Newser Story Index from July, 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.
Elizabeth Edwards: My Hubby's Better Than Hillary
Salon
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Jul 17, 2007 3:36 PM CDT
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Elizabeth Edwards was wearing light blue pajamas when she talked to Salon about her support for gay marriage, standing up to Ann Coulter, and why her husband would be better for women than Hillary Clinton if he were elected president. "She's just not as vocal a women's advocate as I want to see. John is," said Elizabeth, an attorney and...
Private-Equity $$ Flow to GOP
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 17, 2007 3:36 PM CDT
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As Democrats push higher taxes for private-equity firms, the firms are reciprocating by funneling more money to the other side of the aisle, the Wall Street Journal reports. Figures for 2008 presidential campaign giving show GOP contenders receiving 53% of donations made by private-equity funds. In 2000 and 2004, Democrats received the majority...
Firefox Takes a Bite of Microsoft in Europe
CNET
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Jul 17, 2007 3:18 PM CDT
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Mozilla's Firefox is aggressively moving in on Microsoft's territory in the European web browser market. While Redmond's Internet Explorer continues to dominate with a 66.6% share, Firefox has won over 27.8% of the market—up from 21.1% last July and a spike of 3.1% in the last four months alone.
Resurgent Al-Qaeda Poised to Strike US
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 2:34 PM CDT
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Al-Qaeda’s mounting presence in Iraq may lead to an attack on US soil within the next three years, a new intelligence report finds. The group’s Iraqi affiliate is building resources, animating Sunni extremists, and recruiting new members. The document also says that Hezbollah and non-Muslim radical groups pose a threat.
10 Books to Blow Your Mind
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 17, 2007 1:57 PM CDT
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Sebastian Beaumont, the author of Thirteen, offers his list of books that "blur the boundaries of consensus 'reality' and psychological reality." Journey to the East , Hermann Hesse Le Grand Meaulnes , Henri Alain-Fournier Fight Club , Chuck Palahnuik Vurt , Jeff Noon Steppenwolf, Hermann Hesse
Google Hears New Cell Service Calling
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 17, 2007 12:43 PM CDT
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Google is taking its business to a smaller screen with the development of a search tool to help cellphone users find and purchase content. Sources tell the Wall Street Journal the company hopes to tap into the small but lucrative world of mobile media, expanding beyond simple Web searches to broker sales of music, ringtones, and games.
Heel-Dragging on Humvees Cost Lives
USA Today
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Jul 17, 2007 11:59 AM CDT
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Officers in Iraq have been begging the Pentagon to replace their vulnerable Humvees with mine-proof MRAPs for years, but to no avail. Now senators Joe Biden and Kit Bond estimate that 700 lives could have been saved if the Pentagon had shipped out the MRAPs earlier, and USA Today reports that the number may be significantly higher.
Nuclear Plant Damaged in Quake
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 10:44 AM CDT
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Japanese officials acknowledged today that as many as 50 problems have been found at the Kashiwazaki nuclear power plant, which was damaged in yesterday's quake. Exhaust pipes were knocked out of place and barrels of nuclear waste were overturned, knocking the lids off some. Both areas are still being inspected for radioactive leaks.
Stars Shine on Presidential Candidates
CNN
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Jul 17, 2007 10:19 AM CDT
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This just in: Hollywood loves Democrats, a "Baywatch" babe likes Dennis Kucinich, and Paulie Walnuts is with Rudy Giuliani. CNN scrutinized FEC records with some degree of thoroughness—the results are improbably light on Republicans—to generate a list of celebrity donations to the presidential candidates, and the results hold...
Senate to Pull Iraq All-Nighter
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2007 9:26 AM CDT
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Democrats will plunge the Senate into a rare overnight debate tonight, hoping to pressure Republicans uneasy about the president’s Iraq war strategy by forcing a simple majority vote. The session will conclude in a vote on troop withdrawal tomorrow morning. Republicans responded to yesterday's announcement by accusing Democrats of playing politics...
UK's Top Doc Calls for Organ Donation to Be Default Option
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 17, 2007 9:20 AM CDT
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The UK's chief doctor is calling for everyone who doesn't specify otherwise to be automatically considered an organ donor. Sir Liam Donaldson says not only does the UK face a severe shortage of donated organs, as do other countries, but 70% say they want to donate and only 20% end up registering.
Answer(s.com): $100 million
paidContent.org
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Jul 17, 2007 8:06 AM CDT
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Question: What is the amount tiny Answers.com ($7 million in 2006 revenues), the operator of a reference aggregation site, has agreed to pay for equally tiny Lexico, owner of Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com, and Reference.com. In order to raise the $100 million purchase price Answers has filed for a $140 million offering.
McCain Exodus Continues
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 17, 2007 7:46 AM CDT
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The McCain campaign continued to bleed staff yesterday, losing its communications director and two deputies, plus press secretaries in Iowa and South Carolina. Many of the newest ex-staffers are loyal to two strategists who left last week. The senator told the LA Times his campaign would rebound and its problems were due to running a "too large"...
Detroit Re-Signs DT Redding
Detroit Free Press
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Jul 17, 2007 7:28 AM CDT
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Detroit re-signed Cory Redding yesterday, making him the NFL's highest-paid defensive tackle even though he's only played the position for 10 games. The Lions aggressively courted their franchise player before making a 7-year deal worth roughly $49 million. "I'm glad we got these numbers and all this stuff out of the way so I can focus on football,"...
Ballesteros Says Goodbye to Golf
ESPN
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Jul 17, 2007 7:03 AM CDT
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Five-time major champion Seve Ballesteros is walking away from professional golf. The 50-year-old Spaniard has suffered from a back injury for almost a decade, and finished last in his only two events this year. "I don't have the desire any longer," Ballesteros said yesterday in a news conference at Carnoustie Golf Links, site of his three...
Cubs Grab Kendall Fom Oakland
Chicago Sun-Times
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Jul 17, 2007 7:01 AM CDT
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The Cubs nabbed three-time All-Star Jason Kendall from Oakland yesterday, a move that ousts struggling catcher Rob Bowen. Bowen was acquired from San Diego last month, and batted only .065 in his 10 games for Chicago. The 33-year-old Kendall, a career .298 slugger, is slated to join the roster for Tuesday's match-up with San Francisco.
Vitter's Sorry for ... Something
Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
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Jul 17, 2007 6:57 AM CDT
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Taking a page out of the Jason Giambi playbook, Louisiana Senator David Vitter yesterday held a press conference to apologize for "actions from my past" but categorically refused to specify what, exactly, he'd done wrong. Vitter spent a week in seclusion after his number showed up in the D.C. Madam's phone records, and an infamous brothel...
N-Word Just 'Slipped Out,' Says Former University Chair
Providence Journal
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Jul 17, 2007 6:49 AM CDT
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The chairman of a Rhode Island university who recently resigned after 40 years acknowledged that he used the N-word at a meeting in May, saying it just "slipped out." Ralph Papitto insisted in a radio interview that his resignation was unrelated to the resulting scandal, and that he's never used the slur before, the Providence Journal...
State Kills Manhattan Toll Plan
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2007 5:50 AM CDT
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New York state senators put the brakes on a scheme to charge drivers $8 to enter the busiest parts of Manhattan in peak hours, the New York Times reports. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg not only failed to convince lawmakers, he appeared to alienate them in testy meetings in Albany.
Georgia Execution Halted
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jul 17, 2007 5:46 AM CDT
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The execution of a convicted cop-killer was stayed in the final hours yesterday after seven of nine witnesses recanted their testimony and others admitted they lied to police. Troy Anthony Davis was scheduled to die today by lethal injection; the Georgia Parole Board granted him 90 days to prove his innocence, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Slumping Bonds Gets Night Off
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 5:24 AM CDT
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In his pursuit of Hank Aaron's towering home-run record, Barry Bonds has recently gone cold; in the six games sandwiching the All-Star break, he has gone hitless in 23 at-bats, including three walks. Manager Bruce Bochy is resting him to start San Francisco's series at Chicago. Bonds has been at 751 homers since July 3.
College Prez Fired Over Rape, Murder Cover-Up
ABC News
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Jul 17, 2007 5:22 AM CDT
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The president of Eastern Michigan University has been fired for his role in covering up the rape and murder of a 22-year-old old student in a campus dorm last year, ABC News reports. The school's vice president and public safety director were also ousted. The parents of the slain student, Laura Dickinson, were initially told there was no sign of foul...
Tehran to Air 'Confessions' of US Scholars
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 17, 2007 5:08 AM CDT
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Two Iranian-American scholars arrested for espionage in Iran appear to have made videotaped confessions after months of interrogation, the Los Angeles Times reports. Iran's state-run television is airing excerpts of the statements to promote the confessions to be broadcast tomorrow. On tape, Haleh Esfandiari 67, of the Woodrow Wilson...
Bad Ankle Threatens Beck's Debut
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 17, 2007 5:04 AM CDT
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An old ankle injury could sideline Brit soccer superstar David Beckham, postponing his long-anticipated debut with the LA Galaxy this Saturday. "We're not going to force him," said coach Frank Yallop. The beefcake half of the PoshBecks phenomenon arrived with his former Spice Girl wife, Victoria, in LA last week, and was greeted by...
Axed Isaiah Washington Lands New Job
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2007 5:00 AM CDT
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Actor Isaiah Washington, fired from hit ABC-TV series Grey's Anatomy for an anti-gay slur, has landed a new role at rival NBC, the Los Angeles Times reports. Washington, who played brilliant surgeon Preston Burke, will hang up his scrubs for a lab coat in at least six episodes of a new Bionic Woman .
Britain Expels Russian Diplomats
Reuters
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Jul 17, 2007 4:50 AM CDT
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Britain has expelled four Russian diplomats from London in retaliation for Moscow's refusal to extradite a suspect in the sensational radiation poisoning of a former KGB spy on British soil. Russia immediately threatened Britain with "the most serious consequences for Russian-British relations," Reuters reports.
Volatile Artest Shows Tender Side in Kenya
ESPN
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Jul 17, 2007 4:34 AM CDT
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The news of yet another suspension for unseemly behavior caught up with Ron Artest on an African goodwill mission, serving rice to starving children in Kenya and caring for HIV-positive babies. Artest expressed contrition for the suspension, the result of a domestic violence charge levelled by his wife, but also satisfaction with his charitable...
Murdoch Closes in on Journal
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 16, 2007 11:00 PM CDT
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Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is days away from acquiring the Wall Street Journal , according to the Journal itself. The company has reached a tentative agreement with Dow Jones, whose board will vote on it tomorrow night. After that, all is left is sealing the elusive approval of half the Bancroft Family, who are scheduled to meet this Thursday and...
IHOP Gets a Taste of Applebee's
Reuters
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Jul 16, 2007 10:50 PM CDT
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Breakfast giant International House of Pancakes is acquiring the bar-and-grill chain Applebee's for $1.9B, or $25.50 a share—4.6% higher than Friday's closing price. IHOP will turn most of Applebee's 508 restaurants into franchises at a rate of 40 per quarter beginning in 2008, a move that execs hope will cut costs and revitalize the struggling...
Grapefruit Tied to Breast Cancer
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 16, 2007 10:40 PM CDT
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So much for the grapefruit diet, staple of starlets, socialites and other figure-conscious women throughout the seventies and eighties. Consuming as little as a quarter of a grapefruit daily increases risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women by as much as 30%, a new study shows.
Children of Holocaust Survivors Sue Germany
Der Spiegel
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Jul 16, 2007 8:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An Israeli group is about to file a class action lawsuit against Germany on behalf of 15,000 children of Holocaust survivors in need of psychological treatment. The children suffer from depression and other problems stemming from being raised in dysfunctional homes. The suit, to be filed Sunday in Tel Aviv, is the work of the Fisher Fund, an Israeli...
Mice Plague Chinese Countryside
Washington Post
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Jul 16, 2007 8:13 PM CDT
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Flooding in central and southern China—the worst in 50 years—is displacing more than thousands of residents: Billions of mice, washed out of their burrows, have swarmed across acres of Chinese farmland, destroying crops and posing serious health hazards to residents. Pest control efforts have been largely ineffective so far, the Washington...
Court Scraps Fraud Case
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 16, 2007 8:00 PM CDT
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A federal judge in Manhattan begrudgingly tossed out fraud charges against 13 KPMG execs today, ruling that the prosecutor illegally pressured the tax behemoth not to front their former employees' trial costs. The execs had been accused of orchestrating a scheme that helped wealthy clients evade billions of dollars in taxes.
Yes, Climate Change Heats Up Hurricanes
Salon
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Jul 16, 2007 8:00 PM CDT
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Stepping into the debate about whether climate change is likely to cause more frequent and more intense hurricanes, science writer Chris Mooney says in Salon the trend is observable, but it's nonscience to attribute any single hurricane to climate change, or to make predictions about any one hurricane season. Still, he says we’ve got to get...
Japanese Don't Want Their Day in Court
New York Times
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Jul 16, 2007 7:31 PM CDT
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Japan is switching to a jury-style system in 2009, but according to polls, 80% of Japanese don't want to serve. The new system clashes with traditional Japanese values, including deferral to authority and a reluctance to argue in public. To help win over the public, mock trials are being held all over the country, the New York Times reports.
Bush Calls for Mideast Peace Conference
Washington Post
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Jul 16, 2007 6:38 PM CDT
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In a bid to restart Mideast peace talks, the US will sponsor a summit of nations that "recognize Israel's right to exist" this fall, President Bush said today. He backed up his support for the "two-state solution" by reiterating a pledge of $190 million in aid to the Palestinians, the Times reports.
Sarkozy and Merkel Face Off
Der Spiegel
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Jul 16, 2007 6:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
French president Nicolas Sarkozy is stepping up to challenge German chancellor Angela Merkel for the leadership of Europe, Der Spiegel reports, and the result will be first-rate political spectacle. The two alpha heads of state, who met today in Toulouse, have very different styles: Merkel is restrained and accute; Sarkozy pugnacious and hyperactive.
Georgia Man Faces Death Despite Collapsed Case
Washington Post
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Jul 16, 2007 5:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Georgia man is scheduled to be executed tomorrow even though the case against him has largely collapsed. Witnesses have recanted their statements and one confessed to lying in the trial of Troy Davis, convicted of murdering an off-duty cop in 1989. Prosecutors say the recanted testimony is not significant enough, and it came too late, the Washington...
$4B Deal Shakes Up Educational Publishing
Reuters
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Jul 16, 2007 5:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Educational-publishing giant Houghton Mifflin grew even bigger today, agreeing to acquire three of Reed Elsevier's divisions for $4 billion. Boston-based Houghton will pay $3.7 billion in cash and the remainder in stock of its parent company for the Harcourt Education, Harcourt Trade, and Greenwood-Heinemann imprints, Reuters reports, leaving the sector...
Al Qaeda Amps Up PR War
Christian Science Monitor
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Jul 16, 2007 4:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Whether or not Al Qaeda has regained its pre-9/11 operational capacity, the terrorist group has certainly beefed up its PR. Al Qaeda’s media arm has released at least 63 audio and video messages this year, compared with 58 for all of 2006, according to AP figures. And they're are slicker, the Christian Science Monitor reports.
Black's Sass Could Stretch His Jail Time
Times (UK)
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Jul 16, 2007 4:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Conrad Black isn't helping himself by refusing to back down now that he's been found guilty, the Times of London reports, and the mogul-slash-felon may even face extra jail time because of his continued impudence. A demonstration of contrition often leads to a shorter sentence, but Black isn't playing: "Any charge is unsatisfactory," the...
TV Networks Twitter About New Service
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 16, 2007 9:36 AM CDT
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TV networks, always on the prowl for new marketing ploys, are tapping into Twitter. Using the popular 140-word-or-less free instant messaging service, fans can receive (very) short updates and promotions from their favorite shows by text message or email. The twitter-sphere is still relatively small—there were only 370,000 users in June—but...
Barn Owls Are Peace Envoys
Associated Press
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Jul 16, 2007 9:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The border between Jordan and Israel is not easy for citizens of either nation to cross. But it doesn't exist for the barn owls Israeli farmers use to keep rats from eating their date palm trees; they fly into nearby farms in Jordan all the time, and were being killed by the pesticides used there. Enlisting their neighbors across the border to try...
Two Car Bombs Kill at Least 80 in Kirkuk
Associated Press
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Jul 16, 2007 8:31 AM CDT
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Two suicide car bombs killed at least 85 people in the Kurdish city of Kirkuk today, exploding within 20 minutes of each other at the headquarters of a Kurdish political party and a busy market, the AP reports. Some of the victims were trapped on a bus and burned to death, according to Reuters.
Quake Rocks Japan
Associated Press
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Jul 16, 2007 8:09 AM CDT
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A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Japan early Monday, killing six people, injuring hundreds, and causing a fire in a nuclear power plant. The quake hit Kashiwazaki the hardest—2,000 people were evacuated from the city. "I almost fainted by the fear of shaking," a shopkeeper there said.
Runner Blasts Olympics for Indecision
BBC
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Jul 16, 2007 8:04 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Oscar Pistorius, the South African double amputee fighting to run in the 2008 Olympics, finished seventh in a British 400m trial yesterday, and was then disqualified for running out of his lane. But his performance, substantially off his best, wasn't what was bothering him afterwards. Pistorius lashed out at the IAAF for standing in the way of his...
Bancrofts Seek to Stymie Murdoch
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 16, 2007 7:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two members of the Dow Jones-controlling Bancrofts are making last-ditch efforts to block Rupert Murdoch from buying the Wall Street Journal publisher. Christopher Bancroft is frantically trying to gather the $2.55 billion he'd need to buy 51% of voting shares and block the sale on his own, while his cousin Leslie Hill is desperately soliciting competing...
Cheney Pushing Bush Toward Military Option On Iran
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 16, 2007 6:15 AM CDT
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Dick Cheney is winning a West Wing power struggle, pushing the president toward the threat of military action against Iran, the Guardian reports. After an internal review over the last month, Condoleezza Rice and Robert Gates favor continued diplomacy, but are said to be losing the argument. "Bush is not going to leave office with Iran in...
Mass Embarrassment: Priests Need Latin Lessons
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 16, 2007 5:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Traditionalist Catholics have lauded Pope Benedict's recent call for more Masses in Latin, but priests are biting their nails—few of them know enough of the language to say a Latin Mass. Even Italian priests face embarrassment in the wake of Pope Benedict 's decision to allow Latin services at parishioners' request, the Italian daily La Stampa...
Texas Bids Lady Bird Goodbye
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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Jul 16, 2007 5:53 AM CDT
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A day after her star-studded funeral, Lady Bird Johnson was buried yesterday in a private ceremony at her family's Hill Country ranch, not far from a field of her beloved wildflowers. Thousands lined the route from Austin to Stonewall, the Star-Telegram reports, to say a final goodbye at the conclusion of 5 days of ceremonies honoring the former...
