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.
It's a Wrap: Tooth ID's Mummy Queen
New York Times
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Jun 27, 2007 4:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An ancient tooth and DNA evidence appear to prove that an obese mummy found in 1903 is one of Egypt's most powerful female rulers, Hatshepsut, the New York Times reports. The tooth, located in a box labeled with the queen's name, "fits exactly" with a broken root in the mummy's mouth, according to archeologists.
Iraqi Minister Hunted for Murder
CNN
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Jun 27, 2007 4:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Police raided the Baghdad home of Iraq's Sunni culture minister yesterday seeking to arrest him for the murder of the sons of a prominent politician during a 2005 assassination attempt, CNN reports. Assad al-Hashimi, who was not in his house, said he was being unfairly targeted. He was implicated by two alleged accomplices who reportedly confessed...
Paris Blackout Sweeps Mag
Associated Press
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Jun 27, 2007 4:29 AM CDT
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It may be spring time for Paris but one of the nation's top pop culture rags won't be participating in the media frenzy. Just as the scofflaw celebutante ends her well-publicized stint in jail this week, Us Weekly is bowing out of the competition—not only eschewing the predictable cover story, but and expunging all mention of the heiress from...
UK Change of Guard Today
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 27, 2007 4:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tony Blair is expected to resign from Parliament today as he vacates 10 Downing Street and is confirmed as the new international envoy to the Mideast. Gordon Brown, whose luggage is waiting curbside, will begin his shakeup of the government, with at least six ministers targeted for replacement, the Guardian reports.
Venus Wobbly in Opener
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 27, 2007 4:16 AM CDT
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Venus Williams recovered to win after a mediocre performance In the Wimbledon opener left her two points from disaster against an unheralded Russian. The three-time champion rallied from 1-3 and 4-5 down in the third set to take advantage of her opponent's meltdown. Her early play was marred by bad serves and other errors.
FBI Name Checks Stall Immigration
Houston Chronicle
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Jun 27, 2007 4:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bureaucratic bottlenecks are causing such long delays for prospective citizens, reports the Houston Chronicle , that hundreds of frustrated immigrants are now suing the federal government to try to speed up their background checks. Immigration Service figures show that about 16% of cases—over 51,000 people—have been pending between one...
Debt Market Booms, Risk Climbs
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 26, 2007 4:11 PM CDT
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The undergirding of the current buyout boom is a dicey financing method called collateralized loan obligations—giant pools of bank loans packaged together by Wall Street and sold off in slices to investors, spreading the risk of default. The Journal reports that the CLO glut is ushering in an age of overborrowing that could cripple buyout...
In Anti-Drug Move, Mexico Purges Police
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 26, 2007 3:47 PM CDT
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Mexico has dismissed all of its federal police chiefs in an effort to kick-start the country's stalled war on drugs. Corruption within law enforcement is a major factor in the failure of President Felipe Calderon's six-month drug crackdown, the LA Times reports. Six federal officers were arrested this month for allowing a cocaine shipment through...
Murdoch Bid Clears High Hurdle
Reuters
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Jun 26, 2007 2:30 PM CDT
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A plan to safeguard the Wall Street Journal 's editorial independence awaits the approval of the Bancroft family now that Dow Jones and News Corp. have "basically agreed" on an arrangement, a source tells Reuters. The Bancrofts still must approve the deal, which also applies to Dow Jones Newswires and removes a significant obstacle to Rupert...
Top 10 Most Irritating Songs of All Time
Sun (UK)
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Jun 26, 2007 1:59 PM CDT
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James Blunt, You're Beautiful : The smarmy, cloying falsetto that made 2005 suck Axel F, Crazy Frog : A German pastiche of club remixes that was less than the sum of its parts Hanson, Mmm Bop : The least annoying #1 hit by androgynous blonde teenagers Mr Blobby, Mr Blobby : Do you really need more than the title?...
Senate Revives Immigration Bill
New York Times
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Jun 26, 2007 1:46 PM CDT
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The Senate breathed new life into the stalled immigration bill today, voting to resume debate on the signature legislation of President Bush's second term. With a slew of amendments waiting in the wings, passage is hardly a sure thing, the Times reports, but the bipartisan coalition that crafted the measure took heart.
Top Republican Calls for New Iraq Plan
Indianapolis Star
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Jun 26, 2007 1:06 PM CDT
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An influential Republican senator abandoned his support for President Bush's Iraq war strategy last night with a call to cut back the US military's role in the region and focus more on diplomatic and economic options. Richard Lugar, the senior minority member of the Foreign Relations Committee, has a reputation for rising above partisan sniping, reports...
Consumer Confidence, New Home Sales Slump
Bloomberg
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Jun 26, 2007 12:13 PM CDT
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Indicating that the topsy-turvy economy probably won't be righting itself anytime soon, consumer confidence dropped in May, as did new home sales, a signal that the reeling housing market has yet to hit bottom. The Fed will likely take up consumer worries at a 2-day meeting that starts tomorrow, Bloomberg reports, and probably won't change interest...
Chinese Kids Tire of Communism
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 26, 2007 11:09 AM CDT
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Chinese kids are bored stiff with the Communist philosophy still force-fed in their university system. Classes in Marxism have been mandatory since Mao, but cell-phone-weilding students entranced by China's burgeoning capitalist infrastructure are having trouble relating. "It's something like fiction," one student says of the readings in...
Even iPhone Competitors Expect Boom
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 26, 2007 10:07 AM CDT
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Rival phone-makers are wetting their lips for Friday's launch of the iPhone, even if it corners their market in the short term. T-Mobile, Motorola and other companies pushing their own multitasking smartphones hope that the splash Apple's device is already making will ripple out—particularly by popularizing expensive and underutilized extras.
Evolutionary Theory Takes Big Leap With Evo-Devo
New York Times
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Jun 26, 2007 9:39 AM CDT
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Evolutionary theory is in the early days of its third great expansion, the New York Times reports, following Darwin’s original formulation almost 150 years ago and the so-called “modern synthesis” of 1930-50. Dubbed “evo-devo” because it focuses on the embryonic development of organisms, the newest science explores how...
GOP Weighs Hollywood Ending for Cheney
Washington Post
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Jun 26, 2007 9:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
GOP decision-makers are so fed up with Dick Cheney that they've been searching for a replacement, without much success—until recently. In an op-ed in today's Washington Post, inveterate insider Sally Quinn lays out an ingenious plan: Use heart surgery scheduled for this summer as an excuse to oust the VP, and install Fred Thompson in his place.
Murdoch Kowtows to China
New York Times
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Jun 26, 2007 8:45 AM CDT
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Rupert Murdoch's imperial ambitions in China have been marked by relentless cozying to its communist regime—motivated by equal parts opportunism and sinophilia—the Times reports. Murdoch's China outlets have toed the party line energetically, and the mogul, whose wife is a high-powered mainlander, has even personally lashed the Dalai...
Exxon, Conoco Pull Out of Venezuela
Reuters
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Jun 26, 2007 8:04 AM CDT
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ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are bolting from lucrative operations in Venezuela in the wake of Hugo Chavez's demand that his state-run oil company receive at least a 60% share in projects. Talks over compensation fell apart hours before today's deadline to determine the future of four projects that produce as much as a quarter of the country's daily...
Is It a Top?
Search Engine Land
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Jun 26, 2007 7:01 AM CDT
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WashingtonVC has purchased the domain name SEO.com (as in "search engine marketing") for $5 million for its portfolio company Web Targeted. With a large percentage of Web traffic now coming from search engines, optimizing Web sites for visibility to them has become one of the hottest areas in which to invest.
Paris Is Liberated
Associated Press
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Jun 26, 2007 7:00 AM CDT
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Our long national nightmare is over; Paris is out of the slammer. The heiress left the Los Angeles County jail in Lynwood just 15 minutes after midnight today—technically completing a three-week stay—and was swarmed by a crowd of waiting photographers enroute to her parents' black SUV.
Top 10 Tech Toys That Flopped
Emerging Technologies
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Jun 26, 2007 6:10 AM CDT
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CueCat: A cat-shaped device that would scan magazine barcodes and send you to corresponding websites. No one bit. DigiScent's iSmell: Sending scents across the internet turned out to be a stinky idea. DIVX: A special system to play DVDs that destruct after one viewing. Obviously a keeper. E-books: If only it was more portable...
World Bank Confirms New Prez
BBC
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Jun 26, 2007 5:48 AM CDT
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Declaring that he's looking forward to "encouraging hope, opportunity and dignity," Robert Zoellick was elected yesterday to succeed the embattled Paul Wolfowitz as new chief of the World Bank. The Goldman Sachs investment banker and former US deputy secretary of state will officially step into office July 1.
Extradite CIA Kidnappers, Germans Demand
Der Spiegel
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Jun 26, 2007 5:39 AM CDT
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Germany is demanding the extradition of 10 CIA agents for the kidnapping of suspected terrorist Khaled el-Masri in 2004, Der Spiegel reports. The German citizen was flown to Afghanistan in what is known as as "extraordinary rendition." The case is similar to one in Italy in which 26 CIA agents are being tried in absentia .
Dems Threaten to Pull VP Funds
The Hill
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Jun 26, 2007 5:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Angry Democrats are threatening to ax Dick Cheney's budget if the vice president continues to defy regulations on classified documents, the Hill reports. Executive branch agencies are required to provide reports justifying secret documents to an oversight office; Cheney has refused, claiming that his office is neither solely executive nor legislative.
Giant Penguin Fossils Found in Peruvian Desert
National Geographic
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Jun 26, 2007 4:54 AM CDT
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Penguins haven't always lived on ice, scientists have concluded after unearthing fossils of giant penguins in Peru's Atacama desert. The penguins, nearly human-sized at 4.5 feet tall, had extraordinarily long beaks apparently used for spearfishing, and waddled the earth some 36 million years ago, the National Geographic News reports .
Chavez Warns of US Attack
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 26, 2007 4:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Truculent Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has ordered troops to be prepared for a US invasion, the Guardian reports. America is intent on toppling his government in any way it can, Chavez warned in a speech to soldiers. "It's not just armed warfare; I'm also referring to psychological warfare, political warfare, economic warfare," he said.
Wrestler and Family Killed in Murder-Suicide
Associated Press
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Jun 26, 2007 4:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A professional wrestler was found dead yesterday with his wife and 7-year old son in what authorities are calling a murder-suicide. Investigators believe Chris Benoit, 40, killed his family over the weekend in their secluded Georgia home before committing suicide yesterday. A neighbor alerted police, who discovered the bodies in three different rooms.
Beavers Win 2nd Straight CWS
ESPN
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Jun 26, 2007 4:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Oregon State became the fifth team in College World Series history to win consecutive college baseball titles, beating UNC in two straight. The Beavers won despite a three seed and a miserable 10-14 record against its Pac-10 division rivals, leading to skepticism about whether they deserved a playoff berth in the first place.
Blair Tapped as Mideast Envoy
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 26, 2007 4:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tony Blair will move into a key post as international Mideast peace envoy after wrapping up 10 years as British prime minister tomorrow. President Bush personally mounted an "enormous push" for the appointment, which will be based in Jerusalem and will involve working with the Palestinians to prepare for negotiations with Israel,...
Bears Drop Tank After DUI Arrest
Chicago Tribune
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Jun 26, 2007 4:20 AM CDT
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They stood by him loyally while he served jail time for unlawful weapons possession, but the Chicago Bears had had enough: the team abruptly released DT Tank Johnson after his latest mishap—a DUI in Arizona. The 300-pound, second-round pick had been warned that there was no further margin for error; the league had already suspended him...
British Supermarket Cans Prince Charles
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 26, 2007 4:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Veggies raised on an organic farm owned by Prince Charles have been dumped by a British supermarket chain because the less-than-majestic food doesn't meet quality standards. The farm had been providing carrots to Sainsbury's supermarkets, but as of the end of January the Crown Prince was "sacked," the Guardian reports.
Faith, Family, Tragedy Shaped Young Romney
Boston Globe
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Jun 25, 2007 8:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney, once liberal Massachusetts governor and now conservative presidential candidate, grew up in a family of privilege. But it was a family always conscious that mainstream acceptance of the Mormon faith was fragile. The leave-it-to-beaver Romney was confused by sixties strife he saw at Stanford, the Boston Globe reports, before he transferred...
Home Sales Plunge to 4-Year Low
Associated Press
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Jun 25, 2007 6:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sales of existing homes fell again last month, while the number of homes languishing on the market hit a 15-year high. The median price sank to $223,700, the AP reports, and thanks in part to the woes of the subprime mortgage sector, overall sales were 10.3% below last year's numbers. Says one analyst: "Don't look for a bottom anytime soon."
Google Court Filing Cranks Up Heat on Microsoft
Reuters
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Jun 25, 2007 5:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As if their relations weren't frosty enough, Google has asked a federal judge to extend the consent decree and judicial supervision Microsoft has operated under for nearly 5 years. Microsoft responded to a Google complaint last week by agreeing to modify the desktop-search function in its new Vista OS, but Google's filing today said the changes are...
Israel to Release 250 Fatah Prisoners
Washington Post
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Jun 25, 2007 4:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Israel plans to free 250 Fatah members as part of an international push to shore up Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Washington Post reports.The announcement came at the close of a summit at a Red Sea resort, where Mideast leaders gathered to talk about dealing with Hamas in the wake of the Gaza takeover.
Cruise Film Can't Shoot at German Sites
Reuters
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Jun 25, 2007 4:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The makers of a new Tom Cruise movie will be barred from filming at key German military sites, Reuters reports, because of the star's Scientology connection. Cruise is to play the lead in "Valkyrie," about a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler. But the Germans don't recognize Scientology as a real church and are apparently opposed...
Staph Infection Rate Stuns Experts
Chicago Tribune
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Jun 25, 2007 4:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Over a million hospital patients contract a dangerous, drug-resistant staph infection every year, a rate 10 times more than previously thought. Tens of thousands infected with antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" may die from what officials call one of the nation's most serious public-health threats, today's Chicago Tribune reports.
US, Iran Split Over Terrorist Group
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 25, 2007 3:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As the US and Iran inch toward the table, a sticky wicket could be the US relationship with the Mujahedin e-Khalq, a paramilitary group that militantly opposes the Tehran government. The US, meanwhile, shelters the MEK in a base on the Iraq-Iran border that has become the organization's operations center.
Bush Seeks Deal with Congress on Iraq
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 25, 2007 3:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush has quietly dispatched top officials to work with lawmakers who've defected on the war in Iraq, the Los Angeles Times reports. With support of the war plummeting, the goal is a revised war plan that could avoid bruising battles as the mixed results of the troop surge come in over the next few months.
Supremes Let Up on Political Ad Limits
Washington Post
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Jun 25, 2007 2:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Conservatives on the Supreme Court weakened one of the major strictures of the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Law today, relaxing the definition of prohibited ads in the run-up to federal elections. An increasingly familiar 5-4 majority declared that "issue ads," which stump for political platforms without explicitly endorsing a candidate,...
Top 10 Online Book Sellers
Forbes
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Jun 25, 2007 1:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Forbes picks the best based on selection and buyer experience. abebooks.com amazon.com audible.com bn.com powells.com
Number of Black Recruits Plummets
Associated Press
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Jun 25, 2007 1:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The number of blacks signing up for the military has dropped 38% since the beginning of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, reports the AP. The number of new active-duty and reserve recruits fell from 51,500 in 2001 to less than 32,000 in 2006, reflecting both greater job opportunities and increasing opposition by relatives and community leaders.
Sarkozy Is Europe's New Clinton
Der Spiegel
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Jun 25, 2007 12:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nicolas Sarkozy was the star of the EU’s constitutional summit last weekend, pulling victory from the jaws of defeat with a virtuoso diplomatic performance reminiscent of the former president. The new PM displayed what Der Spiegel called ‘Clintonesque ease’ in solving big problems, returning France to her traditional role as Europe’s...
Judge Catches Plaintiff With Pants Down
Washington Post
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Jun 25, 2007 12:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
"Satisfaction Guaranteed" applies only to reasonable demands, and $54 million for a pair of lost pants isn't reasonable, a judge ruled today in siding with the Washington, DC, dry cleaners sued by a disgruntled customer. Roy Pearson had originally asked for $65 million after a $10.50 alteration of a $1,000 suit went awry, the Washington...
London Art Sales Soar
Bloomberg
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Jun 25, 2007 11:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Francis Bacon took top honors and Damien Hirst became the highest-priced living artist—beating out Jasper Johns—at Sotheby's contemporary auctions in London last week. A 1971 Bacon self-portrait went for $43.2 million, and the Hirst pill cabinet called "Lullaby Spring" for $19.4 million. "Hirst is the Google of the art world,'' ...
German Privacy Laws Threaten Gmail Service
Der Spiegel
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Jun 25, 2007 11:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Google will halt Gmail service in Germany next year if the country enacts aggressive surveillance legislation pending in the Bundestag. The law, which reflects EU regs on data retention, would compel telecom companies to keep records of Internet and phone activity for 6 months, Der Spiegel reports. A company consultant calls the measure a "heavy...
Court Limits Student Speech
Reuters
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Jun 25, 2007 10:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Schools may limit student speech that advocates criminal activity, even off campus, the Supreme Court ruled today. The case centers on a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" displayed across the street from a school; writing for the 5-4 majority, Chief Justice Roberts said the school principal's understanding of the banner as encouraging drug...
Hamas Releases Audio of Israeli Soldier
Hole Card Blog
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Jun 25, 2007 9:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In the first proof that he is alive a year after capture, Hamas militants today released an audio recording of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier seized in a cross-border raid near the Gaza strip. In the message posted on the group's web site, Shalit said a year in prison is taking a toll on his health, and pleaded with the Israeli government to agree...
'Potter' Finale Deathly for Book Business
BusinessWeek
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Jun 25, 2007 9:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The final Harry Potter installment will likely fly off the shelves like a Quidditch player, but retailers are feeling decidedly grounded. Facing megasized hype, chains and websites will sell Harry for cost, leaving independent bookstores practically out of the selling loop. And Business Week reports Scholastic's lodestone is diverting attention...
