Newser Story Index from December, 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.
'US Ill Prepared for Disaster'
Reuters
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Dec 19, 2007 6:32 AM CST
(Newser) -
The US is not prepared for major disasters, including biological attacks and pandemics, and funding to meet such emergencies is falling, according to a new study. Thirteen states don't have adequate plans to distribute vaccines, 12 states don't have systems to track the spread of diseases and 7 states are unable to test for biological threats, according...
GM Offering Buyouts to 5,200 Workers
Detroit News
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Dec 19, 2007 5:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
General Motors is offering to buy out another 5,200 hourly workers, the Detroit News reports. The automaker, worried that the slowdown in auto sales will carry into next year, is keen to get veteran workers out the door and lower-paid new workers in. Over 34,000 blue-collar workers left the company last year in a similar deal.
Right-Wing CEO Wins Korean Presidency
Reuters
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Dec 19, 2007 5:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
Opposition leader Lee Myung-bak, nicknamed "The Bulldozer," has been elected president of South Korea by the largest margin in the country's democratic history. Lee, a former CEO at Hyundai and once mayor of Seoul, won 50.3% of the vote, trouncing his nearest rival, who captured just 26%, reports Reuters. Lee ran on a right-wing platform...
Police: Wife Aimed at Hubby But Decked TV
Detroit Free Press
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Dec 19, 2007 5:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
A Michigan woman allegedly aiming a gun at her husband killed the couple’s flat-screen TV instead, the Detroit Free Press reports. The woman, 61, explained to a police dispatcher that her husband "pushed me over the edge" but insisted she wasn't trying to hurt him. She said her spouse was dealing poorly with a stroke and a family...
Oops! Brit's Sis Preggers at 16
Reuters
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Dec 19, 2007 4:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
Another Spears may be headed for parenting woes. Britney's kid sister, Jamie Lynn, has announced that she's 12 weeks pregnant. The 16-year-old Louisiana high school student, star of the Nickelodeon show "Zoey 101," met her boyfriend and the father of the baby, Casey Aldridge, at church, Reuters reports. "I was in complete and total...
Blackwater Guard Kills NY Times Dog
Reuters
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Dec 19, 2007 4:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
Another fatal shooting by a Blackwater guard in Baghdad is under investigation by the US embassy. The victim this time is a dog kept by the staff of the New York Times, reports Reuters. The guard shot the dog, Hentish, last week before a visit by a diplomat to the Times compound. The private security company claims the pet attacked a bomb-sniffing...
Vujacic, Kobe Take Down Bulls 103-91
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 19, 2007 4:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
For the second time this season, the Lakers beat down on the team Kobe Bryant had not-so-secretly wished to join, this time putting together a 103-91 teamwork win against the Bulls. Luol Deng had 26 points for the Bulls, but Kobe's 18 were supplemented by five other Lakers scoring in the double digits, including Sasha Vujacic who nailed a team-high...
Deadly Pakistan Train Crash
CNN
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Dec 19, 2007 4:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
At least 41 people were killed early today when the Karachi Express derailed, and Pakistani rescue workers were scrambling to pull survivors from the twisted wreckage, CNN reports. Over 135 people were injured when 12 of the train's 17 cars overturned. Over a thousand people were on the train, many of them heading home for the Eid holiday.
Suspected Mob Gambling Ring Smashed
Star-Ledger
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Dec 19, 2007 3:56 AM CST
(Newser) -
New Jersey officials have nabbed a cadre of suspected mob bosses to bust up a sophisticated $2.2 billion gambling ring, the Newark Star-Ledger reports. Others among more than two dozen arrested included a prison officer and a Bloods gangster, said to be part of an "alarming alliance" between the Mafia and Bloods that smuggled drugs and...
Bush Wins War Budget Battle
Associated Press
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Dec 19, 2007 3:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
The White House last night won a major victory in the Senate—securing $70 billion in funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, free of the restrictions linked to troop withdrawals Democrats had insisted on for weeks. In a budget deal that ended months of wrangling, the Senate passed a massive $555 billion spending bill that combined funds...
4th Straight Shootout Finally Tanks Oilers
Dallas Morning News
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Dec 19, 2007 3:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
Dallas, the all-time shootout champs, showed the surging Oilers how it's really done last night, taking a 2-1 shootout victory to hand Edmonton its first loss in four consecutive overtime games. Sergei Zubov scored the winning goal after going 0-3 in shootouts this year, reports the Dallas Morning News . Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:
Nets' Woes Continue Against Kings
Associated Press
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Dec 19, 2007 1:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
Not only did Sacramento's John Salmons score a career best 31 points, but the shooting guard also saved the day, passing to teammate Francisco Garcia for a crucial three in the last minute of regulation. Sacramento ultimately won 106-101, earning only their second road victory of the season, the AP reports. The slumping Nets have lost six of their...
Spezza, Senators Tame Bruins 3-2
Associated Press
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Dec 19, 2007 1:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Ottawa Senators emerged from the battle of the two best teams in the Eastern Conference with a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins, thanks in large part to Jason Spezza’s two goals. The win gives the Senators six in a row. The recent winning streak comes on the heels of a seven game skid, according to the AP.
Panthers Stave off Canadiens
Associated Press
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Dec 19, 2007 12:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Though Montreal struck back late, Florida nonetheless held on to their early lead, triumphing 3-2 last night, the AP reports. Panther's goalie Tomas Vokoun made 23 saves, and preserved what would have been his third shutout in six games until midway through the third, when Montreal's Andrei Markov scored his first of two goals in the period.
Thrashers Fly Past Lightning to Snap Skid
Associated Press
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Dec 19, 2007 12:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Atlanta Thrashers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 at home to snap their four-game losing streak. The loss extends Tampa Bay’s own losing streak to three and drops their road record to a miserable 3-12-1, which is the worst in the league. Ilya Kovalchuk scored his league-leading 27th goal for Atlanta and also recorded an assist, reports...
Calgary Wins Record Maker
Can West
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Dec 19, 2007 12:28 AM CST
(Newser) -
With last night's 3-1 victory over Columbus, Calgary tied the NHL record for consecutive wins on the road with their sixth straight, Can West reports. "It just gets us back in thick of things," said Alex Tanguay, who had the game winner for the Flames, who have jumped from the bottom of the Western Conference into the top eight.
Lundqvist, Rangers Shut Out Pens
Associated Press
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Dec 19, 2007 12:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
The New York Rangers re-discovered their stifling defense and held the Pittsburgh Penguins to only five shots through two periods, and 18 total, en route to a 4-0 victory. New York had surrendered 24 goals in their previous six games and compiled a 1-4-1 record during those contests. Scott Gomez led the Rangers’ offense with two goals, reports...
Coyotes Out-Hustle Flyers, 3-2
Philadelphia Inquirer
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Dec 19, 2007 12:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
Wayne Gretzky's hardworking Coyotes dealt the swooning Flyers their third straight loss at Wachovia Center, breaking through for three goals in a late ten-minute span. The game-winner belonged to Randy Mueller, who deftly knocked a rebound past Philadelphia's Martin Biron for his ninth goal of the season—second among all rookies.
Something Can Silence Vitale
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 18, 2007 10:49 PM CST
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ESPN's beloved college basketball analyst (or loathed—opinions vary), Dick Vitale, will take the sidelines until February; doctors have located lesions on his left vocal cord which required surgery today. The former Pistons and University of Detroit coach won't be able to comment using his voice until then on what he calls "already a dynamite...
Apple Plays the Field in Japan
Reuters
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Dec 18, 2007 10:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Apple wants to bring the iPhone to Japan to compete with some of the most futuristic phones around, but it's being choosy in its search for a partner, Reuters reports. Apple is in talks with DoCoMo and Softbank, the country's biggest and third-biggest mobile operators respectively, but they're both wary of granting the big slice of revenue Apple demands.
23 FSU Players Suspended for Bowl Game
Tallahassee Democrat
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Dec 18, 2007 10:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
Twenty-three Florida State football players suspected of receiving help with an online exam are expected to be suspended for the Seminoles bowl game against Kentucky. Coach Bobby Bowden did not explicitly mention the issue in a press conference, but did admit that some players will not be traveling to the game, and that his staff was making the necessary...
Kimmel Will Return to Air Next Month
Associated Press
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Dec 18, 2007 9:08 PM CST
(Newser) -
ABC's Jimmy Kimmel will join his talk-show pals Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien in returning to the air Jan. 2, despite the ongoing writers' strike, the AP reports. “Though it makes me sick to do so without my writers, there are more than a hundred people whose financial well-being depends on our show,” Kimmel said. “It is time to go back...
Food Network Rethinks Its Menu
New York Times
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Dec 18, 2007 8:18 PM CST
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The recent cancellation of Emeril Live is just one sign that the Food Network is in the throes of a transformation, reports the New York Times . Having made chefs into stars, it is now trying to keep the money rolling in while facing increased competition—including instructional cooking on the Web. The network's ratings have dipped, especially...
Fed Cracks Down on Loose Lending
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 18, 2007 7:43 PM CST
(Newser) -
Seeking to avoid another subprime meltown, the Federal Reserve cracked down on mortgage lending today by a unanimous 5-0 vote, the Wall Street Journal reports. If approved next year, the Fed proposals will require creditors to consider borrowers' financial and credit status, but will not prohibit prepayment penalties altogether, a move sought by...
Clemens Denies Taking Steroids
Newsday
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Dec 18, 2007 7:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Responding to accusations in the Mitchell report, Roger Clemens today denied using steroids, Newsday reports. “I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life," the Yankees pitcher said in a statement....
Gems That Bankroll Burma Junta Remain on Sale in US
New Republic
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Dec 18, 2007 7:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
Congress is moving to close a loophole in a law that forbids the sale of rubies from Burma, but the measure comes too late for the holiday shopping season, writes Marin Cogan of the New Republic . That means US shoppers—unless they take pains to question their jewelry shop's policy—will be helping prop up the military junta that only months...
Her Space is in the Music Biz
New York Times
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Dec 18, 2007 7:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Living with her parents and toiling as a teacher in an after-school program, Ingrid Michaelson’s music career consisted of gigs in a coffee shop and a dream of having one of her songs on “Grey’s Anatomy.” Thanks to MySpace, the dream has come true, a New York Times profile says. Instead of just one song on “Grey’s,”...
ANC Elects Zuma as Leader
Reuters
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Dec 18, 2007 6:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
Jacob Zuma is in line to become president of South Africa in 2009 after the country’s ruling party elected him leader today, Reuters reports. The beloved but controversial populist won easily over current President Thabo Mbeki, bringing jubilation from his supporters but raising questions about the country’s economic future, rifts within...
100th Spacewalk Marks Milestone
Space.com
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Dec 18, 2007 6:13 PM CST
(Newser) -
An inspection of two faulty parts of the International Space Station today marked its 100th spacewalk, Space.com reports. Astronauts Peggy Whitson and Dan Tani, about to make the nearly seven-hour walk, were surprised to hear the news. "It is kind of mind boggling," Tani said. "I remember pre-ISS talking about the hundreds, and thinking...
Jackson to Helm Hobbit
Entertainment Weekly
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Dec 18, 2007 5:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
Peter Jackson has resolved his lawsuit with New Line and plans to helm two much-hyped Hobbit films, the first due out in 2010, according to an Entertainment Weekly interview with MGM chief Harry Sloan. Jackson will co-write and may direct one or both films—unless he and New Line's Bob Shaye pick someone else. "I don’t want to tell...
Calif. Closer to Expanding Health Care
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 18, 2007 5:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
The lower house of the California legislature yesterday approved a $14.4 billion bill to expand health care to millions of residents, a move analysts say could spark similar actions nationwide, the Los Angeles Times reports. But first skeptical state senators and voters must weigh in. The plan would require most Californians to buy insurance, and...
Blige Airs Growing Pains
Boston Globe
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Dec 18, 2007 5:13 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mary J. Blige has moved on from empowerment to soulful diva on her first disc in two years, the Boston Globe ’s Joan Anderman writes. "A celebration of the artist's hard-won happiness, " Growing Pains won Anderman over by "revealing her weaknesses." Blige still urges listeners to stand tall on a joyful "Just Fine,"...
Cell Bills Trump Land Line Charges for 1st Time
Associated Press
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Dec 18, 2007 4:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
US households racked up bigger cellphone than land line bills in 2007 for the first time ever, analysts say. Only 6 years ago, households spent three times more on residential phone bills than on mobiles, a disparity that shrank to an average difference of only $28 by 2006. Now, with more Americans cutting land lines altogether, experts say cells reign...
eBay Halts Sale of Iraqi Treasure
Guardian (UK)
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Dec 18, 2007 4:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
eBay called off the auction of a 4,000-year-old clay tablet last week just minutes before it closed because an expert suspected the artifact had been smuggled out of Iraq, the Guardian reports. A German archaeologist alerted authorities after spotting the tablet, a business-card-size object covered in distinctive cuneiform script, on Swiss eBay.
FCC Loosens Cross-Media Ownership Ban
Washington Post
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Dec 18, 2007 4:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
The FCC loosened a 32-year-old ban on simultaneous ownership of a newspaper and a radio or TV station in the same city today, the Washington Post reports. The commission voted 3-2 along party lines after a dispute-filled meeting. Afterward, one of the Democratic commissioners said, "Powerful companies are using political muscle to sneak through...
Stocks Climb After Rough Day
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 18, 2007 3:40 PM CST
(Newser) -
The market was up and down all day today as investors divided on whether to applaud cash injections and welcome good earnings reports or fret over bad housing numbers and inflation concerns. The Dow ultimately climbed 65.27 to 13,232.47, the Nasdaq added 21.57 to 2,596.03 and the S&P tacked on 9.08 to 1,454.98.
Case Closed in Holloway Disappearance
CNN
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Dec 18, 2007 3:38 PM CST
(Newser) -
After arresting and releasing the same three suspects twice, authorities in Aruba admitted today they have no case in the 2005 disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. A Dutch 20-year-old, Joran Van der Sloot, and brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, 20 and 21, were arrested first in 2005 and then again last month, when police said they had...
Winehouse Busted, Out on Bail
Sky News
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Dec 18, 2007 3:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hard-partying singer and recent Grammy nominee Amy Winehouse added posting bail to her storied list of accomplishments today and was back on the streets only hours after London police charged her with "perverting justice," Sky News reports. The 24-year-old was arrested "by appointment" and is to return to court in March, said a...
Mining Mergers May Take Page From Big Oil
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 18, 2007 3:08 PM CST
(Newser) -
When Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP Billiton announced its bid to merge with archrival Rio Tinto, the Wall Street Journal got déjà vu. The deal, which would combine the world’s largest and third-largest miners, looks a lot like the late-'90s megamergers that produced today’s Big Oil titans. “Really the same game...
All Rivers Cuomo, All Alone
PopMatters
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Dec 18, 2007 2:52 PM CST
(Newser) -
Onetime geek gods Weezer have been nothing but disappointing this century, PopMatters’ Evan Sawdey says, so thank heaven for Alone , lead singer Rivers Cuomo’s solo “album of one-offs, hard-to-finds, and unreleased material.” Much of the record dates from the band’s Pinkerton golden age, and the eight (of 18) songs...
Energy Bill Passes House
Reuters
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Dec 18, 2007 2:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
The House approved a broad energy bill today that will increase fuel efficiency requirements for cars and trucks for the first time in 30 years and will boost ethanol production, Reuters reports. The bill, passed last week by the Senate after $13 billion in oil company taxes were excised, carried handily, 314-100. President Bush is expected sign it...
Eek! A Giant New Rat
BBC
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Dec 18, 2007 2:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
Amid the lush paradise of a so-called lost world, researchers ran into a little reminder of the developed world's sewers: A heretofore undiscovered giant rat five times the size of gutter-variety rodents. The group also came across a new pygmy possum and various rare birds in the remote area of Papua New Guinea, the BBC reports.
Brits Hatch Secret Plan to Bail Out Northern Rock
Guardian (UK)
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Dec 18, 2007 2:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
Worried that the state might be stuck nationalizing Northern Rock, Britain has worked up a contingency plan behind closed doors to divide the troubled bank among the country’s commercial banks. A private buyout is still preferable, the Guardian reports, but some now fear the main bidders will back out, leaving the government holding the bag.
Italian Govt. Renames Baby
Reuters
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Dec 18, 2007 1:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
He was born, registered, and baptized Friday Germano, but the Italian government is calling him Gregory. The Germanos happen to like the name Friday, but 5 months after they gave it to their baby, a court in Genoa ruled that it had to be changed. In Italy, it seems, the law forbids giving children “ridiculous or shameful” first names, Reuters...
Judge Orders Hearing on Destroyed CIA Tapes
Washington Post
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Dec 18, 2007 1:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
A federal judge scheduled a hearing today to address whether the CIA's destruction of interrogation videotapes violated a court order, the Washington Post reports. The order—issued with no comment—is a blow to the Justice Department, which has launched a probe with the CIA and contends the federal courts don't have jurisdiction.
Want to Make Your Flight? Chill Out
Chicago Tribune
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Dec 18, 2007 1:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
Nervous fliers, beware: Some 600 security guards at 40 US airports are scanning crowds for passengers who exhibit unusual stress or fear. The federal program aims to create “a new layer of unpredictability” at checkpoints, says the TSA administrator, but has civil rights advocates crying foul and security experts unconvinced. Still others...
Wave of Murders Cuts Down Mexican Musicians
New York Times
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Dec 18, 2007 12:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
Some of Mexico’s biggest music stars are being murdered, often in gruesome fashion, and no one’s sure why, the New York Times reports. The past year and a half has seen the killings of 13 Mexican musicians, all purveyors of grupero, a country-esque style often dealing with drugs and crime. Police suspect gang involvement, but they have...
Best Buy Profit Soars 52% in 3Q
Wall Street Journal
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Dec 18, 2007 12:21 PM CST
(Newser) -
A consumer hankering for big-ticket items—and a willingness to pay closer to full price for them—helped Best Buy's third-quarter profit rise 52%, reports the Wall Street Journal . Absent last year's discounting on flat-screen TVs, the country's largest electronics chain posted Q3 net income of $228 million, or 53 cents a share, versus...
Tiaras Go to Your Head
Associated Press
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Dec 18, 2007 12:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Tiaras are this year's must-have adornment, with price tags that start at $9.99 and top out north of $400,000, the AP reports. Hello Kitty wore hers to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and girly girls of all ages—especially those with money to burn—find that the trend is turning heads.
Credit, Economy Bring M&A Action to a Crawl
Bloomberg
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Dec 18, 2007 11:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
The slowing economy and financing costs that have more than doubled since June because of the subprime collapse could ice the pace of mergers and acquisitions in 2008, Bloomberg reports. After a record $3.9 trillion in deals in 2007, analysts predict transaction value could plummet 20%. "The mega-LBO is dead,'' says an ABN Amro takeover expert.
