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.
Bush Again Demands War Funding from Democrats
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 4:33 PM CST
(Newser) -
President Bush demanded today that Congress approve funding for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan before members leave for the holidays, despite repeated assertions from congressional Democrats that's not in the cards. "Let us tell our men and women in uniform that we will give them what they need to succeed in their missions, without strings and without...
Chavez Foes Stage Mass Rally
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 4:24 PM CST
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Tens of thousands took to the streets in Caracas today to protest Hugo Chavez's proposal to bolster his power and institute socialist changes. Venezuelans will vote Sunday on 69 constitutional reforms, including the eradication of presidential term limits. "We can't be a communist Venezuela," one opposition leader told the AP. Polls show...
Pack Up Your Clubs, Scotland Tells Trump
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 29, 2007 4:10 PM CST
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Scottish officials want the Donald to take his golf clubs and go home. A council panel in Scotland today rejected Trump's plans to build a $1 billion golf resort, the Guardian reports. Trump can appeal to higher authorities, but he might just be miffed enough to walk away. "This sends a message that if you want to do business, don't come to...
The Name's Bonds, Barry Bonds
Variety
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Nov 29, 2007 3:54 PM CST
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HBO is planning a movie about the recently indicted Barry Bonds, to be written and directed by Ron Shelton—the man responsible for Bull Durham, Tin Cup, and White Man Can't Jump. HBO has acquired the rights to the nonfiction book Game of Shadows , which detailed the unfolding scandal over Bonds and performance-enhancing drugs.
After Rallies, Stocks Flatten Out
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 29, 2007 3:41 PM CST
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Markets waffled for most of today's session and ended slightly up, after a big dip in the morning. "We've had an awful lot of upside, and [stocks] are entitled to some rest," one strategist tells the Wall Street Journal. The Dow was up 22.28 to 13311.73, the Nasdaq was up 5.22 to 2668.13, and the S&P was up 0.70 to 1469.72.
China Agrees to End Trade Subsidies: US
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 3:29 PM CST
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China agreed today to end trade measures the US had called “market-distorting”, the Associated Press reports, ending a months-long dispute before the world's top trade board. One set of tax breaks encourages Chinese firms to boost exports to the US and other countries; another set of tariffs made it tougher for US firms to export to China.
Yes, Virginia, There's a Call Center for That
Der Spiegel
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Nov 29, 2007 3:14 PM CST
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Outsourcing isn't just for tech support anymore—foreign call centers will now take care of arranging the minutiae of your day-to-day life, from hotel reservations to algebra help for the kids. New York-based Ask Sunday, with its service center in India, is just one such purveyor, Der Spiegel reports, for a mere $29 a month.
News Outlets Want More Control Over Search Engines
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 3:01 PM CST
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News outlets with online presences are looking to add controls over how search engines index and display their material, asserting an outdated status quo doesn’t allow them to set enough terms on how their sites get crawled. A new set of guidelines proposed today, called ACAP, would allow sites greater latitude in setting rules like which content...
Putin Stumps for Party in TV Address
BBC
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Nov 29, 2007 2:50 PM CST
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In an announcement aired on Russian television Vladimir Putin called on citizens to vote for his United Russia party in parliamentary elections Sunday, in order to prolong "stability and continuity," and "set the tone" for March elections. He also warned casting ballots for liberal opposition candidates would cause a return to "times...
McCain Updates Waterboard Dig at Romney
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 2:39 PM CST
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John McCain today extended his angry response to Mitt Romney’s cagey comments on torture in last night’s debate, reminding Americans that the US hanged members of the Japanese military for waterboarding Americans in WWII. “There should be little doubt that we consider that as torture,” McCain concluded in his biting history...
Ex-Teammate Claims Taylor Was Targeted
Sports Illustrated
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Nov 29, 2007 2:23 PM CST
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Sean Taylor's death this week wasn't the result of a robbery gone horribly wrong, says Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle, a childhood friend and college teammate. "They've been targeting him for three years now," Rolle said, referring to "jealous, angry" ex-friends from whom Taylor had been distancing himself recently, ...
Rob Bank, Violate Parole, Lose $1M
Boston Globe
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Nov 29, 2007 2:10 PM CST
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A Massachusetts man who scored a $1 million jackpot this week wasn’t allowed to buy his ticket to begin with: He’s a twice-convicted bank robber whose five-year probation bars him from gambling. Now, the Globe reports, Timothy Elliot will find himself betting on whether the state will revoke his winnings at an upcoming court date.
Subprime Waves Ripple Across Europe
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 29, 2007 1:59 PM CST
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The ripples from the US subprime collapse continue to rock Europe as a group of German banks agreed to bail out troubled IKB Deutsche Industriebank, reeling from additional risk from US bond investments. Meanwhile, four Norwegian municipalities scrambled to recover after they they invested $156 million in now fading US municipal bonds, the Wall Street...
Moscow May Host Talks for Israel, Syria
Washington Post
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Nov 29, 2007 1:46 PM CST
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Russia and the US are hatching a possible follow-up to the Annapolis Mideast summit in Moscow next year; the meeting would be aimed at launching peace negotiations between Israel and Syria, the Washington Post reports. Both sides signaled enthusiasm about reviving talks, centered on the dispute over the Golan Heights, which Israel seized in the 1967...
Osama Tape Cautions Europeans
Reuters
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Nov 29, 2007 1:34 PM CST
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A new audio tape has Osama Bin Laden calling for European nations to sever military ties with US forces in Afghanistan. Cable network Al Jazeera today broadcast portions of the tape, in which a voice resembling Bin Laden's denies allegations that the Taliban, then ruling Afghanistan, knew of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the US, Reuters reports.
Bush Can't Protect Rove, Senator Says
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 1:21 PM CST
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President Bush’s attempts to protect Karl Rove from testifying about the firings of US attorneys were shot down today by the Senate Judiciary Committee, meaning Rove will likely face contempt charges unless he complies with congressional subpoenas, the Associated Press reports. Bush had cited executive privilege, which protects advisers, but...
Sudan Will Jail, Deport Teddy Bear Teacher
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 29, 2007 1:08 PM CST
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A Sudanese court sentenced British schoolteacher Gillian Gibbons to 15 days in prison and deportation from Sudan for inciting religious hatred by allowing her students to name a class teddy bear Muhammad, the Guardian reports. The sentence represented something of a success for British officials, who had said they would do everything possible to...
Municipalities Feel Credit Market Pain
Washington Post
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Nov 29, 2007 12:58 PM CST
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Cities, towns, and schools are learning what would-be homeowners already know: the credit market stinks. Municipalities have grown addicted to financing projects with extremely low-interest bonds, but such cheap credit is hard to come by as bond insurers swing in the subprime wind, the Washington Post reports. Local governments either have to scrap...
New Pakistani Army Chief Is Nobody’s Pawn
Christian Science Monitor
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Nov 29, 2007 12:43 PM CST
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President Pervez Musharraf chose his successor as army chief for his loyalty, but observers say Ashfaq Kayani wants to excise politics from Pakistan's military and focus on security challenges, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Though military secretary under Musharraf rival Benazir Bhutto, Kayani is seen by one retired honcho as untarnished:...
WH Pares 2008 Economic Forecast, Hikes Jobless Rate
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 12:30 PM CST
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The White House cut back its expectations for 2008 economic growth today and said unemployment rates are likely to worsen, citing the housing slump. GDP will grow only by 2.7% next year, down from an earlier 3.1%, said officials from Treasury and the Council of Economic Advisers; and the jobless rate is expected to hit 4.9%, worse than the previous...
Immigration Hits All-Time High
New York Times
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Nov 29, 2007 12:18 PM CST
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One out of every 8 US residents is an immigrant following seven years in which a record 10.3 million newcomers crossed US borders. But more than half of those were illegals, according to an anti-immigration group's census analysis. Critics were skeptical of the study’s conclusions—which focused on the burden immigrants pose to society—but...
Salt May Get an FDA Shakedown
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 29, 2007 12:05 PM CST
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As the White House readies a national campaign against obesity, the FDA today will consider whether to reclassify one of the biggest dietary concerns of all: salt. The American Medical Association says that for Americans, who each day consume around 2,000 milligrams more than recommended, cutting salt intake by 50% could save 150,000 lives annually,...
Revisiting Hillary-Rudy, Round 1
Salon
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Nov 29, 2007 11:49 AM CST
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Before Rudy Giuliani withdrew from the 2000 US Senate race in New York, Hillary Clinton had become the “arms-folded sighing mother of a forever misbehaving teenager,” the New York Times writes, neutralizing her opponent’s skills and drawing out his temper. And, Salon writes, Rudy’s attempts to draw Hillary out by deliberately...
Google: Spammers Throwing in Virtual Towel
Wired
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Nov 29, 2007 11:37 AM CST
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Emailers have been hitting the “Delete” button for years, but spammers may be just now taking the hint, Google says. The tech giant isn’t releasing specifics, but it insists that the number of junk emails sent out has leveled off and could even be dropping for the first time in years, an encouraging sign that spammers may be giving...
Musharraf, Sworn In, Will Lift Emergency by Dec. 16th
Times (UK)
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Nov 29, 2007 11:08 AM CST
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Hours after he was sworn in for a second term as president of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf said in a televised address to the nation that he will lift emergency rule by Dec. 16. Wearing the dark tunic he donned for his swearing-in as a civilian, he declared that emergency rule had "saved the nation" and urged all parties to take part...
Greenies Fight for Right to Dry
Time
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Nov 29, 2007 11:05 AM CST
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Greenies say they’re being hung out to dry—instead of their clothes. A movement to cut back on eco-unfriendly clothes dryers, by hanging garments on lines, is being met with resistance from communities and homeowners associations that consider the clotheslines unsightly and damaging to property values. So the right-to-dryers are taking...
PDFs Will Soon Have Ads, Thanks to Yahoo, Adobe
CNET
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Nov 29, 2007 10:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Yahoo has teamed up with Adobe to nestle pay-per-click ads into PDF documents, CNET reports. Functioning a lot like Google’s text ads, they’ll be dynamic and key-word matched, so they can change at any time, but should stay relevant. Don’t worry, they won’t appear on all PDFs—only when publishers ask Yahoo to put them...
Screw G.I. Joe and Barbie, Gimme an iPod
New York Times
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Nov 29, 2007 10:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
Toddlers are getting their geek on, thanks to the rash of technological toys flying off the shelves this Christmas. The long-stagnant toy industry has found a growing market in kiddie versions of grown-up gadgets like laptops and digital cameras, the Times reports. “Toy companies don’t even call it the toy business anymore,” said...
Violent Crime Rate Down in Several Cities
Washington Post
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Nov 29, 2007 10:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
The crime surge of the last two years seems to be petering out, according to a new study by a police research group. The 2005-2006 rise in violent crime rates had been the first sustained jump in over a decade, but the new report shows that the numbers of murders, robberies and aggravated assaults are down in major jurisdictions in the first half of...
Stacy Told 3 Drew Had Killed Ex
Chicago Sun-Times
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Nov 29, 2007 10:04 AM CST
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Before her disappearance, Stacy Peterson revealed to three people, including a clergyman, that her husband had bragged of killing his ex-wife and making it look like an accident, a source tells the Chicago Sun-Times . Drew Peterson, now a suspect in his fourth wife’s disappearance, was already living with a pregnant Stacy in 2004 when Kathleen...
Michelle Obama Keeps It Real
Salon
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Nov 29, 2007 9:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
Michelle Obama may not be the only spouse on the campaign trail who's not cut in the mold of the cookie-baking first lady, but she’s a standout even in a field that features a tongue-pierced spouse, Salon 's Rebecca Traister writes. Barack Obama's wife has taken to the trail not only with enough poise to inspire glowing Jackie O analogies, but...
Henry Hyde Dies at 83
Chicago Tribune
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Nov 29, 2007 8:59 AM CST
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Henry Hyde, the former Illinois congressman who was a powerful conservative voice in the capital for decades, died today at 83. As the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Hyde took the lead in the impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton. He was a vocal foe of abortion, sponsoring what came to be known as the Hyde Amendment, which...
FCC to Give Stalled Tribune Sale a Push
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 29, 2007 8:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sam Zell’s $8.2-billion bid to take the Tribune Company private got a boost yesterday from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, who green-lighted a two-year exemption on rules barring ownership of newspapers and broadcast stations in the same market. Zell needs waivers for five markets in which the Tribune has dual ownership, reports the Los Angeles...
New Swiss Ad: Come Here and Suffer
Independent (UK)
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Nov 29, 2007 8:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
While most countries promote tourism or business opportunities, new Swiss TV spots airing in Nigeria and Cameroon make the nation look blatantly unfriendly, writes the Independent . The ads roll up the red carpet by depicting a destitute African immigrant begging, being chased by police, living under a bridge, and calling home to pretend everything's...
Backlash Forces Facebook to Retool Beacon
BusinessWeek
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Nov 29, 2007 7:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
Facebook execs are pondering changes to the unpopular Beacon advertising platform after massively negative feedback, reports Business Week, and an announcement on "evolving" it could come as soon as today. Users are threatening mutiny over the tool, less than a month old, that tells their friends all about their purchases from other sites—a...
6,000 Iraqi Sunnis Vow to Aid US
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 7:44 AM CST
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Almost 6,000 Sunni Arab civilians in Iraq turned against Al-Qaeda yesterday and signed a pact to help US forces police possible insurgent escape routes. As insurgents seek to gain a foothold in the semi-autonomous north, American officials hailed the alliance, which is the Iraq war’s largest single volunteer effort, AP reports.
Massive Paris Police Action Quells Riots
Reuters
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Nov 29, 2007 6:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel was relatively calm last night as hundreds of police dressed in riot gear restored order and a helicopter with searchlights hovered over the town. France's interior minister visited the suburb late last night, where a few rioters burned cars but no mass action took place, Reuters reports. Isolated incidents also...
Manila Rebels Surrender After Troops Storm Hotel
BBC
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Nov 29, 2007 6:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
Rebel soldiers who had held 200 workers, guests, and journalists hostage in a Manila luxury hotel surrendered today after Philippine troops launched an assault on the building, the BBC reports. The rebels, who were calling for the overthrow of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, were led handcuffed out of the Peninsula Hotel after police fired tear...
Women Win One in Battle of Bulge
New York Times
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Nov 29, 2007 5:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
Obesity rates among American women have leveled off and remained steady since 1999, while rates among American men may be following suit, the CDC reported today. The study’s lead researcher called the trend “great news” for women. Officials will wait to render a final verdict for men, the New York Times reports.
208 Nabbed in Saudi Terror Raids
BBC
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Nov 29, 2007 4:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
Saudi Arabian security forces have arrested 208 suspected al-Qaeda militants reportedly plotting an attack on a major oil field, the BBC reports. Those busted included missile experts, assassination squads—and a 16-person "media cell" bent on promoting extremist ideology. The money men behind the militants were also nabbed.
Missing Co-ed Starred in Porn Site
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 4:42 AM CST
(Newser) -
A missing Kansas college student apparently led a secret life as an internet porn star, according to police who suspect foul play in her disappearance. Emily Sander, 18, disappeared last week after leaving a bar outside Wichita with a man whose motel room was later found trashed and covered in blood. Sander's brother told police that his sister ran...
Katrina Lawyer Indicted in Bribe
New York Times
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Nov 29, 2007 4:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
Trent Lott's brother-in-law Richard "Dickie" Scruggs has been indicted on bribery charges for allegedly offering cash to a judge to steer legal fees in a Katrina insurance case, reports the New York Times . Four other attorneys, including Scruggs' son, also face charges. Scruggs is best known for winning a $248 billion settlement from the...
Buckeyes Buckle in 2nd to Tar Heels
Columbus Dispatch
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Nov 29, 2007 4:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
Ohio State missed 17 consecutive shots in the second half of last night's game, and No. 1 North Carolina capitalized, surging ahead to a 66-55 victory. The Tar Heels, playing without their point guard Ty Lawson, got help from Wayne Ellington's 23 points and Deon Thompson's 14, reports the Columbus Dispatch. In other college arenas last night:
God to Roberts: You're Fired!
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 4:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
Oral Roberts University president Richard Roberts told the school's student body yesterday that he didn't want to resign, but God insisted on it. Roberts, son of school founder Oral Roberts, faces a lawsuit accusing him of spending extravagantly while the school was in financial straits. He said God spoke to him on Thanksgiving and ordered him to resign...
Rockets Eclipse Suns 100-94
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Nov 29, 2007 4:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
Houston's best chance to beat the Suns last night was to hold them under 100 points, a feat made easier by Phoenix's uncharacteristically slow pace. With Yao Ming playing at a comfortable jog and Steve Nash handing out a season-low six assists, the Rockets cruised to a 100-94 victory, reports the Arizona Republic.
Chavez Threatens to Boot US Diplomat Over Vote 'Plot'
Reuters
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Nov 29, 2007 3:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
Venezuela threatened to expel a US diplomat for allegedly plotting against President Hugo Chavez' plan to run for re-election indefinitely. It's the latest headline-grabbing move by Chavez before a referendum on changes to the nation's constitution. Chavez has also accused CNN of encouraging an assassination plot against him, and has set a date to...
Without LeBron, Cavaliers Blown Out by Pistons
Detroit News
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Nov 29, 2007 3:40 AM CST
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Cleveland was already trailing Detroit when LeBron James sprained his finger late in the second quarter, and with King James in street clothes for the second half, the Cavaliers had no chance to regroup. The Pistons crushed the Cavs, 109-74, on a solid all-around team effort, the Detroit News reports. In other, closer games:
Brit Enron Bank Grafters Plead Guilty
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 29, 2007 3:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
Three British bankers confessed to an Enron scam in Texas yesterday, admitting to a single charge of transatlantic wire fraud as part of a plea bargain. They'll now have to pay back the $7.3 million the scam netted. The "Natwest Three" said in a statement they hoped this would be the first step in ending their "ordeal."
Blackhawks Zap Lightning 5-1
St. Petersburg Times
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Nov 29, 2007 2:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
Martin Havlet, playing in his first game since the season opener, scored twice within the first 43 seconds last night to spark a 5-1 Blackhawks victory over the struggling Lightning. It was the fifth straight loss for the Lightning, who now possess a league worst 2-9-1 record on the road, the St. Petersburg Times reports.
Howard Rules as Magic Snuff Sonics, 110-94
Associated Press
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Nov 29, 2007 1:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Dwight Howard scored a career high 39 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the Magic to a 110-94 win over the Supersonics. The Magic have an NBA-best 14 wins while the Sonics have lost six straight and are off to a franchise worst 2-14 start.
