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.
Henin Scores French Open Threepeat
Associated Press
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Jun 9, 2007 11:59 AM CDT
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Belgian clay-court luminary Justine Henin won her third straight Roland Garros in Paris today, breezing past Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-1 6-2 in the final. Ivanovic won a rare break from Henin in the first game, but collapsed soon thereafter, double-faulting five times and handing the 25-year-old her fourth French Open—and sixth Grand Slam—title.
China Curbs Executions as Olympics Loom
International Herald Tribune
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Jun 9, 2007 10:05 AM CDT
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Capital punishment is on the decline in China, a country responsible for more than half of the world's executions. Beijing doesn't release figures, but human rights watchers say death penalty cases are down as much as 40% over the last six years. Sinologists reckon much of that drop represents an image manicure as the Beijing Olympics approach.
Weeping Heiress Sent Back to Cell
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 8, 2007 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Paris Hilton is back in lockup after a courtroom scene worthy of a daytime soap, with the 26-year-old celebutante led from the room weeping and wailing, "Mom, Mom! It's not right!" Judge Michael Sauer, miffed that the scofflaw heiress had been sprung after just 3 days of a his 45-day sentence, remanded her after failing to get a good explanation—or...
G8 Concludes with AIDS Pledge
New York Times
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Jun 8, 2007 3:22 PM CDT
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Global leaders renewed their vow to spend $60 billion to help fight AIDS, TB, and malaria in Africa today as the G8 summit wrapped up. But they set no deadlines for delivering the relief, leading critics to question the pledge. "I think it is deliberately the language of obfuscation," U2 frontman Bono told the New York Times.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gets the Gate
MSNBC
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Jun 8, 2007 2:50 PM CDT
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In an effort to avoid confirmation hearings that would amount to a referendum on the war, the defense secretary will not recommend the Joint Chiefs chairman for a second 2-year term. Robert Gates said today he had conferred with senators from both parties and "concluded that the focus would have been on the past rather than the future."
Vitamin D Slashes Cancer Rates
Associated Press
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Jun 8, 2007 2:30 PM CDT
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The first research linking vitamin D directly to cancer prevention shows the nutrient sharply reduces cancer rates in older women. Only 3% of the 1,179 women monitored while taking a combination of vitamin D and calcium developed cancer over 4 years, a 60% lower rate than those given placebos, according to the breakthrough American Journal of Clinical...
Woman Dogged by Staring Charge Gets Arf
Associated Press
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Jun 8, 2007 1:29 PM CDT
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A Vermont woman charged with cruelty to animals after she stared at a police dog "in a taunting/harassing manner" is free to make faces at any animal that crosses her path. The county prosecutor dropped the charges after finding a big hole in his case: The alleged victim was unavailable to tell the court how the staring made him feel.
Jefferson Pleads Not Guilty
Washington Post
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Jun 8, 2007 12:13 PM CDT
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In his first public appearance since being indicted Monday, Rep. William Jefferson pleaded not guilty in federal court in this morning. The Louisiana Democrat, facing a laundry list of charges including bribery, racketeering, and obstruction of justice, then held a press conference in which he reeled off his family's achievements and called on his...
'Heresy' Goes Digital
Wired
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Jun 8, 2007 11:24 AM CDT
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Cutting ties with the Catholic Church is, in theory, a relatively simple matter known as "debaptism." More and more Italians who aren't worried about the Vatican's formal stance on what it calls "an act of apostasy, heresy or schism" are finding the documents they need online. Wired considers the digital angle on an ecclesiastical...
Hot LBO Market Takes Hit
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 8, 2007 9:40 AM CDT
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The red-hot market for LBOs may be hitting a long-awaited rough patch. Several big deals—including Apollo's $1.3 billion Linens 'n Things buy and the multigroup $17.6 billion acquisition of Freescale Semiconductor Holdings—have turned sour, with the companies struggling to generate enough cash to pay down debt after soft quarters.
Rights Groups Pressure US
Reuters
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Jun 8, 2007 9:36 AM CDT
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Six prominent human rights groups want the US to disclose the whereabouts of 39 terrorism suspects, or "ghost prisoners," believed to have been in government custody. The organizations released a report today charging that children as young as 7 have been detained, invoking the loaded term "disappeared," and urging the US to abandon...
US May Relax Passport Policy
USA Today
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Jun 8, 2007 9:16 AM CDT
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With waits for passports now running as long as three months, the feds are considering suspending new anti-terror requirements that caused the nasty backlog. Since January travelers have been required to show a passport when flying to Mexico or Canada; until September 30th, travelers to those destinations will be able to show a receipt proving they...
Best Restaurant in U.S. Closes
Chicago Tribune
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Jun 8, 2007 9:02 AM CDT
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The restaurant that inspired some of America's leading chefs has closed. Located in the decidedly downscale Chicago suburb of Wheeling, Le Francais was once named the best restaurant in America by Bon Appetit magazine.
Chinese Pork Prices Soar
New York Times
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Jun 8, 2007 8:23 AM CDT
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This price of pigs and pork in China has skyrocketed this year, nudging up domestic inflation and triggering worries about a domino effect in worldwide markets. The government is scrambling to react to pressure on the price of the vital commodity, the Times reports, even weighing the possibility of releasing part of the intriguingly named strategic...
Sites Take Bets on Tony's Life
Washington Post
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Jun 8, 2007 8:00 AM CDT
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Think Tony will survive Sunday's season finale of "The Sopranos"? Will Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri get whacked? Now you can put your money where your mozzarella is at gambling websites like Bodog.com and Betus.com. But be forewarned—an HBO spokesman says exec David Chase's acclaimed plots "defy all theories of probability."
Judge Fumes as Paris Goes From Big House to Big House
CNN
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Jun 8, 2007 7:35 AM CDT
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A livid judge ordered Paris Hilton to appear in court today, prompting speculation that the heiress may be headed back behind bars after a night of beauty rest at her Hollywood Hills mansion. Prosecutors charged that the sheriff who released her for mysterious "medical" reasons after just three days was in contempt of court.
Italy Tries CIA Agents Accused of Kidnapping Terror Suspect
International Herald Tribune
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Jun 8, 2007 7:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The controversial trial in absentia of 25 CIA operatives and a former head of Italian intelligence opens today in Milan, just as President Bush arrives in Italy. The International Herald Tribune reports on the implications of the case, which centers on the abduction of a Muslim terror suspect who was sent to Egypt for interrogation and, he claims,...
Most Massive Star Ever Weighs In
Space.com
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Jun 8, 2007 6:43 AM CDT
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The most massive star yet discovered has been "weighed," astronomers say, and it tips the scales at a whopping 114 times the mass of the sun. The enormous star forms the bigger half of a rapidly orbiting binary system and it far outstrips both its companion star and the previous record holder—which weigh in at 84 and 83 solar masses,...
Turks, Kurds in Tense Standoff at Iraqi Border
New York Times
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Jun 8, 2007 6:42 AM CDT
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As the Turkish military continued its aggressive saber-rattling along the border with Iraq this week, the US finds itself in a tough spot. The Turks want a green light to go after Kurdish separatist guerrillas hiding in northern Iraq; the Kurds want protection. “Now the U.S. has to choose,” a Turkish official tells the New York Times ,...
MIT Scientists Pull the Plug on Electricity
Boston Globe
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Jun 8, 2007 5:30 AM CDT
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Researchers at MIT are getting ready to pull the power cord on your laptop, with wireless electricity—dubbed WiTricity—that would recharge everything from cell phones to iPods from 15 feet away. The team recently lit a 60-watt bulb from 7 feet off, using a carefully designed magnetic field, the Boston Globe reports.
Romney May Go It Alone in Iowa Straw Poll
ABC News
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Jun 8, 2007 4:59 AM CDT
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Mitt Romney could have a distinct advantage in August's straw poll in Iowa: He could be only one showing up. ABC reports that with GOP frontrunners Giuliani and McCain passing on the Ames poll, the rest of the field may choose to conserve energy and funds, too. Even the media may pull out—but Romney is hanging in.
Dems Withdraw Immigration Bill
New York Times
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Jun 8, 2007 4:50 AM CDT
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The hotly contested immigration reform bill collapsed on the Senate floor Thursday, after appearing to survive challenges from detractors in both parties. The measure fell 15 votes short of a move to curtail debate and move toward a final vote. That leaves it stalled, although the New York Times reports it may be revived later this year.
Schilling One Out From No-No
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jun 8, 2007 4:11 AM CDT
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Shannon Stewart hit a single with two outs in the 9th to blight Curt Schilling's bid for the first no-hitter of his career in Oakland. The Boston righty/blogger shook off his catcher's call for a slider and threw a fastball outside to the A's outfielder, who had been fooled outside all game.
Spurs Stifle Cavs in Opener
Associated Press
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Jun 8, 2007 3:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
LeBron James went just 4-for-16 in the first NBA Finals of his career, while Spurs stars Tony Parker and Tim Duncan dominated, asserting the consistent, unflashy game that has won them two championships in the past four years while underwhelming casual basketball fans the nation over. Parker scored 27 points, largely from cutting into the paint.
Israel Cautiously Invites Syria to the Table
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 7, 2007 10:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Israel's PM deflected fears of a war with Syria today, and fueled semi-official rumors that peace talks are going on furtively between the two hostile countries. Olmert says he wants a sitdown with Syria—which would be the first in seven years—but warned president Assad that talks would not be an invitation to a land grab of territories...
Kids Skate on Heelys to Emergency Room
Baltimore Sun
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Jun 7, 2007 10:17 PM CDT
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A new craze has kids gliding across hard surfaces on tiny skate wheels built into their sneakers—but the "heelys" are deceptively unsafe, a new study says. The report claims the skate shoes sent 1,600 youngsters to the emergency room last year.
Too Much Action Gives Gamers Wiiitis
Reuters
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Jun 7, 2007 10:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If you're suffering from tennis shoulder but the only tennis you've been playing is virtual, it could be too much Wii. The Nintendo video game with the innovative motion sensitive controller is putting a strain on players' wrists and shoulders—a condition one physician diagnosed as "wiiitis."
House OKs Stem Cell Bill; Veto Expected
New York Times
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Jun 7, 2007 5:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The House approved the stem cell bill today by a wide but not veto-proof margin, sending the legislation to the White House to await rejection by President Bush. The bipartisan bill, which loosens restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, passed the Senate in April and sailed through the House by a 247 to 176 vote.
iPhone Rings High Note for Apple
BusinessWeek
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Jun 7, 2007 4:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With buzz over Apple's new iPhone vibrating on high, investors are betting that Apple's stock—which has doubled in the past year to $122 per share—will climb to upwards of $160. The iPhone hits stores June 29, and is set to achieve Apple's once far-fetched goal of selling 10 million units by the end of 2008.
Moscow Backs Down on Missile Shield
Associated Press
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Jun 7, 2007 1:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After weeks of exchanging sharp criticism with US officials, Vladimir Putin today suggested a truce over a controversial missile shield in Eastern Europe. In talks with President Bush at the G8 summit, the Russian president reversed course and said Moscow would support US plans for the shield if it is based in Azerbaijan. Bush called the idea "interesting."
G8 Agrees to 'Seriously Consider' 50% Reduction
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 7, 2007 1:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
G8 leaders agreed to a climate-control deal today they hailed as a breakthrough, though it was unclear what it actually accomplished. They didn't adopt German Chancellor Angela Merkel's target of cutting emissions in half by 2050—already adopted by the EU, Canada and Japan—but they agreed to "seriously consider" it. ...
Feds Arrest 29 Illegals in New Haven
Associated Press
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Jun 7, 2007 12:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Immigration agents arrested 29 illegal immigrants in New Haven on Wednesday, two days after the city OKed a new program to give municipal ID cards to illegals. The Mayor was skeptical of the timing, suggesting the feds targeted the city politically. "There are in America 11,000 cities, towns and villages," he pointed out, "and within...
Barker Tapes His Final 'Price Is Right'
Associated Press
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Jun 7, 2007 11:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bob Barker taped his final episode of "The Price is Right" yesterday after 35 years hosting the long-running game show. He treated it as just another day, signing off with his usual admonition to spay and neuter pets, but after the cameras stopped rolling, the 83-year-old legend thanked the studio audience profusely for his 50 years in TV.
Duped Workers Build Baghdad Embassy
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 7, 2007 10:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Kuwaiti company building the $592 million US embassy in Baghdad is under scrutiny for allegedly tricking workers into coming to Iraq. The Justice Department says Kuwaiti First promised poor workers from Bangladesh and Pakistan it would send them to Dubai, but instead brought them to the Green Zone, seized their passports, and trapped them on the...
Paris Is Liberated
CNN
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Jun 7, 2007 10:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Jailed heiress Paris Hilton will get to do her time from her $3.1 mil Hollywood Hills mansion, due to an unspecified medical complication. The celebutante started what should have been a truncated 23-day sentence for reckless driving Sunday, but was transferred to a full 40 days of house arrest today—but only after being accessorized with an...
Bring Justice to Libby: Fine Him
Washington Post
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Jun 7, 2007 9:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Former federal prosecutor and Bush 41 lawyer William Otis suggests a third way on Scooter Libby—between pardon and prison . The rule of law demands some penalty for leaking Valerie Plame's identity, says Otis, but "a sense of proportionality" rules out sending Libby to the hoosegow. The court's $250K fine will send the message by itself.
Lindsay Lohan's Mom Rides Her Kids to Fame
ABC News
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Jun 7, 2007 9:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Not satisfied with being the walking stereotype of an overbearing stage mom, Lindsay Lohan's mother, Dina, is negotiating with E! to star in a reality show in which she tries to manage her two younger children to stardom. Criticism has been intense: "She totally messed up Lindsay by living vicariously through her," says one insider.
Genes Give Up Secrets of 7 Serious Diseases
BBC
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Jun 7, 2007 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In an outcome one scientist describes as a "new dawn," researchers have identified genetic variations linked to seven common diseases, opening the door to improved tests and treatments. The study, which focused on depression, Crohn's disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, and Type 1 and 2 diabetes, also found...
Alaska Rep. Earmarks Cash for Florida
New York Times
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Jun 7, 2007 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The New York Times blows the whistle on Don Young, the House's most notorious earmarker, who this time managed to slip in $10 million for a boondoggle that's not even in his home state of Alaska. A 2006 transportation bill mysteriously includes funds for a project in Florida that happens to be close to the heart of a Young campaign contributor.
Missing Teen Found Alive in Hidden Closet
CNN
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Jun 7, 2007 7:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 14-year-old Connecticut girl missing for almost a year was discovered alive yesterday, hidden in the house of family friends. Police arrested the owner of the house, who they say has a history of improprieties with minors, along with his common-law wife and a third female resident. The girl, a runaway who cops say had a "tough" life, is...
Man Arrested in Kansas Teen's Kidnapping, Murder
Associated Press
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Jun 7, 2007 6:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A man identified in a surveillance video has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Kansas teen Kelsey Smith, hours after her body was found in a park. Edwin R. Hall was recorded leaving a Target store shortly after Smith; another video showed her being forcing her into her car in the store's parking lot.
Saudi Prince Pocketed $2B in Arms Deal
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 7, 2007 6:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia, the former Saudi ambassador to the US and a close friend of President Bush, allegedly accepted nearly $2 billion from the British arms giant BAE in connection with an $86-billion arms deal. The Guardian claims the payments, made in $60-million increments over 10 years, through a US bank, were sanctioned by the...
Bush Nominee Under Fire Over Anti-Gay Paper
ABC News
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Jun 7, 2007 5:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bush nominee for surgeon general is under fire over a 1991 academic paper in which he argued that gay sex is unnatural and unhealthy. In the report, ridiculed by other doctors for imposing politics on science, Dr. James Holsinger compares sexual body parts with pipe fittings and concludes, "when the complementarity of the sexes is breached,...
Detroit Resists MPG Rules
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 7, 2007 5:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Big Three car makers are trying to put the breaks on Congressional plans to toughen fuel economy standards to an average of 35 mpg over the next 15 years. The Wall Street Journal predicts a political struggle that will test how much clout Ford, Chrysler and GM still have on Capitol Hill, despite their crippling losses and declining market share.
Immigration Bill Survives Senate Onslaught
Washington Post
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Jun 7, 2007 4:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The immigration bill before the Senate dodged bullets from the right and the left yesterday; when the smoke cleared the coalition backing it appeared to be intact—if barely, the Washington Post reports. An amendment to block legalization for many illegals was defeated; one to extend visas to many more relatives of immigrants was passed. ...
Duck! Anaheim Wins Cup in Rout
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 7, 2007 4:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The NHL Finals ended in a blowout, with Anaheim humiliating Ottawa in Game 5 for the franchise's (and state's) first Stanley Cup. Travis Moen had two goals, one of which was actually an own goal; Chris Phillips accidentally deflected the puck into the goal off python-owner and keeper Ray Emery.
Green Tapped by Dolphins
Associated Press
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Jun 7, 2007 4:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Prolific pretty-boy QB Trent Chief signed with Miami yesterday, escaping a youth movement in Kansas City that likely would have consigned him to the bench. The Dolphins will likely attempt to jettison last year's pricey signal-calling acquisition, Daunte Culpepper, who will make $5.5 million in 2007 and unsurprisingly would like to stay put.
At G8, Bush Hangs Tough on Greenhouse Gas Goals
International Herald Tribune
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Jun 6, 2007 10:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The G8 summit convened today, with President Bush still holding out on long-term greenhouse gas emissions goals. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's proposal includes hard targets which would cut emissions in half by 2050 and limit global temperature change to an increase of 3.6 degrees F. The plan also includes a mandate to increase energy efficiency...
Still Crazy After All These Years
Washington Post
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Jun 6, 2007 9:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Burt and Linda Pugach are having their third 15 minutes. The first was in 1959, when Burt hired a thug to throw lye in Linda's face after she broke up with him. The second, in 1974, was when, Linda, now blind, agreed to marry Burt, just released from jail. And now comes a new documentary about the couple aptly called "Crazy Love."
Italy Acquits Five in "God's Banker" Murder
Times (UK)
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Jun 6, 2007 9:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A judge in Rome exonerated five suspects on trial for the 1982 murder of Roberto Calvi, citing a lack of evidence. Calvi—known as "God's banker" for his closeness to the Vatican— was found hanged under Blackfriars Bridge in London in a presumed suicide. Newly discovered forensic evidence led authorities to suspect foul play and...
