Newser Story Index from August, 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.
Your Credit's Good With God
Boston Herald
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Aug 27, 2007 1:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Franciscan friars have another deep question to ask their congregation: Paper or plastic? The brothers of St. Anthony's Shrine in Boston have installed a wireless kiosk allowing their flock to make contributions with credit or debit cards. The service is provided by SecureGive.com, created by a Georgia minister and his wife in an effort to keep up...
Tigers Edge Yanks 5-4
Detroit News
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Aug 27, 2007 1:18 AM CDT
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The Tigers paid a price for their dramatic 5-4 win over the Yankees yesterday. Curtis Granderson's in-the-park homer earned Detroit the win, but ace starter Jair Jurrjens—a key weapon in the Tigers' battle for the American League Central—went out early with an injury to his throwing shoulder and was lost to the 15-day disabled list.
Georgia Rules Little League
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Aug 26, 2007 6:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After a tough week for Georgia sports fans, a team of preteens from Warner Robins gave them something big to cheer about today, capturing the Little League World Series title with an extra-innings triumph over Japan in Williamsport, Pa. Dalton Carriker smacked a walkoff homer in the bottom of the eighth to give the US the 3-2 victory.
Is the Writing on the Wall for Letter Writing?
CNET
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Aug 26, 2007 6:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A quarter of teens call snail mail the most passé way to convey in 2007. But the great-granddaughter of an etiquette doyenne wants to rescue letters before the 'Net makes them extinct. She says ink on paper still carries “more weight” than email, not to mention leaving a permanent record. "Consider the 'Letters of Emily Dickinson,'”...
Battle Brews Over Burns' 'War'
San Francisco Chronicle
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Aug 26, 2007 6:47 PM CDT
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Words that start with “f-” and “s-” or end with “-hole” could spark fighting over a documentary that’s titled, appropriately, “The War.” PBS has a version of Ken Burns’ new film with expletives removed, but some stations want to show the real thing—even during FCC-patrolled hours of...
Puffin Love Flies High in Maine
Associated Press
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Aug 26, 2007 5:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Puffin-love is flying high in Maine, where hundreds of these penguin look-a-likes are lured by wooden decoys and given 24-hour protection, the AP reports. Supervisors endure screeching gulls and pooping dive-bombers to protect these finned waddlers and their nests. So just what are puffins? Birds that look like penguins, but live on the other end of...
10 Sweet Spots to Visit
Discovery News
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Aug 26, 2007 5:10 PM CDT
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Travel & Leisure takes you on a tour of a fun-food factories, where delights range from twisting your own pretzel to sampling donuts hot off the line. Some factory tours can even be experienced from home. Twinkie: Twinkies.com Tootsie Pop: Tootsie.com Ben and Jerry's: Waterbury, Vt.
So, You Need to Learn Swahili?
Portfolio
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Aug 26, 2007 5:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Get ready for your business trip or vacation with these programs recommended by Porfolio . Pimsleur Approach: 10-day courses offered in 40 languages. Rosetta Stone: Promises competence in 2 weeks in 30 languages. Teach Yourself: CDs and books offer 200 languages at varying speeds.
Plastic May Pose Next Big Threat to Economy
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 26, 2007 4:54 PM CDT
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The subprime mortgage crisis may spark another financial disaster: bad credit card debt. When rates hit 50-year lows, many owners borrowed against their homes to pay off high-interest credit cards. Now, with rates increasing, many may not be able to pay down both their mortgages and their credit cards, the Chicago Tribune reports, and will default...
Ann Romney Speaks Out... on Her Family
Boston Globe
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Aug 26, 2007 4:15 PM CDT
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Ann Romney’s image as a demure stay-at-home mom separates her from more "modern" First Lady aspirants – and solidifies Mitt's plan to coax Christian conservatives to the polls, the Boston Globe reports. “His message is going to be, 'Not only am I against abortion and gay marriage, but I practice what I preach," says...
It Really Is Too Good to Be True
Travel Leisure
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Aug 26, 2007 4:11 PM CDT
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You want to find a new place to stay/eat/visit, but how can you trust the online reviews when they could be faked by the owner? Travel + Leisure has a few suggestions for filtering out the self-interested imposters: Ad copy clichés like "affordable elegant serenity." Vague praise instead of specific anecdotes. ...
The C-Note Gets a Facelift
Washington Post
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Aug 26, 2007 3:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Even Ben Franklin has a little work done every now and then. The $100 bill, which bears the founding father's image, is undergoing a state-of-the-art redesign aimed at thwarting counterfeiters who target the C-note more than any other denomination, the AP reports. The new security thread utilizes microprinting and 650,000 tiny lenses per bill that...
Pols Slug It Out Over Iraq
Politico
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Aug 26, 2007 3:36 PM CDT
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Verbal bombs flew over the fate of US troops in Iraq this morning, heating up the debate as Congress awaits next month's troop surge report. John Warner, on “Meet the Press,” warned President Bush to “put teeth in these comments that we are not there forever” while Mitch McConnell reminded viewers that Dems coming back from...
US Median Home Price to Drop
New York Times
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Aug 26, 2007 3:08 PM CDT
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The median cost of an American home, now $220,000, is expected to drop this year for the first time since tracking began in 1950, reports the New York Times. The decline will be modest—1 to 2%—but could last into 2008 and 2009, meaning that, adjusting for inflation, homes aren't likely to return to their 2007 value for more than a decade.
Poor Pakistanis Sell Kidneys to Rich Foreigners
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 26, 2007 2:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In the village of Sultanpur More, Pakistan, hundreds of people have long purple scars in their sides from selling their kidneys—for as little as $1,700—to pay off debts and to make dowry payments, the Chicago Tribune reports. There are only a few countries that don't prohibit organ sales, and business here has increased since China...
'Superbad' Still Has Soul at Box Office
Variety
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Aug 26, 2007 2:39 PM CDT
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Movie fans are filling the last week before school starts by going to the flicks their friends liked: “Superbad,” “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “Rush Hour 3” kept drawing them in with the top 3 spots this week. Rowan Atkinson's “Mr. Bean's Holiday” took surprise swipes at other newcomers like the Jet Li...
Western US Awaits Total Lunar Eclipse
Space.com
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Aug 26, 2007 1:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Western US will get a celestial treat early Tuesday morning: a total lunar eclipse. Residents of the Western Hemisphere and eastern Asia will get at least a glimpse of the spectacle, but Europeans will miss out—the moon will be below the horizon. Space.com tells you how to make the most of the event, wherever you may be.
Gay Tops 100m Record-Holder to Claim Gold
Associated Press
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Aug 26, 2007 1:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
American Tyson Gay blazed past the world co-record holder in the last 20 meters of the 100m dash to take gold in the World Championships today in Tokyo. Jamaican Asafa Powell was faster out of the blocks, but "I panicked," he said. "I felt him coming on." Gay broke the tape in 9.85 seconds; Powell's 9.96 left him in third.
Passenger Restrained After Midair Attempt to Deplane
New York Post
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Aug 26, 2007 12:19 PM CDT
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A redeye flight from Denver to New York took a frightening turn yesterday when a passenger leaped from his seat and tried to open the rear door of a Frontier Airlines jet. Flight attendants and passengers then restrained the man by strapping him to his seat with duct tape. A source tells the Post the 35-year-old is mentally ill.
'People's Army' Dominates Iran's Economy
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 26, 2007 11:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which the White House is on the cusp of labeling a terrorist organization, is an economic and political behemoth. The well-connected force has ties to more than 100 companies, dominates the construction industry, is in charge of developing Teheran's subway system, and even runs hospitals. The LA Times takes a look.
DNC Bars Fla. Delegates from '08 Convention
Washington Post
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Aug 26, 2007 10:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hoping to make an example of Florida in the escalating competition for ever-earlier primary dates, the DNC voted yesterday to strip the state of its delegates to next year's nominating convention, the Washington Post reports. Florida can regain its delegates if it reschedules its primary, currently set for January 29, within 30 days.
They're In UR Computer, Fuelin a Trend
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 26, 2007 10:00 AM CDT
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From humble origins—a photo of a hungry feline—the website "I Can Haz Cheezburger" has grown into a hot destination, seeding the Web with "LOLcats" and appalling grammar and spelling. The Journal tracks down founder Eric Nakagawa, who was out of work when inspiration struck and says the site now generates "more...
Greek Fires Continue to Rage
Reuters
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Aug 26, 2007 9:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Greece is under a state of emergency as rampant fires continue to torch villages and threaten the vicinity of historic Olympia, Reuters reports. At least 51 are dead and thousands have fled their homes from a swath of flame that spread over 100 miles. PM Costas Karamanlis blames arsonists, and two individuals have been arrested so far.
Keep Your Hot Dog Happy and Healthy
MSNBC
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Aug 26, 2007 8:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
They never complain, so it's easy to forget that the smallest members of the family may be suffering in the hot weather, too. Make sure your dog stays healthy with these tips from MSNBC: Coat ears and noses (or the whole body of a light-colored short-hair) with sunscreen.
Post-Surge, Iraq Death Toll Mounts
Associated Press
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Aug 26, 2007 7:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The average daily war-related death toll in Iraq has soared to 62 this year, up from 33 in 2006, and Baghdad is less perilous now than it was before the troop surge—but about as dangerous as it was a year ago. In a foreshadowing of next month's progress report, an AP analysis shows violence escalating outside the Iraqi capital.
Star Light, Star Bright
USA Today
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Aug 26, 2007 7:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
There's no better season than summer for sleeping outdoors under the stars. Get your fill of the Big Dipper at USA Today 's ideal star-gazing spots: Assateague Island National Seashore, Md./Va. Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah Big Bend National Park, Texas
6th Hole Shows No Signs of Life
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2007 9:45 PM CDT
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The last hole drilled into the collapsed Utah mine where six men are trapped yielded no hopeful sign today; the space it reached was too small to support the men, a lawyer for some of the families told the press. "The only thing they told us is there is no void where the sixth hole is; there is no space," he told the AP after a meeting with...
Alcohol May Lower Risk of Kidney Cancer
Reuters
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Aug 25, 2007 5:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Adding to the cacophony of conflicting recommendation about alcohol consumption, a new study finds that drinking two or more glasses of red wine might reduce your risk of kidney cancer. In a study comparing the drinking habits of kidney cancer patients to others, red-wine drinkers had 40% lower risk than non-drinkers, with white wine and strong beer...
Street Sense Captures Travers
Times Union (Albany)
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Aug 25, 2007 5:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense triumphed in the "Midsummer Derby" today at Saratoga, holding off longshot Grasshopper to capture the $1 million Travers Stakes by a half-length. The superstar 3-year-old, under regular rider Calvin Borel, paid $2.70 to win after the crowd at the sweltering Spa sent him off as the 1-4 favorite.
Hot Air Balloon Bursts Into Flames, Kills 2
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2007 5:21 PM CDT
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A hot air balloon went up in flames last night over Western Canada, killing two and injuring 11. The balloon erupted into a fireball as it was preparing to launch, but broke free of its tethers as passengers jumped off. They leaped from the burning balloon with their clothes on fire as their families looked on in horror, the AP reports. "It's...
Scribe Says Bye to Cool Tabloid
Salon
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Aug 25, 2007 5:13 PM CDT
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Gone is the tabloid that claimed "February Sues for More Days" and "Hide-and-Seek Player Found After 34 Years," but what becomes of its writers? At least one is still missing his calling as an inventor of comedy-news. In Salon , Stan Sinberg recalls how he conceived tall tales for the Weekly World News for 3 years, a calling...
It's not HBO— It's Showtime
Esquire
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Aug 25, 2007 4:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
HBO was the network that was going to transcend television—and it did. But if you canceled your HBO subscription after the "Sopranos' " annoyingly ambiguous conclusion, Esquire has a suggestion to full the gap in your premium cable lineup. Showtime has been pushing the envelope with shows like "Weeds" and "Dexter."
Has Wiki Replaced the College Library?
Ars Technica
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Aug 25, 2007 3:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Contrary to expectations, college students are not rushing online for answers to research assignments. A new survey shows only 3% of undergraduates with research tasks went to Wikipedia first and only 13% tried search engines. The largest number, 40%, turned to course materials first and 23% sought out the library.
Shops Closed in Iran for Giving 'Un-Islamic' Do's
AFP
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Aug 25, 2007 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Western or unconventional styles are officially out in Iran, where police shuttered over a dozen barbershops in the past 2 weeks for giving “un-Islamic” haircuts. Such practices are forbidden thanks to an edict issued in April through the barber’s union. Eleven salons for women were also closed for license violations, including tattooing,...
DMX Hounded by Dog Abuse Claims
MTV
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Aug 25, 2007 3:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Authorities seized 12 distressed pit bulls and a large cache of weapons from the Arizona home of rapper DMX yesterday, MTV says, after receiving a tip that the dogs were housed in inhumane conditions. The hip-hop star, whose real name is Earl Simmons, wasn’t home at the time of the raid, but officials said they would like to question him.
Top Thrills for Your Holiday Buck
Forbes
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Aug 25, 2007 3:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Timid vacationers whose idea of a good time is a book and a beach chair need not peruse this list of adventures, compiled by Forbes . Dive with sharks in the Bahamas (cagediver.com) Fly a fighter jet in California (incredible-adventures.com) High-altitude skydiving in Memphis (halojumper.com )
Activists, Washington Cross Swords over Terror List
Washington Post
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Aug 25, 2007 3:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Activists are battling Washington over a list that tagged some 20,000 people as suspected terrorists last year, the Washington Post reports. Yet only a fraction of them were arrested, prompting critics to doubt the list’s value. Cases of a civil rights activist held for hours and a Cleveland resident detained repeatedly for unnamed “national...
China to Punish Parents Who Abort Girls
BBC
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Aug 25, 2007 2:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
China is designing new rules to stop parents from aborting female fetuses, the BBC reports. Parents are currently allowed only one child and often abort girls, worried that they won't be able to support the family. This back-room practice is creating a growing gender imbalance: Now Beijing plans stricter punishments on doctors and parents who engage...
Ang Lee's 'Lust' Too Hot for Hollywood
Hollywood Reporter
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Aug 25, 2007 1:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Focus Features says it will stand by Ang Lee and his racy new war flick “Lust, Caution,” even though a movie trade group branded the film NC-17. The film industry's Scarlet Letter could cost the pic audiences, ad dollars, and theater distribution, but Focus CEO James Schamus said he won’t “change a frame” to satisfy the...
Ridiculed Edsel Gains Traction
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 25, 2007 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Ford Edsel, a symbol of commercial failure since its release 50 years ago, is finding a niche among admiring collectors, the LA Times reports. With only an estimated 5 or 6,000 left on the market since the line was discontinued in 1960, many are fetching high prices at auction—one rare model went for a record $184,000.
Condo Crash Is Just Beginning
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 25, 2007 11:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mortgage lenders are about to be hit with another wave of foreclosures and bankruptcies, the Journal reports, as the crisis kicks in in condo market. Because buildings take years to complete, even after buyers have signed contracts, the effect of declining property values and tight credit are slower to talk effect than in single-family homes. ...
30 Dead in India Bombings
Reuters
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Aug 25, 2007 11:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Three bombings today at crowded public places in a southern Indian metropolis killed at least 34 people and wounded 60 more, the Reuters reports. An Indian minister said the explosions that detonated minutes apart in Hyderabad were terrorism. Two ripped through an amusement park during a laser show, and the other rocked a crowded market area.
Women Have Been Falling for Brad Pitt Types for 2.6M Years
LiveScience
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Aug 25, 2007 10:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The facial proportions of the average hot guy haven't changed much throughout human evolutionary history, finds a new study that compares contemporary human skulls with skulls from 2.6 million years ago. Women have been selecting for males with short, broad faces—think Brad Pitt and Will Smith—since the dawn of man, and chimps do...
DNC Threatens to Ban Florida From '08 Convention
Washington Post
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Aug 25, 2007 10:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A pugnacious Democratic National Committee is taking direct aim at Florida today, scheduling a vote on whether the state should be punished for pushing its primary up to Jan. 29, the Washington Post reports. Party rules prohibit any primary before Feb. 5; the penalty would be barring Florida delegates to the party's '08 convention in Denver.
Midwest Threatened by Continued Flooding
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2007 9:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Heavy flooding continues to beset the Midwest, with the prospect of even more rain looming, the AP reports. In northern Illinois, 143,000 are still without power since storms hit Thursday. Rain has stopped, but flooding is still a danger for hundreds of thousands of people near swollen creeks and rivers; some rivers are approaching 50-year levels.
11 Top Italian Cooking Schools
Food & Wine
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Aug 25, 2007 8:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Savor that Italian vacation by taking a short course at one these cooking schools, highly recommended by Food & Wine magazine: Cucina con Vista, Florence Castello Banfi–Il Borgo, Montalcino Italian Food Artisans, Montepulciano
Lay Judges to Join Bench in Japan
Bloomberg
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Aug 25, 2007 8:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Japan will give citizens the gavel in an effort to counteract its judicial system’s prejudice for presuming guilt. Six citizens and three trained jurists will sit on criminal cases, and the majority will rule, Bloomberg reports. The new system follows a clamor of criticism about forced confessions, inhumane treatment of death row inmates and...
Fires Kill 41 Across Greece
Associated Press
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Aug 25, 2007 7:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Forest fires raged uncontrolled across southern Greece for a second day today as the death toll from the blaze reached 41, including some children. Authorities suspect arsonists are to blame for at least some of the 170 fires, many of which have started after dark and away from other burning areas, the AP reports. Greece's PM is chairing an emergency...
Iraq Detainees Swell by 50%
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2007 7:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Since the January troop surge the number of detainees held by the American military in Iraq has increased by 50%, reports the New York Times . The overwhelming majority of those in custody, nearly 85%, are Sunni. And while Jihadism drives some Iraqi insurgents to plant roadside bombs, for many there is a far less ideological motivation: money.
Students Win $2.85M on SATs
New York Times
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Aug 25, 2007 6:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Students who took the SAT exam in 2005 and received incorrect scores have settled a class-action lawsuit with the test makers to the tune of $2.85 million, the New York Times reports. Over 4,000 students who sat the examination received scores that were artificially low—as much as 450 points out of 2,400—because their answer sheets had...
