Newser Story Index from November, 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.
Hogs Run Over No. 1 LSU's Hopes For Title
Associated Press
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Nov 24, 2007 1:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Arkansas, led by four total TDs from stud running back Darren McFadden, all but ended LSU's shot at a national championship, beating the Tigers 50-48 in triple overtime at Baton Rouge. After the Razorbacks scored and made the two-point conversion in the third extra period, LSU answered with a score of its own - but missed the two.
Oral Roberts University Prez Steps Down
Associated Press
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Nov 23, 2007 11:43 PM CST
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The president of Oral Roberts University resigned today amidst allegations of misusing school funds, the AP reports. Richard Roberts, son of founder Oral, faces a lawsuit claiming he spent university money on a life of luxury—including a $39,000 shopping spree and $29,000 trip to the Bahamas. Roberts has denied the accusations, and said today...
Franchione Quits After A&M Upsets Texas
Associated Press
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Nov 23, 2007 11:30 PM CST
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Dennis Franchione's controversial tenure as Texas A&M football coach ended on a high note with a 38-30 win over rival Texas. A somber Franchione, who resigned shortly after the game, said he felt blessed for the time spent with his players, reports the AP. Quarterback Stephen McGee had a career-high 362 yards passing and four total TDs to lead...
Shoppers Swoon for Zunes
PC World
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Nov 23, 2007 11:04 PM CST
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Microsoft's new Zune digital music players have been flying off the shelves, reports PC World. But big retailers have been running out, frustrating hordes of Thanksgiving shoppers attracted by big discounts and plenty of hype. Microsoft, which seems to have seriously misjudged demand for the best-selling model, the Zune 80, said the shortages...
Big Churches Do Bigger Business
New York Times
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Nov 23, 2007 9:41 PM CST
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Megachurches all over the country are extending their already-considerable reach by operating business, the New York Times reports. With an eye to both boosting local economies and bringing in converts, they're running credit unions, sports centers, office complexes, and limousine services. At least 10 own shopping malls; many are invested in housing.
Mirror Eases Phantom Limb Pain
Reuters
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Nov 23, 2007 8:44 PM CST
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The phantom pain amputees experience from a missing limb can be dramatically reduced if they view their remaining leg or foot in a mirror, Reuters reports. The mirror tricks the brain into thinking the amputated limb is intact, researchers conclude. A controlled study of injured soldiers at Walter Reed found the technique dropped pain levels by 75%.
Lack of Info Plagues Docs Treating Kids
Washington Post
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Nov 23, 2007 8:12 PM CST
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A dearth of information on the effects of prescription drugs on children is putting millions of kids at risk, the Washington Post reports. Two-thirds of the medications prescribed to kids haven't been tested on them, and those that have been tested often produce unexpected results: A migraine drug that works on adults causes strokes in kids. And...
Sparks Best at Being Sweet
Rolling Stone
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Nov 23, 2007 7:53 PM CST
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American Idol season-six winner Jordin Sparks does a sweet job with a hip-hop flavored R&B debut album thanks to a roster of heavy-hitting producers who backed Beyonce and Rihanna among others, writes Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone . She does Prince funk with "Shy Boy," giving her that trademark high-school girlishness.
Clinton Shifts to Aggressive Campaign Style
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 23, 2007 7:27 PM CST
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Facing a tightening race in Iowa and increasing criticism from chief Democratic rivals John Edwards and Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton has shifted from an above-the-fray style when she led more comfortably in polls to a more aggressive approach , the LA Times reports. Her new TV ads defend her electability and blast Obama as too inexperienced. "She's...
Survivors Recall Ordeal
Times (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 7:05 PM CST
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Safe and warm on an Antarctic island, passengers of the sunken Explorer recounted their ordeal in high spirits today, the Times reports. One said they heard a loud bang after midnight, and were called up as the ship started listing. “Then the electricity cut out and we lost the engine,” one said. "At 3 o’clock an order was...
Networking Teens Risk Identity Theft
Independent (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 6:45 PM CST
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Millions of young users of social networking sites are risking identity theft because of information shared online, warns a UK study reported in the Independent today. Britain's privacy watchdog concludes that 4.5 million web users from 14 to 21 years old could be vulnerable to identity fraud, and young users posting personal information on sites...
Loser Sues Winner for Falsifying Sex
Associated Press
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Nov 23, 2007 6:21 PM CST
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A defeated city council candidate is accusing the victorious incumbent, Michelle Bruce, of deceiving voters by identifying herself as female. Plaintiff Georgia Fuller’s lawyers say voters in Riverdale, Georgia, tend to favor female candidates. “It gives her an unfair advantage, it’s not just sour grapes,” said the lawyer. “I’ve...
Iran Warns Against UN Sanctions
Reuters
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Nov 23, 2007 5:44 PM CST
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Iran warned today that UN sanctions might bring a halt to its cooperation with nuclear inspectors, Reuters reports. The warning comes a day after Britain, France, and Germany joined the US in calling for such sanctions because a report by international inspectors gave Tehran mixed marks on its openness. "A wait-and-see approach is not an option,"...
Greenspan Has 'No Particular Regrets'
Bloomberg
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Nov 23, 2007 5:41 PM CST
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The US housing market crisis is not the result of Federal Reserve policies but part of a global phenomenon, former Fed chair Alan Greenspan says. "I have no particular regrets," he said yesterday in Oslo. "The housing bubble is not a reflection of what we did, as it is a global phenomenon," Bloomberg reports.
'Guards Gone Wild,' Claims Video Maker
Scripps Howard News Service
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Nov 23, 2007 5:41 PM CST
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Girls Gone Wild producer Joe Francis claims prison guards abused him by denying him medication and visits and threatened to tie him naked to a chair for 2 days, the Oklahoman reports. In court filings, Francis says the abuse took place during a 3-week stay in an Oklahoma jail earlier this year. Officials deny the charges, calling Francis "quite...
Lebanon Under Emergency Rule
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 5:15 PM CST
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Lebanon teetered on the brink of chaos tonight as its president declared a state of emergency just hours before his term expired and transferred power to the military. The outgoing Emile Lahoud refused to give power to his rival, PM Fouad Siniora, who immediately rejected the legality of Lahoud's move, the Guardian reports.
Grinch Returns to Broadway Despite Strike
New York Times
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Nov 23, 2007 5:12 PM CST
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Little girls and their parents flocked to this morning's reopening of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! after a 2-week hiatus, the Times reports. A stagehands' strike has shuttered most Broadway productions, but Grinch tickets went on sale after a judge ordered the show, which has a separate deal with the union, reopened because...
Injury Tally Misses Brain Trauma
USA Today
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Nov 23, 2007 4:37 PM CST
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More than 20,000 service members not classified as wounded in combat have signs of brain injury, according to an examination of records by USA Today. The actual number of troops with brain trauma suffered in Iraq or Afghanistan was more than five times the official tally, meaning that the true US casualty count could be much higher than reported.
FDA May Add Warnings to Flu Meds
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 23, 2007 4:12 PM CST
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The FDA may change the labels of flu medications Tamiflu and Relenza to warn of serious side effects such as hallucinations, the Wall Street Journal reports. More than 700 so-called neuropsychiatric events—for example, children trying to "flee" by jumping through windows—and 16 deaths may be related to the drugs. Most...
Margot Annoys at the Wedding
Rotten Tomatoes
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Nov 23, 2007 3:46 PM CST
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The estranged sisters at the heart of Noah Baumbach's talky Margot at the Wedding are well portrayed but just too unlikable to win over most critics. Nicole Kidman's short-story writer Margot, who Newsweek's David Ansen calls a "brittle nightmare," descends on the wedding of her pregnant sister, Jennifer Jason Leigh, who's made...
Veteran Pitcher Joe Kennedy Dead at 28
St. Petersburg Times
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Nov 23, 2007 3:36 PM CST
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Major league pitcher Joe Kennedy died unexpectedly today while visiting the Tampa Bay area for a wedding. The cause of death is unknown, although his agent speculated that a brain aneurysm or heart attack may be responsible. Kennedy, 28, pitched for five major league teams in 7 years, finishing last season with Toronto, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
Court Bombings Kill 13 in India
Reuters
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Nov 23, 2007 3:29 PM CST
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Several coordinated bombings outside courthouses in northern India today killed at least 13 and injured dozens more, Reuters reports. The bombings took place in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, and most of the casualties were lawyers. The government blamed terrororists trying to incite violence between Hindus and Muslims, but no group has...
Are Brits Less Stout of Heart?
BBC
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Nov 23, 2007 3:15 PM CST
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The champion of breakfast beers the world over, Guinness is facing stiff competition from more refreshing lagers targeting the after-work crowd. Sales in in Britain were off 13% in each of the last 2 years, the BBC reports, and in Ireland, where the black stout has been the best-selling beer for decades, sales have dropped 30% since 2001.
Crippling French Rail Strike Ends
New York Times
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Nov 23, 2007 3:11 PM CST
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The 9-day French rail strike that left thousands of commuters stranded ended today with a whimper, reports the New York Times. All but 2% of the striking transit workers returned to work, and government and transit officials promised reimbursements for commuters inconvenienced by the unpopular action. "Commuters can take no more," Le Parisien...
US Ship Rides to the Rescue in Bangladesh
Reuters
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Nov 23, 2007 2:51 PM CST
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USS Kearsarge , an amphibious assault ship, arrived in Bangladesh today loaded with potable water, food, and medical supplies for some of the 2 million Bengalis displaced by Cyclone Sidr. Another American vessel bearing much-needed aid, USS Essex , is due tomorrow, Reuters reports. The Marine Corps said in a press release the relief effort began...
Retail Leads Black Friday Rally
Bloomberg
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Nov 23, 2007 2:34 PM CST
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Stocks rose in an abbreviated session today, cutting losses for the week as early-bird Christmas shopping gave reason for optimism. "The fact that Black Friday is not a disaster and is off to a modest but healthy start is just a relief,'' one analyst told Bloomberg. The Dow closed up 181.84 at 12,980.88, the Nasdaq up 34.45 at 2,596.60, and the...
Low-Rise Paris Mulls High-Rise Revolution
Times (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 2:05 PM CST
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The mayor of Paris, Europe's most densely populated city, has unveiled an ambitious new plan to reinvent the city's skyline. Bertrand Delanoë wants to build a collection of skyscrapers in the north and east of the city, where a tall building hasn't been completed since 1977. Despite Delanoë's popularity, Parisians remain skeptical, so the...
Volunteers Must Sign Santa Clause
USA Today
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Nov 23, 2007 1:17 PM CST
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Volunteers who answer letters to Santa Claus through the US Postal Service will have to sign a waiver, reports USA Today. The Postal Service has operated a Christmas letter-answering campaign for almost a century, with donated gifts and aid often going to needy children. “We were giving out information about these kids to people we didn't know,”...
Abortion Foes' New Strategy: Personhood for Embryos
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 23, 2007 12:55 PM CST
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Tired of waiting for a more right-leaning court to revisit Roe v. Wade, opponents of abortion in several states are adopting a new strategy: constitutional amendments to grant human status to embryos. The LA Times reports on a grass-roots movement to put referendums on state ballots: It faces considerable obstacles but has pro-choice advocates nervous.
Ten Christmas Wishes From Wired
Wired
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Nov 23, 2007 12:34 PM CST
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Wired editors have picked out their gadget wish list for the holidays this year, and while the list includes some high-tech toys like TVs and palmtops, it starts out with a standby: a slinky. Slinky (everyone knows it's slinky) Nokia N810 (open source palmtop) Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean (invincible wristwatch) Canon Powershot...
UK Accused of Cover-Up in Data Loss
Telegraph (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 12:27 PM CST
(Newser) -
Alistair Darling's disastrous week continued today as the British chancellor of the exchequer faced accusations of a cover-up in the lost-data fiasco, the Telegraph reports. Contrary to Darling's claim that the loss of 25 million people's data was an error by a junior administrator, newly released e-mails indicate senior tax officials knew about...
A Historical Video Game Shocks Spain
New York Times
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Nov 23, 2007 12:24 PM CST
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The New York Times reports on a new video game on sale in Spain that bills itself as the first based on the 1936-39 civil war. Players of Shadows of War can take command the Republican army and reverse the course of history, preventing Franco's 40-year dictatorship—or they can command the Nationalists and hasten it. The game has provoked...
Langella Lovely in Evening
Metacritic
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Nov 23, 2007 11:54 AM CST
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Critics are fond of Starting Out in the Evening , starring Frank Langella as an aging novelist who is sought out by an energetic young grad student. "The picture feels both intimate and immediate, a model for what smart young filmmakers can do with good material," says Stephanie Zacharek in Salon. But critics reserve much of their enthusiasm...
Saudis Will Attend Mideast Summit
BBC
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Nov 23, 2007 11:23 AM CST
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Saudi Arabia will attend next Tuesday’s Arab-Israeli summit in Maryland, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said today, but he won't be shaking hands with any Israelis, the BBC reports. Prince Saud said at a meeting of the Arab League that the Saudis were reluctant to go, but since the League reached a consensus in favor of attending, "the...
NYC Murder Rate in Free Fall
New York Times
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Nov 23, 2007 11:02 AM CST
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The murder rate in New York City hit a new low this year—the lowest it's been in the 44 years reliable statistics have been kept, reports the New York Times . And if early analysis holds up, of the fewer than 500 murders this year, fewer than 100 will have been committed by strangers. Most assailants in the city of 8.5 million were friends,...
Price War Moves High Def DVD Players
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 23, 2007 10:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sales of high-definition DVD players have been languishing because customers were unwilling to choose one of the two competing formats—Blu-ray or HD DVD. But this holiday season may change that, with retailers dropping prices from upward of $400 to under $200, reports the Wall Street Journal . And Wal-Mart fueld the nascent price war by...
Web Lifts Holiday Gloom of Retailers
Reuters
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Nov 23, 2007 10:38 AM CST
(Newser) -
Cyberspace may be this year’s favorite holiday destination as shoppers looking for bargains and trying to escape crowds eschew traditional brick-and-mortar malls for a cornucopia of retail opportunities online, reports Reuters. Retailers from Apple to Wal-Mart offered some of their best deals online starting Thursday, trumping the traditional...
Amanda: 'I Didn't Kill Meredith'
CNN
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Nov 23, 2007 10:11 AM CST
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A US student under suspicion in the murder of her British roommate in Italy is claiming drugs have blurred her memory of the night Meredith Kercher was killed. In a statement obtained by CNN, Amanda Knox of Seattle insists she does know one thing: "I didn't kill Meredith." Knox told police she has only "flashes of blurred images"...
13 Dead in Baghdad Pet Market Blast
Reuters
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Nov 23, 2007 9:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Thirteen people were killed and 57 wounded when a bomb hidden in a box of birds exploded today at a pet market in Baghdad. Four policeman were among the dead, reports Reuters. The bombing was the deadliest in Iraq since car bombs killed 32 people in the capital on September 26. Still, the US military says attacks are down 55% since the surge started...
Samsung Ramps Up Plans for Bigger Flat-Screens
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 23, 2007 9:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
Samsung Electronics will invest $2.2 billion next year in LCD panels to cash in on the growing market for bigger flat-screen TVs, the Wall Street Journal reports. The world's leading LCD producer aims to expand its eighth-generation line, which makes screens for TVs in the 46- to 52-inch range.
Meth Use Spreading in Europe
New York Times
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Nov 23, 2007 9:02 AM CST
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Methamphetamine use appears to be on the rise across Central Europe, following an explosion in the number of small home meth labs in the Czech Republic. Czech authorities have raided 416 methamphetamine labs this year—up from 19 in 2000, reports the New York Times . UN officials worry that the labs, using the pseudoephedrine found in common...
French Attack Internet Piracy
Financial Times (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 8:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
French internet pirates, beware. Big Brother is watching. Or, he will be if a three-strikes-and-you’re-out industry proposal backed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy moves forward, the Financial Times reports. Under the plan, ISPs would forward data on users illegally sharing files to the government, which could terminate problem internet...
Sorbonne Shut Down After Protests Turn Violent
Associated Press
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Nov 23, 2007 7:59 AM CST
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Administrators of the Sorbonne in Paris shut down the historic university today after clashes took place between student protesters and those trying to go to class, AP reports. School officials say the protesters, who object to a new French law that could lead to higher tuition, assaulted other students. The student protest coincides with a rail strike...
Antarctic Cruise Ship Sinking
CNN
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Nov 23, 2007 7:34 AM CST
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Passengers and crew abandoned a cruise ship traveling in Antarctic waters after the vessel struck an iceberg and began to sink late last night. More than 150 people on board the Explorer manned lifeboats in the freezing waters near the South Shetland Islands, south of Argentina, until they were taken aboard a Norwegian cruise ship, the MS Nord...
Sharif Plans Return to Pakistan, Again
Reuters
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Nov 23, 2007 7:33 AM CST
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Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister whom Pervez Musharraf deposed in his 1999 coup, is planning to return to Pakistan within days. Reuters reports that Sharif, who flew to Islamabad in September only to be promptly deported to Saudi Arabia, might be back in Pakistan in time to file for parliamentary elections. Musharraf is said to have assented...
Mass Effect Is Massively Good
Metacritic
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Nov 23, 2007 7:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
In Mass Effect, developed by BioWare for XBox 360, you play as a human with the singular ability to save the universe—and the game has critics raving. Paul Curthoy of the Official Xbox Magazine claims that "personally, it's the best game I've ever played, but even if you're not a hard-core sci-fi nerd like me, Mass Effect is a transcendent...
Weak Dollar a 'Life Threat' to Airbus
Financial Times (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 6:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
The weakening dollar has European aerospace giant Airbus in a tailspin that could be “life-threatening,” CEO Tom Enders said yesterday, the Financial Times reports, adding that the exchange rate has “gone beyond the pain barrier.” Airbus said every 10-cent decline in the dollar cost the company €1 billion. The dollar...
Vatican Offers Earthly Rewards
Times (UK)
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Nov 23, 2007 6:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Vatican is offering corporate-style performance bonuses to its workers for the first time, the Times of London reports. Pope Benedict XVI is offering rewards based on "dedication, professionalism, productivity and politeness." The conditions will apply to the thousands of lay workers who do everything from run Vatican Radio to repairing...
Enchanted Set to Charm Holiday Box Office
Hollywood Reporter
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Nov 23, 2007 6:18 AM CST
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All signs point to Disney ruling the Thanksgiving weekend box office as usual: Enchanted opened yesterday in 3,500 theaters, with promising reviews and strong prerelease viewer interest fueling projections of a $35M five-day holiday weekend gross. The Hollywood Reporter expects Enchanted to deal a heavy blow to Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium,...
Big Brother May Be Tracking Your Cell Phone
Washington Post
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Nov 23, 2007 6:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
Federal investigators pursuing drug traffickers, fugitives and other criminal suspects often get court orders to obtain tracking data from cell phones, and they're frequently granted the orders without showing probable cause. That worries privacy advocates, especially in light of the fact that new cell phone services are providing an unprecedented...
