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.
Fraud Probe Pushes Italian PM to Brink
Guardian (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 6:48 AM CDT
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Italy's government neared meltdown last night as charges of fraud and embezzlement picked up steam. Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his justice minister are under investigation for diverting funds from the European Union to their own political party in order to shore up support during an election, reports the Guardian . Ministers are trading insults...
Canadiens Snap Bruins' Streak in Big Way 6-1
Boston Herald
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Oct 23, 2007 6:25 AM CDT
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The Boston Bruins saw their four-game win streak broken in dramatic fashion last night as the Montreal Canadiens sent six goals past Manny Fernandez. After a 5-2-0 start, the Bruins came "back to earth very quick," coach Claude Julien told the Boston Herald. "We kind of lost our composure.”
Bhutto: Government Blocking Bomb Probe
Washington Post
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Oct 23, 2007 4:59 AM CDT
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Former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto accused government officials of blocking the investigation into the attack on her last week that killed 140 supporters, reports the Washington Post . Bhutto demanded that international experts be brought into the probe because "there are very powerful figures behind the assassination attempt on me," she...
500,000 Flee So Cal Firestorm
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 23, 2007 4:58 AM CDT
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High winds and hotter temperatures are forecast for Southern California today, frustrating firefighters struggling to contain the runaway blazes that have forced more than half a million people from their homes and consumed almost 900 buildings in the last two days. At least a dozen fires are still torching tinder-dry hillsides from Santa Barbara to...
Bankruptcies Jump as Owners Fight to Save Homes
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 23, 2007 4:50 AM CDT
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Bankruptcies jumped 23% last month over the same time last year as debtors caught up in the sagging US housing market struggled to save their homes, reports the Wall Street Journal . Homeowners are now increasingly turning to Chapter 13 as an option—which can stave off foreclosure for three to five years as debtors work out their finances. Of...
Double Mastectomies on the Rise
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 23, 2007 4:46 AM CDT
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More women are choosing to have double mastectomies despite a lack of evidence that such a procedure increases survival for most women, according to a study in the Journal of Oncology . The number of women choosing the procedure after an initial tumor was found in one breast increased 150% over five years. Doctors usually recommend removal of a tumor...
With Torre out, Yanks Start Interviewing
New York Times
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Oct 23, 2007 4:25 AM CDT
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Former Yankee catcher Joe Girardi spent yesterday meeting with team officials, interviewing for Joe Torre's old job as New York's manager, reports the Times. He'll be followed today by the team's current bench coach Don Mattingly, and tomorrow Yankees first-base coach Tony Pena will jump into the interview pool.
Education Staves Off Alzheimer's
Reuters
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Oct 23, 2007 4:17 AM CDT
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Higher levels of education help delay the onset of Alzheimer's, but once the disease takes hold, mental decline is faster among those with more schooling, researchers have found. Each year of education is linked to a 2.5 month delay in accelerated memory loss, according to the study in Neurology . But once it begins, mental deterioration progresses...
Bin Laden to Insurgents: Become 'One' With Al Qaeda
Telegraph (UK)
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Oct 23, 2007 4:15 AM CDT
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Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden has issued a taped plea calling on his "brother fighters" in Iraq to unite with Al Qaeda—on the heels of US military reports of major gains against the network in Iraq, the Telegraph writes. Some Sunnis have even formed coalitions against Al Qaeda. The insurgents must unite "so that they...
Colts 6-0 After 29-7 Jacksonville Rout
Indianapolis Star
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Oct 23, 2007 3:41 AM CDT
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A 29-7 blowout of Jacksonville last night left the Indianapolis Colts undefeated, and the third team in NFL history to start three consecutive seasons 6-0, reports the Indianapolis Star. Determined to make up for last season's breakdown against the Jaguars, the Indy defense clamped down, picking off three interceptions, bagging a safety, and spraining...
Roberts: Devil Won't Get School
Tulsa World
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Oct 23, 2007 3:38 AM CDT
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The 89-year-old founder of embattled Oral Roberts University has returned to the school to defend it against allegations of misuse of college funds by his own family members. "The devil is not going to steal" the university, Oral Roberts declared to students and staff at a religious service, as he insisted the accusations are false.
Hero SEAL's Parents Accept Medal of Honor
Navy Times
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Oct 23, 2007 3:36 AM CDT
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President Bush yesterday presented the Medal of Honor to the parents of a Navy SEAL from Long Island who lost his life in Afghanistan after calling for help to save his team. The debt owed to Lt. Michael Murphy "cannot diminish over time and can never be repaid," said Bush, his voice often choking with emotion. The award is the nation's highest...
Blast of Reality in 'Curb' Split
USA Today
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Oct 23, 2007 2:36 AM CDT
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Fans who tuned in to this week's episode of Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" got an odd dose of real-life synchronicity when the writer-actor's TV wife left him, mirroring his own actual divorce. "This was all written before any of my marriage problems, but I knew when we were filming what was going on," he told USA Today ....
Byrd's HGH Use Was News to Mitchell
Associated Press
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Oct 23, 2007 12:13 AM CDT
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Baseball investigator George Mitchell denied a report that he leaked information on Cleveland pitcher Paul Byrd’s use of human growth hormone. News broke before Cleveland lost Game 7 to Boston that Byrd had bought HGH online; he said it was used to treat a pituitary tumor. Mitchell said he learned of the allegations at the same time as the public,...
Apple Fourth Quarter Swamps Wall Street Estimates
San Jose Mercury News
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Oct 22, 2007 11:57 PM CDT
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Apple reported yesterday that it dramatically outstripped estimates for fourth-quarter profits, news that bumped the company's stock up 6% in after-hours trading. Apple saw $6.22 billion in sales this quarter for earnings of $904 million ($1.01 per share), a 67% improvement over the same time last year. Analysts were expecting earnings of 86 cents...
Rockies Redo Series Ticket Web Sales
Rocky Mountain News
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Oct 22, 2007 11:33 PM CDT
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The Rockies blamed an “external malicious attack” for the crash of a partner company’s server who was handling the sale of World Series tickets, and said they'll try again tomorrow. The site received 8.5 million hits in 90 minutes but, according to a company spokesman, traffic was not the issue. Only a few hundred of the estimated...
Axe Finally Falls on Women's World Cup Coach
New York Times
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Oct 22, 2007 11:19 PM CDT
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In a demonstration of the high expectations of the U.S. women's soccer team, coach Greg Ryan was fired after his team crashed out in the semifinals of last month's World Cup. Ryan sustained just two losses in two and a half years, but his questionable handling of the goalkeeper position helped foment an ugly defeat to Brazil.
Comcast Blocking Lotus Notes
Ars Technica
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Oct 22, 2007 11:03 PM CDT
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Cable and Internet service giant Comcast is disrupting more than just BitTorrent traffic, reports Ars Technica. Tests by the Electronic Frontier Foundation show that Comcast customers using a growing list of apps may find their Net access slowed or denied. A Lotus Notes engineer, for example, discovered Notes emails sent with large attachments being...
La Russa Re-Signs with Cardinals
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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Oct 22, 2007 10:23 PM CDT
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Tony La Russa, Cardinals manager for the past twelve years, will stick around for two more, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A disappointing 78-84 season to cap his previous three-year deal, plus instability at general manager, had the four-time Manager of the Year initially uncertain as to whether he'd return.
Wildfires Impact LT, Chargers
Associated Press
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Oct 22, 2007 9:43 PM CDT
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The wildfires blazing through San Diego County forced 40 Chargers to evacuate their homes, including star running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The team cancelled practice today due to poor air quality, and will move their operations to Arizona for the rest of the week. It is not yet clear whether the fires will affect Sunday’s home game against...
Outed Spy Runs Media Gauntlet for New Book
New York Times
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Oct 22, 2007 7:43 PM CDT
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Valerie Plame Wilson has begun the media blitz to promote her memoirs, and her return to the public eye is provoking the expected responses—angry from the left and belittling from the right, the New York Times says. For her part, the outed CIA spy told The Today Show the Bush administration is capable of launching a war with Iran based...
Terror $$$ Case Ends in Mistrial
Dallas Morning News
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Oct 22, 2007 7:17 PM CDT
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The biggest terror financing trial in US history ended today in a mistrial, as jurors deadlocked on charges that a charity knowingly gave $12 million to Hamas-controlled Palestinian groups. The five officials from the Holy Land Foundation—four of whom are US citizens—were jubilant today after acquittals on some counts and stalemates on...
Average Private College Tuition Rises to $32,307
Bloomberg
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Oct 22, 2007 7:10 PM CDT
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The average annual cost of attending a private four-year college increased nearly 4% to $32,307 this school year, the biggest increase since 2001, the College Board said today. Tuition at four-year public schools rose 3.8 percent to $13,589, the report said. The figures, adjusted for inflation, do not include room and board.
The Worst Songs of All Time
Blender
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Oct 22, 2007 7:09 PM CDT
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Cheesy lyrics. Bad melodies that get inside your head and won't leave. Ever. These are the hallmarks of truly bad songs, and the folks at Blender offer their list of the worst ever: Starship, “We Built This City,” 1985 Billy Ray Cyrus, “Achy Breaky Heart,” 1992 Wang Chung, “Everybody Have Fun Tonight,”...
Turkey Pledges to Wait for Talks Before Striking Back at Kurds
Reuters
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Oct 22, 2007 6:38 PM CDT
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Turkish leaders say they will hold off on military action against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq while the US and other nations try diplomacy to calm things down, Reuters reported. Tensions continued to soar, however, as Turkey massed troops at the Iraqi border and protesters throughout the country demanded action. President Bush said he would urge...
Boo! Where to Go for Halloween
Reuters
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Oct 22, 2007 5:56 PM CDT
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If you like being scared, this is your time of year. Here are nine of the best sites to visit in the US and Canada in honor of Halloween, according to Reuters: Six Flags Parks in the US and Canada Universal Studios, Hollywood The Haunted Adventure, Toronto
NASA Quashes Air-Safety Statistics
Associated Press
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Oct 22, 2007 5:22 PM CDT
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Safety problems and close calls such as near-collisions and bird strikes are much more common on US flights than previously realized, says a NASA survey leaked to the AP by an anonymous tipster. The agency says it is not releasing the results of the comprehensive air safety survey because it fears the scary data could upset travelers.
iPod Ad Tunes Up Feist's Career
USA Today
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Oct 22, 2007 5:16 PM CDT
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If you've seen the iPod Nano ad featuring "1234" by Feist, you probably have the song stuck in your head. You're not alone: Since the TV spot first aired last month, the song has shot up the iTunes charts, hit No. 4 on SoundScan, and propelled sales of the Canadian singer/songwriter's album "The Reminder," USA Today reports.
Rockies Servers Crash, Halting Series Ticket Sales
Denver Post
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Oct 22, 2007 5:15 PM CDT
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The Colorado Rockies have suspended World Series ticket sales—both online and at the box office—after a partner company's servers crashed under overwhelming demand. Tix went on sale at 10am, but the site had massive traffic 90 minutes beforehand, and by the time sales opened the system was hopelessly jammed. "It's a joke. They should...
Scandal Kills Copperfield Shows
Associated Press
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Oct 22, 2007 4:59 PM CDT
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Illusionist David Copperfield has canceled shows across Southeast Asia amid reports that the FBI is investigating claims he "forced himself" on an unidentified woman, the AP reports. He called off dates in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Jakarta, where the promoter said: "With this cancellation, we have lost more than $1 million in...
Wikimedia Begins '07 Fundraiser
CNET
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Oct 22, 2007 4:49 PM CDT
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The Wikimedia foundation, non-profit operator of Wikipedia and related sites, announced the start of its annual fundraiser today, News.com reports. The pledge drive, which will run through December 22, will finance general improvements to the online encyclopedia as well as a planned expansion of the site into geographic areas and languages that are...
Special Delivery: Bags Fall From Plane in Midair
Chicago Tribune
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Oct 22, 2007 4:35 PM CDT
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A flight was forced to return to Chicago's Midway Airport yesterday morning after a cargo door opened and two pieces of luggage fell to the ground, the Chicago Tribune reports. Shortly after takeoff, sensors detected the open cargo door and a pressure problem in the cabin, an FAA spokeswoman said. One of the bags was recovered this afternoon.
Bush Asks $46B More for Wars
Associated Press
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Oct 22, 2007 4:07 PM CDT
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Citing the need to "provide our troops with the support they need to get the job done," President Bush asked Congress today for $46 billion more to fund wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the AP reports. Not so fast, said congressional Democrats, who vowed not to act until next year despite Bush's plea to pass the measure before the holidays.
To Save the Earth, Gobble Chicken
Salon
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Oct 22, 2007 4:06 PM CDT
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When it comes to environmentally friendly eating habits, a vegetarian diet isn't necessarily the answer. PETA would have us believe that meat consumption is the single biggest cause of global warming, but the group is misinformed, Salon says—fossil fuels are to blame. To chow down ethically, steer clear of gas-producing beef and pork products...
Afternoon Rally Fades, Revives
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 22, 2007 3:45 PM CDT
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The markets seesawed today as an afternoon rally faded then revived, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq. Friday's bloodbath lingered into this morning, but a speech by Fed governor Randall Kroszner raised hopes for a rate cut, reports the Journal. The Dow closed up 44.95 at 13,566.97, the Nasdaq up 28.77 at 2,753.93, and the S&P up 5.70 at 1,506.33.
Rice to Russia: You're No USSR
Reuters
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Oct 22, 2007 3:15 PM CDT
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Condoleezza Rice said today Russia shouldn’t use its oil and gas reserves as a “political weapon,” and that the country should move away from authoritarianism and toward democracy. The secretary of state confirmed a “certain distance” between Russia and the US, Reuters reports, but the Soviet scholar said she isn’t...
Clinics Test Prepaid Health Plans
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 22, 2007 2:50 PM CDT
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Primary care is increasingly out of reach for patients and unprofitable for physicians, but a prepaid plan at a walk-in clinic could provide a solution, one doctor says. Vic Wood charges a monthly fee for basic and urgent care, allowing his practice to stay afloat and his uninsured patients to get medical treatment. But it's not all good news, the...
'Antiquated' VA Ill Equipped to Care for Vets
Christian Science Monitor
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Oct 22, 2007 2:25 PM CDT
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Some 700,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are eligible for VA benefits, and overhauling the overburdened system is firmly in the sights of President Bush and a bipartisan commission. Citing "fundamental system weaknesses," a GAO report last week outlined a huge bureaucracy rife with staffing and training shortfalls, confusing policies,...
Housing Ills Ripple Across Pond
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 22, 2007 2:00 PM CDT
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The American housing crisis is echoing in Europe, where home prices are dropping after a decade of rapid growth. The damage is limited, however, by intercontinental differences. High interest rates and shaken confidence are catching up to prices in France, Ireland, and particularly Spain, where new home construction had spurred major growth but permits...
Tiny Cancer, Pathogen Sensors Take Giant Leap
MIT Technology Review
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Oct 22, 2007 1:31 PM CDT
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Biosensors that monitor cancer in the body and pathogens in water are one step closer to realization, after experiments revealed a newly efficient microscopic power supply. The sensors themselves have already been engineered in tiny dimensions, but power has been the sticking point, Technology Review reports. New nanogenerators could power the sensors...
Cecilia Who? Sarko Plays Field
Times (UK)
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Oct 22, 2007 1:05 PM CDT
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Nicolas Sarkozy's new bachelor status has the French abuzz about how swingin' their prez will be. The freshly divorced head of state has been spotted lunching with an ex-Bond girl, flirting with a well-known playwright, and carrying a letter reading “I haven’t seen you for an eternity and I miss you... a million little kisses," reports...
Doubts Arise About Web Traffic Tracking
New York Times
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Oct 22, 2007 12:42 PM CDT
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If you think the internet makes tracking audience numbers any easier, think again. Media companies sometimes report millions more online visitors to their sites than tracking companies like Nielsen—because they use different measurements—and the gap makes online advertisers queasy. It's preventing the industry from growing as quickly as...
Fire Rescues Tax Resources
CNN
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Oct 22, 2007 12:16 PM CDT
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As wildfires rage across the region, Southern California officials are begging residents to evacuate when ordered and to avoid making phone calls, CNN reports. “We've been unable to do any suppression effort because the fire resources are being used to do rescues,” one fire chief railed. Rescuers complain about clogged cellphone lines and...
Pragmatic Clinton Cozies Up to Drudge
New York Times
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Oct 22, 2007 11:55 AM CDT
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Political gossip purveyor Matt Drudge is traditionally a friend to Republicans and an enemy to Clintons, but the media-savvy Democratic frontrunner has found a way into the good graces of the unpredictable man who made his name peddling Lewinsky scoops. The Times looks at a coup that reflects Drudge's considerable sway in shaping political campaigns.
Cable, Telcos Killing US Web Success Says Pundit
Silicon Valley Watcher
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Oct 22, 2007 11:48 AM CDT
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Comcast’s recent disabling of big file uploads could lay waste to Silicon Valley’s media complex, says SiliconValleyWatcher’s Tom Foremski, injuring or killing Web 2.0 companies like YouTube or Facebook. Comcast's insistence that it isn’t contractually obligated to provide those companies’ services, he argues, is the kind...
Wary Iraqis Probe US Raid on Sadr City
New York Times
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Oct 22, 2007 11:31 AM CDT
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Iraqi officials are sorting through conflicting reports of an American raid in the Baghdad Shiite enclave of Sadr City yesterday that the US military said killed 49 "criminals" and Iraqis said left 17 people dead, including an elderly woman and several babies, and many wounded. The civilian casualties provoked another round of charges that...
McCann Friends Questioned as Maddy Hunt Starts Over
Times (UK)
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Oct 22, 2007 11:26 AM CDT
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Portuguese police hope to question two close friends of the McCann family as new detectives attempt to make up for early bungling of the Madeleine McCann search. One of the two, who were with Maddy's parents when she disappeared, reported seeing a man carry a child from the McCanns' apartment, the Times of London reports.
Identity Theft: It's Nothing Personal
Los Angeles Times
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Oct 22, 2007 11:23 AM CDT
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A new study debunks the myth that most identity theft is perpetrated by people known to the victim. The federally funded research looked at more than 500 identity theft arrests made by the Secret Service from 2000 to 2006. Only 8% involved relatives or acquaintances of the victim. "The role of strangers -- that's different than what's been reported...
US Sailor Slays 2 Colleagues, Shoots Self
Associated Press
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Oct 22, 2007 10:55 AM CDT
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An American sailor shot and killed two female sailors on an American military base in Bahrain early today, then turned the gun on himself. A State Department official told the AP the incident, which the shooter survived, may have been a consequence of a love triangle. The Navy said in a statement that "the extent of their relationships and the...
Microsoft Caves on EU Antitrust Suit
Wall Street Journal
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Oct 22, 2007 10:25 AM CDT
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Microsoft is conceding its 9-year antitrust battle with the EU after striking a deal that will force the software giant to license its software secrets to anyone who asks at drastically reduced rates. In exchange, the EU has stopped the daily variable fines of up to 3 million euro that have been piling up, the Journal reports.
