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.
Team Chávez Waves Imperios Adios
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 6, 2007 4:36 AM CDT
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After vanquishing Mexico in the CONCACAF tournament for North and Central America, a depleted American team went quietly in the first round of the Copa America, hosted by Hugo Chávez's Venezuela. The home team, by contrast, achieved its first victory in the tournament in 40 years, and will move on to the semifinals.
GOP Loyalist Dissents on War
Politico
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Jul 6, 2007 4:33 AM CDT
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Another key Republican has broken with President Bush over the war in Iraq, Politico reports. The war is a "failed strategy" and it's time to "move our troops out of combat operations," New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici said yesterday. Domenici, who serves on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, faces re-election next...
Charges Loom for Former French PM
Times (UK)
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Jul 6, 2007 4:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin is expected to face criminal conspiracy charges following the discovery of new evidence linking him to a dirty tricks campaign against President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Times of London reports. Police yesterday searched his Paris home after investigators found computer data suggesting he directed a...
Storm Blasts Hurricane Center
Miami Herald
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Jul 6, 2007 4:21 AM CDT
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A near-mutiny has erupted at the National Hurricane Center, where nearly half the staff has demanded the resignation of the center's director, Bill Proenza. The Miami Herald reports that seven forecasters and 16 other employees—including Proenza's own administrative assistant—signed a statement calling for his ouster.
Venus Advances to Semifinals
BBC
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Jul 6, 2007 4:19 AM CDT
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Three-time Wimbledon champ Venus Williams advanced to the tournament semifinals after defeating fifth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets yesterday. Crushing returns capped the 6-3 6-4 victory that wins her a face-off against Ana Ivanovic. Williams, who has played only occasionally this season and was seeded 28th, is trying to become the lowest...
Sun Also Rises for Grant Hill
ESPN
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Jul 6, 2007 4:15 AM CDT
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After a promising run in Detroit, followed by a disappointing, injury-ridden tenure in Orlando, Grant Hill will compete toward the sunset of his career in Phoenix. There, he will supplement lanky smooth-passing Frenchman Boris Diaw at the small forward position. Hill's agent emphasized that Hill was more focused on contending for a championship than...
Radio Should Pay to Play, Artists Argue
BusinessWeek
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Jul 5, 2007 6:26 PM CDT
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It's time AM and FM radio broadcasters started paying for the music they play, a group of music industry types has decided. They're lobbying Congress to amend the federal law that has exempted terrestrial radio from paying artists' royalties for nearly a century, Business Week reports.
Al Gore III Returns to Rehab
Associated Press
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Jul 5, 2007 5:05 PM CDT
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Al Gore III has posted bail and returned to rehab. A day after the ex-VP's son was busted for drugs, the 24-year-old magazine publisher "is getting treatment," his father said today. In his first public reaction, he appeared on the "Today" show and said, "We love him very much," adding, "We are going to leave it as...
British Firm Bags Samsonite for $1.7B
BBC
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Jul 5, 2007 4:57 PM CDT
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CVC Capital, a British private equity firm, has bought out Samsonite, the American luggage line, in an all-cash deal worth $1.7B, BBC reports. CVC will pay $1.49 a share--12% more than the stock was worth Tuesday. Samonsite has had five owners in the last 21 years, as luggage sales in general have declined.
Coca-Cola May Bid to Swallow Up Snapple
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 5, 2007 4:54 PM CDT
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Coca-Cola is talking to private-equity firms about purchasing Cadbury Schweppes PLC's Snapple and Mott's brands, the Wall Street Journal reports. Coke is trying to expand its presence in the fast-growing market for noncarbonated drinks--namely juices, waters and ready-to-drink teas, like Snapple. Mott's includes apple juice and sauces, as well as...
Libby Ponies Up $250K Fine
MSNBC
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Jul 5, 2007 4:28 PM CDT
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Lewis Libby has discharged the first part of his penalty for perjury and obstruction, paying a $250,000 fine and $400 "special assessment" to the clerk of the DC district court. A facsimile of the cashier's check, dated July 2—the day President Bush issued his commutation order—appeared on the court website this afternoon.
Shoppers Ignore Dying Murder Victim
Associated Press
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Jul 5, 2007 4:07 PM CDT
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Convenience store murders rarely make national news, but when shoppers at a Witchita store did nothing to help a stabbing victim who lay bleeding to death on the floor—except to snap cell phone photos of her—the lack of response did. Wichita Eagle columnist Mark McCormick reported that shoppers actually stepped around and over the body...
You're Right to Feel Abandoned If...
Boston Globe
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Jul 5, 2007 4:00 PM CDT
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The office is oddly quiet, your favorite parking spot is always free and your boss isn't lurking in the usual matter. What's going on? Here, the Boston Globe's list of 10 signs that you've been abandoned. You've rearranged your manager's office furniture and made a chalk outline of a body—and no one notices. Your daydreams are...
Corporate Blog Makes Trouble for Google
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jul 5, 2007 3:56 PM CDT
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In case anyone missed the first apology, Google is still sorry for an employee's post on a corporate blog. Her reaction to Michael Moore's "Sicko"—a suggestion that health-care companies buy Google ads to offset his accusations and burnish their reputations—has outraged bloggers and prompted two separate apologies, the San Francisco...
Brokers Faulted in Subprime Mortgage Mess
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 5, 2007 3:28 PM CDT
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With the mortgage industry in full scandal mode, the Wall Street Journal takes a look at the role of brokers. Contractors for the large lenders, brokers stand accused of issuing loans that borrowers “didn’t understand, couldn’t afford or were otherwise ill-suited for.” They issue about three-quarters of the subprime mortgages...
Zebrula Kills at German Zoo
Yahoo
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Jul 5, 2007 2:36 PM CDT
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Perplexed onlookers are flocking to a to a zoo in Germany to see a zebrula—the rare but not unprecedented offspring of a male zebra and a female horse, AFP reports. The animal, named Eclyse, has the head of a zebra, the body of a horse, and a coat split down the middle between solid white and black stripes.
‘Impeachment Headquarters' Opens in LA
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 5, 2007 1:53 PM CDT
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A coalition of Democratic and Green Party clubs opened a storefront office in Los Angeles yesterday, as part of a seemingly Quixotic campaign to remove the President and Vice President from office. Some 300 people heard speakers at a nearby rally cite the Iraq war, spying on citizens, and torture tactics used against terrorist suspects as justification...
Office Rents Soar in US
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 5, 2007 1:50 PM CDT
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The price of office space has surged nationwide due to a dwindling store of vacant commercial property and picky landlords increasingly keen on attracting well-heeled tenants. Across the country, leases spiked an average of 3.1% in the second quarter, following an increase of 2.8% in the first.
Obama Says Hillary Is Old News
Washington Post
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Jul 5, 2007 1:04 PM CDT
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Presidential hopeful Barack Obama took a swipe yesterday at his main Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, saying "change can't just be a slogan" --a reference to the slogan she introduced just a few days ago, "Ready for Change, Ready to Lead." In fact, her approach is more like “change – but not too much change,”...
Environment Agency Battles Its Own Threats
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 5, 2007 12:55 PM CDT
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The bald eagle's exit from Endangered Species Act protection drew attention away from the watchdog agency that defends threatened species—and is in peril itself. The budget has been slashed, open jobs go unfilled, and the fate of hundreds of plant and animal species hangs in the balance. The LA Times looks at the troubled Fish and Wildlife...
Town's Tussle Over Trademark Intensifies
BusinessWeek
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Jul 5, 2007 12:02 PM CDT
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Katonah, NY, doesn't appear to need pro bono legal assistance. The average home price tops $900,000, and the leafy New York suburb is so desirable that Martha Stewart calls it home. That's where the trouble started: Stewart wants to trademark the town’s name for a home-decor line, and Katonah says that's not a good thing. Business Week takes...
British Terror Suspect Has Long History of Angry Islamism
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 5, 2007 11:18 AM CDT
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Bilal Abdullah, a young Iraqi doctor who is one of the chief suspects in last week's terror attacks in Britain, was a militant Islamist as far back as medical school in Baghdad and while studying for British exams in Cambridge, friends say. Abdullah would cheer at reports of insurgent attacks on Americans and British troops in Iraq, as well as Shias,...
Construction Woes Threaten Workers at Iraq Embassy
Washington Post
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Jul 5, 2007 10:18 AM CDT
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Foul-ups and delays in the construction of the US embassy in Baghdad are not only an ongoing embarrassment—now they have workers there worried about their own safety. The Journal intercepted a stern cable the embassy sent to the State Department a month ago highlighting several serious hazards in the new security guard facility.
Lucky 7s Capture Calendar
Associated Press
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Jul 5, 2007 9:55 AM CDT
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Saturday will be a big day for the superstitious—it's 7-7-07, and fans of numerology are out in force. About three times the normal number of couples will tie the knot, including Tony Parker and Eva Longoria. Casinos, amusement parks, and houses of worship are preparing for the big day, as are the sites hosting Live Earth concerts.
More Legal Immigrants Seek US Citizenship
New York Times
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Jul 5, 2007 8:30 AM CDT
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A burgeoning number of legal immigrants are applying for US citizenship—115,000 in May, compared with 65,782 last December. The Times reports immigrants are worried about tougher citizenship tests, rising processing fees, and insecurity in the wake of the furor over the federal immigration bill.
UK Toddler Kidnapped in Nigeria
BBC
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Jul 5, 2007 7:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A three-year-old British girl was kidnapped by gunmen in the Niger Delta today. The abduction comes after five oil workers were kidnapped yesterday. Militant groups who want a larger share of Nigeria's oil profits to go to the poor have taken more than 100 foreign hostages this year, the BBC reports.
Taxpayers Foot Governator's Travel Frills
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 5, 2007 6:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger travels on private jets and racks up six-figure trip expenses, thanks to the largesse of a shady nonprofit group whose secret donors get tax breaks, the LA Times reports. Watchdogs claim the 501(c)(3) is an abuse of a system intended to reward donations to needy causes.
Pavarotti's New Album Could Be Finale
Associated Press
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Jul 5, 2007 6:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti is recording songs for what could be his last album as the 71-year-old tenor battles pancreatic cancer. His elder daughter reportedly told a magazine that he "knows he will die soon," but later insisted her words had been twisted. Doctors discovered the cancer last summer during a break in the singer's farewell...
Key Iraqi Oil Bill Stalls
Associated Press
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Jul 5, 2007 5:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bitter infighting among Iraq's ethnic and religious groups is holding up crucial legislation on Iraqi oil regulation and distribution, the AP reports. Despite heavy pressure from Washington to pass the bill, debate scheduled to start yesterday was delayed. Sunnis object to the bill because they fear most oil wealth will go to Kurds and Shia, while...
US Soldiers Become Citizens
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 5, 2007 5:42 AM CDT
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Some 325 servicemen were sworn in as US citizens in Independence Day ceremonies yesterday in Iraq—half of them at a former Saddam Hussein palace, the Los Angeles Times reports. Gen. David Petraeus thanked the new citizens serving in Iraq for enduring sacrifice “to preserve the freedom of a land that was not yet fully yours.”
Plane Angry: Fliers Blast Lying Late Stats
New York Times
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Jul 5, 2007 5:33 AM CDT
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Even as the on-time performance of airlines reaches an all-time low, the reality is worse, the New York Times reports. Since they track how late planes are, not how late passengers are, airline statistics don't reflect a good deal of the waiting time—particularly when a passenger misses a connecting flight or has a flight cancelled.
Missing Lake Mystery Solved
BBC
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Jul 5, 2007 4:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Chilean lake that mysteriously went missing between March and May was a casualty of global warming, says the lead scientist investigating its disappearance. Melting glaciers created a stream of water that cracked one of the lake's ice walls, sending the water pouring into an adjoining fjord and, eventually, out to sea.
Golf Tourneys Putt Short for Charity
Washington Post
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Jul 5, 2007 4:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As Tiger Woods's AT&T National tournament gets underway in Bethesda, corporate types are opening their wallets for the charity event—but, the Washington Post reports, their money may not go where they expect. Only about 15 cents out of every dollar raised by charity golf tourneys makes it to the recipient organization, says the director...
Sochi Wins 2014 Games
Reuters
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Jul 5, 2007 4:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in the Black Sea resort of Sochi — thanks in part to personal intervention by Russian Premier Vladimir Putin, reports Reuters. Putin addressed a session of the International Olympic Committee in Guatemala City in English, French and Spanish, helping Sochi win a 51-47 vote victory over Pyeongchang, South...
Euro Hotels Hot After Blackstone Deal
Financial Times (UK)
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Jul 5, 2007 4:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Investors are snapping up shares of some Europe's biggest hotel chains, the Financial Times reports, as the market bets that more private equity firms will tuck into new cross-Atlantic deals. They're inspired by Blackstone's $26 billion Hilton offer, and a banner year for hotel buyouts more generally.
Al-Qaeda Issues New Threat
CNN
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Jul 5, 2007 4:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Osama bin Laden's No. 2 has issued a new videotaped threat to the US, claiming that the collapse of the West is imminent. Wearing a white robe and speaking in a hectoring tone, the Egyptian cleric Ayman al-Zawahiri calls for unity among warring Iraqi factions against America. The 95-minute al Qaeda video is among the most sophisticated to date.
5 Kidnapped From Nigerian Oil Rig
Bloomberg
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Jul 5, 2007 3:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Five expat contractors were taken abducted yesterday during an attack on a Shell oil rig in the Niger Delta, just as a rebel group responsible for many similar attacks called off a one-month truce. The hostages include two New Zealanders, one Australian, one Lebanese and one Venezuelan; more than 200 expats have been kidnapped since the start of 2006.
Johnston Tells of 'Appalling,' 'Terrifying' Ordeal
Evening Times (Scotland)
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Jul 4, 2007 10:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Alan Johnston's 16 weeks in captivity were an "appalling" experience that made him feel "buried alive," the BBC reporter tells the Evening Times of Glasgow. Johnston, freed yesterday, said he dreamed of freedom "but always woke up in that room." In Jerusalem yesterday after being released in Gaza, he said he feels "the...
American Pigs Out on Dogs, Sets Record
New York Daily News
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Jul 4, 2007 5:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a glorious tribute to the Founding Fathers, an American shattered the world hot-dog-eating record today, polishing off 66 franks and buns in 12 minutes in the annual Nathan's Famous contest in Coney Island, NY. Joey Chestnut, 23, held off Japanese competitive-eating legend Takeru Kobayashi to upset the six-time defending champ by three wieners.
eBay Takes on Craigslist
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jul 4, 2007 4:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With no fanfare, eBay has launched a challenge to Craigslist, the colossus of the online classified ad market. Kijiji classifieds, which have already been successful abroad, quietly expanded into the US last week. Kijiji knows what it's up against: eBay bought 25% of Craigslist in 2004 to get an inside perspective on the industry, and isn't planning...
UK Tightens Screening of Foreign Docs
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 4, 2007 3:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The UK is scaling up background checks on foreign doctors and other health workers in response to the revelation that eight suspects in the attempted London and Glasgow car bombings last weekend worked for the National Health Service, the Telegraph reports. PM Gordon Brown, in his first Question Time in the House of Commons, ordered a review of NHS...
Chinese Goods Flunk Gov't Safety Tests
Bloomberg
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Jul 4, 2007 3:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Chinese government acknowledged today what people around the world suspected—many products manufactured by the world's largest exporter of consumer goods are unsafe. One-fifth of its manufactured wares fail to meet government safety standards, a regulatory agency said in a posting on its website. Despite the findings, which did not cover...
Hundreds at Pakistani Mosque Surrender
BBC
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Jul 4, 2007 3:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
About 700 students have agreed to leave Islamabad's Red Mosque under pressure from Pakistani police surrounding the compound, the BBC reports. Several thousand people, including students as young as 10, remain inside the radical mosque after a clash between security forces and dissidents yesterday killed 10 and wounded 140.
Nadal Wins 3-Day Match
Associated Press
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Jul 4, 2007 2:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rafael Nadal moved on to the fourth round at Wimbledon today after triumphing in a match prolonged over 3 days by weather. Down match point in the third set Monday, Robin Soderling rebounded to win a tiebreaker before play was suspended. Rain interrupted the fifth set yesterday, and today Nadal finally capitalized on his sixth match point.
Al Gore III Arrested on Drug Charges
CBS News
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Jul 4, 2007 2:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Al Gore III was arrested on drug charges early this morning after being pulled over for doing 100 mph on a California freeway. An Orange County deputy allegedly smelled marijuana, CBS 2 in LA reports, and a search turned up an ounce of pot as well as Valium, Xanax, Vicodin, and Adderall. The ex-VP's son was held on $20,000 bail.
Pound Soars Against Dollar
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 4, 2007 1:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The British pound climbed against the dollar today to a level not seen since June 1981, nudging past $2.02 before closing at $2.0136. The third consecutive trading session with a 26-year high came as the UK braced for a interest rate hike and the US braced for an extended stay by the $2 pound.
Chrysler Plunges Into China Trade
MarketWatch
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Jul 4, 2007 12:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a cost-cutting move, Chrysler will introduce cars produced by China's biggest automaker to the US market by late 2009. Chrysler and Chery staged a signing ceremony today in Beijing to allay fears about the American auto giant's new ownership not backing the deal, MarketWatch reports. The first vehicles will hit Latin American and Eastern European...
Ten Worst Jobs in Science
Popular Science
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Jul 4, 2007 11:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hazmat diver: They swim in sewage, toxic spills and other undesirable liquid environments. Oceanographer: With the coral reefs dying, pollutants rising, and overfishing it's just one long stream of bad news. Elephant vasectomist: With a testicle a foot in diameter, it isn't exactly a walk in the wildlife preserve. Garbologist:...
Brown Proposes Significant Power Shift
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 4, 2007 11:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Gordon Brown used his first appearance before the House of Commons as PM yesterday to unveil a surprising slate of power-shifting reforms, including limiting his right to declare war and lowering the voting age to 16. The initiatives, which also include development of a bill of rights, could radically alter the UK's political balance, the Guardian...
Bush Bucks His Own Trend with Commutation
New York Times
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Jul 4, 2007 10:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush's rationale for commuting Scooter Libby's sentence was the kind of complaint routinely overruled by Bush's own conservative Justice Department, the Times observes. The contradiction between Bush's stern stance and his action on Libby is so stark that Joe Biden accused him of "flip-flopping" yesterday.
