Newser Story Index from June, 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.
FBI Jet Veers Off Course
Washington Post
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Jun 12, 2007 10:14 AM CDT
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The FBI says it needs its $40 million Gulfstream V jet for counterterrorism missions, yet nearly one-quarter of its flight time consists of routine trips by director Robert Mueller, the Washington Post reports. A key Republican senator calls this use of the only agency aircraft capable of international flights "a good way to lose congressional...
Apple Wants to Send Windows Users on Safari
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 12, 2007 9:03 AM CDT
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Apple will venture into Microsoft's turf again, this time making a version of its web browser Safari compatible with Windows. Microsoft's Internet Explorer commands 78% of the browser market compared to Safari's 5%, reports the Wall Street Journal , but Apple's interest in expanding its share is only part of the story: The iPhone, scheduled for release...
Dog Breeders Deploy DNA Tests
New York Times
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Jun 12, 2007 8:11 AM CDT
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With the first map of a dog genome recently completed, scientists are hot on the trail of genes for individual canine traits from coat color to cocking their heads in a cutesy way—and dog breeders are right behind them. Without any of the inhibitions attached to eugenics in humans, they're snapping up genetic tests to improve their breeds.
NH Voters Like What They See of Clinton
CNN
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Jun 12, 2007 7:48 AM CDT
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In the race for New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton has shot ahead of her Democratic opponents, opening a 14-point lead over Barack Obama since the June 3 debate. With the primary 7 months away, Clinton is overwhelmingly considered the strongest leader, thumping a list of rivals that includes Al Gore. And there's a new name on the radar: Bill Richardson.
Former Serb Leader Guilty of War Crimes
BBC
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Jun 12, 2007 7:28 AM CDT
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Former Serb rebel leader Milan Martic has been convicted of murder and other atrocities in Croatia in the early 1990s and sentenced to 35 years in jail. The international war crimes tribunal in the Hague found Martic guilty of ethnic cleansing of non-Serbs when he was leader of the so-called Krajina Serb republic.
Phillies' Futility Flirts With Immortality
New York Times
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Jun 12, 2007 7:20 AM CDT
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This year's Phillies aren't as awful as tradition would suggest, but they can't fight history. From their perch a respectably mediocre two games over .500, they can see a new milestone: 10,000 losses. The Times visits Philadelphia, where the baseball has been so bad for so long that the never-before-accomplished feat lies a mere 14 defeats away.
China Finds Fake Protein in IV Drips
BBC
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Jun 12, 2007 6:19 AM CDT
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In yet another product-safety scandal, fake blood protein has been found in IV drips in 60 hospitals and pharmacies in northeastern China, the BBC reports. Albumin, or plasma protein, is administered to patients suffering from burns or undergoing open-heart surgery; the counterfeit contained no protein at all.
Paris Declares She's Got God Intentions
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 12, 2007 6:17 AM CDT
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Paris Hilton says she's found God and will change her life at the end of her 45-day jail term. Barbara Walters chatted with the heretofore mischievous and materialistic heiress on a collect call from prison, and recapped the conversation on yesterday's View . "I have become much more spiritual," Paris said. "God has given me this new...
Cop in Katrina Brutality Case Kills Himself
ABC News
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Jun 12, 2007 5:46 AM CDT
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Former New Orleans police officer Lance Schilling, set to be tried next month for the caught-on-camera beating of an unarmed man just after Hurricane Katrina, died yesterday of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the face. He and his partner were charged with beating a 64-year-old retired schoolteacher who had returned to the city to check...
Blackstone IPO Payouts Will Eclipse Google
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 12, 2007 5:32 AM CDT
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Huge windfalls due the top executives of the Blackstone Group from their IPO late this month will eclipse even the payday enjoyed by the Google founders three years ago, the Wall Street Journal reports. CEO Stephen Schwarzman will make $677 million and retain a $7.5 billion stake in the company—more than double that of Sergey Brin and Larry...
11 Die in Gaza Violence
Haaretz (Israel)
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Jun 12, 2007 5:14 AM CDT
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Violence broke out across the Gaza Strip yesterday, mere hours after a declared cease fire. Fatah gunmen murdered a senior Hamas member late in the day, followed by the execution of a senior Fatah member outside his home, where he was hit with 45 bullets.
NCAA Ejects Louisville Blogger
Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.)
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Jun 12, 2007 4:22 AM CDT
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The NCAA ejected a reporter for Louisville's Courier-Journal for blogging during the fifth inning of Louisville's semifinal romp over Oklahoma State, 20-2. The association forbids live Internet updates of games from those in attendance. The newspaper, citing First Amendment rights, is considering legal action.
Life's Good for Tony Parker
USA Today
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Jun 12, 2007 4:10 AM CDT
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Tony Parker has come a long way since 2003, when the Spurs were flinging woo at Jason Kidd, whose Nets Parker had just helped beat for his first championship. The Frenchman is now gunning for a third ring, and his scoring has him on pace to beat out three-time winner and teammate Tim Duncan for Finals MVP.
Holocaust Critic Loses Tenure Bid
Chicago Tribune
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Jun 12, 2007 4:00 AM CDT
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Polarizing poli-sci scholar Norman Finkelstein has been refused tenure at DePaul University in Chicago. The school's president said that Finkelstein, a virulent critic of Israel who's been accused of anti-Semitism for his remarks on the Holocaust, stirred too much controversy and ill will for the nation's largest Catholic University.
Top Beaches 2007
Associated Press
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Jun 11, 2007 10:04 PM CDT
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Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks, North Carolina Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Americans Go Abroad, Online for New Diet Pill
Bloomberg
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Jun 11, 2007 8:21 PM CDT
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The weight loss drug Acomplia is stuck in FDA limbo, but that isn't stopping Americans from ordering it off the Internet or buying it in Europe, where it's legal. If the government rules that its lowering of weight and cholesterol balances out the possible side effects, including suicide and depression, Acomplia could be worth billions to manufacturer...
Vote on AG Derails in Senate
New York Times
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Jun 11, 2007 8:11 PM CDT
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A no-confidence vote on Alberto Gonzales failed to get out of the Senate today when a procedural vote to cut off debate failed by seven votes. Both sides proclaimed partial victory: Republicans had blasted the vote as a stunt, but Democrats lured seven GOP senators across party lines to support going forward with the vote on the nonbinding motion.
Teen Sex Case Takes a Turn
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jun 11, 2007 6:10 PM CDT
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A judge ordered a 21-year-old Georgia man freed from prison today, ruling that his 10-year sentence for aggravated child molestation—receiving consensual oral sex from a 15-year-old when he was 17—was "cruel and unusual" and that keeping him incarcerated would be a "miscarriage of justice." The attorney general promptly...
Federal Court Orders Military to Free Civilian
Washington Post
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Jun 11, 2007 4:51 PM CDT
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The US may not keep a civilian believed to be an enemy combatant in military custody, a federal appeals court ruled today, finding that President Bush "cannot eliminate constitutional protections with the stroke of a pen." The administration quickly announced its intention to appeal the decision that Ali al-Marri must be charged in a civilian...
Autism-Vaccine Link Becomes Federal Case
Associated Press
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Jun 11, 2007 2:56 PM CDT
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Nearly 8 years after the government asked vaccine makers to reduce the use of a preservative that contains mercury, hearings began today to probe the connection between autism and childhood vaccines. If the U.S. Court of Federal Claims finds a link, the plaintiffs could qualify for compensation through a government trust fund—but many parents...
CIA Uses Spies From Sudan to Infiltrate Iraq
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 11, 2007 12:32 PM CDT
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The CIA is secretly working with the Sudanese government to send spies into Iraq, even as the US condemns the regime's role in the Darfur genocide, the LA Times reports. Sudan's position as a gateway for Islamic militants heading for Iraq and Pakistan makes it ideal for sending spies into Iraq. And Sudanese agents can penetrate where Americans cannot.
In the End, the Joke's on Us
Salon
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Jun 11, 2007 12:17 PM CDT
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Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" may have replaced A3's "Woke Up This Morning" as the song “Sopranos” fans most associate with the show, but Salon TV critic Heather Havrilesky thinks she gets creator David Chase's message. He "played us like a grand piano," she writes, and "got his karmic revenge on...
Spurs Take Second Game
ESPN
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Jun 11, 2007 11:30 AM CDT
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San Antonio is two for two in the NBA finals, after a mind-numbing 103-92 rout over an apparently outmatched Cleveland last night. The Spurs entered the fourth quarter up by 27, a lead pruned but not uprooted by a workmanlike 15 minutes from LeBron James and the Cavs.
States Discover, Spend Surpluses
New York Times
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Jun 11, 2007 11:15 AM CDT
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Oversized tax collection has left state governments with unexpected funds to dole out, and newly Democratic governments are working some big-government swagger. The Times reports that more than 40 states have deeper coffers than budgeted, and new money is going to local initiatives in education, health care and gay rights—and back to taxpayers.
Courts Debate Definition of 'Retarded'
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 11, 2007 11:02 AM CDT
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Sentencing the mentally retarded to death is unconstitutional, and individual states set the cut-off between disabled and competent—sounds simple, but in practice, the Supreme Court's 2002 ruling has proven nearly impossible to enforce. At issue, the LA Times reports, is the gray area between low IQ and retardation, a moving target for lawyers...
Google Flunks Privacy Probe
Wired
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Jun 11, 2007 10:33 AM CDT
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Google ranks dead last among Internet sites for protecting user privacy, a new study by watchdog group Privacy International concludes. In its 6-month analysis of top e-commerce, social networking, e-mail, and search sites, PI singled out Google for what it called a "entrenched hostility to privacy," citing fuzzy corporate practice around...
World Bank Will Pay Countries to Spare Trees
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 11, 2007 10:04 AM CDT
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The World Bank is planning a $250-million fund to pay countries to refrain from cutting down tropical forests. The plan, which won approval at the G-8 summit last week, depends on companies to contribute to the fund, but that's not likely to happen unless rules governing carbon emissions credits are changed to include spared forests, the Wall Street...
Michael Moore Saves, Exploits His Enemy
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 11, 2007 9:19 AM CDT
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The man behind an anti-Michael Moore website found himself on the right end of his target’s checkbook after the documentarian dropped 12K to cover the blogger's uninsured wife's medical expenses. Jim Kenefick received the anonymous gift after seeking help from visitors to Moorewatch.com, which aims to expose Moore's "deceptions and half-truths."
Blackstone Honchos Cash In on IPO
Bloomberg
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Jun 11, 2007 9:04 AM CDT
(Newser) -
And the billionaires get richer. Blackstone founders Steve Schwarzman and Pete Peterson will collect a combined $2.33 bil from the private equity giant's planned IPO, which could take place as early as late June. Schwarzman will keep a 24% stake in the $32B company, worth just under $450M, and the 80-year-old Peterson will cash out with 4% equity,...
Period Pieces Coast Through Tony Awards
New York Times
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Jun 11, 2007 8:38 AM CDT
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The Coast of Utopia, Tom Stoppard’s marathon glance back at 19th-century Russia, became czar of the Tonys at last night's 61st annual ceremony in New York. The $7-million, 8-hour epic claimed more statuettes than any drama in history—including honors for best play and director—in a year when Broadway attendance smashed records.
Sarkozy Preps for Landslide in Parliament
BBC
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Jun 11, 2007 8:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
More Paris news: Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party is making a beeline towards a landslide in the French parliamentary election, according to first round polls. UMP could win at least 383 of 577 seats, meaning a serious mandate for Sarko to push through rightish economic reforms. But the election is anyone's game until next week's second round.
Apple Courts Studios for Rental Rights
Financial Times (UK)
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Jun 11, 2007 7:30 AM CDT
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Apple is buttering up top movie studios as it prepares to launch a video-on-demand service to contend with cable and satellite companies. Apple plans to offer each movie as a 30-day rental for $2.99, and it's telling studios the term of lease means they won't take a hit on DVD sales.
Disney Goes Native in New Markets
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 11, 2007 7:19 AM CDT
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The Walt Disney Co., failing in its efforts to sell American product in foreign markets, is retooling its overseas strategy to partner with local players. With an eye on five enormous markets—India, China, Latin America, Russia, and South Korea—the entertainment icon is abandoning its go-it-alone approach to produce television, film...
Romney Run Leaves Mormons Guardedly Optimistic
New York Times
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Jun 11, 2007 7:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney's presidential run has brought his religion an unprecedented amount of attention, and fellow Mormons are both proud of his accomplishment and wary of the scrutiny, the Times reports. Romney puts a friendly, nonthreatening face on the little-understood church, broadening its acceptance, but some fear that closer examination may compromise...
Rolling Stone's 'Green' Paper Has Recyclers Seeing Red
New York Times
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Jun 11, 2007 6:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Aging counter-culture arbiter Rolling Stone is discovering it's not easy being green. The Times reports the magazine will soon start printing its wry critique of music and politics on "carbon neutral paper," a unique stock which adds no CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. But none of it is recycled, upsetting one of environmentalists' most...
Sopranos Leaves Fans in Dark
Chicago Tribune
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Jun 11, 2007 6:31 AM CDT
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After carefully building the suspense as Tony and his family gathered at a diner for what might have been a last supper, the creators of the Sopranos ended the eight year saga into the dark side of the American family psyche without any resolution.
Philosopher Richard Rorty Dies at 75
New York Times
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Jun 11, 2007 6:21 AM CDT
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Richard Rorty, a celebrated intellectual whose ponderous body of work spanned the gamuts of philosophy, politics, and literary theory, died of pancreatic cancer Friday, at 75. Rorty was known both as a resplendent thinker and as on old lion of the left. “At 12, I knew that the point of being human was to spend one’s life fighting social...
Shuttle Docks at Space Station
Associated Press
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Jun 11, 2007 5:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Atlantis docked with the international space station today, bringing with it a segment to be added to the station and the newest member of its crew. The arrival was marred by concern about a piece of thermal blanket on the shuttle that peeled back during launch; ground control is trying to decide if it needs to be repaired before the Atlantis...
Report: White House Stacking Immigration Courts
Washington Post
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Jun 11, 2007 5:20 AM CDT
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The White House is illegally packing the nation's immigration courts with GOP partisans, circumventing civil service rules to appoint administration insiders and cronies, according to a Washington Post analysis of relevant records. A third of judges appointed to the immigration bench since 2004 have been party loyalists, and half had no experience...
Bush Hailed as Hero in Albania
BBC
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Jun 11, 2007 5:13 AM CDT
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President Bush, dogged by protesters through his tour of Europe, received a hero's welcome in Albania, where he touched down for just seven hours yesterday. The Albanian premier, a staunch ally on the war in Iraq, called Bush the "greatest and most distinguished guest we have ever had in all times."
Twin Infants Among 6 Dead in Family Massacre
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Jun 11, 2007 4:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two infant twin boys are among six dead in a Wisconsin massacre that appears to be a murder-suicide. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports a two-year-old girl, found in a van outside the house, survived the slaughter after being shot in the chest. The children's father and a 19-year-old woman were among those killed.
A-Rod's #23, 24 Finish Sweep of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Jun 11, 2007 4:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New York slugger Alex Rodriguez is on track to break Roger Maris's team home run record of 61 after hitting two to help sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates, 13-6. The Yankees abused their former starter Shawn Chacon, who lasted only 3.1 innings and gave up seven runs. Pittsburgh went 3-12 last year against the American League.
Gordon the Rain King in PA
ESPN
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Jun 11, 2007 4:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nascar's Pocono 500 was called after 106 laps for rain with Jeff Gordon in the lead after a gutsy off-timed pitting on the 65th lap. The move gave him a jump in the short-term, but had there been no shortening of the race, it likely would have meant a loss for the hard-charging Gordon.
Deal Threatens Ancient Tribe in Tanzania
Washington Post
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Jun 10, 2007 5:00 PM CDT
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The Hadzabe people of Tanzania walk in age-old footsteps near the once-bountiful Serengeti plain, starting fires with sticks and hunting with handmade poison arrows. Now the tribe has crossed paths with the royal family of Abu Dhabi, and the resulting conflict endangers a way of life that has endured for 50,000 years. The Washington Post visits the...
Nadal Bites Federer (Again) at Garros
Associated Press
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Jun 10, 2007 4:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Spain's Rafael Nadal sealed a threepeat at Roland Garros today—the first player since Bjorn Borg to achieve the feat. Lionized hardcourt phenom Roger Federer fell for a third straight year to Nadal, who is still undefeated at the French Open with a sacré blu-worthy 21 straight victories.
Military Preps for Iraq Pullout
Washington Post
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Jun 10, 2007 12:17 PM CDT
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Top military officials are quietly setting their post-pullout strategy, reports Thomas Ricks in today's Post , and they're readying to keep in place a long-term, mid-size force. The new plan requires upwards of 40,000 American troops to stay in the country, with half dedicated to security, a quarter to training, and another quarter to logistics, in...
Happy Hour Irks Korean Women
New York Times
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Jun 10, 2007 11:07 AM CDT
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South Korean women are trying to put a lid on company-enforced binge drinking. As more women climb the corporate ladder, they're fighting back against the male-centric business culture that demands binging to get ahead, the New York Times reports. In a country where an estimated 90% of company events are alcohol-based and job interviews include questions...
Victorious Filly Races Into History
Associated Press
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Jun 9, 2007 6:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The cry of "girl power!" echoed throughout stately Belmont Park today as a filly won the Belmont Stakes for the first time in 102 years. Rags to Riches, a half-sister of 2006 winner Jazil, overcame a stumble at the start to outduel favored Curlin by a neck and capture the third jewel of the Triple Crown under John Velazquez.
US Joins Sunni Militants to Smash Qaeda
Washington Post
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Jun 9, 2007 3:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
American soldiers in Baghdad's violent Amiriyah district of have formed an unlikely alliance in an effort to root out al-Qaeda In Iraq. US troops are giving guns, and even the power of arrest, to a Sunni paramilitary group—and a week into the partnership, they’ve helped kill or capture as many al-Qaeda In Iraq members as Americans did during...
Gore Makes Bloody Mess of Studios' Bottom Lines
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 9, 2007 2:09 PM CDT
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Hollywood horror flicks are failing to rake in the cash at the box office, the LA Times reports, and some execs are starting to fear a spreading gore-phobia. Hollywood upped its horror output this year, banking on the films' relatively inexpensive production costs and traditionally stellar box-office performances to translate into fat profit margins....
