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.
Iran Talks Raise Tension, But Not Consensus
New York Times
|
Jul 24, 2007 6:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The United States and Iran began their first day of diplomatic talks on Iraq today, but the Times reports that the summit is still tangled over US allegation that Iran is funding armed militias inside Iraq. Iran vehemently denied the charge today; an American official who attending the meeting said little progress was made.
Calif. Foreclosures Set Record
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 24, 2007 5:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Reflecting the increasingly gloomy picture across the country, residential foreclosures in California were up 799% in the second quarter compared to the same time last year, the LA Times reports. Stricter lending practices and the reeling housing market contributed to the record high 17,408 foreclosures in the three-month period, dwarfing the state's...
Rats! Humans, Rodents Have Lots in Common
New York Times
|
Jul 24, 2007 5:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rats may be repulsive to some, but scientists are finding that they're a lot like humans. A recent crop of behavioral studies shows that rats are astonishingly self-aware, Natalie Angier reports in today's Times. They laugh when tickled and dream in epic narratives. There are even rat optimists and rat pessimists, their personalities forged by upbringing...
High Food Prices Hurt World's Poor
Christian Science Monitor
|
Jul 24, 2007 5:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
For the world's poorest people, the quantity and quality of food are increasingly at risk. Wholesale prices of basic foods are 21% higher now than in 2005, with grain surging more than 30%. What's more, the total volume of food delivered by US-funded groups has declined 52% in the last 5 years, reports the Christian Science Monitor.
Frequent Flier Program Soars in Value
Chicago Tribune
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
United Airlines' frequent flier program may be worth more than the carrier itself, according to projections for a still-speculative sell-off. The program would be worth about $7.5 billion, a Bear Stearns analyst says; United makes $19.3 billion a year, but its overall value is only about $5.45 billion—the air travel game is tough these days.
Cholesterol Drop May Boost Cancer Risk
Reuters
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Artificially reducing cholesterol to very low levels may slightly increase the risk of cancer, but that doesn't mean heart patients should go off their meds. One extra cancer case occurred in each 1,000 patients using statin drugs in an analysis of 23 different trials, Reuters reports; researchers hastened to caution that that doesn't mean the drugs...
Netflix Finds Itself in House of Business Horrors
Associated Press
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Netflix faced a second wave of bad news today as its stock price plummeted and its website remained inaccessible to visitors. The company announced price cuts Sunday and yesterday absorbed a triple blow: lowered sales expectations, a subscriber decline, and a Wall Street downgrade. The website crash then left the company's signature interface offline...
Out-of-Date Passports Strand Iraqi Expats
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In an unintended consequence of regulations meant to hinder terrorists, Iraqi expats are stuck with out-of-date passports and no way to replace them. Iraq now issues documents that meet international standards, the Wall Street Journal reports, but emigres and refugees stuck with Saddam-era passports or handwritten documents that date to the US invasion...
Weak iPhone Sales Shock Apple Shares
Bloomberg
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sales of the iPhone, the joint Apple-AT&T venture that jolted the tech world in June, have cooled—only 200,000 units moved this month, compared to an estimated 700,000 during the premiere weekend alone. Apple shares were down more than 6% today on the news. Meanwhile, AT&T profits jumped 61% in the second quarter: Bloomberg reports...
AG Refutes Account of Hospital Visit
New York Times
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Alberto Gonzales today refuted an ex-colleague's dramatic testimony about a 2004 visit to John Ashcroft's hospital bed, but the Senate Judiciary Committee wasn't buying it. Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter were openly skeptical of the AG's account of the scene in John Ashcroft's room, and Specter raised the possibility of appointing a special prosecutor...
Earnings, Subprimes Sink Stocks
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 24, 2007 3:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dow slid 226.47—nearly 2%—back to 13716.95 today, after mediocre earnings reports helped deflate a giddy mood and remind traders of persistent woes from the subprime sector. American Express reported lower-than-expected second-quarter earnings dampened by higher marketing costs; DuPont also released disappointing numbers.
Missing Pages, Printing Errors Hex Potter Fans
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
|
Jul 24, 2007 3:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The seventh Harry Potter book sold 8.3 million copies in its first 24 hours in print, but at least 200 fans of the teenage wizard have had less than magical experiences with the saga's finale. An irate group of readers on message boards at Amazon.com and eBay are already reporting printing errors and missing pages in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows....
Lohan Arrested on DUI Suspicion
CNN
|
Jul 24, 2007 2:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Santa Monica cops booked actress Lindsay Lohan early this morning on five counts, including drunk driving and cocaine possession. The hits keep coming for Lohan: The arrest comes two weeks after she checked out of an chic California rehab clinic and only five days after she was booked on a DUI-related misdemeanor from May.
Cleanliness May Be Next to Sickliness
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
|
Jul 24, 2007 2:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Common household products, including laundry detergents and floor cleaners, contain harmful chemicals that could induce health problems in adults and infants, a new report says. Five chemicals, present in popular brands like Pine-Sol, Formula 409, and Tide, may lead to asthma attacks, developmental problems, and infertility but often are not listed...
McDonald's Takes Good News to Go
CNN
|
Jul 24, 2007 2:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite strong global sales, McDonald’s reported a second-quarter loss today, which it attributed to its sale of Latin American franchises. The company lost $711.7 million, or 60 cents a share, but said its new offerings and value menu drew consumers, CNNMoney reports. Excluding the Latin American charge, earnings were 71 cents per share, beating...
75 Taliban Killed; Deadline Extended for South Koreans
Associated Press
|
Jul 24, 2007 1:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Afghan and coalition troops have killed 75 Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, while a self-proclaimed spokesman for the Taliban says the deadline has been extended for talks concerning its 23 South Korean hostages. The Afghan militants are threatening to kill the captured Koreans unless 23 of its own jailed fighters are freed.
MIT Slims Down the Space Suit
Time
|
Jul 24, 2007 1:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When NASA astronauts are suited up for space heroics they're more Marshmallow Man than Spider-Man, but that could change with a sleek new space suit designed by MIT aeronautics professor Dava Newman. The revolutionary BioSuit is lightweight and form-fitting, allowing physical feats not possible in the current bulky gear.
Texas Woman Sues 'Predator' Over Suicide
Dallas Morning News
|
Jul 24, 2007 12:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The sister of an alleged Texan pedophile who committed suicide when police and and an NBC camera crew tried to catch him in a sex-predator sting is suing the TV network for $105 million. Louis Conradt Jr., who was a local district attorney, was ambushed in his home when he failed to appear at a rendezvous that adults posing online as children had set...
New Woes Beset Iraq Embassy
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 24, 2007 11:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Slated for a September opening, the new $592 million U.S. embassy in Baghdad may not be big enough—though it's the size of the Vatican—or safe enough—though tens of millions are going into security—the LA Times reports. The controversial complex can accommodate 1000 people, but analysts say it will still be a vulnerable target...
Sheehan Arrested in Impeachment Protest
Associated Press
|
Jul 24, 2007 11:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Antiwar mom Cindy Sheehan was arrested yesterday after overstaying her welcome in Rep. John Conyer's office on Capitol Hill. She was there to urge Conyers to impeach President Bush over his conduct of the war in Iraq, and to announce that she will run for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco seat because Pelosi has declined to launch impeachment...
Highest Toilets In Europe Top Mont Blanc
Der Spiegel
|
Jul 24, 2007 10:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Now there's a new reason to climb Mont Blanc—to experience Europe's highest-altitude toilets. Local officials installed the facilities for the over 30,000 climbers who trek up the 14,000-foot peak each year. The mayor of a nearby town explained that local snow was becoming a few shades tawnier than usual. "It was urgently necessary,"...
Mouth Cancer Strikes Top Chicago Chef
Chicago Tribune
|
Jul 24, 2007 10:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Award-winning Chicago chef Grant Achatz, owner and head chef of top-rated restaurant Alinea, has a squamous cell carcinoma in his mouth, he announced yesterday. While doctors believe his long-term prognosis is good, it is possible that the chemotherapy necessary to treat the cancer will deprive Achatz of his sense of taste.
House Panel Schedules Contempt Vote
Washington Post
|
Jul 24, 2007 9:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Congress is speeding toward a constitutional collision with the White House over the US attorney firings, the Washington Post reports. The House Judiciary Committee votes tomorrow on contempt citations against current chief of staff Joshua Bolten and ex-counsel Harriet Miers. President Bush has said he will challenge any attempt to prosecute them.
Report: US in Iraq 2 More Years
New York Times
|
Jul 24, 2007 7:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
US troops could remain in Iraq for at least 2 more years, despite a raging national debate about continued occupation, the New York Times reports. The top commander and American ambassador have detailed a strategy that envisions "localized security" in Baghdad within a year and a military role in the country until at least 2009.
Chavez Says He Will Expel Foreign Critics of Regime
Guardian (UK)
|
Jul 24, 2007 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hugo Chavez says he will expel any foreigner criticizing his regime from Venezuela, an apparent reaction to skeptical remarks by a Mexican politician who recently visited Caracas. The warning came in a 6-hour television address that suggests a drift away from democracy, the Guardian reports; a draft constitution due next month does away with presidential...
Jailed Medics Freed, Pardoned
BBC
|
Jul 24, 2007 7:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Six medics imprisoned by Libya on charges of infecting children with HIV are finally free today. EU officials struck a deal with Libya after years of negotiations, and the five nurses and one doctor were extradited to Bulgaria, where they were immediately pardoned by the Bulgarian president. In return, the EU will begin to normalize trade and political...
Minimum Wage Rises Today
USA Today
|
Jul 24, 2007 7:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After being frozen for a decade, the federal minimum wage jumps today from $5.15 to $5.85 an hour. It rises to $6.55 a year from today and to $7.25 when the hike is completed in 2009. The change affects only the 20 states that haven't already boosted their minimums, but opponents still worry it could hurt small businesses.
Lester Scores Victorious Return
Boston Globe
|
Jul 24, 2007 7:04 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In his first big-league start since being diagnosed with cancer last year, Boston lefty Jon Lester allowed only five hits in six innings on his way to a 6-2 win last night in Cleveland. The Sox staked the 23-year-old to a four-run lead, and Coco Crisp's four-run night helped secure the win for the AL East leaders.
Donaghy to Turn Himself In
USA Today
|
Jul 24, 2007 6:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The former NBA referee accused of betting on league games will turn himself in to federal authorities, but not until later this week, USA Today reports. The FBI says Tim Donaghy originally came under suspicion during organized-crime investigations, and officials speculate that the 13-year veteran likely wagered on games, including those he worked,...
YouTube Asks, Dems Respond
CNN
|
Jul 24, 2007 6:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Voters put questions directly to the Democratic presidential candidates last night, thanks to 3,000 citizens who submitted questions to YouTube. CNN selected and played 39 of the homemade videos, in which regular Americans—including a lesbian couple, a singer, and a snowman—created an unprecedented debate format. The candidates stayed on...
Polamalu Now Best-Paid Steeler
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
|
Jul 24, 2007 6:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Troy Polamalu became the highest-paid Steeler and the top-earning safety in the league yesterday, signing a five-year extension on the first day of Steelers training camp. The mild-mannered Samoan-American's ability to line up at multiple positions, knack for reading defenses, and wacky free-wheeling mentality have made him the lynchpin of the defense...
Vick Barred From Falcons Training Camp
Associated Press
|
Jul 24, 2007 6:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Atlanta quarterback MIchael Vick has been barred from the Falcons training camp by National Football Commissioner Roger Goodell until the league can review federal dogfighting charges against him. "While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility to determine whether your conduct violated...
Bancrofts Mull Murdoch Buyout
Reuters
|
Jul 24, 2007 6:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bancroft family met yesterday in Boston to consider Rupert Murdoch's $5B offer for Dow Jones, but is expected to take at least until Friday to vote on the deal, Reuters reports. Christopher Bancroft, who opposes the sale, showed up sporting a baseball cap with the words "Bite me" on it; he told reporters that the family hadn't reached...
Soda—Even Diet—Is Linked to Heart Risk
HealthDay News
|
Jul 24, 2007 5:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
People who drink more than one soda a day—even diet soda—face an increased risk of heart trouble, a new study has found. Consumption of soda was linked to metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms that are risk factors for heart disease, in a new analysis of the 6,000 participants in the Framingham Heart Study.
Drew Carey, Come on Down!
Variety
|
Jul 24, 2007 5:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
It's official: Drew Carey will be the next host of "The Price Is Right." For weeks he was rumored to be a favored finalist to replace Bob Barker; while filming the David Letterman show yesterday he confirmed that the deal was finalized. It's reportedly a multi-year agreement for a high seven-figure salary.
Falling Teen Sex Rates Stall
Washington Post
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After steadily dropping for a decade, the US teenage sex rate leveled off in 2001 and has stalled there since, according to a government study. What caused the halt in the trend is unclear, but it coincides with the beginning of increased funding for abstinence-only sex education and may reflect more relaxed attitudes among teens to the dangers of...
Injured Veterans Sue US
Reuters
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two veterans groups representing troops who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan are suing the US government for "shameful failures" in medical treatment, Reuters reports. The Department of Veterans Affairs is swamped with a backlog of 600,000 health claims and is "abandoning" soldiers returning home, the class-action suit contends.
Bonds Snubbed by Baseball Commish
MSNBC
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Just two blasts shy of Hank Aaron's all-time record, slugger Barry Bonds has a chance to become the new home run king in his own backyard. But Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has vowed not to attend Bonds' seven-game homestand in San Francisco that began last night—nor take part in his imminent coronation ceremony.
UK Floods Linked to Warming
Independent (UK)
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Central Britain is under water after record rains, and scientists are now saying that the heavy downfall is caused by man-made global warming. Britain's sodden summer, with swollen rivers, thousand homeless and water plants failing, has been caused by a southward shift of the jet stream. Not unprecedented, the Independent reports, but just what a...
US Envoy Won't Raise Fate of Imprisoned Americans
Bloomberg
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The fate of four Iranian-Americans imprisoned in Tehran won't come up in today's talks between the US and Iran for fear of scuttling the negotiations, Bloomberg reports. US ambassador Ryan Crocker will focus on Iraq and Iran's nuclear program in the Baghdad meeting, only the second direct talks between the two nations in 27 years.
Suspicion Dogs Tour Leader
Guardian (UK)
|
Jul 24, 2007 4:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen is "shrouded in suspicion" for failing to tell officials where he was during anti-doping tests, claims Brit cyclist David Millar. "It is unacceptable of a rider of his stature and responsibility," said Millar, who was himself once chastised for using performance enhancers.
Times Editor Slams Times for Failing to Cover ... Times
Reuters
|
Jul 23, 2007 6:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In an attention-getting column in yesterday's Times , public editor Clark Hoyt criticized the paper for failing to report on its own business challenges, thereby avoiding conflict with the publisher. Hoyt, who is charged with representing the interests of readers, wrote that the Times has hit a "rough patch," with revenues and profits...
Starbucks Orders Up a Price Hike
Associated Press
|
Jul 23, 2007 6:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With the cost of energy and dairy soaring, Starbucks will hike prices for the second time in less than a year at the end of the month. The 3% jump means an average 9-cent increase for coffees, lattes, and Frappuccinos, the AP reports. The hike applies to company-owned stores; licensed operators usually follow suit, a spokesman tells the Seattle Post-Intelligencer....
Companies Cash In on Food Scare
BusinessWeek
|
Jul 23, 2007 6:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The contaminated-import crisis, set off when potentially dangerous products from China turned up on the shelves of pet stores, supermarkets, and drugstores, has meant bigger profits for clever companies. BusinessWeek looks at several strategies: using only fresh, local ingredients in premium products; finding ingredients from somewhere other than...
Cheney Book Offers Rare Bits of Candor
Raw Story
|
Jul 23, 2007 5:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dick Cheney makes jokes about his own penchant for secrecy in a new biography due out tomorrow by journalist Stephen Hayes, Raw Story reports. The veep makes a rare admission of error, confessing to Hayes that the appointment of the Coalition Provisional Authority in the early stages of the war, rather than a provisional government of Iraqis, might...
President's Colon Polyps Benign: Docs
Associated Press
|
Jul 23, 2007 5:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The five polyps removed from President Bush during his Saturday colonoscopy were benign, the AP reports. Tony Snow said today that Bush's doctors had not expected to find any malignant growths, and he will undergo a colonoscopy again in 2010 rather than waiting the usual 5 years because of his history of polyp growth.
iPhone Security Flaw Exposed
New York Times
|
Jul 23, 2007 5:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A software vulnerability in the iPhone could allow hackers to commandeer the device and steal personal information, such as text messages and contacts, or even dial expensive calls, the New York Times reports. The hack works through either a WiFi connection or by steering users to a site containing malicious code that compromises the phone's Web...
Drug Recall Hurts Poor HIV Patients
New York Times
|
Jul 23, 2007 5:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In the wake of a drug recall by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, tens of thousands of AIDS patients in the developing world no longer have access to lifesaving medicine. Last month, Roche announced a recall of the drug Viracept, after finding a hazardous chemical in some batches. But in many countries, no cost-effective substitute is available.
Astronaut Takes Out the Trash, Into Space
Reuters
|
Jul 23, 2007 4:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A NASA astronaut hurled two large pieces of space junk—a 1,400-pound reservoir filled with ammonia and a 212-pound piece of video equipment—off the International Space Station and into the Earth's orbit today. NASA does not approve of space littering, Reuters reports, but the agency had no other option.
Merck News Gives Markets Shot in the Arm
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 23, 2007 4:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks rallied across the board today, after a number of major buyouts and earnings reports diverted traders' attentions from the foundering subprime market and an enervated dollar once again. The Dow was up 2.34 to 13943.42 after drug-maker Merck, a major component of the index, reported its best earnings since April, a far better result than expected.
