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.
21 Guilty in Madrid Train Blasts
Guardian (UK)
|
Oct 31, 2007 9:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A court in Madrid has convicted 21 defendants in the March 2004 commuter train bombings that killed 191 and injured thousands. The court delivered symbolic sentences of 38,976 years for the three lead defendants, although under Spanish law they will only serve 40 years. But, writes the Guardian , the tribunal acquitted one of the suspected masterminds...
Saudi, Brit Royals Dine
BBC
|
Oct 31, 2007 9:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In the first visit of a Saudi king to the UK in 20 years, King Abdullah was treated to a Buckingham Palace banquet last night. His host, Queen Elizabeth, said Britain and Saudi Arabia must fight together against "terrorists who threaten the way of life of our citizens." Abdullah urged British Muslims to be "honest and upright Muslims...
5.6 Quake Rattles Bay Area
San Francisco Chronicle
|
Oct 31, 2007 9:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An 5.6-magnitude earthquake rumbled through the Bay Area last night, lasting up to 15 seconds and causing tremors as far north as Eugene, Ore. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the quake, the largest since the devastating 6.9 quake in 1989, caused only small disruptions—but raises fears of a larger quake along the treacherous Hayward...
Burmese Monks Back in Streets
BBC
|
Oct 31, 2007 8:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Picking up their quashed demands, more than 100 Burmese monks marched in defiance of the military junta today in the first marches since the government crackdown on pro-democracy protests late last month. "This is very significant... we are very encouraged to see the monks taking up action," one Burmese human rights watcher told the BBC.
MPs Give Sarko a 140% Raise
Times (UK)
|
Oct 31, 2007 8:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nicolas Sarkozy got a 140% pay raise yesterday, thanks to his party, which enjoys an absolute majority in France's National Assembly. The president's salary—which previous heads of state have bolstered by commandeering operating cash—went up to $346,000, the same as the prime minister's. Opposition politicians called the raise scandalous,...
Nevada Baller Kicked Off Team for Attending Deadly Party
ESPN
|
Oct 31, 2007 7:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tyrone Hanson, the Nevada basketball player who was robbed and severely beaten at a Halloween party that ended in three deaths, has been removed from the UNR basketball team for disobeying his coach. Mark Fox explained that Hanson "violated our policy by going out socially that evening while he had been directed not to," reports the AP.
Boy Playing With Matches Started Calif. Fire
CNN
|
Oct 31, 2007 7:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Playing with matches went horribly wrong for a Southern California boy who has admitted to inadvertently starting one of last week's sprawling fires. The Buckweed fire, which forced more than 15,000 to evacuate and burned 63 structures, started October 21; the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department had identified the suspect a day later, CNN reports....
Red Wings Edge Oilers 2-1
Detroit Free Press
|
Oct 31, 2007 7:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Valterri Flippula scored the game-winning goal with 25 seconds left last night to give the Detroit Red Wings a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers, their sixth straight victory overall, reports the Detroit Free Press. Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson, whose top-notch goal tending helped knock the Red Wings from the 2006 playoffs, had 13 saves in the first...
Predators Fan Flames in 5-1 Loss
Tennessean
|
Oct 31, 2007 7:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Calgary Flames scored twice on power play goals to defeat the Predators 5-1 last night. The loss leaves the struggling Predators winless on the road this season, where they've also scored just three goals, reports the Tennessean. Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, hot off a new multi-million-dollar deal, stopped 39 shots on the way to the victory.
Black Hole Smashes Record
Space.com
|
Oct 31, 2007 6:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A newly discovered stellar-mass black hole shatters the weight record for holes formed from dying stars—and defies explanation by current theories. Faced with its mysterious heft, astrophysicists can only conclude that stellar-mass black holes "can be much larger than we had realized," Space.com reports.
Justices Stay Execution, Signaling Moratorium
New York Times
|
Oct 31, 2007 6:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Supreme Court delivered an eleventh-hour stay for a prisoner slated to die by lethal injection last night, giving what the New York Times calls a "nearly indisputable indication" that a majority of justices are willing to block all executions until they rule on a death penalty case next spring. Earl Berry had eaten his last meal in...
Mukasey Calls Waterboarding 'Repugnant,' Dodges Legality
CNN
|
Oct 31, 2007 6:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Attorney general nominee Michael Mukasey frustrated senators on both sides of the aisle by again refusing to specify whether he considers waterboarding a form of torture, calling it only "repugnant," CNN reports. "Hypotheticals are different from real life," Mukasey wrote to confirmation committee members yesterday, adding that...
Pats, Colts Are Breaking Records—for the Bookies
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 31, 2007 6:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
If fans are excited about this Sunday's showdown between the undefeated Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, it's nothing to what sports bookies are feeling. The game has already racked up four times the usual number of bets, and those in the know expect "the most wagered-on game of the 2007 regular season," reports the Times.
Car Sharing Firms to Merge
Washington Post
|
Oct 31, 2007 5:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Car-sharing firms Zipcar and Flexcar will merge this week under the Zipcar brand, which has the largest network of the two. The firms, both 7 years old, rent cars by the hour, rolling gas, insurance, parking, and maintenance costs into a $7-$15 hourly rate and an annual membership fee. Cambridge-based Zipcar has 3,500 cars in 35 cities and most of...
Judge to Britney: Childproof
People
|
Oct 31, 2007 4:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A judge cut Britney Spears’ visits with her sons to one afternoon and one overnight visit per week yesterday. In addition to twice-weekly drug tests, Spears was ordered to childproof both of her homes by Friday. Her court-appointed parenting coach was underwhelmed by the troubled pop star's interactions with her kids, saying she rarely engaged...
Dem Hopefuls Pile On Clinton
New York Times
|
Oct 31, 2007 4:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The knives were out for Hillary Clinton in the seventh and most confrontational of the Democratic presidential debates last night. John Edwards and Barack Obama led the attack on the frontrunner, criticizing her positions on Iran and illegal immigrants, and questioning her credibility and electability, the New York Times reports.
Meebo Joins Facebook as Platform
Fortune Magazine
|
Oct 31, 2007 4:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Meebo, an instant-messenger startup, is following in the footsteps of Facebook by allowing certain hand-selected developers to create new widgets for its pages. Unlike Facebook, however, it plans to lure developers by offering them half the revenue gained from the features they create and will sell the ads itself, instead of leaving the task to the...
Jazz Dance All Over Warriors in Season Opener
Salt Lake Tribune
|
Oct 31, 2007 4:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A minor earthquake caused a brief delay in the first quarter of the Golden State Warriors' home opener, but couldn't stop the Utah Jazz from cruising to an easy victory. Carlos Boozer had 32 points, and Deron Williams put up 24, helping the Jazz to their 117-96 smacking of the Warriors, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.
Rockets Take Down Lakers in Seesaw Finale
Houston Chronicle
|
Oct 31, 2007 4:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Kobe Bryant put up 45 points, nearly half of the Lakers' total, in last night's season opener against the Rockets, but a late fourth-quarter showdown went in Houston's favor for a final score of 95-93. Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming combined for 55 points, but it was Shane Battier who sank the critical last-second three-pointer, reports the Houston Chronicle....
Kucinich Questions 'Mental Health' of President
Philadelphia Inquirer
|
Oct 31, 2007 3:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
White House hopeful Dennis Kucinich yesterday said recent remarks by President Bush about Iran causing World War III suggest there is "a very serious question" about his mental stability. "I seriously believe we have to start asking questions about his mental health," the Ohio Democrat told the Philadelphia Inquirer prior to a...
Spurs Ring In New Season With Win
Associated Press
|
Oct 31, 2007 3:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
"It's to be appreciated to the very last minute," said San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, speaking about last season's title before the start of last night's game. "So if we lose, blame it on my bad prep." Popovich will earn no reproaches after the Spurs' 106-97 season-opening victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, the first step...
Robert Goulet Dies at 73
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 31, 2007 3:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Robert Goulet, whose deep baritone and matinee-idol looks propelled him to fame in the 1960s, died yesterday while waiting for a lung transplant. Goulet, 73, became a star almost overnight when he debuted as Lancelot in the Broadway production of Camelot , the LA Times reports, and went on to a long, successful career as a singer, actor and...
Is Belichick Breaking an Unwritten Rule?
Washington Post
|
Oct 31, 2007 1:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Following Sunday's 52-7 crushing of the Redskins, which included fourth down conversions when ahead 38-0 and 45-0 in the fourth, Pat's coach Bill Belichick is coming under fire for violating an unwritten code of conduct in his unwillingness to concede blowout games. The criticism comes as Belichick's Patriots are on pace to annihilate the NFL's single...
Google Talking With Verizon
Reuters
|
Oct 30, 2007 11:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Google is in talks with Verizon Wireless, the number-two U.S. mobile carrier, about putting Google applications on its phones, Reuters reports. The Google-powered phones are expected to meld several of its applications into a single package for Verizon customers, including Google Maps, News, YouTube and Gmail. Google shares rose 2.3 percent on Tuesday...
Thrashers Bury Habs in OT
Associated Press
|
Oct 30, 2007 11:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Montreal Canadiens' Chris Higgins scored a power play goal with less than two minutes left in regulation to tie the Atlanta Thrashers, but his efforts only resulted in an overtime loss for the Habs. Atlanta’s Ilya Kovalchuk pushed the decisive shootout goal past rookie goalie Carey Price, and when Alex Kovalev failed to match it, the victory...
Stern Rips Knicks Over Thomas Lawsuit
New York Times
|
Oct 30, 2007 11:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
NBA Commissioner David Stern, in an interview broadcast yesterday on ESPN, lambasted the New York Knicks organization's mismanagement of Anucha Browne's successful lawsuit against coach Isiah Thomas, the New York Times reports. "It demonstrates that they're not a model of intelligent management," Stern said, citing a failure to deal with...
Crosby, Baby Pens Beat Wild, 4-2
Associated Press
|
Oct 30, 2007 10:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Penguins were once again led by their precocious stars in a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Evegeni Malkin, 21, scored two second period goals and Sidney Crosby, 20, added a goal and three assists. However it was 30-year-old Petr Sykora who broke the 2-2 tie midway through the third period with a power play goal, reports the AP.
Court Blocks Another Execution
New York Times
|
Oct 30, 2007 10:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Supreme Court tonight stayed the execution of a Mississippi murderer just before he was scheduled to die by lethal injection, a decision that will likely bring a temporary halt to such executions nationwide, the New York Times reports. The fate of this prisoner and others won't be decided until the spring, when the court reviews whether lethal...
Daylight Saving Time May Be Health Hazard
Washington Post
|
Oct 30, 2007 9:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The modern world's proliferation of artificial light is wreaking havoc on the human internal clock, which relies on natural light cues to regulate the body's cycles, scientists say. And daylight saving time makes things even worse, reports the Washington Post . "From the psychiatric perspective, the extension of daylight saving time this year...
McCanns Used Maddie Fund to Help Pay Their Mortgage
Guardian (UK)
|
Oct 30, 2007 9:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Madeleine McCann's parents used money from a fund set up to help find the missing girl to pay the mortgage, the Guardian Unlimited reports. The couple made two payments with money from the £1m fund, a family spokesman said. Both parents have been on unpaid leave since Maddie disappeared nearly six months ago, though husband Gerry is due to...
Boston Fetes Triumphant Sox
Associated Press
|
Oct 30, 2007 9:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tens of thousands of raucous Bostonians cheered at the victory parade today for their beloved World Series champion Red Sox. Bekilted by the Dropkick Murphys, an Irish-influenced punk band, excitable closer Jonathan Papelbon delighted and bemused the crowd with his inimitable jigging. Many signs in particular congratulated Series MVP Mike Lowell, who...
Girardi Accepts 3-Year Offer to Manage Yanks
Associated Press
|
Oct 30, 2007 9:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Joe Girardi has agreed to a three-year, $6 million contract to accept the unenviable task of succeeding Joe Torre, and his four championships, as the Yankees manager. Girardi is no slouch in the hardware department, however. He won three championships as a player for the Yankees and was the 2006 NL Manager of the Year for Florida, reports the AP.
Bush Nominates Doc to Head Veteran Affairs
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 30, 2007 9:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush today nominated James B. Peake, a doctor and retired Army lieutenant general, to head the Veteran Affairs department, the LA Times reports. With his medical and military backgrounds, Peake is the perfect choice to overhaul the nation’s system for treating wounded soldiers, Bush says. A major report earlier this month called for...
Type O Blood Protects Malaria Victims
BBC
|
Oct 30, 2007 8:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists may be closer to a malaria cure after learning that type O blood naturally shields victims from harsh forms of the disease. A study published today showed that African malaria victims with type O blood are two-thirds less likely to suffer fatal anemia or unrousable coma, the BBC reports. One scientist admitted that the finding surprised...
Torre Steps Up to Plate as Little Resigns
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 30, 2007 8:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Joe Torre's in and Grady Little's out with the Dodgers, who have okayed terms with the ex-Yankee skipper and almost clinched a deal, the Los Angeles Times reports. Still at issue are Torre's coaching staff and player personnel input. Torre wants his own staff, with Don Mattingly, and is negotiating their salary budget. GM Ned Coletti may announce...
Press Praises Barack and Fred, Knocks McCain
Hollywood Reporter
|
Oct 30, 2007 7:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The press gives Obama and Fred Thompson upbeat coverage, John McCain a hard time, and balances reporting on Hillary and Giuliani, says the Hollywood Reporter . A new study shows that Obama and Thompson received positive coverage in half of their 2007 stories, while McCain's were 48% negative and 12% positive. Why the tough reporting? McCain’s...
Kentucky Dems Hope to Ride Blue Wave
Guardian (UK)
|
Oct 30, 2007 7:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Kentucky Dems are confident that they'll win the governor's office next week and grab a Senate seat in 2008, the Guardian reports. Polls put Steve Beshear up by 11 points in next week's gubernatorial contest, and Dems say Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is now beatable. "We are going to turn Kentucky blue," claims one Dem. "The...
History of Loathing Fuels Labor Unrest
Los Angeles Times
|
Oct 30, 2007 7:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The current Hollywood labor difficulties are the culmination of generations of animosity, dating to the earliest days of talking pictures and studios' resentment of the sophisticated New Yorkers they employed. With the Writers Guild of America set to strike at midnight tomorrow, the LA Times takes a look at a long, troubled marriage that's currently...
Nader Sues Dems, Claiming '04 Conspiracy
McClatchy Newspapers
|
Oct 30, 2007 6:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ralph Nader jumped into the political fray today, suing the Dems for a "vast Democratic Party conspiracy" to block his 2004 election, McClatchy Newspapers reports. He accused the Democratic Party, Kerry-Edwards 2004, and other groups of keeping him from state ballots "as a means to drive into deep debt or bankrupt the Nader-Camejo campaign."
Hospitals Ramp Up Screening for Superbug
Chicago Tribune
|
Oct 30, 2007 6:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Four hospitals in the Chicago area will start screening all patients for drug-resistant "superbug" bacteria, the Chicago Tribune reports. The intensive screening is known as "search and destroy" in Europe, but it is uncommon in the US. The moves comes as hospitals around the nation evaluate safety procedures in the wake of CDC...
Huge Iraqi Dam Could Fail
BBC
|
Oct 30, 2007 5:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq’s biggest dam is vulnerable to breaking and flooding the city of Mosul, killing up to 500,000 and flooding the Tigris River, the BBC reports. A US report today warns that an ongoing $27 million reconstruction project has not fixed the dam's flaws. Poor construction, incorrect parts, and possible fraud have marred repairs, the report said.
Iraqis to Put Contractors Under Local Law
Reuters
|
Oct 30, 2007 5:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq's cabinet approved a draft bill today that would allow foreign security contractors such as Blackwater to be prosecuted under local law, Reuters reports. The bill would scrap Order 17—a hotly debated 2004 decree that protects contractors from prosecution—as well as require contractors to register for Iraqi licenses, apply for entry...
Weaker Noel Soaks Cuba
CNN
|
Oct 30, 2007 5:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tropical Storm Noel hit Cuba today as its rains kept drenching the Dominican Republic and Haiti, CNN reports. The ex-hurricane's 40 mph winds and 5 to 15 inches of rain are expected to stay over Cuba tonight before moving north tomorrow. Forecasters say the storm will likely miss the US, but a tropical storm watch may apply to southeastern Florida.
Evangelical Semantics Shadow Romney
Bloomberg
|
Oct 30, 2007 4:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney is vying aggressively for the religious right's support, but experts are advising him not to overdo it. Political strategists and religious experts alike caution that it’s dangerous for the Mormon candidate to sell himself as a Christian. Bloomberg looks at the complicated intersection of politics, faith, vocabulary, and the ghost...
It's Brazil for the 2014 World Cup
Associated Press
|
Oct 30, 2007 4:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
FIFA chose Brazil to host the 2014 World Cup today, the AP reports. Brazil, which holds the record for World Cup wins, was the only South American bidder after Colombia withdrew in April. "Soccer is not only a sport for us," said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. "It's more than that: Soccer for us is a passion, a national...
Space Station's Solar Panel Rips
Houston Chronicle
|
Oct 30, 2007 4:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A critical solar panel on the International Space Station tore today as Mission Control was unfurling it remotely. The station's power supply was already wobbly because of damage to another panel discovered Sunday, the Houston Chronicle reports, and the rip worsens the problem. Astronauts beamed photos of the panel to NASA, which determined the extent...
This Seafarer Hunts Whalers, Not Whales
New Yorker
|
Oct 30, 2007 4:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Paul Watson is far too radical for Greenpeace, the group he co-founded. His vigilante group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is a roving pack of eco-saboteurs, trolling international waters for whalers—and ramming the offending ships. Watson usually operates illegally, and his theatrical and violent defense of aquatic life is credited with turning...
Fed Doubts Drive Stocks Down
Wall Street Journal
|
Oct 30, 2007 3:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks closed down today as confidence that the Fed will cut interest rates tomorrow faded. The Journal reported that policymakers are considering no cut at all, meaning borrowing costs may stay high. The Dow slipped 77.79 to 13,792.47, the S&P 500 was down 9.96 to 1,531.02, and the Nasdaq fell 0.73 to 2,816.71.
Feed Me, Seymour! Lab Decodes Floral Intelligence
Wired
|
Oct 30, 2007 3:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Plants have signaling and response systems that could make major contributions to robotics and communications research. The controversial field of “plant neurobiology” starts from the assumption that plant biology mirrors the human nervous system—and has a lot to teach scientists and engineers, Wired reports. The head of the world’s...
Seven Spooky Spots
Forbes
|
Oct 30, 2007 3:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If you want to walk in Dracula's footsteps, hobnob with lake monsters, or bed down with aliens, Forbes recommends these locations: Bran Castle, Brasov, Romania Tower of London, London, England Catacombs, Paris, France
