Newser Story Index from October, 2007
Welcome to the Newser Story Index. Here you find stories written by Newser writers and editors, assembled with supporting photos and videos from the files of the news story.
Teen Smokers More Likely to Drink, Do Drugs: Study
Reuters
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Oct 24, 2007 3:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Teenagers who smoke cigarettes are five times more likely to drink and 13 times more likely to smoke pot, according to a new study by a Columbia University addiction center. The report also linked adolescent smoking to higher rates of binge drinking and hard drug use, along with a greater risk of depression and anxiety disorders.
Rice Sets New Rules for Guards
Washington Post
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Oct 24, 2007 3:11 AM CDT
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Private security contractors in Iraq will operate under tougher controls and tighter supervision, according to new State Department rules approved by Condoleezza Rice today, but they won't be supervised by the military, as Defense's Robert Gates had proposed. Measures include investigative "go teams"' that will respond quickly to future...
Lonely at the Top for Yahoo CEO Yang
CNET
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Oct 24, 2007 12:54 AM CDT
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Being the CEO of Yahoo is no cakewalk, according to co-founder Jerry Yang, speaking yesterday at a conference in California, News.com reports. "It is a lonely job in the sense that you have to make some of the tough calls," Yang said of the job he finally took 13 years after co-founding the company. Among those tough decisions for Yang, since...
Kovalchuk Is Thrashers' Hero in Shootout
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Oct 24, 2007 12:33 AM CDT
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Ilya Kovalchuck demonstrated his offensive chops last night, leading the struggling Thrashers to a 5-4 victory over Toronto with a decisive shootout goal. Kovalchuck also had an assist and scored Atlanta's second goal of the game, keeping things competitive despite a Leaf's goal 13 seconds into the first and another with 9 seconds left in regulation.
Amazon Reports Large Increase in 3Q Sales
CNN
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Oct 24, 2007 12:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Amazon reported strong increases in third-quarter sales, citing once again its low pricing and free shipping for success. But investors may have been hoping for an even larger increase, because Amazon's share prices fell over 8% in after-hours trading. The company netted a profit of $80 million for the quarter, an increase of 313% over last year’s...
Penguins Topple Rangers, 1-0
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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Oct 24, 2007 12:26 AM CDT
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The supposed high-powered offense of the Rangers continued to flounder as New York fell to Pittsburgh, 1-0. Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 36 shots to earn his first shutout since last March. The game’s lone goal came 44 seconds into the second period, when Evgeni Malkin beat New York’s Henrik Lundqvist on a power play, reports...
Fires Delay SDSU-BYU Game
Associated Press
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Oct 24, 2007 12:24 AM CDT
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With refugees from the wild fires sweeping through the San Diego area taking shelter in Qualcomm Stadium, officials have postponed this weekend's college football matchup of Brigham Young and San Diego State universities. The decision was also motivated by concern for air quality and fan safety, leading to the postponement of all other SDSU athletic...
Rockies Tickets Going, Going, Gone
Rocky Mountain News
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Oct 24, 2007 12:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Rockies managed to unload the remainder of their World Series tickets today, a day after their overwhelmed servers crashed after selling just 500 seats. The team blamed a malicious hacker onslaught, but problems persisted one day later and ticket sales were slow, reports the Rocky Mountain News.
Sox Shelve Wakefield for Series
Hartford Courant (Conn.)
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Oct 23, 2007 11:06 PM CDT
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With the Red Sox on the brink of the World Series, knuckleballer Tim Wakefield has decided to shut it down due to worsening inflammation behind his right shoulder. Wakefield was shelled in his only playoff start, Game 4 against Cleveland, allowing five runs, and doctors warned that he might suffer permanent damage to his shoulder if he kept pitching....
History Links Fenway, Wrigley
Chicago Tribune
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Oct 23, 2007 10:45 PM CDT
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Boston’s Fenway Park, erected in 1912, and Chicago’s Wrigley Field, 1914, are baseball’s oldest ballparks and give their respective teams and fan base an identity, and the former holds lessons for the latter. “The one thing I noticed with both Fenway and the Cubs is the allegiance. It's more than a sports allegiance. It's a...
Obama Angers Gays With Choice of Gospel Singer
Chicago Tribune
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Oct 23, 2007 7:47 PM CDT
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A Grammy-winning gospel singer who claims homosexuality can be “cured” is scheduled to perform this weekend at a show organized by Barack Obama's campaign, setting off a political brouhaha in the gay community. Obama’s camp has rejected calls to drop Donnie McClurkin, the Chicago Tribune reports, but the candidate said he “strongly...
OJ Cronies Plead Guilty, Will Testify Against Him
Associated Press
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Oct 23, 2007 7:25 PM CDT
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Two of OJ's cronies in the alleged sports memorabilia robbery case pleaded guilty today to reduced charges as part of an agreement that will have them testifying against the Juice, the AP reports. Walter Alexander and Charles Cashmore accepted charges of felony conspiracy to commit robbery and felony accessory to robbery, respectively. Their testimony...
Sudan to Call Darfur Ceasefire Ahead of Talks
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 6:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sudan will declare yet another ceasefire in Darfur this weekend, the Guardian reports, as the government sits down with the region’s rebel factions to try to hammer out a peace accord. Government officials called it a “confidence-building measure” designed to “give negotiators a chance to get out with an agreement,”...
China Clashes With Tibetan Monks in Wake of Dalai Award
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 6:34 PM CDT
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Chinese security forces in Tibet have clashed with Buddhist monks celebrating the Dalai Lama's recent honor from the US, the Guardian reported. Police and soldiers in the capital Lhasa and in outlying areas cracked down on monasteries holding special services in honor of the Tibetan spiritual leader, according to Hong Kong media and Tibetan activist...
Economic Woes Sink Retail Sales
Bloomberg
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Oct 23, 2007 6:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With the holiday shopping season set to kick off, retailers are lowering prices on thousands of items to clear space for seasonal products, cutting into profits and producing the worst drop in week-to-week sales since May, Bloomberg reports. US retail sales for the week ending Oct. 20 fell 1.5% from the previous week, said an industry group.
Before You Take That Cruise ...
USA Today
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Oct 23, 2007 6:04 PM CDT
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Don't travel blind on your first cruise. USA Today has some tips for novices: Find the right cruise for you by consulting CruiseCritic.com, TripAdvisor.com, or a travel agent. Need formal wear for dinner? Probably not, but check out the eating arrangements before you pack.
Countrywide to Refinance Risky Home Loans
Bloomberg
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Oct 23, 2007 5:38 PM CDT
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Countrywide, the nation's largest mortgage lender, will refinance $16 billion worth of subprime home loans. The move will allow 80,000 customers with adjustable-rate mortgages to get lower rates, making it more likely that they'll keep their homes. Countrywide will make less money from the new arrangement, but fewer mortgages will fail outright, Bloomberg...
Bush Sees 'Urgent' Need for Missile Defense
Washington Post
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Oct 23, 2007 5:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush today declared an "urgent" need for a missile-defense system in Europe to defend the US and its allies against attacks from "dangerous regimes" such as Iran, the Washington Post reports. Bush sought to get Russia on board, while defense chief Gates said the system would remain idle until the US had "concrete...
AT&T Profits Boosted by Wireless Sales and iPhone
New York Times
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Oct 23, 2007 5:06 PM CDT
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AT&T quarterly profits went up 42%, boosted by strong wireless sales and by the ever-nifty Apple iPhone. Total wireless sales hit 65.7 million, much of the increase coming from the company's purchase of BellSouth—which made AT&T the sole owner of Cingular. “We had an excellent quarter in wireless growth,” says the company's...
Primary Leapfroggers Will Lose Half of Delegates: GOP
CQPolitics
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Oct 23, 2007 4:58 PM CDT
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Five state delegations will lose half their votes if they hold their primaries, as currently scheduled, before the official start date of February 5, the RNC ruled yesterday. The party’s national chairman said the penalty shouldn’t come as a surprise, because the 2008 rules were adopted at the 2004 convention, Congressional Quarterly ...
2nd Wildfire Death Confirmed
CNN
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Oct 23, 2007 4:37 PM CDT
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A second person has died in the rampant wildfires that have forced 500,000 San Diego County residents to evacuate, the Forest Service announced, offering no details. Firefighters fear some of the larger blazes may coalesce into a monster they would have insufficient resources to stop, CNN reports. So far more than 1,300 homes have been incinerated.
NFL Team Yanks $275K Bid for Cowboys.com
ComputerWorld
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Oct 23, 2007 4:32 PM CDT
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The Dallas Cowboys wanted the domain name Cowboys.com, but not that badly. The team had to withdraw a winning bid of $275,000 after realizing how much it had offered; the 'Boys claimed they intended to bid only $275 in a URL auction conducted by phone this month, ComputerWorld reports. The auction firm acknowledged the word “thousand”...
Bhutto Banned From Leaving Pakistan
BBC
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Oct 23, 2007 4:15 PM CDT
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Benazir Bhutto has been banned from leaving Pakistan, a spokesman from her political party told the BBC today. One analyst sees the move as an attempt by the Musharraf regime to gain the upper hand in power-sharing talks. Bhutto's family did not return to Pakistan with her, so she would be unable to see them.
Thompson Calls Right to Die a Family Decision
ABC News
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Oct 23, 2007 3:59 PM CDT
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Fred Thompson opened up yesterday about the 2002 death of his daughter, saying end-of-life decisions should be made by families, not governments. Betsy Thompson Panici died at age 38 after an accidental prescription drug overdose, ABC News reports. The GOP hopeful said the kinds of choices his family had to make shouldn’t be “a political...
Apple Numbers Lift Markets
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 23, 2007 3:38 PM CDT
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Stocks closed up today, thanks partially to good news from Apple, which reported a 67% increase in quarterly profit after yesterday's close. Tech in general continued to bolster the markets despite broader economic worries. The Dow rose 109.26 to 13,676.23, the Nasdaq was up 45.33 to 2,799.26, and the S&P 500 climbed 13.26 to 1,519.59.
'Dancing' Curse Strikes Again as Osmond Faints
E! Online
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Oct 23, 2007 3:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Marie Osmond's samba last night was so energetic that she passed out, becoming the latest "Dancing With the Stars" star to suffer some bad juju. Osmond hit the deck just before a commercial and was fine when the show resumed with a rattled Tom Bergeron at the helm. "In movies, swooning is so romantic," said the host. "In real...
Turkey Upsets the West's Cozy 'War on Terror'
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 3:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Why is Turkey's possible incursion into northern Iraq so unsettling for the West? For Slavoj Zizek, writing in the Guardian today, it's not just that it might upset Iraqi stability—things are pretty bad already—but that it disturbs our notion of who is allowed to make war to prevent "terrorist activities." In short, "we"...
More Docs Just Say No to Pharma Reps
Newsweek
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Oct 23, 2007 3:06 PM CDT
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More doctors, hospitals, and medical schools are limiting or barring visits from drug-company reps as the calls become more frequent and concerns grow that they may influence prescribing. An organization of doctors who pledge not to welcome pharma reps has only 800 members, but institutional players—including some states—are taking steps...
MySpace Jumps Into Games Fray
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 23, 2007 2:42 PM CDT
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There are tens of thousands of people in your extended network, and they might be playing Gem Quest come January. MySpace plans to host hundreds of easy-to-learn online games to, as one company VP put it, “enhance the fun factor”—and grab a slice of the game industry’s fastest-growing segment, the Journal reports.
Why Couldn’t Rowling Just Let Dumbledore Be?
Time
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Oct 23, 2007 2:15 PM CDT
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The outed Dumbledore is loveless and pathetic, says Time ’s John Cloud. He sees no progress for gay equality in JK Rowling's revelation, but rather a role model as problematic as Larry Craig. Shouldn’t the writer be happy with the news about Harry Potter’s heroic mentor? “Yes, except: Why couldn't he tell us himself?”
Phone GPS Makes People Easier to Find...
New York Times
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Oct 23, 2007 1:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
There’s nothing like Loopt for meeting up with friends. Loopt, and social-mapping programs like it, broadcast your cellphone’s location to other users, a useful service the New York Times says, with troubling privacy implications. “There is a Big Brother component,” said one analyst. “If my friends can find me, the telephone...
Discovery Blasts Off Safely
Associated Press
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Oct 23, 2007 1:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite dubious weather, ice buildup, and wing cracks, Discovery successfully launched from Cape Canaveral this morning. The spacecraft carries a crew of seven—including Pamela Melroy, only the second female shuttle commander—to a daunting construction job on the International Space Station, the AP reports. The "to do" list includes...
Clinton Vows Review of Exec 'Power Grab'
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 1:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton has vowed to launch a review of executive powers "expanded" by President Bush if the job becomes hers, she says in an interview with Guardian America, the Guardian's new US website. Referring to Bush and Dick Cheney, the senator told the Guardian's US editor, Michael Tomasky, "I'm going to have to review everything...
Broccoli Blocks Skin Cancer
Washington Post
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Oct 23, 2007 1:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Green may be the new white, at least in sun protection. A green smear of broccoli extract prevents cancer-causing damage from ultraviolet light—not by blocking the rays, but by activating the skin’s natural cancer-fighting abilities, a new study finds. One advantage: Unlike conventional sunscreen, broccoli doesn't keep...
'Pong' Inventor Muses on Gaming
Electronic Design
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Oct 23, 2007 12:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nolan Bushnell, often called the father of electronic games, is still masterminding new ways to mix technology and entertainment, Electronic Design reports. Fusing his experiences as the inventor of Pong and founder of both Atari and Chuck E. Cheese restaurants, Bushnell has created uWink, a family restaurant where the tables have inset touch-screen...
Blackstone Pushes to Delay Tax Increase Bill
Bloomberg
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Oct 23, 2007 12:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If Blackstone and other buyout firms can't kill a proposed bill that would increase their taxes, they'll try for a 10-year delay in enacting it. Under pressure from lobbyists, lawmakers are discussing doubling the proposed 5-year grace period, Bloomberg reports. The legislation, introduced before Blackstone went public in June, has been the target...
Genealogy Site Wants to Swab Your Cheek
ComputerWorld
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Oct 23, 2007 12:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Now even dead ancestors can join the social networking craze. Their descendants, today’s consumers, can submit cheek swabs to genetics company GeneTree, which compares the DNA to its database and creates an interactive digital family tree. Users can post videos, photos, and link up with other members of their tree, which also reflects geographic...
Bush Declares Calif. Emergency
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 23, 2007 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Federal aid will soon be pouring into Southern California: President Bush today declared a state of emergency for the fire-scorched region. Wildfires ripping across seven counties have forced half a million people to evacuate. “We extend our prayers and our thoughts” to them, Bush said. Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and FEMA...
Iraq Promises to Help Turkey Quell Kurd Militants
New York Times
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Oct 23, 2007 12:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Urging diplomacy, Iraq today pledged to help Turkey resolve border violence by Kurdish militants based in northern Iraq. Turkey kept the diplomatic wheels turning but wouldn't rule out military action to quell the PKK and rejected its offer of a ceasefire. Iraq’s foreign minister vowed to “actively help Turkey overcome this menace”...
Mergers Can't Keep Telecom From Free Fall
BusinessWeek
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Oct 23, 2007 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
This quarter was supposed to see the start of a fightback for the beleaguered telecommunications industry. But the bad news keeps coming: Ericsson has warned investors to prepare for a sharp drop in profits, Nokia is still losing money and firing thousands of workers, and Alcatel-Lucent is already seeking a new business plan after its recent merger.
Plant, Krauss Make Sweet Music
Boston Globe
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Oct 23, 2007 11:33 AM CDT
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Alison Krauss’ clear mountain voice might seem an odd match for former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, but their collaboration, Raising Sand, is “the stuff of which music lovers’ dreams are made,” says the Boston Globe . Traversing a range of root styles, Krauss and Plant harmonize beautifully, USA Today says, with...
Far-Right Wins in Swiss Election Create Tension
Times (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 11:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Swiss voters delivered a new parliament on Sunday, giving the right-wing Swiss People's Party a consolidated grip on power. But they also gave a seat to the country's first black MP, who told the Times of London that he is fearful of the xenophobia that characterized the recent election, despite his pride at being "a symbol" of a non-racist...
Downpours Flood New Orleans Again
Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
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Oct 23, 2007 10:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Parts of New Orleans flooded yesterday after pumps repaired in the wake of Katrina couldn't keep up with torrential downpours that brought more than 2 inches of rain per hour. Eight inches fell on some parts of the city, and homes and businesses in the worst-hit areas floundered in as much as 4 feet of water. "It was bad everywhere," said...
What Killed Tut? Scientists Crack the Case
Independent (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 10:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists may have finally solved the mystery surrounding the death of King Tut: The boy king took a tumble from a speeding chariot while hunting. New CT scans show Tut suffered a broken leg as well as a blow to the head, the Independent reports. Analysis of tomb artifacts suggests the enthusiastic charioteer died in prime hunting season.
10 Jobs Not Long for This World
Forbes
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Oct 23, 2007 9:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Getting a job is hard enough—you don't want one that won't be around in five or 10 years. Forbes pulls out its crystal ball to see which jobs are not long for this world: News analysts, reporters, and correspondents Economists Radio announcers Travel agents
UK Secretary in DC to Mend Fences With US
Telegraph (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 9:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The British foreign secretary arrived in Washington last night, and David Miliband now faces the unenviable task of mending a deepening rift between the Bush administration and Gordon Brown. The speed of the UK's pullback in Basra—not to mention the PM's coolness toward President Bush—has irked a White House accustomed to Bush-Blair...
Nobel Laureate Downplays 9/11
Associated Press
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Oct 23, 2007 9:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Freshly minted Nobel laureate Doris Lessing said the 9/11 terrorist assault on the World Trade Center “wasn’t that terrible” in comparison to violence wreaked by the IRA in Britain. "Some Americans will think I'm crazy," she said in an interview in Spanish daily El Pais . "Many people died, two prominent buildings...
Court Overturns Volkswagen Law, Takeover Likely
Bloomberg
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Oct 23, 2007 8:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The EU’s highest court today overturned a 47-year-old German law that protected Volkswagen AG from takeover, opening the door for a long-rumored Porsche coup. Porsche already owns 31% of VW, but the law capped their voting rights at 20%. With that impediment gone, “I see Porsche flexing its muscles and going for outright control,”...
Rangel Pushes Corporate Tax-Rate Cut
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 23, 2007 8:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rep. Charles Rangel, the Democratic chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has proposed a revised corporate tax structure that could lower corporate income taxes from 35% to between 30% and 31%. It would be offset by doing away with tax breaks for manufacturing in the US. The bill is unlikely to move forward this year, but the Wall Street...
Audits Rip Fed Oversight of Security Firms, Costs
New York Times
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Oct 23, 2007 7:20 AM CDT
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A State Department internal review of its own security practices in Iraq is sharply critical of the lack of oversight of private contractors Blackwater, DynCorp International and Triple Canopy. A second report due today says officials can't say what the government got for $1.2B paid to DynCorp since 2004, reports the New York Times .
