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.
Whole Foods Cannot Sow Wild Oats
BusinessWeek
|
Jun 6, 2007 8:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Even crunchy granola types may be monopolists at heart—at least according to the Federal Trade Commission.The FTC said yesterday it wants to block Whole Foods’ $670 million purchase of Wild Oats Markets, claiming that the sale will result in even higher-than-usual prices at the natural foods stores.
Stem Cell Breakthrough Spares Embryos
Nature
|
Jun 6, 2007 5:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Normal skin cells can be transformed into the equivalent of stem cells in mice, researchers report, and the new technique may revolutionize research on humans. Because it doesn't involve embryos or eggs, the process skirts the ethical quagmires surrounding human stem cell research; the easy availability of raw material and relative simplicity of the...
UK Gingers See Red Over Harassment
BBC
|
Jun 6, 2007 4:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The UK is ignoring a vicious form of discrimination, the BBC reports—one based not on skin color but hair color. Britain's red-headed schoolkids face bullying, women feel stereotyped, and auburn-haired Britons report harassment with epithets like carrot-top, copper-top, ginger-nut, and even Ronald McDonald.
Inflation-Free Growth Is Too Good to Last
Wall Street Journal
|
Jun 6, 2007 2:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Globalization and access to low-cost labor has allowed the world economy to grow without high inflation, but this economist's dream may soon end, the Wall Street Journal predicts in a cautionary report. Demand for everything from workers to lumber is increasing, raising prices—and the prospect of higher inflation.
Turkey Waste Fuels Power Plant, Debate
New York Times
|
Jun 6, 2007 2:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A $200 million power plant in rural Minnesota burns turkey droppings, calling the plentiful waste from nearby farms an alternative fuel source. But critics disagree: They argue it's nearly as big a polluter as standard power plants, and puts out relatively little juice for its government-subsidized costs. "As a matter of public policy, it stinks,"...
Man Tries to Hitch a Ride on Popemobile
Boston Globe
|
Jun 6, 2007 1:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A German man made a leap of faith in St. Peter's Square in Rome today, apparently attempting to board Pope Benedict's Jeep. A Vatican spokesman said the 27-year-old was trying to "draw attention to himself" when he dove over a barricade toward the slow-moving Popemobile; the man was immediately tackled and taken in for psychiatric treatment.
Giuliani to Iowa: See You Later
Associated Press
|
Jun 6, 2007 1:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani will skip the August Iowa straw poll, a decision that allows him to trim some $3 million out of his budget as he attempts to maintain his national frontrunner status. His campaign manager says Giuliani is "100% committed to winning" the January caucuses, but the decision renews speculation that he'll skip the state altogether,...
CBS Considers Uncanceling Cult Show
Hollywood Reporter
|
Jun 6, 2007 12:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
CBS is reconsidering its decision to cancel the postapocalyptic drama "Jericho" thanks to sustained and vociferous protests from the show's fans. Viewers called, wrote, emailed, and sent 50,000 pounds of peanuts to the network, a reference to a character exclaiming "Nuts!" when asked if the town would surrender in the season finale...
Controversy Rages Over Diabetes Drug's Heart Risks
New York Times
|
Jun 6, 2007 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Troubling questions about the diabetes drug Avandia persisted yesterday as an FDA official revealed that she was barred from recommending a critical warning about the medication, the Times reports. In the run-up to congressional hearings that began today, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline rushed to disseminate interim clinical findings in hopes of blunting...
OPEC Members May Seek More Foreign Funding
Wall Street Journal
|
Jun 6, 2007 10:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
OPEC's new secretary-general says cartel members may be forced to attract more foreign investment to meet the world's expanding oil needs, the Wall Street Journal reports, a reversal of some countries' traditional opposition to cooperation with major Western producers. Oil-rich nations, currently riding high, may find themselves at a disadvantage...
The Real Profits Are to a Brain-Injured Brother
Wall Street Journal
|
Jun 6, 2007 10:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In high school, Rob Groeschen idolized his older brother Tom, who was handsome, generous and a football hero. But it was Rob who came to Tom's rescue after Tom suffered severe brain damage in a car crash. A successful Cincinnati businessman, Rob has started a company called In Return that provides rewarding work to people with brain injuries.
Pardon Me?
Washington Post
|
Jun 6, 2007 9:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Yesterday's steep sentence for Scooter Libby is forcing Bush's hand on a possible pardon for the convicted perjurer. Judge Reggie Walton probably won't let Cheney's former chief of staff remain free pending appeals, WaPo reports, so the president is short on time if he wants to spare a close and popular ally a prison stay.
Larry and Laurie Curb Their Marriage
ABC News
|
Jun 6, 2007 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Crotchety Curb Your Enthusiasm star Larry David has split with wife Laurie, a global warming activist, after 14 years of marriage. The divorce was "very amicable," a spokeswoman said today.
Blair: I'll Talk Bush Into Emissions Agreement
Guardian (UK)
|
Jun 6, 2007 7:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Heading into his final G8 summit, Tony Blair is thinking big: He says he can persuade President Bush to agree to a UN-backed treaty to reduce carbon emissions by 50%, today's Guardian reports. Blair hopes to reach at least an agreement in principle, but officials fear negotiations will continue to the end of the talks without settling anything.
China to Test Controversial Malaria Treatment
International Herald Tribune
|
Jun 6, 2007 7:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Chinese researcher will test a radical new strategy designed to wipe out malaria on a small African island, the International Herald Tribune reports. Mass treatment with a highly effective antimalarial drug would virtually clear the parasite from patients' blood, but critics fear the plan could backfire, causing drug resistance to develop and and...
'No Go to the Logo,' Say Londoners
Daily Mail (UK)
|
Jun 6, 2007 6:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Londoners loathe the logo unveiled Monday for the 2012 Olympics so much that 30,000 have already signed a petition demanding a new one. The jagged pink-and-orange rendition of 2012 took a brand-consultancy firm $800,000 and more than a year to design; Olympics organizers, calling it "dynamic" and "vibrant," say people will...
Stem Cell Cure for Blindness in Sight
Daily Mail (UK)
|
Jun 6, 2007 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A pioneering stem cell technique developed by British scientists and backed by an anonymous American benefactor could soon cure blindness in millions of people suffering from macular degeneration, the Daily Mail reports. The procedure involves injecting lab-grown embryonic stem cells into the back of an affected eye to repair the damaged area.
House Moves to Expel Accused Congressman
Washington Post
|
Jun 6, 2007 6:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pressure mounted on William Jefferson to resign from the House yesterday as leaders of both parties piled on in the wake of his indictment on corruption, racketeering and bribery charges. Republicans moved to initiate proceedings to have the Louisiana Democrat, expelled—which, Dems noted, they did not do when GOP members Tom DeLay and Robert...
GOP Hopefuls Turn On Bush
Associated Press
|
Jun 6, 2007 5:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
There was so much criticism of the Bush administration at the GOP debate last night the Republican White House hopefuls sounded like Democrats. John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Tommy Thompson all cranked up criticism of the administration's handling of the war. The president's diplomatic deficiencies and stand on immigration also took a...
The New Breed of Subtle Superstar
New York Times
|
Jun 6, 2007 4:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
LeBron James, the Cavaliers' mediagenic leader and swingman, lived up to all the hype he's generated in leading Cleveland to the NBA finals for the first time in their 37 years. But it has become clear that he is a different breed than scorers like Michael Jordan or his would-be clones. James' more subtle focus is on becoming the ultimate team...
Plane Crash Kills Transplant Team
CNN
|
Jun 6, 2007 4:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Six members of a transplant team on a life-saving mission were killed when their plane plunged into Lake Michigan, 6 miles from Milwaukee. The AP reports the team included the pilot and co-pilot of the Cessna Citation, a cardiac surgeon, a transplant donor specialist and a trainee in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery. The organs were also lost.
Samuel Playing Patriot Games
ESPN
|
Jun 6, 2007 4:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Unhappy that the Patriots have given him the "franchise" tag for 2007, a one-year deal worth $7.78 million, cornerback Asante Samuel has threatened not to show up for work until Week 10 of the 17-week NFL season. With 10 picks last year, he feels he deserves a more lucrative, long-term contract.
Scuffling Cubs Make Nice
MLB.com
|
Jun 6, 2007 4:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Four days after Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano sent his battery partner Michael Barrett to the hospital with a split lip, manager Lou Piniella resolved their differences in a 10-minute reconciliation meeting. Piniella himself is serving a four-game suspension for kicking dirt at an umpire. Barrett will catch Zambrano in the future.
Fourth Suspect in JFK Plot Surrenders
Reuters
|
Jun 6, 2007 4:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A fourth suspect in the plot to blow up JFK airport is in custody in Trinidad after turning himself in to a police station yesterday. Authorities allege that Guyanese citizen Abel Nur, who says he's innocent, belonged to Jamaat al Muslimeen, a Muslim group which attempted to take over the Trinidadian government in 1990.
Cyclone Menaces Gulf Region, Oil Prices
Associated Press
|
Jun 5, 2007 5:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A cyclone that may be the most powerful storm ever to hit the Arabian Peninsula is heading toward the oil-rich Persian Gulf region, forcing thousands to evacuate and prompting fears of a spike in oil prices. Oman's coastal towns will take the brunt of Cyclone Gonu, which is producing winds equivalent to those of a Category 5 hurricane.
Union Seeks Journal Savior
Bloomberg
|
Jun 5, 2007 4:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Wall Street Journal employees' union, in search of a white knight as Dow Jones and Rupert Murdoch appear to be moving closer to a deal, has enlisted the help of supermarket billionaire Ron Burkle. News Corp. has offered $60 a share for the company, and one analyst tells Bloomberg, "I'm skeptical Burkle and the union can compete with Murdoch."
Peasants Booted for Biofuel Bucks
Guardian (UK)
|
Jun 5, 2007 4:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Paramilitary gangs are driving thousands of Colombian farmers from their land to make way for the nation's latest lucrative crop: palm oil to produce biofuel, the Guardian reports. The violent land grabs have helped create some 3 million displaced Colombians. "It's the dark side of biofuel," said a spokesman for Christian Aid.
Basque Separatists End Ceasefire, Threaten Spain
Times (UK)
|
Jun 5, 2007 3:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Basque separatist group ETA has declared an end to its 15-month ceasefire, and Spanish authorities are gearing up for the possibility of bombings at tourist sites this summer. ETA blames the return to violence on PM José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's "fascism"; addressing the nation on TV, Zapatero called for peace, saying it's what...
Dow Closes Down 80.86 on Inflation Scare
Wall Street Journal
|
Jun 5, 2007 2:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dow fell 80.86 points today, closing at 13,595.46 after companies in the retail sector issued warnings of reduced profits and Fed chairman Ben Bernanke commented that inflation risks are still high . "There are a lot of little things out there that are scaring the market," a trader told the Wall Street Journal.
Strife Centers on Laptops for Third World
BBC
|
Jun 5, 2007 2:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The race to provide cheap laptops to the developing world is heating up, with Intel working on a second computer priced under $200 and the One Laptop per Child foundation accusing the chipmaker of undermining its efforts. The individual machines aren't expensive, but because governments will buy them in volume and the technology is flexible, the financial...
UK TV Won't Pull Pix of Diana's Crash
Guardian (UK)
|
Jun 5, 2007 1:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain's Ch. 4 turned down a plea from Princes William and Harry to excise footage of the crash that killed Princess Diana from a documentary that will be shown this week. Instead, the channel will air a program that debates the issues raised by the decision.
China to Mandate Booty-Shaking
Guardian (UK)
|
Jun 5, 2007 1:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The childhood obesity epidemic has found its way to China—and will stop there, if the government's new dance requirement has the desired effect. Starting in September, mandatory classes will get millions of schoolchildren off their butts and onto the dance floor. Experts are developing routines for the curriculum, which will gain new moves every...
Libby Draws 30 Months, $250K Fine
New York Times
|
Jun 5, 2007 12:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The vice president's ex-chief of staff will spend 30 months in prison and pay a $250,000 fine for lying to federal investigators about his role in blowing a CIA agent's cover. Judge Reggie Walton cited "overwhelming evidence" of Scooter Libby's guilt in sentencing him today on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice, and making false statements.
Nigeria Sues Pfizer Over Deadly Tests
BBC
|
Jun 5, 2007 12:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nigeria is suing pharma giant Pfizer for $7 billion, claiming the company carried out improper trials on children. 200 children in the state of Kano died, and others developed deformities, after Pfizer tested Trovan, an experimental antibiotic, during a 1996 meningitis outbreak. Nigeria claims the tests were unauthorized, but Pfizer insists the company...
Next World Bank Prez Meets World
Reuters
|
Jun 5, 2007 11:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Former trade rep Robert Zoellick embarked on a world tour yesterday, in advance of his likely ascension to president of the World Bank this month. Zoellick will stop in Africa to visit the bank's largest beneficiaries, and Europe to schmooze with its largest donors. "I want to leave no stone unturned," he said.
New iTunes Offerings Raise Privacy Worries
Associated Press
|
Jun 5, 2007 11:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Apple's announcement that iTunes would make DRM-free music available omitted a significant detail: The personal information embedded in regular tracks is also in the non-privacy-protected tunes. That raises privacy concerns, the AP reports, including the possibility that the unencrypted information might make it easier for music companies to crack...
Britain Pushes Bush to Set Climate Goal
Guardian (UK)
|
Jun 5, 2007 10:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The British environmental secretary will visit Washington in an effort to convince President Bush to set specific goals for carbon reduction at this week's G8 summit. David Miliband plans to encourage the US to agree to an emissions target by 2050 and to acknowledge the principle of carbon trading as the best market-based way of reducing emissions.
China Eases Up Slightly on Tiananmen Anniversary
Associated Press
|
Jun 5, 2007 9:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As part of its campaign to attract Western visitors to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China allowed Tiananmen Square memorials this year for the first time since the protests of June 4, 1989. The government maintains that the uprising was a counterrevolutionary riot and refuses to release details; a security crackdown in the square normally prevents citizens...
Bush Tries to Calm Russian Fury Over Missile Shield
Reuters
|
Jun 5, 2007 9:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Russia has nothing to fear from a US missile shield in Eastern Europe, President Bush insisted in a speech in the Czech Republic today aimed at smoothing Vladimir Putin's ruffled feathers en route to the G8 summit. The Russian president threatened over the weekend to aim nuclear warheads at Europe in response to the US plan.
Gitmo Charges Against 2 Are Dismissed
New York Times
|
Jun 5, 2007 9:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The system of military tribunals for Guantanamo detainees was thrown into chaos yesterday when military judges separately struck down charges against two detainees. The rulings were both on technicalities: the detainees, one 15 years old when captured 5 years ago, were designated "enemy combatants" and not "unlawful enemy combatants"...
Scientists Find Cold Dwarf Star
BBC
|
Jun 5, 2007 8:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists are over the moon with the discovery of a cold brown dwarf in the Cetus constellation. The star-like body, spotted by a British team using the UKIRT telescope in Hawaii, is the coldest of its kind ever seen, the BBC reports, tipping thermometers at just 800 degrees F, a tenth the temperature of the sun.
Grandpas Take Down Unruly Passenger
Boston Globe
|
Jun 5, 2007 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 65-year-old former police commander and a gray-haired former marine helped flight attendants subdue an unruly passenger on a Northwest Airlines flight Saturday night. The suspicious man threatened other passengers and refused to take his seat during the three hour Minneapolis-to-Boston flight, but the two undaunted grandpas managed to detain him...
Two More Arrested for Pearl Killing
Associated Press
|
Jun 5, 2007 7:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Police in Pakistan have nabbed two men suspected of involvement in the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. The two suspects —alleged members of a Al Qaeda affiliate—were picked up traveling in a car full of weapons and explosives, police said. One of them, Attaur Rehman, allegedly supervised Pearl's...
Protesting Vet Faces General Discharge
Reuters
|
Jun 5, 2007 7:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In a decision that may hold implications for veterans' free-speech rights, a disciplinary panel has recommended that a decorated Marine who appeared at an antiwar protest in desert fatigues receive a general discharge. Adam Kokesh, who had been honorably discharged from active duty, says the military is using "tactics of intimidation" against...
Musharraf's Crisis Spreads to Bush
Wall Street Journal
|
Jun 5, 2007 7:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bush administration is weighing its previously unflinching alliance with Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf, the Journal reports, as Islamabad spirals into political crisis. The Pentagon is brainstorming post-Pervez scenarios, and some insiders are even pushing for distance from the increasingly autocratic general-president.
Appeals Court Rejects FCC Decency Rules
Financial Times (UK)
|
Jun 5, 2007 7:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Networks that accidentally air profanity got a major break from a US appeals court yesterday when the court shot down an FCC regulation that punishes them for airing even "fleeting expletives." The court said some of the FCC's indecency rules were "divorced from reality" and sent them back to the agency for clarification.
Give Scooter a Jail Break
Salon
|
Jun 5, 2007 7:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With Scooter Libby facing sentencing today for perjury in the Valerie Plame affair, Salon's Joseph Cooper asks his English class at the Webster Correctional Institution in Connecticut what punishment they would impose. The student cons go for probation, on the grounds that Libby's only crime was that he didn't snitch.
Donovan Leaves Orlando at the Altar
Sports Illustrated
|
Jun 5, 2007 5:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After signing a $27.5 million deal on Friday to coach the NBA's Orlando Magic, two-time champion coach Billy Donovan has decided he wants to stay in Gainesville after all. This makes him the third college coach since June 2006 to renege on a new deal in order to stay with his school.
Sen. Craig Thomas Dies of Leukemia
Associated Press
|
Jun 5, 2007 5:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Craig Thomas, GOP Senator from Wyoming, died yesterday of leukemia at age 74. The popular conservative congressman began his Senate career in 1994; he was in the hospital when he was reelected by 70% of the vote last year, and announced his diagnosis shortly afterward.
Gates Gives $105 Mil to Track Global Public Health
Wall Street Journal
|
Jun 5, 2007 4:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given $105 million to the University of Washington to study the effectiveness of public health programs around the world. The money will be used to create a center to track such measures as child mortality, the prevalence of major diseases and the availability of medical treatment.
