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.
Zimbabwe Arrests Dozens in Price Wars
BBC
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Jul 9, 2007 3:28 PM CDT
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Police in Zimbabwe have arrested 1,328 businesspeople, including 33 top executives, for violating official price controls installed to curb uncontrollable currency devaluation. The new regulations demand that many goods' prices be cut in half in response to inflation that has now risen to more than 3,700%.
US Multinational Faces Human Rights Trial
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 9, 2007 2:47 PM CDT
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A landmark trial addressing corporate culpability for human-rights violations committed on foreign soil gets under way this week, testing whether an 18th-century antipiracy law applies to modern business practices. At issue is the 2001 murder of three Colombian mining-union leaders, the Wall Street Journal reports, and under scrutiny is the alleged...
Hemingway Cats Dodge Bullet
Miami Herald
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Jul 9, 2007 2:14 PM CDT
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The six-toed cats that make Ernest Hemingway's Key West home a magnet for lovers of both literature and animals can stay right where they are, the city says. The feds have targeted the literary lions, saying they're "on exhibit," but the local government passed an ordinance last week designating them "animals of historic, social and...
White House Escalates Pullout Talk
New York Times
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Jul 9, 2007 1:12 PM CDT
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The White House is worried that Republican support for its Iraq strategy is collapsing faster than Bush can offer an alternative, the Times reports. The inside plan has been to await a mid-September report on the troop surge’s success, but rapid-fire defections may mean Bush will have to offer concessions in the nearer term.
Britain Convicts Four in '05 Bomb Plot
Times (UK)
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Jul 9, 2007 12:27 PM CDT
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Four men accused in failed 2005 bombings of London subways and buses were found guilty today of conspiracy to murder. The attack, in which bombs affixed to makeshift shrapnel failed to detonate detonate, took place two weeks after a the 7/7 transit bombing killed 52 London commuters.
Party's Over for Celebrity Polar Bear
Der Spiegel
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Jul 9, 2007 11:37 AM CDT
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The Berlin Zoo is putting the kibosh on the crowd-pleasing daily wrestling match between celebrity polar bear Knut and his keepers. He'll still be on display, but at just over 7 months old, Knut tips the scales at 110 pounds, and his increasing ferocity has been making the "Knut and Thomas Show" look less like "Sesame Street" and...
CVC Makes $2B Play for Univar
Bloomberg
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Jul 9, 2007 10:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Europe's second-largest private equity fund will purchase Univar, one of the world's biggest chemical distributors, in a deal worth $2.1 billion (€1.52 billion), Bloomberg reports. CVC Capital Partners will pay €53.50 per share, a nearly 40% premium over Friday's closing price, to acquire the largest chemical supplier in North America.
Cartels Come Down Hard on Mexican Cops
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 9, 2007 10:01 AM CDT
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Despite the Mexican government's vow to crack down on drug cartels, local police forces are outmanned, outmaneuvered, and outgunned by the more sophisticated trafficking organizations, the Los Angeles Time reports. The ill-prepared and often corrupt community police have emerged as the weakest link in the offensive against drug trafficking on which...
Homeland Security Faces Staffing Crisis
Washington Post
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Jul 9, 2007 9:13 AM CDT
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Nearly 150 top-level management positions at the Department of Homeland Security—nearly a quarter of all available jobs—remain unfilled, a new congressional report warns. The gaps, which include high-level positions at FEMA, immigration agencies, and the Coast Guard, could seriously affect the nation's preparedness for a terrorist threat,...
Sony Slashes Price of PlayStation 3
Reuters
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Jul 9, 2007 8:29 AM CDT
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Sony is easing up on the retail price of its struggling PlayStation 3 by $100. The console will now cost $500—$20 more than the Xbox 360 and twice as much as the bestselling Nintendo Wii. Sony's CEO had promised to hold the price, but poor receipts appeared to necessitate a reboot. "Our initial expectation is that sales should double at...
Soldier Sues Over Fifth Deployment
Florida Today
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Jul 9, 2007 8:22 AM CDT
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A 26-year-old sergeant is suing the army to prevent his fifth deployment to Iraq, claiming that the Army follows inconsistent policies in mobilizing reserves. The military wants reservist Erik Botta return to Iraq next week, the Miami Herald reports, but Botta is suing to stop the order he says will devastate his family, education, and career.
Look to the Middle & N.W. of the U.S. for Volunteers
Associated Press
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Jul 9, 2007 7:51 AM CDT
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The Corporation for National & Community Service has released its report on volunteerism in America. And the center of the country and the Pacific Northwest dominated the the top of the list with a whopping 40.5% of #1 Minneapolis-St. Paul residents age 16 and older engaging in volunteer service. California and the East Coast trail...
Ford and Edison Team Up on New Hybrids
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 9, 2007 7:36 AM CDT
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Ford and Southern California Edison are joining currents to put some juice into the next generation of hybrid vehicles. The new cars will feature more powerful batteries, and will plug into a socket at night, storing energy and vastly increasing fuel economy. Edison is even looking into new tech that would allow the cars to transfer power back to the...
Dow Makes Last-Ditch Play for New Offer
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 9, 2007 6:50 AM CDT
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As Rupert Murdoch tries to finalize a deal to take control of Dow Jones, the company is making a last effort to find an alternate buyer, pushed by a holdout director, Leslie Hill, who's a member of the controlling Bancroft family. The Wall Street Journal reports that among those being wooed are supermarket billionaire Ron Burkle and MySpace co-founder...
Cabrera Steps Away from HR Derby Plate
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jul 9, 2007 6:36 AM CDT
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Marlins' slugger Miguel Cabrera won't compete in the upcoming Home Run Derby because of an injured left shoulder, he announced yesterday. The showdown still promises its share of flares into McCovey Cove, however: Last year's champ, Philly's Ryan Howard, will defend against Prince Fielder, Justin Morneau, Alex Rios, Vlad Guerrero, Albert Pujols, and...
A-Rod Slams 30th as Yanks Bedevil Angels
Newsday
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Jul 9, 2007 6:25 AM CDT
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Alex Rodriguez inked 4 RBIs and hammered an MLB-leading 30th home run in a 12-0 shellacking of Ervin Santana and the Angels yesterday. The blast lifts A-rod to 22nd on the all-time list, besting Lou Gehrig and giving him the most home runs by a pinstriper at the All-Star break since Maris in '61.
Taste of Chicago Ends on Heavy Note
Chicago Sun-Times
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Jul 9, 2007 6:19 AM CDT
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The ten day long Taste of Chicago held in Grant Park closed yesterday following a sweltering day in the Windy City. Headline making temperatures did not stop hardy Chicagoans from eating their way through 127,360 ears of corn, 175,000 servings of ice cream and a paltry 75,000 burgers.
Dixon Prevails at Watkins Glen
ESPN
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Jul 9, 2007 6:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New Zealand's Scott Dixon became the second driver in history to collect three straight Watkins Glen checkered-flags, cruising to the finish line 6.2 seconds before nearest challenger Sam Hornish Jr. of Scotland yesterday. After the race, Tony Kanaan, who had earlier taken a bump from the number two, rammed Hornish's pitted car, hastening an unusual...
Mama Mia! Italian Foodies Raise a Stink About Garlic
NPR
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Jul 9, 2007 5:47 AM CDT
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Rome's trendiest chefs and diners are trash-talking garlic, contending it's time to replace the smelly bulb, and claiming it overpowers everything it touches, NPR reports. Once the only tool peasant farmers had to flavor their meager meals, garlic should give way to a subtle array of flavors available in an increasingly sophisticated Italy, they...
Boeing's Dreamliner Debuts
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Jul 9, 2007 5:44 AM CDT
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The Boeing Co. unveiled its cutting-edge 787 Dreamliner to 15,000 enthusiastic employees and guests at its Everett, WA, factory yesterday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. The 787 features breakthroughs in fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. It's made primarily of light-weight carbon-fiber composite, and is designed to provide better air...
Gates Sambas Out of Latin American Tour
Bloomberg
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Jul 9, 2007 5:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Defense Secretary Robert Gates canceled a tour of Latin America just hours before he was set to depart in an effort to help shore up faltering support for the Iraq War, Bloomberg reports. Gates will stay home to prepare for the administration's July 15 update to Congress on the progress of the 30,000-strong troop surge aimed at stabilizing Baghdad.
Disabled Vet Nixes New Run for Congress
Chicago Tribune
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Jul 9, 2007 5:30 AM CDT
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A decorated disabled Iraq war vet announced she won't launch a second battle for an Illinois congressional seat, despite losing the last election to a Republican by less than 3%. Tammy Duckworth, who lost her legs in a grenade attack on a helicopter she was co-piloting, said she'll continue her current job as state director of veterans' affairs.
Colon Cancer Gene Tagged
BBC
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Jul 9, 2007 5:23 AM CDT
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Two studies have linked a specific genetic variant to an increased risk of colon cancer, the BBC reports. About half the population has the permutation, which was linked to a 20% increased risk of developing colon cancer and accounts for 1 of ten cases. But the risk isn't significant enough to warrant developing a genetic test for the variant,...
Iraqis Urged to Take Up Arms
Associated Press
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Jul 9, 2007 5:20 AM CDT
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After a weekend of horrific violence that claimed more than 220 lives in Iraq, both Shiite and Sunni leaders called on civilians to arm themselves. "People have a right to expect protection for their lives," said Iraq's Sunni vice president. Given the failure of security forces, he said, "the people have no choice but to take up their...
Bulls Gore 2, Trample 7 in Pamplona Run
International Herald Tribune
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Jul 9, 2007 4:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Charging bulls gored two Spaniards and trampled seven during the second of eight bull runs in the San Fermin festival in Pamplona yesterday. One of the men gored was a bull herder appointed by the festival to keep the run orderly. None of the injured was killed, although one was rushed to a hospital in a neck brace and another had arm surgery.
Choi Takes First AT&T National
New York Times
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Jul 9, 2007 4:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
South Korean K.J. Choi shot a final-round 68 to win the first annual AT&T National tournament yesterday. Choi, fresh off his victory at the Jack Nicklaus Memorial five weeks ago, overcame Stuart Appleby's two-shot lead in the final round, capping his masterful play with a birdie from the sand on 17.
Sheehan to Pelosi: Impeach or I'll Run
Associated Press
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Jul 9, 2007 4:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan declared her intention to challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her congressional seat yesterday unless the top-ranking Democrat draws up articles of impeachment against President Bush. "Democrats and Americans feel betrayed by the Democratic leadership," said Sheehan. "We hired them to bring an end...
Fitzgerald Faces Senate Grilling on Scooter
Bloomberg
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Jul 9, 2007 4:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The man who prosecuted Scooter Libby for obstruction of justice may be grilled by senators investigating the case, Bloomberg reports. Leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee said yesterday they want to question Patrick Fitzgerald on the case, including sentencing guidelines. In commuting Libby's sentence last week, President Bush claimed it...
Stern Assists on Yi Talks
Sports Illustrated
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Jul 9, 2007 4:14 AM CDT
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The Bucks are doing everything to secure No. 6 pick Yi Jianlian, including showering him with team merchandise at his Summer League game this Saturday. Now commissioner David Stern is joining the effort. Sports Illustrated reports that as GM Larry Harris and coach Larry Krystkowiak woo the 7-foot Chinese phenom, Stern is matchmaking from the wings.
Four More Years for Sox' Buehrle
Associated Press
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Jul 9, 2007 4:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After some public haggling, workmanlike hurler Mark Buehrle signed a 4-year, $56 million contract extension with the only club he has ever known. Citing a desire for stability and a love of Chicago, Buehrle took a no-trade provision for the first season and a $1 million raise thereafter in the event of a trade.
Five Presentation Secrets of Genghis Jobs
BusinessWeek
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Jul 8, 2007 8:11 PM CDT
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Steve Jobs is a master of the pitch, according to Business Week 's Carmine Gallo. His presentation secrets revealed: Build Tension Stick to One Theme Per Slide Add Pizzazz to Your Delivery Practice Be Honest and Show Enthusiasm
Nigerian Kidnappers Free Toddler
BBC
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Jul 8, 2007 7:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Four days after her terrifying abduction, a 3-year-old girl is back with her parents in southern Nigeria, "covered in mosquito bites" but otherwise OK, her father tells the BBC. Margaret Hill, who was snatched from a car at gunpoint on her way to school Thursday, was freed today and was not ransomed, the Times of London reports.
Nixon Library Ends Watergate Whitewash
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 8, 2007 5:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Richard Nixon's library may be backing off its insistence that its honoree was not a crook. The private museum is poised to become a federal institution, and its new director is working to add some nuance to the fiercely pro-Nixon exhibits—starting with the Watergate room. "I can't run a shrine," he told the LA Times.
Britain Bans Tiny Models
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 8, 2007 5:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The British fashion industry has nixed runway and photoshoot models under 16, in a response to controversies over uber-thin girls literally dying to model. Two South American models died from malnutrition and anorexia last year, piquing concerns about the influence of "size-zero" modeling on young girls. The industry did not, however, ban...
Face Transplant Surgeons Plead For Privacy
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 8, 2007 3:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Doctors are preparing to execute Britain's first face transplant, but first they must face off with relatives of potential patients and the media eager to buy their stories, the Guardian reports. The press has fixed it eyes and nose on the upcoming operation, but surgeons say publicity for patients seeking it could both nullify their fully-informed...
World's Oldest Car to be Auctioned
CNN
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Jul 8, 2007 2:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The oldest car that can still be driven will be auctioned off in Pebble Beach, CA this August. It could go for as much as $2M, reports CNN. The steam-powered, four-wheeled De Dion-Bouton et Trepardoux—nicknamed "La Marquise"—was built in France in 1884, some 13 years before Henry Ford came up with a gas-powered vehicle here.
Israel to Free Fatah Prisoners
New York Times
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Jul 8, 2007 2:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Following up on a pledge to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said his country would release 250 Palestinian prisoners, Reuters reports. Olmert said Israelis would use "any means...to reinforce moderate elements in the Palestinian Authority." The move is part of an effort by the West to shore by Abbas and his Fatah...
Sarkozy Dumps Bastille Day Pardons
Reuters
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Jul 8, 2007 2:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
They won't be celebrating Bastille Day in French prisons this year: Nicolas Sarkozy, the country's new law-and-order president, has declined to grant the traditional mass pardons, as his two predecessors did every year. The pardons—3,500 last year alone—have been used as a means of easing overcrowded French prisons.
Five Priciest Web Domains
Forbes
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Jul 8, 2007 12:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sex.com - $12 million (2005) Porn.com - $9.5 million (2007) Business.com - $7.5 million (1999) Diamond.com - $7.5...
UK Security Chief Warns of Long Haul Against Terror
BBC
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Jul 8, 2007 11:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Saying that fighting terrorists is "a daunting task," England's new security minister urged Britons to be "un-British" and "snitch" to the authorities if they suspect something, the BBC reports. Sir Alan West, a former Navy admiral, said "we're talking about such a big change" that winning the struggle...
Federer 5-peats at Wimbledon
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 8, 2007 11:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Swiss powerhouse Roger Federer won his fifth-straight Wimbledon today, holding out against a hungry Rafael Nadal for five excruciating sets, and cementing one of the all-time great tennis rivalries. Federer, 25, defeated the 21-year-old Spaniard 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2 to seize his 34th consecutive match at Wimbledon and tie Bjorn Borg's fivepeat feat.
Radicals Kill Pakistani Colonel
BBC
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Jul 8, 2007 11:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Pakistani colonel leading an attempt to breach the walls of a mosque where Islamic students are holed up has been shot and killed, the BBC reports. Since last Tuesday, when the standoff began, 20 people are believed to have died. Pakistan's President Musharraf has said the Islamic fighters "will be killed" if they do not surrender soon.
Snakehead Shake Up Fishermen
Washington Post
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Jul 8, 2007 10:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
It's ugly, it's mean, and it's seductively hard to hook. The Snakehead fish, a native of East Asia and recent immigrant to the Potomac River watershed, has divided those wary of its potential environmental impact and those who see it as the next big thing in sport fishing. Some entrepreneurial anglers are already offering guided trips to chase snakehead.
Wildfire Threatening Nevada Town
Associated Press
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Jul 8, 2007 10:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hundreds of people are being driven from their homes in northern Nevada by a rapidly advancing, 8,000-acre wildfire, the AP reports. The blaze has reached the outskirts of the town of Winnemucca. "It's right up to the south edge," says one official. The blaze is just one of a dozen that have scorched 55 acres in the northern part of...
Will Trophy Wife Cost Fred?
New York Times
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Jul 8, 2007 9:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
May-December romances are standard in Hollywood—just ask Jack Nicholson—but Fred Thompson's sexy, stylish, 25-years-younger wife, Jeri, has the Beltway all abuzz. Commentators are wondering aloud whether a “trophy” wife—even one who’s a former GOP spokeperson—will prove a liability for the...
Market Bombing Is Year's Worst
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 8, 2007 9:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The body count in yesterday's suicide bombing of a market in Amerli, in northern Iraq, is up to 150, making it the year's worst bomb attack in Iraq, the LA Times reports. Officials fear the area, 100 miles from Baghdad, has been targeted by al-Qaeda in Iraq militants pushed out of other strongholds.
Fake Experts Fool Seniors
New York Times
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Jul 8, 2007 9:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Elderly Americans are being duped out of millions by financial advisers with trumped-up credentials, the New York Times reports. Over 39,000 "certified senior advisers" have been rubber stamped by pay-for-service courses in the last decade, and they're selling popular—but unnecessary—financial products to the elderly.
Rudy Shouldn't Get Credit for Crime Busting
Washington Post
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Jul 8, 2007 9:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani, who's running for commander-in-chief on his tough-guy cred, can thank early-1970s reductions in lead levels for his crime-busting success, a new study argues. Economist Rick Nevin concludes that the nearly 60% decrease in violent crime during Rudy's stint as mayor is a result of government programs to cut lead poisoning—which has...
ET is 60
Newsweek
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Jul 7, 2007 10:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sixty years ago something happened in the godforsaken town of Roswell, New Mexico. Now the town has two competing, yet complementary, festivals celebrating either the first recovery of an alien spacecraft or the routine crash of a weather balloon. The festivals have attracted a diverse crowd of scientists, purported alien abductees, minor...
7 + 7 + 7 = Wedded Bliss
Associated Press
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Jul 7, 2007 8:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Taking advantage of the most auspicious date the numerologically inclined may ever see, couples around the world flocked to marry today, inundating houses of worship, catering halls, hotels, amusement parks, and at least one Las Vegas fish tank. Divers dressed as mermaids attended the underwater couple, the AP reports, and Elvis impersonators were...
