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.
Zo Sticks It Out for 15th Season
Miami Herald
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Alonzo Mourning will play his 15h and last NBA season next year, he announced after a charity game yesterday. The 37-year-old will make $2.75 million for his outro with the Heat, a team he thinks will make a strong bid for a 2008 championship. Mourning put up 8.6 PPG last year, with 4.5 boards and 2.31 blocks.
Obama, Clinton Collect Biggest War Chests
Associated Press
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are neck-and-neck —and both way ahead of the pack— in campaign fundraising, according to their latest filings with the Federal Election Commission. Obama has about $34 million in primary cash on hand, Clinton has $33 million and John Edwards is a distant third with $12...
Havret Bests Mickelson in Scottish Open
Associated Press
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
France's Gregory Havret emerged as the Scottish Open champion yesterday, besting Phil Mickelson in the first hole of a playoff. Mickelson, who has a history of faltering late, found himself in the tiebreak after an ugly drive and a bogey on 18. Another one-over by Lefty opened the door for Havret, whose flawless up-and-down on the 19th gave him the...
Harry Potter Charms Box Office
Box Office Mojo
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix wrought some serious magic at movie theaters to collect $77.4 million for its U.S. weekend debut and zoom past Transformers, Ratatouille and Bruce Willis's Live Free or Die Hard . That brings Potter's five-day domestic take to $140 million—highest of the series and sixth highest on record.
Bee Replaces Martyr Mouse on Hamas TV
Fox News
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hamas TV's most Youtubed program has made a casting change that already has bloggers buzzing: A children's show introduced a giant bee named Nahoul to replace Mickey Mouse knockoff Farfour, a cuddly militant who was martyred last month by an Israeli spy. In a spooky falsetto, Nahoul announced himself as Farfour's cousin on Tomorrow's Pioneers .
Stewart Wins at Chicagoland
ThatsRacin.com
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tony Stewart grabbed his first checkered flag of the 2007 Nextel Cup season yesterday at the Chicagoland racetrack, after neck-and-neck competitor Jimmy Johnson crashed during the final laps.. Though the Home Depot team driver has 12 top-10s in '07, this season's start represented his longest winless streak since 1999.
Paris Gears Up For Pedal Power
BBC
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Paris began offering free bikes at stations throughout the city yesterday in a new initiative to ease car traffic. Cyclists can use any of 20,000 heavy-duty bikes parked at 750 locations around the capital by swiping a transportation card that costs $1.36 for the day and up tp $40 for an annual pass.
Aussies Angry Over Doc Detention in Bomb Plot
Sydney Morning Herald
|
Jul 16, 2007 5:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The re-detention of a doctor held in Australia in connection with the Britain terror plot has prompted charges that the government is interfering in the judicial process. Mohamed Haneef was released on bail but his visa was immediately revoked and he was sent to an immigration detention center, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Philly Loses 10,000th Game
Associated Press
|
Jul 16, 2007 4:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Philadelphia became the first Major League Baseball franchise to reach 10,000 losses yesterday, after a lopsided defeat by St. Louis; the 127-year-old club is now 8,810-10,000, a record that reflects one championship season and many more of total futility. This year's resilient Phillies had stalled at 9,999 for three games spanning the All-Star break.
LA Cardinal Apologizes to Abuse Victims
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 16, 2007 4:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Cardinal Roger Mahony publicly apologized yesterday to the 508 plaintiffs in a sexual-abuse lawsuit the archdiocese of Los Angeles has agreed to settle for a record $660 million. Mahony, who met privately with many of the victims abused by clergy, said he wished their lives were like a videotape—"we could put the tape in and delete these...
Rasmussen Takes Lead in Tour de France
New York Times
|
Jul 16, 2007 4:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Danish biker Michael Rasmussen showed off his mountain-climbing skills yesterday by winning Stage 8 of the 2007 Tour de France, a grueling 102.5-mile trek through the Alps, by over three minutes. Rasmussen, who was not heavily favored to win, now holds a 43-second margin over German Linus Gerdemann.
Brazil Hot Again at the Copa
Reuters
|
Jul 16, 2007 4:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite missing playmakers Kaka and Ronaldinho and scuffling earlier in the tournament, Brazil got hot at the right time to upset old rivals Argentina and win its eighth Copa America, the second in a row. Argentina's freewheeling offense was disrupted by 37 fouls from its calculating, muscular opponent, and Brazil scored two in the first half to take...
10 Careers With Staying Power
CNN
|
Jul 15, 2007 3:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
For most people job security is a thing of the past, and obsolescence a looming threat. Happily though, there are some roles that never go out of style. Careerbuilder.com lists the most unshakable jobs, along with median annual income. Doctor: We always need someone to care for our ill. Median annual salary is $120,000. Teacher:...
'Potter' Printers Pay $20M to Protect Finale
Telegraph (UK)
|
Jul 15, 2007 2:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Bloomsbury is shelling out millions to keep the latest and final installment in the Harry Potter series a chamber of secrets until its on-sale date next week. The British publishers are installing extra security and even guard-dogs at way stations as the Deathly Hallows ships to booksellers, and have a coven of lawyers ready to pounce on any breach...
Ford May Be Preparing to Unload Volvo
New York Times
|
Jul 15, 2007 1:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Faced with large losses and sagging sales in North America, Ford is ready to consider offers for its Volvo division, insiders say. As recently as two weeks ago, the company insisted that Volvo was not for sale, the New York Time s reports. Already on the market are two other Ford luxury divisions, Land Rover and Jaguar.
Elephants Go on the Offense in Africa
Times (UK)
|
Jul 15, 2007 12:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Elephants are now endangering Southern Africans, as attacks on humans increase and the creatures savage farms. While tourists tend to see the mammoths as cuddly and harmless, Africans tell the Times that the peril is becoming an elephant in the room. "Elephants are horrible things to live next door to," one expert says. "I think we...
China Worries About Obesity (and Young Love)
BBC
|
Jul 15, 2007 12:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When dance classes are introduced in China's primary and middle schools this fall, the children will be dancing by themselves or in groups, the BBC reports. The new edict addresses concerns from parents who fear that couples dancing could lead to puppy love... or worse. The dance classes were announced last month by the Ministry of Education in an...
Black May Lose Wealth Along With Freedom
Guardian (UK)
|
Jul 15, 2007 12:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Convicted of fraud and obstruction of justice, media mogul Conrad Black now stands to lose his vast fortune, the Guardian reports. Although Black was cleared of the most serious charge against him--racketeering--the fraud conviction allows a raid on his assets. The prosecution is specifically targeting his Palm Beach, Fla. mansion, now on the market,...
China Puts Lid on Macchiatos, Controversy
Associated Press
|
Jul 15, 2007 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Starbucks has closed its outlet in Beijing's Forbidden City after seven years of controversy. The coffee shop had become a symbol for the intrusion of foreign culture in China's heritage, culminating in protests and government intervention. "It was a very congenial decision," a Starbucks official said. "We respect what they are doing."
Video-Game Couple Starves Kids
Associated Press
|
Jul 15, 2007 10:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Reno couple obsessed with video games pleaded guilty to neglect Friday after their two children were found malnourished and near-death last month. Police said there was food in the house, but the parents, Michael and Iana Straw, played computer and video games, mostly Dungeons & Dragons, while the kids, 22 and 11 months, starved.
Saudi Arabia Sends the Most Fighters to Iraq
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 15, 2007 10:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
While the US has accused both Syria and Iran of abetting sectarian violence in Iraq, the largest source of foreign insurgents there is Saudi Arabia, the Los Angeles Times reports. Saudi fighters constitute 45% of all foreign militants in Iraq, a US official told the Times . Almost half of them are said to be suicide bombers.
Rebels end truce in Pakistan
BBC
|
Jul 15, 2007 9:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pakistani militants tied to the Taliban announced today they were ending a two-year truce with the government, as violence mounted in northern Pakistan, the BBC reports. Officials believe the new crisis is tied to the storming of the Red Mosque in Islamabad earlier in the week, which left 102 dead, including a number of militants believed to be from...
The Top 10 Moments of the eCommerce Decade
PR Newswire
|
Jul 15, 2007 7:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Software & Information Industry Association has rolled out its list of the top 10 e-commerce developments of the past decade: Google (Sept. 1998) Broadband Penetration of U.S. Internet Users Reaches 50% (June 2004) eBay Auctions (launched Sept. 1997) Amazon.com (IPO May 1997): Google Ad Words (2000)
Russians Gun for AK Profits
New York Times
|
Jul 15, 2007 7:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Kalashnikov, the world's most popular firearm, has been a source of mixed emotions in Russia since it was invented 60 years ago, the New York Times reports . Putin calls the killing machine a "symbol of the talent and creative genius of our people." But almost none of the AK-47's worldwide sales benefit Russia.
Moore Ready to Rumble
Michaelmoore.com
|
Jul 14, 2007 10:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In an open letter to CNN, Michael Moore takes issue with what he considers to be a biased report on his movie Sicko . He demands an apology and promises to become CNN's "worst nightmare" unless one is forthcoming promptly.
Lady Bird Johnson Mourned
New York Times
|
Jul 14, 2007 10:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A heady mix of past presidents and past and current first ladies paid their respects to Lady Bird Johnson, whose funeral was held in Austin, TX, today, after more 12,000 people filed past her coffin at the top of a marble staircase at the Johnson Library. She died Wednesday at 94.
$650M Deal to Settle Clergy Abuse Charges
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 14, 2007 9:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is on the verge of an agreement to spend $650 million to settle more than 500 claims of alleged sex abuse against Roman Catholic clergy, the Los Angeles Times reports. The deal, which would be the largest settlement in the 5-year-old clergy-abuse scandal, comes as the first of the cases is sceduled to go to trial Monday.
Pan-European Bastille Day 2007
International Herald Tribune
|
Jul 14, 2007 8:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
France celebrated Bastille Day for the 127th time today, with a particularly eclectic celebration, as troops from all 27 EU nations marched in the parade down the Champs-Elysees. It is also the first Bastille Day held since Nicolas Sarkozy became president and, as a tough-on-crime rightist, refused to to issue mass prisoner pardons.
North Korea Shuts Down Reactor
Associated Press
|
Jul 14, 2007 6:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
North Korea claimed to have shut down the nuclear reactor at Yongbyon today, just hours after a ship arrived bearing the first installment of the fuel oil that was promised in exchange for closing the reactor. UN inspectors are headed to the site to confirm the shutdown, the first major step towards disarmament in five years, the AP reports.
Gerdemann Leads Tour After 7th
New York Times
|
Jul 14, 2007 5:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Linus Gerdemann, riding in his first Tour de France, won the 7th stage today, giving him the overall lead. The 24 year old, a member of Germany's T-Mobile team, holds a 1 minute 24 second lead over second place heading into tomorrow's stage 8, a grueling trek through the Alps.
SEC Probes Yahoo Posts of Whole Foods CEO
Washington Post
|
Jul 14, 2007 3:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John Mackey, the Whole Foods CEO who posted attacks on a competitor in Yahoo financial forums, is under scrutiny by the SEC for his anonymous mischief-making. The federal agency is informally investigating whether the posts violate "fair disclosure" rules. They could be a problem for Mackey if officials find that he was deliberately trying...
Putin Suspends Arms Pact
BBC
|
Jul 14, 2007 3:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Vladimir Putin suspended the Kremlin’s recognition of a key arms control treaty today, citing the threat to Russian security posed by US plans for a missile defense system in Eastern Europe. The 1990 pact limited the number of offensive weapons that could be deployed in Europe, the BBC explains; suspension means the Russians will no longer allow...
Giambi Faces Steroids Probe
Associated Press
|
Jul 14, 2007 3:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jason Giambi, lawyer in tow, met yesterday with George Mitchell, the investigator for MLB's steroids probe. The Yankee first-baseman, the first active player to sit down with Mitchell, clarified beforehand that he would only discuss his "own personal history"—which he has admitted includes steroid use.
Mariners Lock in Ichiro for 5 More Years
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
|
Jul 14, 2007 3:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ichiro Suzuki is officially the highest-paid Mariner of all time. The 33-year-old Japanese import signed a 5-year extension worth $90 million this week and is now sewn up through 2012. Seattle worked hard to secure its leadoff man, who was a hot item with deep-pocketed clubs like the Yankees even before hitting the first inside-the-park homer in All-Star...
Kucinich Says Edwards Lacks Integrity
Associated Press
|
Jul 14, 2007 2:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dennis Kucinich took off the gloves yesterday, accusing Democratic rival John Edwards of showing “a consistent lack of integrity” after Edwards suggested—privately, he thought—to Hillary Clinton that they cut down the field for future candidate forums to a smaller and “more serious” group. The sotto voce exchange...
Beckham Says Hello to LA
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 14, 2007 2:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Soccer superstar David Beckham addressed his new audience yesterday, looked tanned, ready, rested, and not at all like a man with the fate of an entire league on his shoulders. He and his Spice Girl wife, Victoria, attracted 700 media reps and 3,000 fans to the Galaxy's home pitch, the LA Times reports, and he spent 4 hours fielding questions.
Two More Docs Charged in UK Bomb Plot
Reuters
|
Jul 14, 2007 2:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Two more Indian-born doctors have been formally charged with contributing to last month's UK car-bomb plot. A doctor living in Australia appeared in a Brisbane court today, accused of providing “reckless” support to the suspected terrorists, hours before British police charged a Liverpool resident with failing to alert authorities to the...
Giant Chimps Found in Congo
Guardian (UK)
|
Jul 14, 2007 1:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists from the University of Amsterdam have discovered a population of giant, near ape-size chimpanzees in the Congo. Long rumored to exist, they are referred to by local hunters as lion-eating chimps. And while the scientists could not confirm the lion-eating, they did see a band of the chimps eating a leopard.
The 10 Laws of Design Simplicity
NPR
|
Jul 14, 2007 1:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In an interview with John Maeda, NPR correspondent Ira Flatow questions the MIT Media Lab designer about his new book, "The Laws of Simplicity." The 10 laws are: Reduce: Remove functionality Organize: Organization makes a system of many seem fewer Time: Savings in time feel like simplicity Learn: Knowledge makes...
Sheffield: Torre Discriminates
ABC News
|
Jul 14, 2007 12:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Yankee manager Joe Torre favors his white players over their black teammates, Gary Sheffield says, but the outspoken outfielder says he doesn't consider his ex-skipper a racist. "I think it's the way they do things around there," the current Detroit slugger tells HBO in an interview set to air next week.
GOP Senate Bigwigs Push for Iraq Shift
Washington Post
|
Jul 14, 2007 11:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two of the GOP's most respected foreign policy experts want troop realignment in Iraq, and they proposed Senate legislation yesterday that calls for the White House to have a plan in place by mid-October. The move by Richard Lugar and John Warner was the latest sign of disintegrating Republican support for President Bush's Iraq strategy, the Washington...
Forbidden City Gets Starbucks to Go
Seattle Times
|
Jul 14, 2007 10:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Starbucks shuttered its store in Beijing’s Forbidden City yesterday, ending months of controversy over the American chain’s presence at the former imperial palace. The 600-year-old complex, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, is now a museum where the caffeine titan opened its doors in 2000, the Seattle Times reports.
Cuban Covets Cubs
Chicago Tribune
|
Jul 14, 2007 8:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mercurial billionaire Mark Cuban has expressed in interest in buying the Chicago Cubs. Put on the block by real estate mogul Sam Zell, the Cubs will have to placate Major League Baseball and local fans to succeed. Rick Morrissey, writing in another Zell property, the Chicago Tribune, says he thinks it will be a hard sell.
Tallest, Shortest Men Cross Paths
Daily Mail (UK)
|
Jul 14, 2007 8:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Honeymooning giant Bao Xishun made time yesterday to make history. Bao, the tallest man in the world, shook hands with a fellow Inner Mongolian who's seeking certification as the world's shortest man. Bao, a 7-foot-9 livestock herder who married a 5-foot-6 woman on Thursday, grinned as he was introduced to 2-foot-4 He Pingping.
Pot Calls Kettle Contaminated
Associated Press
|
Jul 14, 2007 8:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In an apparent retaliatory move, China has addressed concerns about food safety—by halting imports from several American meat processors. The country's inspection agency posted a notice on its website late yesterday saying that salmonella-contaminated chicken produced by Tyson and products from several other large US firms had flunked inspection,...
Top 10 DC Hotels for Hookers
Consumerist
|
Jul 14, 2007 7:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Direct from the phone records of the so-called DC Madam, Deborah Palfrey, here are the most-dialed local lodgings—or what the Consumerist calls the "Top 10 Most 'Ho-Friendly' DC Hotels." Marriott: 489 (18 numbers) Hyatt: 168 (6 numbers) Hilton: 151 (5 numbers) Holiday Inn: 132 (5 numbers) Ritz-Carlton:...
Times Staffer Slain in Baghdad
New York Times
|
Jul 13, 2007 6:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An Iraqi reporter in the New York Times Baghdad bureau was shot and killed today on his way to work. Khalid Hassan, 23, is the second Iraqi Times employee and the 110th journalist killed in Iraq since 2003. Bureau chief John F. Burns described Hassan, a 4-year Times veteran, as "a resourceful and brave member of our news team."
Intel, Third World Laptop Initiative Join Forces
Associated Press
|
Jul 13, 2007 5:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Intel and the One Laptop per Child initiative are making peace and embracing the notion of synergy. The chip maker and the pioneer of the $100 laptop concept will stop competing for deals with governments in the developing world and team up, the AP reports. The partnership is a big step on the road to the elusive $100 goal.
China Shoots Down Bad Weather
Asia Times
|
Jul 13, 2007 5:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
China has a solution for its unpredictable weather: create its own. The county is toying with the world's largest weather modification program in terms of size, budget and equipment. The original idea was to ease droughts and improve harvests with man-made rain, but the program has evolved uses in fighting fires and even heat waves.
How to Survive the Email Onslaught
Salon
|
Jul 13, 2007 5:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A spate of new survival manuals is addressing the problem of swamped inboxes, writes Salon's Scott Rosenberg. But how does one navigate through the sea of attachments, spam, and forwarded off-color jokes? Most experts agree on striving for emptiness: delete ruthlessly.
