaving three critically injured, reports the Detroit News . Witnesses say the shooting may be the extension of an earlier argument at a nearby school for ninth-graders.

Premium news related to Prius Owners Sue Over Faulty Headlights
Advertising Age | Jun 30, 09 5:38 PM CDT
(Newser) - Toyota’s Prius, now in its third generation, remains the dominant hybrid car. But an increasing number of older Prius owners are finding that the autos have a potentially dangerous flaw—failing headlights. What's worse, the so-called high-intensity discharge lamps, which are optional ugrades, can cost more than $1,000 to fix. With a group...

Premium news related to Kristol: 'Hit Piece' on Palin Has No Credibility
Weekly Standard | Jun 30, 09 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bill Kristol comes to the defense of Sarah Palin today in the wake of the “hit piece” about her in Vanity Fair . In a blog on the Weekly Standard , Kristol says the lengthy—and negative—article by “lefty journalist” Todd Purdum “is full of dubious claims, and is dependent on self-serving stories provided...

Premium news related to Franken: I Can't Wait to Start Work
CNN | Jun 30, 09 5:06 PM CDT
(Newser) - Al Franken said he was “thrilled and honored by the faith Minnesotans placed in me” after the state Supreme Court declared him the winner of the Senate recount, CNN reports. "I'm so excited to finally be able to get to work " said Franken, who added that he got a "very gracious" phone call from Norm Coleman. In his...

Premium news related to Best Rock Comebacks of All Time
Independent (UK) | Jun 30, 09 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - In honor of Blur’s triumphant return Sunday at the Glastonbury Festival, the Independent compiles a list of the best rock-and-roll comebacks: Elvis Presley: The King was practically a has-been in 1968, following his army stint and a string of lackluster films. His black-leather-clad, blues-heavy appearance on an NBC Christmas show...

Premium news related to Easy on the Tylenol: FDA Panel
Bloomberg | Jun 30, 09 4:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - An outside panel reporting to the Food and Drug Administration recommended today that the maximum daily dosage of Tylenol be reduced and the Extra Strength variety of the painkiller be available only by prescription, Bloomberg reports. The panel of advisers, whose suggestions are nonbinding, noted acetaminophen’s effect on the liver. The panel...

Premium news related to At Office, Anything Beyond Handshake Can be Touchy
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) - After countless bear hugs, fist bumps, elbow grips, and pats-on-the-back, Elizabeth Bernstein realized that she is her office’s “touchee”—someone co-workers know will be receptive to physical demonstrations of support, she writes for the Wall Street Journal. That got her thinking: When is such touching OK, and when does it invade...

Premium news related to Recession Forces Tough Choices for Smokers
MSNBC | Jun 30, 09 4:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - The recession—coupled with a historic increase in the federal tobacco tax—is hitting smokers pretty hard, MSNBC reports. “We had a light bill that needed to be paid, so we paid a third of it so we could have cigarette money,” said one who’s tried to quit numerous times. “We’ve done that a couple times. It kind...

Premium news related to Lawsuits Raise Stink Over Police Dogs' 'Scent Evidence'
USA Today | Jun 30, 09 3:48 PM CDT
(Newser) - Recent lawsuits are bringing the reliability of police dogs’ noses into question, USA Today reports. Since 2004, three men have been released after wrongful convictions based partially on scent evidence, and two current federal suits target a well-known Texas deputy who works with his dogs across the nation. “It’s a fraud on so...

Premium news related to Ad Slump KOs Vibe
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 3:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - Hip-hop magazine Vibe is ceasing operations today, the New York Times reports. The publication has been in dire financial straits, and its chief said it had sought new investors or a plan “to restructure the huge debt on our small company” to no avail. Though Vibe reported healthy circulation of 818,000 at the end of last year, it...

Premium news related to Confidence Sags; Dow Off 82
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 3:23 PM CDT
(Newser) - Stocks fell today on an unexpected decline in consumer confidence, the Wall Street Journal reports, after investors held steady at the open despite data that delinquencies on prime mortgages had increased. The consumer-confidence drop came after two months of positive readings. The Dow closed down 82.38 at 8,447.00. The Nasdaq fell 9.02, closing...

Premium news related to Vick's New Gig: Counselor at Boys & Girls Club
Virginian-Pilot | Jun 30, 09 3:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Vick has begun working at a Virginia summer camp after leaving his job as a construction worker, the Virginian-Pilot reports. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is finishing up two months of house arrest after his conviction for abetting dogfighting; he’s required to work a job. Vick began yesterday helping sports instructors at...

Premium news related to Coleman Concedes to Franken
Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jun 30, 09 3:16 PM CDT
(Newser) - Norm Coleman isn't going to drag out Minnesota's Senate fight any longer. Coleman conceded the race to Al Franken today, hours after the state's Supreme Court decreed that Democrat Franken was the rightful winner of November's election, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune . "Further litigation damages the unity of our state," said Coleman....

Premium news related to Judge Revokes Stanford Bond
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 3:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - A US district judge today revoked bond for Texas financier R. Allen Stanford, who's charged with swindling investors out of $7 billion. David Hittner approved a request by prosecutors to overturn a magistrate judge's decision to allow Stanford freed on $500,000 bond pending his trial. Prosecutors argued that Stanford's international ties make...

Premium news related to In '07, Jackson Worth $237M, But Cash-Poor, in Debt
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 3:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - As recently as 2007, Michael Jackson had a net worth of $236.6 million, the AP reports. But his finances weren’t that simple. Most of his $567.6 million in assets were tied up in property and rights—he had just $668,215 in cash—and his debt totaled $331 million. His largest asset by far was his 50% stake in the Sony/ATV publishing...

Premium news related to Greenpeace: Mediterranean a 'Sea of Hell'
ANSA (Italy) | Jun 30, 09 2:51 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Mediterranean Sea is in crisis because of global warming, according to Greenpeace. The group says its latest research documents the catastrophic effect climate change is having on the environmentally crucial body of water, which it dubs a “sea of hell.” Rising temperatures have sent foreign species like poison puffer fish into the water...

Premium news related to Obama Will Try to Rig a Third Term: Limbaugh
Real Clear Politics | Jun 30, 09 2:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - Rush Limbaugh says President Obama condemned the military coup against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya in order to “lay a foundation for not being a hypocrite when he tries to serve beyond 2016,” RealClearPolitics reports. The army moved against Zelaya when he tried to eliminate term limits—“basically rip that country’s...

Premium news related to Looking for Work? Better Have a Job Already
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 2:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Finding a job when unemployment is at 9.4% is hard enough. But the recently laid-off have another hurdle to contend with: Many employers are most interested in attracting candidates who are still working, the Wall Street Journal reports. “If they’re employed in today’s economy, they have to be first string,” says a partner...

Premium news related to Will.i.am Reveals Jacko's Last Album: Dance Music
Daily Mirror (UK) | Jun 30, 09 2:21 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson plotted his comeback album with Will.i.am, and the Black Eyed Peas frontman now tells the Mirror it was going to be “something Michael has never done before—a dance music album.” The King of Pop kept the demos “under lock and key,” but Will.i.am heard them. “It was going to be out of this world,"...

Premium news related to Cancer Reunited Fawcett, Majors
Us Weekly | Jun 30, 09 2:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - Farrah Fawcett’s cancer sparked a brief but touching reunion for Farrah Fawcett and ex-husband Lee Majors, US Weekly reports. When Fawcett fell ill, Majors took to calling friends to check up on her. “He didn’t feel like he could reach out to her himself—it had just been too long,” said one source. “He would send...

Premium news related to Racial Profiling Still Widespread in US: ACLU
Reuters | Jun 30, 09 2:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - Racial profiling remains rampant in the US, with thousands detained yearly due to race, religion, or nationality, even though top federal officials are trying to halt the practice, the American Civil Liberties Union claims in a report to the UN. South Asian and North African immigrants are often targeted as possible Islamic militants, while Latin Americans...

Premium news related to Dance Legend Pina Bausch Dead at 68
Guardian (UK) | Jun 30, 09 1:45 PM CDT
(Newser) - Visionary choreographer Pina Bausch died today at age 68, five days after being diagnosed with cancer, Germany’s Wuppertal Dance Theater announced today. The theater didn’t reveal the cause of death, except to call it “unexpectedly fast.” Bausch’s strange modern style of dance couldn’t be taught in a classroom, but...

Premium news related to Williams Sisters 1 Win From Wimbledon Final Rematch
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 1:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - Venus and Serena Williams are one round away from meeting in another Wimbledon final. Five-time champion Venus overpowered Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 6-2 today, and two-time winner Serena followed her into the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Victoria Azarenka. No. 3-seeded Venus will next face top-ranked Dinara Safina; No. 2 Serena will face No....

Premium news related to Minnesota Supremes: Franken Won Senate Race
Minneapolis Star Tribune | Jun 30, 09 1:39 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled unanimously in favor of Democrat Al Franken in the Senate election battle there, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The court decided that Republican Norm Coleman’s challenge of a lower court’s ruling did not merit reconsideration, the Pioneer Press adds. Though Coleman may bring the dispute...

Premium news related to Jackson's Public Viewing Set for Friday
CNN | Jun 30, 09 1:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson’s body will be taken to his Neverland Ranch on Thursday for a public viewing the next day at the California site, CNN reports. A private memorial service will follow Sunday. Where the singer will be buried remains unknown, though the mayor of Jackson’s hometown of Gary, Ind., is in touch with the family in an effort have...

Premium news related to EPA Bucks Bush Policy, Lets Calif. Set Own CO2 Standard
Reuters | Jun 30, 09 1:08 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Environmental Protection Agency today granted California the right to set its own strict emissions standards, an about-face from Bush-era policies, Reuters reports. In a sly rebuke to the previous administration, the EPA said the move rested on a “traditional legal interpretation of the Clean Air Act.” California first requested permission...

Premium news related to Law's Hamlet to Go From London to Broadway
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Jude Law is Broadway-bound as the prince of Denmark in a production of Hamlet exported from London, the New York Times reports. The show is set for a 12-week run on the Great White Way, with previews starting Sept. 12 and the official opening Oct. 6. Before it arrives Stateside, however, the show will stop at Denmark’s Elsinore Castle.

Premium news related to No Cushy 'Camp Fed' for Madoff
Bloomberg | Jun 30, 09 12:49 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bernard Madoff’s high profile and long sentence will likely land him in a medium- or high-security prison, Bloomberg reports. Though previous white-collar criminals have spent terms at federal prison “camps,” any sentence longer than 10 years makes an inmate ineligible for that cushy treatment. Insiders also say the risk to Madoff...

Premium news related to Geraldo's OK if You Kill a Child Molester
Gawker | Jun 30, 09 12:37 PM CDT
(Newser) - Geraldo Rivera wouldn’t mind if someone happened to kill David Earls. Not that he’s telling you to do it, or anything, Gawker notes. On Fox News last night, Rivera and Bill O’Reilly were grousing about the convicted child rapist who got just a 1-year sentence. O’Reilly, still smarting from the George Tiller murder, said, “If...

Premium news related to Flea-Ridden Resort to Winehouse: No More Dogs!
Sun (UK) | Jun 30, 09 12:27 PM CDT
(Newser) - Amy Winehouse is bringing fleas to St. Lucia. Her swanky resort quarters had to be fumigated thanks to the “five or six” stray dogs she’s adopted, a source tells the Sun , and management banned her from rescuing any more animals. Elsewhere: The latest in a series of TMI moments from Marilyn Manson, courtesy of Bang Showbiz:...

Premium news related to Debate Rages as Congress Mulls Ban on Horse Slaughter
Salon | Jun 30, 09 12:24 PM CDT
(Newser) - All US horse slaughterhouses have closed, but horse slaughter remains a big business. Thousands are shipped to Mexico and Canada, with sometimes-grisly results. “The treatment of these animals is absolutely unspeakable,” said one Mexico City veterinarian tells Salon. Now, Congress is considering a bill to ban both slaughter and the export...

Premium news related to Let's Lock Up Casual Drug Users
Guardian (UK) | Jun 30, 09 12:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - The head of the UN drug and crime office recommended last week that casual drug use be decriminalized and said users "need medical help, not criminal prosecution." We should certainly help addicts, but casual users of marijuana and cocaine belong in jail, George Monbiot of the Guardian writes. They abet a brutal regime of murder, slavery,...

Premium news related to Firefox 3.5 Could Upgrade the Whole Web
Slate | Jun 30, 09 11:54 AM CDT
(Newser) - Firefox, once lauded for “speed, stability, and customizability,” seemed lately to have fallen behind the competition—but with version 3.5, out today, it’s back and better than ever, writes Farhad Manjoo for Slate. The new version “adds a much-needed speed boost” alongside bug fixes. And best of all, its use of updated...

Premium news related to Jacko Fans Suicidal, and More Wacko News
Sky News | Jun 30, 09 11:39 AM CDT
(Newser) - Some Michael Jackson fans are reacting to his death in extreme ways. At least a dozen worldwide have committed suicide, Sky News reports. Meanwhile, websites claiming the entertainer is alive—and faked his demise to escape the pressures of fame—are cropping up, according to the Sun . Elsewhere: Jackson’s doctor admitted, through...

Premium news related to Fla. Burglars Get Burned in Pop-Tart Theft
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 30, 09 11:29 AM CDT
(Newser) - Pop-Tarts proved a key ingredient in the arrest of two young Florida men for burglary, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The pair asked a cop for a ride home early yesterday; the policeman said he had to search them first—finding a collection of high-tech gadgets and a pack of Pop-Tarts. A neighborhood canvass turned up a batch of nearby auto break-ins,...

Premium news related to Friend Tries to Unravel Jacko's Complex Sexuality
Daily Mail (UK) | Jun 30, 09 11:24 AM CDT
(Newser) - When he was accused of sexual abuse in 1993, Michael Jackson’s complex sexuality changed forever. The "virgin" superstar that Tatum O'Neal once described as "so shy he hardly says two words" now had police bearing down on Neverland, and sent maids scurrying to hide pictures of undressed young boys and the women's perfume he...

Premium news related to Monster Fish Becomes Hunters' Fave
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 11:20 AM CDT
(Newser) - Fish don’t get much uglier than the alligator gar, but lately the dinosaur-like monstrosity has attracted a following… of crossbow-wielding sportsmen trying to kill it, the Wall Street Journal reports. Part fishing, part monster hunting, bagging an alligator gar is a thrilling exercise, and at up to 8 feet long, they make great trophies....

Premium news related to How Sanford Can Get His Groove Back
Politico | Jun 30, 09 11:11 AM CDT
(Newser) - Mark Sanford has fallen from grace, but he possesses the know-how to make his way back, writes Roger Simon of Politico. What the philandering governor has going for him: "He knows how to use people. " Just look at his marriage: His wife ran his campaign in 1994, when they had two children under 2, and he paid her back “by betraying...

Premium news related to Beck, Drudge Blast Obama for... Opposing a Coup?
Gawker | Jun 30, 09 10:58 AM CDT
(Newser) - Glenn Beck found a new and creative way of insinuating that President Obama is a commie last night, attacking him for—of all things—opposing the military coup in Honduras. See, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro also opposed the coup, which means clearly any right-thinking non-pinko would support it. “That’s Glenn Beck logic in action...

Premium news related to Jackson May Be on View in Glass Coffin
Sun (UK) | Jun 30, 09 10:53 AM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson’s funeral could be as lavish as one of his concerts. His body will reportedly be transported in a horse-drawn carriage, and he could be on view in a glass coffin. “The glass casket idea would create so much public interest it would take time to organize,” a source tells the Sun . “People would make the pilgrimage...

Premium news related to Edwards Told Aide He'd Be 'Set for Life' in Paternity Ruse
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 10:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - John Edwards was apparently desperate for aide Andrew Young to pretend to be his baby’s daddy. In a proposal for Young’s tell-all book, leaked to the New York Times , Young says Edwards promised he’d be “taken care of for life,” if he went through with the ruse. “You know how much I love you,” Edwards said....

Premium news related to Rowe Not Kids' Bio-Mom: TMZ
TMZ | Jun 30, 09 10:37 AM CDT
(Newser) - Not only was Michael Jackson not the biological father of any of his children, neither was Debbie Rowe, his ex-wife, their biological mother, TMZ reports. All three children were conceived in vitro, and Debbie acted as the surrogate for the eldest two—for a fee—sources tell TMZ.

Premium news related to Son to Attend Farrah's Funeral
People | Jun 30, 09 10:02 AM CDT
(Newser) - Redmond O’Neal was given permission to leave his California detention center for mother Farrah Fawcett’s funeral today. “That’s an absolute yes” for his attendance, his attorney tells People . The ceremony will be held in a downtown Los Angeles cathedral at 4pm, and will be closed to the public and the media, CBS adds.

Premium news related to Ousted Honduran Leader Plans Return
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 9:47 AM CDT
(Newser) - Honduras' ousted president, bolstered by international support, said he will return home to regain control and urged soldiers to stop cracking down on thousands of supporters who have protested his overthrow. Flanked by Latin American leaders who have vowed to help him regain power, Manuel Zelaya said yesterday he would accept an offer by the OAS secretary-general...

Premium news related to Progressive Morocco a Model for Arab World
Washington Post | Jun 30, 09 9:28 AM CDT
(Newser) - Sick of all the violence in Tehran? Try taking a stroll through the capital of Morocco, suggests Anne Applebaum of the Washington Post. Not long ago, Morocco was a dictatorship, plagued by arbitrary arrests, “disappearances,” and torture. But over the last decade this distinctly Arab, distinctly religious state has become a constitutional...

Premium news related to More Sex Makes Stronger Sperm, Cuts Infertility
BBC | Jun 30, 09 9:04 AM CDT
(Newser) - Having sex every day improves sperm quality and can improve a couple's chances of conception, an Australian fertility specialist finds. Eight in 10 men with fertility problems showed less damaged DNA and more mobility in their sperm after 7 days, the BBC reports. The study recommended men "keep the river flowing" while their partners...

Premium news related to Jackson Siblings May Fill in at London Shows
Sun (UK) | Jun 30, 09 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - As promoters determine the best way to salvage Michael Jackson’s 50-night London concert run, the possibility has emerged that his siblings will fill in, the Sun reports. “Janet has been sounded out about fronting some of the shows,” says a source. “Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon have been approached as well, with the...

Premium news related to Dems Put Pragmatism Before Policy
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 8:56 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Democrats learned lasting lessons from the Clinton health care battle: Let Congress, not the White House, write the bills; don’t try to fight the corporations; and avoid failure at all costs. As a consequence, writes David Brooks in the New York Times . the party has taken a “Vince Lombardi attitude” to policy, willing to tweak...

Premium news related to Obama Renews Promises to Dismayed Gay Leaders
Washington Post | Jun 30, 09 8:42 AM CDT
(Newser) - President Obama turned on the charm at a reception yesterday for gay, lesbian, and transgender activists at the White House, where he tried to dispel worries he was dragging his feet on campaign promises. "I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration" by the time it's over, he said to applause. As the Washington...

Premium news related to Pirate Bay Launches New YouTube Clone
Wired | Jun 30, 09 8:32 AM CDT
(Newser) - If YouTube's limits on copyrighted material have exhausted you, the Swedish hackers who call themselves Pirate Bay have a solution: VideoBay, a new streaming video site that's utterly indifferent to intellectual property laws. The new service, rolled out just as Pirate Bay was sold to a Swedish software company that says it plans to take the site legit...

Premium news related to Youngster Found Alive in Indian Ocean After Yemeni Jet Crash
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 8:26 AM CDT
(Newser) - Rescuers have pulled one survivor the wreckage of a Yemeni airliner that went down early today in the Indian Ocean, though officials have issued conflicting details, the AP reports: one says it was a 14-year-old girl, another a 5-year-old boy. Yemenia Air Flight 626 was en route from Yemen to the island nation of Comoros with more than 150 aboard.

Premium news related to China Scraps Web Filter Software Mandate—for Now
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 8:15 AM CDT
(Newser) - China is postponing enforcement of a new rule mandating that all new computers be sold with filtering software. The rule was to go into effect tomorrow, but the official Xinhua News Agency said in a brief report today that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had decided to delay the plan. It did not say why or give any other details.

Premium news related to SJP Introduces Twins to World
Us Weekly | Jun 30, 09 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick introduced their week-old twin girls to the world yesterday via the first official photo, Us reports. Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge Broderick were born June 22 to a surrogate mom in Ohio, and joined the couple’s 6-year-old son James Wilkie. Parker is set to go back to work in September, filming...

Premium news related to Firefighter Ruling Leaves Guidelines as Muddy as Ever
New York Times | Jun 30, 09 7:47 AM CDT
(Newser) - Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling in favor of a group of white firefighters looks likely to be a boon for employment lawyers instead of cities seeking clear guidance, experts tell the New York Times . The court's ruling makes it harder for employers to chuck out tests that overwhelmingly favor whites, and many are expected to instead revamp their entire...

Premium news related to Tale of Wailin' Whalers Nails Bad Writing Contest
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 7:41 AM CDT
(Newser) - A tale of screaming seafarers has won a Washington man this year's grand prize for terrible writing, AP reports. The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest—named in honor of the British writer who coined "It was a dark and stormy night"—rewards the author who can come up with the worst beginning to an imaginary novel with a small...

Premium news related to In Televised Auction of Oil Contracts, Iraq Plays Hardball
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 7:34 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Iraqi oil industry has been nationalized since 1972, but today the country is awarding the first contracts in decades to private petroleum companies—live on television. So far a joint bid by British Petroleum and a Chinese firm has won the first contract, for a 17 billion-barrel field in Iraq's southeast. As the Wall Street Journal reports,...

Premium news related to Parade, Jubilation Follow US Pullout of Iraqi Cities
Guardian (UK) | Jun 30, 09 7:17 AM CDT
(Newser) - Iraq held its first full military parade since the fall of Saddam today—now known as Sovereignty Day—to celebrate the official withdrawal of US troops from cities and towns. The proceedings took place inside the Green Zone and were screened on television, but several media outlets, including the New York Times , were barred from attending...

Premium news related to Swedish Firm Nabs Pirate Bay for $7.7M
The Register | Jun 30, 09 7:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - A Swedish software company has purchased file-sharing site Pirate Bay for $7.7 million after the site was fined $3.6 million, the Register reports. “We would like to introduce models which entail that content providers and copyright owners get paid for content that is downloaded via the site,” said the CEO of Global Gaming Factory X,...

Premium news related to 4 US Troops Killed During Iraqi City Pullout
Associated Press | Jun 30, 09 6:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Four US soldiers were killed in combat shortly before the American military completed a withdrawal from Iraq's cities last night. But prime minister Nouri al-Maliki assured Iraqis in a televised address today that government forces are in control: "Those who think that Iraqis are not able to protect their country and that the withdrawal of foreign...

Premium news related to Roberts Court Takes Narrow Path to the Right
USA Today | Jun 30, 09 6:28 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Supreme Court shifted further to the right in its 2008-09 term, ended yesterday, particularly on issues of civil rights and environmental protection. As USA Today reports, the conservative bloc led by John Roberts used several rulings to set tougher standards for individuals bringing suit, and it offered narrower opinions than courts past....

Premium news related to Kobe's Next Title: '1-Man State Department' to China
Wall Street Journal | Jun 30, 09 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Yao Ming may be an NBA star, but the most popular basketball player in China is Kobe Bryant—he's plastered on billboards and even once had his own reality show on Chinese TV. The Lakers guard has made a deliberate push in the world's largest nation, and he's now establishing the Kobe Bryant China Fund to benefit education and health. "I...

Premium news related to Saudi Prince to Liberal Bro: Stop Spreading Vice
BBC | Jun 30, 09 5:44 AM CDT
(Newser) - A conservative Saudi prince has exposed a rift in the royal family with an unprecedented attack on his liberal brother, the BBC reports. Prince Khaled called for the assets of Prince Whaled—owner of a huge media empire that includes a big stake in Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.—to be frozen. The prince said he had been forced to speak...

Premium news related to Bon Jovi Launches Iran Protest Video in Farsi
Reuters | Jun 30, 09 5:11 AM CDT
(Newser) - Jon Bon Jovi has released a music video in support of Iran protesters in which he sings Stand by Me in Farsi with exiled Iranian singer Andy Madadian, reports Reuters. "It's not for sale," said a producer of the video, which was first released on mydamnchannel.com. "It's intended to be downloaded and shared by the Iranian people. The...

Premium news related to Buckingham Palace Guards 'Ran Porn, Poker Rings'
Daily Telegraph (UK) | Jun 30, 09 4:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - A royal bodyguard accused of running a multimillon dollar scam opened his defense yesterday by accusing his palace colleagues of running poker and porn enterprises, the Telegraph reports. Paul Page told the court that his fellow royal protection officers had an "easy life" and ran gambling operations and sold porn while on duty. Page—charged...