Newser Story Index from April, 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.
Virginia Tech Cancels Spring Football Game
ESPN
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Apr 18, 2007 9:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer has cancelled his team’s remaining three spring practices and its annual spring game in light of the school shooting that left 33 dead. No players on the team were injured.
Most Dems Mum on Gun Control
Politico
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Apr 18, 2007 9:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Grief over the Virginia Tech massacre is re-energizing gun control advocates like Rep. Carolyn Murphy, whose husband was shot dead in 1996. "For too long, Congress has stood idle while gun violence continues to take its toll," she said yesterday. But most Dems have studiously avoided the hot-button issue, which the party sees as...
Yahoo's Earnings Drop Despite New Ad System
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 18, 2007 8:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Yahoo's new online advertising system failed to break the company's earnings slump, with the search-engine pioneer reporting an 11% drop in first-quarter profits. Yahoo faces increased competition for graphic display advertising that represents a third of revenue, and the company is no longer doing ad brokering for Microsoft, which bolstered revenues...
Corzine Crashed at 91 MPH
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2007 8:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Not only was Jon Corzine not wearing a seat belt, the SUV in which he was riding shotgun was clocked at 91 mph seconds before its crash last week. The trooper driving the New Jersey governor was going 26 mph over the limit on the Garden State Parkway—which he's allowed to do in an emergency.
VT Student Was at Columbine
US News & World Report
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Apr 18, 2007 7:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A veteran of the Columbine massacre has now relived that high school tragedy as a graduate student at Virginia Tech. Regina Rohde, a master's candidate in the department of fisheries and science, was a freshman at Columbine in 1999. "They're strikingly similar," Rohde says of the shootings.
"He Was Just Like a Shadow"
CNN
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Apr 18, 2007 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Former roommates say Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung-Hui had talked about suicide and stalked three women—scaring one so much her parents called the police. Two who had lived with him say they suspected Cho might be the gunman as soon as they heard the description. "He was just like a shadow," one roommate told CNN .
Bad Tip Led Police Off Shooter's Trail
New York Times
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Apr 18, 2007 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A false lead in the first two shootings at Virginia Tech led to the critical two-hour delay in warning students that there was a gunman on campus, the Times reports. After Emily Jane Hilscher was shot in her dorm, her roommate told police that her boyfriend, a student at a nearby college, had guns at his townhouse.
Profs Worried By Shooter's Morbid Writing
Washington Post
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Apr 18, 2007 6:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Cho Seung-Hui frightened students and teachers in Virginia Tech’s English department with morbid writing. Poet Nikki Giovanni had to extract Cho from her creative writing course when her students began skipping class out of fear of him. Cho spoke in whispers, hid behind sunglasses, and took surreptitious pictures of fellow students, Giovanni...
Vince Young Now Officially Cursed
ESPN
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Apr 17, 2007 10:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Titans signal caller and former Longhorns phenom Vince Young will appear on the cover of Madden NFL 08, the newest edition of the wildly popular football video game. In so doing, he may be jeopardizing his career; appearances on the cover have historically led to injuries and heartbreak.
NBA Ref Suspended for Season
SLAM Magazine
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Apr 17, 2007 10:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Veteran referee Joey Crawford has been suspended for the season for his hot-tempered ejection of Spurs star Tim Duncan, who was disciplined for laughing at a foul while on the bench. As Russ Bengtson points out, Crawford has a history of taking the actions of players somewhat personally.
Detox is Second (or Only) Home for These Addicts
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2007 3:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Drug addicts who check into New York hospital detox units dozens of times per year cost the state more than $300 million annually. These frequent fliers are often homeless or mentally ill people who see detox as a source of food and housing. People use it instead of the shelter system, said Sam Tsemberis of the nonprofit Pathways to Housing.
Shooter's Note: "You caused me to do this"
ABC News
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Apr 17, 2007 2:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Virginia Tech senior who killed 32 students and teachers yesterday left a vitriolic note in his dorm room, blaming other students for his shooting spree. "You caused me to do this," the note said, according to ABC News. It also attacked "rich kids," "debauchery," and "deceitful charlatans," the Chicago Tribune...
Senate Eyes Hedge Fund Tax Breaks
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2007 1:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Senate has an eye on extraordinary tax breaks that have allowed hedge fund managers to sock away hundreds of millions of dollars tax free, using their funds like giant pension schemes, the Times reports. Managers who run offshore funds can re-invest earnings in their own funds, deferring taxes for 10 years or more.
Sudan OKs U.N. Peacekeepers
International Herald Tribune
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Apr 17, 2007 1:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sudan agreed to allow 3,000 U.N. peacekeepers into its devastated Darfur region yesterday, but American and British officials were quick to say that it's not enough to stem genocide. They're calling for a force of 17,000 to 20,000, as agreed to in a peace accord signed in November.
MTV Meets Web 2.0 Halfway
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 17, 2007 1:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
MTV is fighting an unprecedented drop-off in ratings by tapping straight into the YouTube generation. The revamped bastion of youth culture will be less cable channel and more media hub, letting its teen viewers decide—and create—what they want to see, while keeping them connected to their digital world.
Bible Belt Brings Fight to Europe
Christian Science Monitor
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Apr 17, 2007 11:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American evangelicals have opened a new front in the culture wars—across the Atlantic. Christian groups, including Pat Robertson's legal organization, the American Center for Law and Justice, are actively challenging German laws against home schooling, defending Britons who refuse to work on Sunday, and combating same-sex marriage and stem cell...
Chicken Fat Doubles as Diesel
Bloomberg
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Apr 17, 2007 10:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two corporate giants are teaming up to produce biofuels and boost their bottom lines. Tyson Foods, the world's biggest meat producer, and third-largest U.S. oil company ConocoPhillips will be using about half of Tyson's animal fat to make a renewable diesel fuel, which will account for about 3% of ConocoPhillips's total production.
Nigerian Court Rules Candidate Was Illegally Excluded
New York Times
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Apr 17, 2007 9:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The highest Nigerian court ruled yesterday that opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar was illegally excluded from last Saturday's presidential election. It is unclear whether the government—returned to power by a landslide in the voting—will comply with the ruling, the Times reports.
Virginia Tech Shooter Was A Student
CNN
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Apr 17, 2007 9:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Virginia Tech senior, Cho Seung-Hui, has been identified as the shooter in yesterday's massacre. Cho, from South Korea, lived in a campus dormitory; his motive, which some speculate grew from rage over a soured relationship, remains unclear.
Obamas Aren't Millionaires —This Year
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 17, 2007 9:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack and Michelle Obama unveiled their 2006 federal income tax return yesterday, offering a peek into the wallet of one of the least affluent presidential aspirants. The couple reported $983,826 in taxable income in 2006—a comedown from 2005's $1.6 million.
Professor Gave Life to Save Students
New York Daily News
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Apr 17, 2007 8:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 77-year-old Virginia Tech professor who barred the door to his classroom against the gunman wreaking havoc down the hall sacrificed his life to save his students. Professor Liviu Librescu was teaching a class on solid mechanics when he heard gunshots. He held the door closed as students escaped through the window, and was shot through the door.
Men With Eating Disorders Lack Treatment
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 17, 2007 8:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Men affected by eating disorders have few options—with research, diagnosis, and treatment all geared towards women. A new study reveals that a quarter of all anorexics in the US are men, as are up to 40% of all binge eaters. "Society sees this as a girl's disease," says LynnGrefe, an eating disorders specialist.
Loan Giant Sallie Mae Goes Private
Washington Post
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Apr 17, 2007 8:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A group of investors is buying student lending giant Sally Mae for $25 billion, even as Capitol Hill debates reducing federal subsidies for student loans. The company—which began as a quasi-public agency—will be taken private by Bank of America, JPMorganChase, and private equity houses J. C. Flowers and Friedman Fleischer & Low.
Virginia Tech Criticized for Inaction
Guardian (UK)
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Apr 17, 2007 8:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As Virginia Tech prepares for today's memorial service for the 30 students and two teachers killed in two shootings yesterday, the school faces mounting criticism for not doing more to alert the campus between the attacks. " "The university has blood on their hands because of their lack of action," one student said.
Police Know V.T. Gunman’s ID
CNN
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Apr 17, 2007 8:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Police have a preliminary ID on the man who gunned down 30 people at Virginia Tech, but they aren't ready to release it, CNN reports. They won’t even confirm that the same gunman pulled the trigger at two the sites across campus, two hours apart, in the largest mass killing in American history.
Crawford v. Duncan Feud Escalates
Sports Illustrated
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Apr 16, 2007 10:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The bad blood between 31-year referee Joey Crawford and softspoken, inoffensive Spurs leader Tim Duncan may end in a physical altercation, predicts the gloomy-faced forward. Crawford ejected Duncan in Sunday's match against the Mavs with two technical fouls, both issued for Duncan's perceived rebelliousness while on the bench. The second foul was for...
Kenyan Takes Boston, Again
Boston Globe
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Apr 16, 2007 10:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Robert K. Cheruiyot won the Boston Marathon on a cold and windy day, albeit with a slower time than the record he set last year. Cheruiyot also won last year's Chicago Marathon, at which he memorably fell down and concussed himself while crossing the finish line. This makes 15 Kenyan-won Boston Marathons in the last 17.
Virginia Tech Shootings Two Hours Apart
Associated Press
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Apr 16, 2007 5:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The gunman who killed at least 32 people at Virginia Tech this morning struck twice—two shooting sprees two hours apart, on opposite sides of the campus. Two student were killed at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dorm, at about 7:15. Two hours later 30 people were stuck down at Norris Hall, an engineering building.
Padilla Jury Selection Begins
Christian Science Monitor
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Apr 16, 2007 2:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jury selection began today in the trial against accused terrorist Jose Padilla, with Judge Marcia Cooke ruling that prosecutors may make references to the 9/11 attacks, but not suggest that Padilla and his co-defendants were linked to them. "Any idea, through inference or otherwise, that these defendants are connected to 9/11 is not available...
32 STUDENTS DEAD AT VA TECH
Washington Post
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Apr 16, 2007 2:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
At least 32 students are dead after a gunman opened fire on a Virginia Tech dormitory and classroom building this morning. The shooter is dead; two dozen other students were wounded in the attack. “This place is in a state of panic,” one student told CNN; others report watching classmates jump from dormitory windows to escape the attack.
NRA Targets Post-Katrina Gun Seizures
Stateline
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Apr 16, 2007 2:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After New Orleans cops confiscated guns in the wake of Katrina, 13 states have barred officials from seizing firearms in emergencies. NRA types were livid over the post-hurricane gun grab, which they vowed would not be repeated. “You don't go and abuse good citizens because of a concern for their safety," says state Rep. Russell Pearce...
Al-Sadr Cronies Quit Cabinet
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 16, 2007 1:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Six cabinet members loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have made good on their threat to resign from the Iraqi parliament, after the Prime Minister refused to set a date for the Americans to leave. But they insist—in spite of a spate of violence yesterday and today that many blame on Sadr's Madhi Army—that the move is intended to strengthen...
Queen Behind Royal Split
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 16, 2007 11:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Royal watchers were rewarded today with a report in the News of the World that Queen Elizabeth was behind the sudden split between Prince William and his commoner girlfriend, Kate Middleton. The tab said Wills dumped Kate after a closed-door meeting with his grandmother, who said she didn't "want another Diana."
Inside the Citadel: Hedge Fund Giant Mulls IPO
Portfolio
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Apr 16, 2007 10:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Portfolio magazine debuts with a look inside Citadel Investment Group, the $13.5 billion Chicago hedge fund that's even more press-shy than most of its brethren. A rare chat with founder Ken Griffin reveals that he's thinking of taking Citadel public —which the magazine notes could be the biggest stand-alone hedge fund IPO in the US. ...
Boston Braces for (Not-Too) Stormy Marathon
Boston Herald
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Apr 16, 2007 8:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite the advent of what has been hailed as a storm of historic proportions on the East Coast, some are predicting tolerably mediocre weather for today's Boston Marathon. The forecast for calls for clouds, winds and temperatures in the 40s, but nothing that will drown the runners.
Teams of 42s Honor Jackie
MLB.com
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Apr 16, 2007 8:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Players and coaches across the majors honored Jackie Robinson by donning number 42 on the 60th anniversary of the day Robinson broke the color barrier with his debut as a Brooklyn Dodger. The league officially honored Robinson at Dodger Stadium—a serendipitous choice, as five other potential venues were rained out by the monsoon that battered...
Vaccine May Not Prevent Cervical Cancer
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 16, 2007 8:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pharma behemoth Merck is defending what it touted as a miracle cervical-cancer vaccine against charges of ineffectiveness. Merck lobbied states to mandate Gardasil for young girls—Texas and Virginia did—and got a glowing endorsement from the CDC. But new studies show that it works only to prevent sexually-transmitted HPV, a cause of cancerous...
Students Brew Coffee Addiction
US News & World Report
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Apr 16, 2007 8:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Overworked kids are hopping up more and more on lattes and macchiatos, as well as even dodgier stimulants, according to U.S. News. Coffee consumption among 18- to 24-year-olds has nearly doubled in three years, while increasingly popular energy drinks like Red Bull and the shockingly christened Cocaine pack multiple cups of java into a few ounces.
Russia Will Hunt Polar Bears to Save Them
New York Times
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Apr 16, 2007 8:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Russia is lifting a fifty-year old ban on hunting polar bears, expressly to save the endangered species from extinction. Poaching has been endemic in Siberia since the injunction, but it's increased since shrinking sea ice has forced bears to search for food on shore, making them easier to kill.
Barack Trumps Hillary in Battle for Primary Cash
New York
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Apr 16, 2007 7:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack topped Hill in the primary fundraising race, figures released yesterday showed, and New York mag knows why: Obama has not only won over some key Clinton-family loyalists, but culled a new generation of fortysomething donors with ample assets and Rolodexes to match. The result is Obama's $24.8 million primary war chest, which bests Hillary's...
Group Claims Kidnapped BBC Reporter Is Dead
BBC
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Apr 16, 2007 7:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An obscure Palestinian group claims to have murdered a veteran BBC journalist kidnapped in Gaza a month ago. There is no confirmation of the claim and a Palestinian Authority official, Saeb Erekat, said: “I urge those who abducted Johnston, instead of circulating rumors, and I hope these rumors are only rumors, to release him immediately...
Gonzales: "I Have Nothing To Hide"
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 16, 2007 6:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Alberto Gonzales will finger chief-of-staff Kyle Sampson as the point man on the U.S. attorney firings but won't cop to any major wrongdoing, an advance copy of his congressional testimony tomorrow reveals. He admits only to lesser sins—withholding "dignified" treatment from pink-slipped U.S. attorneys, for instance—and...
Wolves Circle Wolfowitz
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 16, 2007 6:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Embattled World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz is hanging tough in the face of a crescendo of calls for his resignation after improperly promoting the interests of his live-in girlfriend. In a weekend of maneuvering, the bank's development committee offered no shelter, issuing a vague but harsh statement that the organization" adhere to a high...
Sadr Orders Loyalists to Quit Iraqi Cabinet
Washington Post
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Apr 16, 2007 6:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Six Iraqi cabinet ministers are expected to resign today on orders from Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. "We are going to declare our withdrawal from government because the prime minister does not want to make a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq," a Sadr official told the Guardian .
Tiny Bubbles Stop
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
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Apr 15, 2007 7:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Don Ho, perhaps the best known Hawaiian entertainer ever, died yesterday at age 76 of heart failure. Ho worked Waikiki as its leading entertainer for 43 years, performing his last show just a few days before his death. He is best known for his song "Tiny Bubbles."
Virtuoso Snubbed in Train Station
Washington Post
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Apr 15, 2007 1:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Washington Post reporter Gene Weingarten put world-renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, in a subway station in Washington DC one rush hour morning to see if people would notice him. Mostly, they didn’t.
The Windy City Bests LA to Represent U.S. in Quest For 2016 Olympics
Chicago Sun-Times
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Apr 14, 2007 5:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In an unlikely win, Sandberg’s city of big shoulders muscled out glitzy and glamorous Los Angeles to represent the U.S. in the bid for the 2016 Olympics. The once reluctant host, Mayor Daley, whooped with glee as the announcement was made.
Wills and Kate Have Split
Associated Press
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Apr 14, 2007 4:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Prince William's four-year romance with shopgirl Kate Middleton is off, the Sun reported in a "world exclusive" today. Though palace-watchers had been betting on another fairytale wedding at St. Paul's, the couple has been growing apart since Wills started his military service, and seemed to prefer carousing with army buddies to canoodling...
Neocon No Sharper in Love Than War
New York Times
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Apr 14, 2007 1:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The spectacle of Paul Wolfowitz clinging to his post at the World Bank after using it to promote his girlfriend is catnip to Maureen Dowd, an arch critic of the neocon cabal that cooked up the war in Iraq: "You will not be surprised to learn, gentle readers, that Wolfie in love is no less deceptive and bumbling than Wolfie at war."
New OS Delay Shows Strains At Apple
San Jose Mercury News
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Apr 13, 2007 2:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The iPhone is coming on time, but at a price: Apple's new Leopard operating system is on hold until October. The decision reflects an overstretched company that's expanding faster than its small staff can handle, analysts say. Apple's talent for innovation, showcased by products like the iPod—and more recently, AppleTV and the iPhone—may...
