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.
Atlantic City Trumps The Donald
New York Times
|
Apr 11, 2007 7:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Donald Trump's casinos are faltering in Atlantic City, the very seaboard Vegas the flamboyant developer helped build in the 80s and 90s. The Taj Mahal is still flush, but Trump's two other hotels are last in revenues. And analysts aren't betting on them, thanks in part to the share the city is losing to slot parlors in NYC and Philly.
Birkhead's the Baby Daddy
Associated Press
|
Apr 11, 2007 6:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Daniellyn finally has a baby daddy. DNA evidence proved that the daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith can call paparazzo Larry Birkhead Dad. "I told you so," a jubilant Birkhead told reporters after the announcement at a court hearing in the Bahamas. He hugged his rival, Howard K. Stern, Smith's former lawyer and companion.
Mosque Raid Ignites Baghdad Battle
New York Times
|
Apr 11, 2007 5:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraqi soldiers who raided a Baghdad mosque during worship set off an all-day battle yesterday the New York Times calls the most sustained fighting since the start of the new security plan. US troops and Iraqi soldiers fought Sunni militants joined by residents in the largely Sunni Ineighborhood of Fadhil.
Students Sue for Homework
Christian Science Monitor
|
Apr 10, 2007 4:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Four teenage students are suing an antiplagiarism website for the rights to their schoolwork, arguing that they were forced to turn over original work without compensation, the Christian Science Monitor reports. When their school adopted an antiplagiarism service called Turnitin, students were required to submit essays to be stored and compared against...
Don't Mind Us, We're British!
Wall Street Journal
|
Apr 10, 2007 2:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Forget lap dancing at the local strip joint: British bridegrooms, brides and their wedding parties are descending on Eastern European capitals for cheap, drunken bachelor and bachelorette binges that last a week or more, the Journal reports. They're lured by low-cost air fares and rock-bottom prices on booze, but it's their bad behavior that sets...
Cain Able, Giants Not; Padres Win 1-0
Yahoo
|
Apr 10, 2007 1:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Giants continue to struggle to score runs and the Padres continue to excel at preventing them. The Padres' 1-0 win spoiled a brilliant outing by San Francisco’s Matt Cain, who allowed just one hit in seven innings, as the San Diego bullpen extended its season-opening scoreless innings streak to 20 2/3 with two shutout frames in relief of...
Rutgers Coach Fires at Imus
Associated Press
|
Apr 10, 2007 12:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rutgers coach Vivian Stringer struck back at Don Imus in a press conference today, calling his comments " deplorable, despicable and unconscionable"—but confirming that her players will meet with the foul-mouthed radio host. Stringer says her players are "valedictorians, future doctors, musical prodigies," not the' "nappy-headed...
Micro-Bloggers Go Big With Very Little
Financial Times (UK)
|
Apr 10, 2007 12:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Short, random and mundane musings fired from around the globe are blowing up big in an Internet phenomenon called micro-blogging. Social networking is reduced to photos and single sentences—or less—that the Financial Times notes is to the blogosphere what reality tv is to cable: compelling and mind-numbing at the same time.
Plug-In Has Power to Spare
CNET
|
Apr 10, 2007 12:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A souped-up plug-in hybrid unveiled yesterday has excited talk of a future in which cleaner-running cars are also profitable. With a new lithium-ion battery that can store up to nine kilowatt/hours of electricity, a hybrid owner could buy electricity at night, store it in the battery, and then sell it back to the grid at higher prices during...
Micky D Gives Migrants a Raise
Chicago Tribune
|
Apr 10, 2007 10:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The cent-a-pound increase McDonald's agreed to grant their tomato-picking field hands yesterday may sound like, well, pennies, but it represents a more than 70% raise, the Chicago Tribune reports. And the deal was hailed as paving the way for negotiations between migrant workers and other corporate Goliaths across the country.
Mavs Clinch West’s Top Seed; Clippers Fall to 9th
Yahoo
|
Apr 10, 2007 9:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dallas Mavericks clinched the NBA’s best record and the number one seed in the Western Conference playoffs, winning 96-86 over the Los Angeles Clippers at home yesterday. With five games remaining in the regular season, the Mavs can now afford to rest stars Dirk Nowitzki and Jerry Stackhouse as they prepare for the postseason.
Sorry, Al: Tree Planting May Speed Warming
Guardian (UK)
|
Apr 10, 2007 9:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Planting trees to offset your carbon footprint not only won't slow global warming, it may worsen its effects, a new study claims. Trees growing outside a small band of tropical zones don't cut the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by enough to offset the heat their foliage traps, says atmospheric scientist Govindasamy Bala in the Guardian...
DNA Tests Surprise Immigrants
New York Times
|
Apr 10, 2007 8:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Thousands of new citizens asked to take DNA tests in order to verify the immigration status of relatives back home are discovering unwelcome surprises about their families, the New York Times reports. The State Department recommends the tests to confirm family ties in countries where record-keeping is poor. But an estimated 15 to 20% backfire, failing...
States Battle Over Stillborn Babies
San Francisco Chronicle
|
Apr 10, 2007 8:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Parents of stillborn babies are pitted against pro-choice advocates in an emotional battle over initiatives in seven states to issue birth certificates for their children, reports the Chronicle . Parents want recognition of their loss; abortion advocates want to avoid a precedent that might be used to claim an unborn fetus is already a child .
Congress Probes Private White House E-Mails
Wall Street Journal
|
Apr 10, 2007 8:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Use of private e-mail accounts by White House officials is being probed by Democratic lawmakers who charge that they were employed to avoid scrutiny. Accounts set up by the Republican National Committee are intended to keep political activities separate from official business, but they were used in planning the firings of U.S. attorneys last year,...
O'Reilly: Time To Listen Up On Illegals
Salon
|
Apr 10, 2007 7:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Last week's smackdown between Fox foes Bill O’Reilly and Geraldo Rivera entertained millions of YouTube addicts but shed little light on the issue that was the subject of their screaming fight: Do illegal immigrants increase crime? In fact, Harvard sociologist Robert J. Sampson tells Salon, immigrants both legal and illegal actually commit ...
Regent Grads Score Big On Bush Team
Boston Globe
|
Apr 10, 2007 7:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Regent University, the evangelical college founded by Pat Robertson that graduated disgraced Gonzales aide Monica Goodling, has quietly become a huge source of like-minded talent for the Bush administration: Despite its marginal academic credentials, 150 Regent University alumni have been placed in federal positions since 2001.
Iran Raises Nuclear Stakes
Guardian (UK)
|
Apr 10, 2007 6:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iran claims to have scaled up its nuclear capability by enriching uranium "on an industrial scale, " the Guardian reports, in defiance of U.S. and U.N. pressure to dimantle the program. The announcement from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is sure to heighten conflict with the White House and provide new ammunition for those advocating...
UK About-Face On Sailors Selling Stories
Guardian (UK)
|
Apr 10, 2007 6:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The British Ministry of Defense bowed to public opinion last night and banned further media deals for the sailors and marines released from captivity in Iran. The decision to let the detainees sell their stories had "not reached a satisfactory outcome," the defense secretary said.
Snow-Out Foils Cleveland Fans
Cleveland Plain Dealer
|
Apr 9, 2007 11:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Three snowed-out Indians games, relocated to Milwaukee, will cost the city of Cleveland $150,000 in anticipated tax revenue, according to estimates by city officials. The Indians' series against the Angels has been preemptively moved to Miller Park, where roughly 36,000 fans are expected to make the 400+ mile commute.
Astros Demote Closer After Two Games
Houston Chronicle
|
Apr 9, 2007 10:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After just two woeful outings, Astros closer Brad Lidge has been demoted to middle reliever. His close friend Dan Wheeler will take his place as Houston's ninth-inning man. This will feel like deja vu to Lidge; he lost his closer's job twice last year as well.
Imus Gets 2-Week Suspension
New York Times
|
Apr 9, 2007 8:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Five days after characterizing the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed ho's," renegade radio personality Don Imus received a two-week suspension from NBC News and CBS Radio, along with a mandate that he must change the tone of his show, the Times reported. Imus made a contrite appearance on "Keepin It Real,"...
Congress Studies Lost Art Of Oversight
Christian Science Monitor
|
Apr 9, 2007 8:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Consider the U.S. attorneys investigation the tip of the iceberg: With more than a dozen probes launched in its first 100 days, Congress is ramping up to reclaim its role as a watchdog over the executive branch, the Christian Science Monitor reports, honing skills that haven't been in demand in the capital for over a decade.
Mexican Drug Wars Fought in Cyberspace
Washington Post
|
Apr 9, 2007 4:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mexican drug cartels are making themselves at home on YouTube, posting music videos that show off the bloodied bodies of their tortured and executed competitors. The gangs have turned to the Internet to recruit members, plan attacks, and intimidate and threaten rival gangs. The result is an al-Qaeda–like virtual network that the tech-lite...
British Brides Go Green
Reuters
|
Apr 9, 2007 3:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
British couples are choosing eco-friendly weddings, making recycled dresses, locally grown flowers, and organic food increasingly the rage, reports Reuters . Those who go green stress it doesn't mean the ceremony has to be hippie-esque. "Green weddings are about eco-chic, not lentils and hessian," said wedding planner Ruth Culver.
Baghdad No Safer 2 Months Into Surge
New York Times
|
Apr 9, 2007 1:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Baghdad is no more stable than it was before the American troop surge, the Times reports. With death squads trying to stay off the radar, sectarian executions have dropped in some corners of the city. But executions have given way to increased car bombings, chlorine gas attacks, and the burning of local shops and homes.
Ethanol Could Fuel Recession
Wall Street Journal
|
Apr 9, 2007 1:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Demand for grain for biofuels like ethanol is spurring global food shortages and sending prices soaring—and could trigger a recession, warns the Wall Street Journal. Food prices are already skyrocketing in economies as diverse as India, China, Germany, the U.K., and South Africa. American consumers are likely to see higher prices for everything...
Immigration Reform Back On Bush Agenda
Washington Post
|
Apr 9, 2007 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush is making another run at immigration reform, armed with the hope that the Democratic Congress will be more receptive than his own party was last year. In Arizona today Bush will reintroduce a package that sounds suspiciously like his earlier attempt: increased border security, better enforcement of immigration laws in the interior, and...
Crosby Wins Scoring Title
Yahoo
|
Apr 9, 2007 12:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
At 19 and in his second season, Pittsburgh's Sidney "Sid the Kid" Crosby has won the league scoring title at 120 points and is taking his team to the playoffs. He's achieved both milestones in far less time than it took Mario "Super Mario" Lemieux, the Penguins' current owner and former heartthrob phenom.
Hoffman: Tiger's No Superman
Philadelphia Inquirer
|
Apr 9, 2007 12:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When Tiger Woods flamed out at this year's Master's, he lost more than a tournament—he lost an aura, writes Rich Hoffman. "Twelve times before this, he had led on Sunday and won. Twelve times. Twelve wins. It was a stunning record of invincibility .... Now it is over."
Kids Get Graded on Obesity
Philadelphia Inquirer
|
Apr 9, 2007 12:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
School nurses in six states are now sending out "obesity report cards," giving parents the results of mandatory Body Mass Index screenings of their children. With the number of overweight kids quadrupling over the last 40 years, advocates aim to detect health issues early. But not all parents are thrilled with the information.
Turkish Band Faces Jail in YouTube Flap
Guardian (UK)
|
Apr 9, 2007 12:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A seven-year-old song resurrected on YouTube has five punk rockers facing time in a Turkish prison. The song, an anti-authoritarian rant against the Turkish college entrance exam by the band Deli, was the sound track to a video posted by a fan, who lip-synched the lyrics while jumping around frantically on camera.
Gitmo Prisoners Go On Hunger Strike
New York Times
|
Apr 9, 2007 11:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Thirteen detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention center are on hunger strike, protesting conditions at a maximum-security block known as Camp Six, where 160 inmates are locked in their 8-by-10-foot cells for at least 22 hours a day. It's the first major strike since early 2006, when Gitmo commanders started placing protesting detainees in restraint...
India Short On Skilled Workers
New Yorker
|
Apr 9, 2007 10:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Why is India short on skilled labor when it's teeming with Ph.D.s? While the staggering growth of its tech industry seems to have put the country in the running for the world’s next superpower, James Surowiecki observes that the Bengal tiger could be made of paper. Thirty per cent of the country is still illiterate. Only 10 percent go to college.
Suns Drop Lakers to 7th In West
Associated Press
|
Apr 9, 2007 10:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Phoenix Suns keep rolling through the regular season, with their Sunday win against the Los Angeles Lakers setting up a possible rematch of last year’s first-round playoff series. Raja Bell hit all six of his three point attempts en route to 22 points as the Suns won 115-107.
Hold the Fries; Just Some Grease Please
ABC News
|
Apr 9, 2007 9:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mexican pig lard, Alaskan fish oil, and lots o' fast food grease powered what two professional kayakers are calling the longest road trip ever made without gasoline. The 21,000-mile trek from Alaska to the tip of South America—in a converted Japanese firetruck—took nine months, with the duo stopping frequently to give talks on the virtues...
Freed 15 Deals Spur Outrage
Guardian (UK)
|
Apr 9, 2007 8:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain’s military chiefs are under fire for allowing 15 British sailors and Royal Marines released by Iran to sell their stories. Faye Turney has already closed a deal for almost $200,000, and at least two others are considering offers. The families of British servicemen killed and wounded in Iraq are outraged.
Pujols Busts Out Of Mini-Slump
Associated Press
|
Apr 9, 2007 8:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Albert Pujols’s hibernating bat woke up last night, as the 2005 NL MVP hit his first homer of the young season. The Cardinals crushed the Astros 10-1 in Houston after getting off to a slow start, thanks in large part to Pujols' 1-for-17 skid.
Thompson's Record Doesn't Speak for Itself
Politico
|
Apr 9, 2007 8:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Why is Tommy Thompson barely a blip on the presidential campaign radar screen when he has what is arguably the best resume for the job? The HHS secretary and former governor has plenty of ideas and an impeccable record as a welfare reformer. But buzz and bucks are what count, Jonathan Martin observes, and that's what Giuliani and Romney have.
Bloggers Urge More Civility
New York Times
|
Apr 9, 2007 7:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Prominent techies are calling for a code of conduct for the Web 2.0 blogosphere. The group, which includes Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, urges that bloggers purge their sites of anonymous comments and delete libelous or menacing ones. “If it’s a carefully constructed set of principles, it could carry a lot of weight even if...
Military Skimps On Soldiers' Benefits
US News & World Report
|
Apr 9, 2007 7:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Soldiers are being deprived of disability benefits, having their injuries downgraded and even being sent back into the field when they're not fit to fight, a U.S. News investigation shows. An arbitrary and system for rating disabilities has been a problem for years, veteran advocates say, but it's now affecting tens of thousands of soldiers.
East Timor Holds Guarded Elections
BBC
|
Apr 9, 2007 7:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
East Timor is holding its first presidential elections since independence from Indonesia five years ago, with voters choosing between Nobel Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta and seven other candidates. It's hoped that the elections will stabilize the volitile country, where clashes between factions exploded in carnage last summer. International troops—mostly...
Anti-American Protests Mark Iraqi Anniversary
Associated Press
|
Apr 9, 2007 6:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tens of thousands of Iraqis converged today on the southern city of Najaf, a Shia shrine, to mark the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad. Waving Iraqi flags and chanting anti-U.S. slogans, demonstators marched from Kufa to neighboring Najaf. AP reports that two cordons of Iraqi police lined the route, while others soldiers, in uniform,...
Imus, Sharpton Square Off
Associated Press
|
Apr 9, 2007 6:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two of the loudest personalities on the FM dial will publicly brawl today when right-leaning mock jock Don Imus visits Al Sharpton’s syndicated show, days after characterizing the black-leaning Rutgers basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.” The always-vociferous Sharpton wants Imus fired, and Imus—no shrinking violet himself—will...
Masters Goes to Johnson
Associated Press
|
Apr 9, 2007 5:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The storybook re-coronation of Tiger Woods had a surprise ending in Augusta, where the entire field was hobbled by blunders, and an obscure Iowan walked away with the coveted green jacket. Zach Johnson hit a three-under 69 on his last 18 holes to finish in the lead with a one-over 289, tied for the worst winning score in Masters history.
Al-Sadr Preaches Peace — But Not Toward U.S.
CNN
|
Apr 8, 2007 5:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iraqis Sunday to stop killing each other—and join together to rid their country of Americans. On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, he urged both Iraqi forces and insurgents to direct their fight against "the occupiers," CNN reported.
McCain Makes The Ultimate Sacrifice
New York Times
|
Apr 8, 2007 9:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Frank Rich predicts that John McCain's much-ridiculed photo op in Baghdad's Shorja market last weekend won't be remembered as his Dukakis-in-the-Tank moment—the cluelessness that sank a candidacy—but as a turning pointing in hastening America's exit from Iraq. John McCain is no Michael Dukakis, and if he can't credibly carry the flag...
Third Gonzales Aide Resigns
New York Times
|
Apr 7, 2007 7:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Gonzales aide Monica Goodling resigned yesterday, a little more than a week after she plead the fifth rather than testify before a Senate committee about the Justice Department's firing of eight U.S. attorneys, the Times reports. Democrats had hoped Goodling, who was Justice's liaison to the White House, would provide details about Karl Rove's...
Imus in Hot Water Again
Washington Post
|
Apr 7, 2007 3:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Earlier this week during his syndicated show simulcast on MSNBC and CBS radio station WFAN Don Imus called the Rutgers Women's basketball team "nappy headed hoes," initiating a firestorm of criticism. The politically incorrect shock jock now admits that his remarks were "inappropriate, thoughtless and stupid."
Romney Scores Big In Stealth Campaign
New York Times
|
Apr 7, 2007 11:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Of all the GOP presidential candidates competing to raise funds, Mitt Romney needs the money least, David Kirkpatrick ovserves in the Times . The founder of a giant private equity firm, he can afford to pay for the race himself. But he's pulled in the most—$20 million—precisely because he needs to show that he's not a Steve Forbes or a...
