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.
Md. Cops Make Grisly Find
Baltimore Sun
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Jul 30, 2007 5:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Police have found the remains of three infants while searching the property of a Maryland woman charged last week with murdering her newborn baby. Two bodies were found in the Ocean City woman's bedroom and the third in a motor home in her driveway. Authorities said the bodies were not full-term and could be years old, the Baltimore Sun reports.
How Obama Can Trump the Experience Card
Slate
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Jul 30, 2007 5:08 PM CDT
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The root of last week's Obama/Clinton spat, writes John Dickerson in Slate, is the Achilles heel of the Obama campaign: She trounces him in experience. Standing next to her seems to make hiim look callow, and she used the opportunity to rub it in. Only 30% of Americans think his experience qualifies him to be president, versus more than 70% for her.
No Tired Explanation: Yawning May Cool Brain
ABC News
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Jul 30, 2007 5:04 PM CDT
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Yawning may be less a response to boredom than a natural mechanism for cooling off overheated brains, new research says. The human brain operates optimally when cool, much like a computer, and conditions like fatigue actually cause the organ to heat up, ABC News reports. A quick gulp of air can offer relief to sweltering skulls.
Brown Sends Mixed Signals in Talks with Bush
CNN
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Jul 30, 2007 5:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
On his first US visit as PM, Gordon Brown today reaffirmed that the US and the UK stand together in the war on terrorism. Wrapping up 2 days of meetings with President Bush, Brown expressed disappointment with progress in Iraq, CNN reports, specifically noting difficulty "getting political reconciliation within Iraq" and the slow progress...
In Workplace, Haggling Widens Gender Gap
Washington Post
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Jul 30, 2007 5:00 PM CDT
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Women are less likely to initiate negotiations for promotions and raises, which may help explain salary and career gaps between the genders, according to new research. "There is an economic rationale to negotiate, but you have to weigh that against social risks of negotiating,"' one researcher says. "What we show is those risks are higher...
Iraqi Parliament Takes a Break
Reuters
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Jul 30, 2007 4:45 PM CDT
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Saying PM Nouri al-Maliki's government had given it little to work with, Iraq's parliament began a 5-week recess today, Reuters reports. The chamber normally begins its summer break in July, but with crucial legislation pending, members delayed. Squabbling between political factions then stalled laws seen as vital to mending the Sunni-Shiite fracture...
Lightning Strikes Same Man Twice
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 30, 2007 4:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A man celebrated the 27th anniversary of being struck by lightning with a second electrocution from above—and once again lived to tell the tale, the Guardian reports. The 68 year old was hiding from a Pennsylvania storm in a shed when he and four others were shocked by lightning; he had been hit at the age of 41 while driving a tractor-trailer.
Chief Justice Takes a Tumble
CNN
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Jul 30, 2007 4:28 PM CDT
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Chief Justice John Roberts was taken to the hospital in an ambulance this afternoon after falling at his Maine vacation home, the Supreme Court announced. A spokeswoman said he was conscious after the fall, and an EMT told NBC he was alert on the trip to the hospital. The cause of the fall and any possible injuries remain under wraps.
Al Gore III Pleads Guilty in Drug Bust
People
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Jul 30, 2007 4:22 PM CDT
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Al Gore III pleaded guilty to four drug charges today and elected to enter a rehab program to avoid prison time, People reports. The ex-VP's 24-year-old youngest child was busted with marijuana and prescription drugs—including Vicodin, Xanax and Valium—after being pulled over in southern California for speeding in his Prius.
Russia Reportedly Strikes Fighter-Jet Deal With Iran
Jerusalem Post (Israel)
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Jul 30, 2007 4:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Israel is investigating reports that Russia will supply Iran with $1 billion in long-range fighter jets and aerial fuel tankers, the Jerusalem Post says. Israeli officials say the pact could be a partial response to a billion-dollar US arms deal with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.
Look Out, Barbie: Here Comes Moses
BBC
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Jul 30, 2007 4:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Faith-based action figures will soon compete with the latest Bratz and Transformers dolls on the shelves of a Wal-Mart near you. Tales of Glory figurines, including Samson, Jesus and Daniel (complete with the Lions’ Den), are being promoted as "God-honoring toys" in a market full of figures that "glorify evil, destruction, lying,...
White House Proposes $43B in Mideast Military Aid
Reuters
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Jul 30, 2007 3:48 PM CDT
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More than $43 billion in US military aid is earmarked for the Middle East, Reuters reports, part of a strategy to fight terrorism and counterbalance Iran. The outlays, which require congressional approval, include $13 billion to Egypt, $30 billion to Israel, and an unspecified amount to Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states, Secretary of State...
Dow Shocks with 92 Point Gain
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 30, 2007 3:44 PM CDT
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The Dow rebuffed Wall St.'s bearish ambiance today, picking up 92.84 points to close at 13,358.31. One analyst says the weekend calmed jitters that led to a 500 point bloodletting at the end of last week, and a day without any major economic shakeups or earnings reports had brokers "looking at the numbers and realizing things aren't so bad."
In Virtual Graveyard, Friends, Voyeurs Gather
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 3:36 PM CDT
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A site that collects obituaries, often of young people, and links to their social-network profiles is gaining traction, the AP reports. MyDeathSpace.com lists more than 2,700 deaths and receives more than 100,000 hits daily. "This site does kind of let you look into the heart of darkness," one professor says.
Schumer Bucks Party on Wall St. Tax Hikes
New York Times
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Jul 30, 2007 3:07 PM CDT
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Rejecting populist piety, Chuck Schumer is opposing legislation that would double tax rates for private equity and hedge fund executives, arguing that he’s torn over the measures but contending that they unfairly target an industry critical to his constituency. The New York Times reports the senator, the only Democrat on both committees with...
Corruption Shadows Iraq Rebuilding
BBC
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Jul 30, 2007 2:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
US auditors monitoring the rebuilding process in Iraq are battling forces they compare to "a second insurgency"—corruption and economic mismanagement. The Iraqi government is refusing to handle reconstruction projects worth billions of dollars, and US officials are now investigating more than 50 fraud cases, the BBC reports.
China Flood Toll Nears 700
Times (UK)
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Jul 30, 2007 2:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Massive flooding, landslides, and mudflows caused by weeks of violent rainstorms have killed 652 people in China and forced 5M out of their homes. Across the country, 452,000 houses have been destroyed, and officials are forecasting continued severe rain for China's southwest, northeast, and northwest regions in the coming days.
Taliban Claims Second Hostage Death
CNN
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Jul 30, 2007 1:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Taliban has killed a second South Korean hostage, a spokesman for the extremist group told CNN in a telephone interview today, adding that the corpse was dropped off in the province of Ghazni in central Afghanistan. Officials have not located any bodies in that area. The militants already murdered a 42-year old pastor, one of the 23 church group...
Hilton Grandpa Empties Paris' Purse
Australia's News Network
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Jul 30, 2007 1:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Paris Hilton's grandfather, the only family member still bankrolled by the hotel chain, has reportedly put the kibosh on her $60 million inheritance, the Daily Telegraph of Australia says. Long red-faced over his granddaughter’s antics, 79-year-old Barron Hilton was sent over the top by her recent jail sentence and decided to write her out...
Murdoch May Cancel Deal Without Votes
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 30, 2007 1:14 PM CDT
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Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. may balk at a proposed $5B buyout of Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones unless more support emerges from the controlling Bancroft family, a spokesman said today. So far the family has promised about 28% of total Dow Jones votes to Murdoch's proposal, but News Corp. says it's not enough.
Frustrated Cities Take Gangs to Court
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
San Francisco, Fort Worth, and other cities are suing gangs in an effort to curb violence, winning injunctions forbidding members to ride in cars together and even talk to each other on the street. Courts have struck down citywide measures after critics argued they unfairly target minorities, but injunctions against specific gangs or members have held...
Late-Night Icon Tom Snyder Dead at 71
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 12:24 PM CDT
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Talk show host Tom Snyder, known for his interviews with celebrities like John Lennon and Johnny Rotten, died yesterday after battling leukemia for 2 years, the AP reports. The man who paved the way for David Letterman and Conan O'Brien as the host of NBC's "Tomorrow Show" and gained immortality through Dan Aykroyd's dead-on "Saturday...
Big Biz Lobbyists Sit Out Private Equity Tax Fight
Financial Times (UK)
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Jul 30, 2007 11:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two big business lobbying groups are sitting out the fight in Congress over increasing taxes on private-equity earnings—in part, the Financial Times reports, because many of their members are threatened by the rise of private equity. Big firms like Blackstone pay traditional banks hefty fees for the underwriting their IPOs, but they also...
Tobacco Used in Cancer Vaccine
USA Today
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Jul 30, 2007 11:21 AM CDT
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The same researchers who developed Gardasil—the vaccine that can prevent cervical cancer—have genetically engineered tobacco plants to produce a cheaper version of the vaccine. The new drug, designed for distribution in India and other poor countries, would cost $3 for three doses, as opposed to $360 for Gardasil, reports USA Today.
‘Collateral Damage’ Is an Exact Science
Salon
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Jul 30, 2007 10:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Technology allows US forces to know with precision how many civilians will die in targeted bombings—and at the beginning of the Iraq war, only those attacks expected to kill more than 30 civilians required approval from Rumsfeld or Bush, Salon reports. “‘Accident’ is not the right word,” said an activist.
Hollywood Tries Pigeon Birth Control
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 30, 2007 10:05 AM CDT
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Hollywood will try to cut its pigeon population by lacing rooftop feeders with birdie birth control. The contraceptive OvoControl P is meant to reduce the spectacular amount of pigeon poop flooding from above, the LA Times reports, and even PETA is on board. "We would much rather they use contraception than poison or anything harmful,"...
FCC Ruling to Test Google Power
Washington Post
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Jul 30, 2007 9:53 AM CDT
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The FCC will rule tomorrow on whether an upcoming airwaves auction will require its winner to build an open-access network, and the verdict will test Google’s lobbying prowess, the Washington Post reports. Google has been pushing the open network aggressively, to the chagrin of AT&T and Verizon, mustering support from public...
Justice Faces Blank Slate in Gonzo Probe
USA Today
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Jul 30, 2007 9:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Solicitor General Paul Clement has a tough decision to make: whether to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate his boss Alberto Gonzales' testimony to Congress. Four Senate Democrats have written to Clement requesting a special counsel to determine if Gonzales concealed the truth in his testimony in the US Attorney firings, but Clement has little...
Red Mosque Inspires Clone
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 8:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Red Mosque has become a franchise: pro-Taliban militants have occupied a different shrine in northwestern Pakistan and renamed it after the Islamabad mosque where 102 people died after a protracted siege. The fighters also promise to build a girls' seminary to replace the one that was destroyed by Pakistani authorities near the Red Mosque .
Gates Plans to Log Off as Scheduled
New York Times
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Jul 30, 2007 8:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bill Gates says that, despite a surge in competition from all sides of the market, his phased exit from Microsoft has been bug-free so far. His two-year transition period halfway done, the chairman and former CEO says that his handpicked successors have been successfully picking up the slack. But doubters say Gates can't fully disengage at such a critical...
Third of Iraqis Need Critical Aid
BBC
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Jul 30, 2007 7:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A third of Iraq's population—some 8 million people—are in critical need of emergency aid because they have no food, water or shelter, according to an OXFAM report detailed in the BBC. Trapped in a maelstrom of sectarian violence, the Iraqi government is unable to provide basic needs. Some 4 million Iraqis have either been displaced from...
'Best Little Whorehouse' Crusader Dies
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 7:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Crusading Texas journalist Marvin Zindler, whose successful efforts in shutting down a brothel inspired the play and film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas , died yesterday from pancreatic cancer. He was 85. He began his journalism career at the age of 51 after he was fired from a Texas sheriff's office where he investigated fraud.
Stewart Lays a Win at Brickyard
Indianapolis Star
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Jul 30, 2007 6:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tony Stewart took the Allstate 400 in his home state of Indiana yesterday, two weeks after he snapped a winless streak at the USG Sheetrock 400. The Home Depot driver battled for the lead all afternoon, finally grabbing the checkered flag by a 2.98-second margin over Juan Pablo Montoya.
Yanks Down Orioles, 10-6
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 6:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Yankees snapped a three-game losing streak with a 10-6 outing against Baltimore yesterday. A struggling Johnny Damon came up big for New York, posting three hits, four runs, and one spectacular catch in left field that stymied a fourth-inning Orioles rally. Alex Rodriguez came up empty in his bid for home run 500, going 0-2 with an intentional...
Ripken, Gwynn Deck the Hall
ESPN
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Jul 30, 2007 6:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, Jr., were inducted to baseball's Hall of Fame today; both were notable for their remarkable consistency over careers spanning three decades, and both spent those careers with single teams. Their loyalty was repaid by circa 75,000 fans who came to see them inducted, the most in Cooperstown history.
Big Z Snags 3 Hits, 14 Wins
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 6:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Fiery, enigmatic Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano pitched 7 1/3 innings of a three-hitter against Cincinnati, batting 3-for-4 and becoming the first pitcher in the majors with 14 wins. Seven of those have come in Zambrano's last eight games, and he describes the current stretch as the best of his career.
Panel Links Global Warming to Hurricane Surge
Reuters
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Jul 30, 2007 6:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rising sea temperatures caused by global warming are causing a surge in the number of hurricanes and tropical storms, a new study confirms. The research, which examined the pattern of storms from the last 100 years, buffers a UN panel's conclusion earlier this year that humans are "more likely than not" a driving factor behind the dangerous...
Ingmar Bergman Dies at 89
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 5:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, one of the giants of cinematic storytelling, died today at 89 after a career spanning more than half a century and over 50 films. Bergman's films scanned the dreary but often resplendent landscape of the human condition, one deeply conditioned by his native country.
Rent-a Dog Biz Lets You Be Master for a Day
Associated Press
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Jul 30, 2007 5:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A California entrepreneur has taken the commitment out of dog ownership for all those lusting-for-a-lab types who have room in their hearts for a pooch, but not in their lives. Flex Petz customers can contract out one the company's 10 dogs by the day, choosing from Labrador retrievers, Afghan hounds or Boston terriers.
Britain's Longest Campaign Ends
Times (UK)
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Jul 30, 2007 5:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The British Army's military campaign in Northern Ireland comes to an end at midnight tomorrow—after 38 years of bloodshed. It's the longest conflict in the army's history. Some 300,000 military personnel served; casualties included 763 soldiers, and 309 civilians and members of paramilitary groups.
Basque Leader Busted In Major Crackdown on Separatists
Christian Science Monitor
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Jul 30, 2007 5:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A top Basque separatist leader and 17 others have been arrested in the two months since the organization ended a 15-month ceasefire with Spain. Some analysts credit luck and improved intelligence for the arrests, including last week's bust of ETA's crucial head of logistics. But some critics say the crackdown is aimed at polishing the prime minister's...
Bonds to Chase Slug Record in Enemy Territory
USA Today
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Jul 30, 2007 5:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After missing his seven-game opportunity to break Hank Aaron's home run record in the land of his biggest fans, slugger Barry Bonds has left San Francisco for a three-game series in LA. "It's going to be chaotic," said pitcher Steve Kline, anticipating a less-than-sympathetic reception for Bonds from rival Giants' fans.
Japanese PM Refuses to Pack It In
Financial Times (UK)
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Jul 30, 2007 4:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will keep his job despite a humiliating defeat for his ruling party in Sunday's election, party officials said today. Only 10 months into his term, Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party lost their majority as voters reacted to a series of government scandals. Now government gridlock looms as the entering party clashes...
Aussie Police Blame Scotland Yard for False Terror Arrest
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 30, 2007 4:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Australian police yesterday blamed Scotland Yard for sending them inaccurate information that led to the arrest of an innocent Indian doctor in the failed British bomb plots. Mohammed Haneef was detained for 27 days before being freed; he was welcomed by cheering crowds in Bangalore.
Wall Street Jittery After Drop
New York Times
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Jul 30, 2007 4:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Wall Street has a case of nerves. After last week's market drop, the worst in five years, investors shouldn't expect any more "Merger Mondays" for some time to come, the New York Times predicts. Instead opening the week with big new deals, to send the market to new highs, banks and private equity firms spent the weekend trying to figure...
Battling Bancrofts Take Journal Deal Down to Wire
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 30, 2007 4:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bancroft family, which controls the majority of shares in Dow Jones, is so deeply divided over the proposed sale of the Wall Street Journal to Rupert Murdoch that the deal is still too close to call, the Journal reports. A decision on the $5 billion bid is set for today at 5 pm EST.
New Genetic Ties to MS Found
Reuters
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Jul 29, 2007 6:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists have pinpointed two genes that may be linked to MS, signaling a breakthrough in the fight against the debilitating disease 20 years in the making. In separate studies published today by two medical journals, researchers revealed one specific gene receptor may trigger cells to inhibit the body's autoimmune reaction, the first ever genetic...
Brown Visits US Amid Talk of Cooling Ties
Associated Press
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Jul 29, 2007 5:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Gordon Brown embarked today for his first call on President Bush, while the press at home speculated on whether the green PM's relationship with his counterpart was cooling or too warm. Brown's predecessor, Tony Blair, had a close relationship with Bush—too close for some UK observers. Iraq, a potential wedge issue, will be on the crowded agenda.
Russians Advance on North Pole
Reuters
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Jul 29, 2007 5:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a race to claim rich natural resources under the North Pole, two Russian submarines successfully dove several thousand feet in Russia's northern territorial waters today, Reuters reported. Though US and Russian subs have long plied the waters under the pole, none has reached the seabed there, at a depth of more than 13,000 feet.
UK Restores Water to Flooded Areas
BBC
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Jul 29, 2007 5:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Water supplies are returning to thousands of homes in England after torrential rain flooded the area in an and around Gloucester and knocked out a water treatment plant. Reinstated water will not be potable, warn officials, and should not be used to cook, make ice, or brush teeth.
