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.
Lohan Escapes Drug-Possession Charges
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 6:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Lindsay Lohan scored a lucky break today when LA County authorities decided not to bring felony drug-possession charges against the actress in two DUI arrests. She faces seven misdemeanors—including being under the influence of cocaine—but police decided the amounts of coke found at the crime scenes either were negligible or couldn't be...
Women Overtake Men Online
Guardian (UK)
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Aug 23, 2007 5:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
British women aged 25 to 49 are spending more time online than men for the first time ever, a significant shift that may reverberate across the Web, the Guardian reports. The stereotype of youth ruling cyberspace also takes a hit in a new study—people over 65 average 42 hours a month online, compared to 35 for teens.
GOP Senator: Start Bringing Troops Home
CNN
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Aug 23, 2007 5:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a significant break from his previous support for the White House's Iraq policy, John Warner said today wants to see some US troops home by Christmas. The influential ex-chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee has opposed Democratic attempts to force withdrawal, CNN reports, but now says a partial pullout "would get everyone's attention."
Iconic Baby, Now a Teen, Feels 'Creepy'
MTV
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Aug 23, 2007 5:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
One of rock music’s most famous cover subjects is a little leery of his past. Spencer Elden was 3 months old when he appeared naked as a money-grubbing underwater baby on Nirvana’s Nevermind; now he says the photo, on an album that sold tens of millions of copies, may make him “the world’s biggest porn star,” MTV News...
Stocks Stall Amid Continued Anxiety
MarketWatch
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Aug 23, 2007 4:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Dow dipped a quarter-point to close at 13,235.88 today as investors continue to fret over the possibility of a Fed interest rate cut. The S&P 500 dropped 1.57 to 1,462.5, and the Nasdaq fell 11.10 to 2,541.70. Home Depot led the retreat; shares fell fell 2.2% on news that the sale of one of its divisions is in trouble.
Wallace Assailant Earns Release
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 4:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The man who shot George Wallace in 1972 and later called him a "segregationist dinosaur" will be released from prison later this year after serving 35 years of a 53-year sentence, the AP reports. The Alabama governor was forced to drop out of the presidential race after a bullet fired by Arthur Bremer, now 57, left his legs paralyzed.
Missing Link in Pneumonia Deaths Found
Reuters
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Aug 23, 2007 4:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Many pneumonia patients die despite receiving treatment, and a new study finds that an infectious toxin unaffected by antibiotics can cause the deaths. One of the researchers involved in the study, published in the journal Immunity , tells Reuters that scientists are working to find a treatment for sometimes-fatal bleeding in the lungs that current...
Financial Woes Crucial Issue in '08 Election
Politico
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Aug 23, 2007 3:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A new poll of AARP members shows that financial security will be a big factor in how 90% will vote in early 2008 presidential primaries, the Politico reports. Though many of the 5,000 potential voters aren't familiar with candidates' positions on financial and health issues, one pollster says, more than half are willing to base decisions on the candidates'...
2 More Injured at Ground Zero Building
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 3:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Two New York firefighters were injured today by scaffolding falling from the Deutsche Bank building near ground zero, the AP reports. The incident came less than a week after a fire at the skyscraper across the street from the World Trade Center site claimed the lives of two other firefighters. WNBC reports that today's victims sustained serious head...
FDA Eyes New Sunscreen Labels
Reuters
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Aug 23, 2007 2:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The FDA is proposing new regulations for sunscreen labels, added a rating for protection from skin cancer as well as sunburn. Current sunscreen ratings for SPF—sun protection factor—cover only ultraviolet "B" rays, which cause sunburn. The FDA wants to start testing and rating products for ultraviolet "A" rays as well,...
Murder, She IMed
Wired
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Aug 23, 2007 2:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A married 45-year-old former marine carried on a tempestuous IM relationship with an 18-year-old girl. Thomas Montgomery pretended to be an young sniper in Iraq to win the heart of Jessi. When the deceit was exposed, she took up—online—with a younger friend of his. A jealous Montgomery shot and killed his rival. Neither man had ever met...
Redheads Wave Goodbye
Daily Mail (UK)
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Aug 23, 2007 2:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Across the globe, true redheads are declining in number and may soon be gone altogether. More human intermingling has lessened redhead coupling, the Daily Mail reports, and carrot-tops may be no more as soon as 2060. Some scientists make less dire predictions, according to National Geographic, and say the ginger gene won’t fall out of the...
Intelligence Community Doubts Iraqi Leadership
CNN
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Aug 23, 2007 2:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A National Intelligence Estimate released today reveals that the US intelligence community doubts Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki has the ability to lead the country effectively, CNN reports. Coming one day after President Bush defended Maliki in a speech, the report by US intelligence agencies also expresses worry over a possible large-scale, coordinated...
Advertisers Will Soon Be Facebooking You, Too
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 23, 2007 1:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Facebook is at work on a way to sell ads based on information users and their friends post on the site, the Wall Street Journal reports. A basic version of the service could launch this fall, and the social-networking titan eventually might allow marketers to predict products and services users may be interested in before they specifically request...
Letting It All Hang Out? Bill Would Put It All Back In
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Aug 23, 2007 12:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Young men will want to hike up their sagging pants, and women cover up bra straps and exposed thongs if Atlanta’s City Council adopts a proposal to amend the city’s indecency laws, the Journal-Constitution reports. The measure, which would fine violators for exposing boxer shorts, thongs and bras, is discriminatory and won't stand up...
'Fido,' 'Kitty' Fall Out of Favor
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 23, 2007 11:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Stumped about what to name the newest member of the family? The Tribune shares Veterinary Pet Insurance's list of its 450,000 clients' top dog and cat names. Top dog names: Max Molly Buddy
Iraq Electric Grid Seized by Militias
New York Times
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Aug 23, 2007 11:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Large swaths of Iraq's power grid have fallen under the control of armed militias, the New York Times reports. The balkanization of power stations worsens an already fragile situation in which insurgents blow up power lines and leave Baghdad without power at the height of a 110-degree summer.
Brady's Ex Starts Her Bunch
Boston Herald
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Aug 23, 2007 10:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Actress Bridget Moynahan gave birth to a baby boy last night, and ex-boyfriend Tom Brady was at her side in LA to kick off his parenting career. The New England Patriots quarterback and the movie star split last November, and Moynahan announced she was pregnant early this year, the Boston Herald reports.
Vick's Pit Bulls Could Face Euthanasia
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 10:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The 53 pit bulls seized from Michael Vick's property must be claimed today—otherwise they could be euthanized. A spokeswoman for PETA claims rehabilitation isn't an option for ex-fighting dogs. "It's widely accepted that euthanasia is the most humane thing for them," she said.
Exiled Ex-PM Allowed to Return to Pakistan
BBC
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Aug 23, 2007 10:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Former PM Nawaz Sharif may return to Pakistan from exile, the country’s Supreme Court ruled today, dealing another blow president Pervez Musharraf. Sharif had already declared his intentions to challenge the "dictatorship" of Musharraf, who deposed Sharif in a 1999 coup, in upcoming elections. But Sharif, the BBC reports, could still...
SpongeBob? Not You, Too!
Reuters
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Aug 23, 2007 9:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Some 300,000 more toys and other children's items made in China have been recalled due to safety concerns about lead. That includes 250,000 SpongeBob journals and address books with lead paint on the metal bindings. The journals, imported by privately held Martin Designs Inc., were sold in US stores from June 2006 to July 2007—for about $2.
World Markets Climb After Countrywide Stock Sale
Bloomberg
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Aug 23, 2007 9:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Markets climbed worldwide after Bank of America invested $2 billion in Countrywide, giving the mortgage lender a desperately needed injection of cash and proving some appetite is left as subprime mortgages continue to rot. Barclays in the U.K., Mitsubishi in Japan, and Countrywide itself in Europe all saw major gains. "It's a significant vote...
US Will Screen Charity Workers for Terror Ties
Washington Post
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Aug 23, 2007 9:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A new Bush administration plan will require personnel of some charities and NGOs to register with the government to ensure they are not associated with terrorists. The Washington Post reports that organizations that receive funding from the Agency for International Development will have to provide the phone numbers and e-mail addresses for officers,...
Texas Executes 400th Inmate
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 8:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Texas has executed its 400th inmate since reinstating the death penalty 25 years ago, putting a convicted murderer to death by lethal injection last night. Johnny Ray Conner is the 21st prisoner to be sent to death this year, with three more slated to follow next week. Capital punishment opponents voiced their opposition—even EU officials urged...
FAA Chief Bails for Lobby Group
Washington Post
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Aug 23, 2007 8:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The top official of the Federal Aviation Administration is quitting to lead one of Washington's most powerful lobbying organizations. Marion C. Blakey will head the Aerospace Industries Association, whose members include Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and most of the rest of the heavy hitters in civil and military aviation, and space...
MySpace, MTV Team Up to Grill Candidates
San Francisco Chronicle
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Aug 23, 2007 8:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
MySpace and MTV will team up to host a series of live discussions with individual presidential contenders, Reuters reports. Held on college campuses, the hour-long sessions will offer questions from the audience as well as those submitted during the event by IM or text message. John Edwards will be the first to be grilled, on Sept. 27.
Credit Jitters May Put KKR Offering on Ice
Times (UK)
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Aug 23, 2007 7:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Times of London claims that buyout firm KKR has postponed plans for a $1.25B float and a public listing because of the fallout from turbulent credit markets. The company had planned its IPO this September but has reportedly pulled back due to waning investor confidence following the subprime collapse. KKR, however, claims that the IPO is continuing...
US Visa Logjam Triggers Reverse Brain Drain
AFP
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Aug 23, 2007 7:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Just as the US tightens immigration controls, a huge backlog in processing visas for legal migrants is causing a "reverse brain drain," forcing sought-after scientists, engineers, doctors and entrepreneurs to return to their home countries, according to a report released yesterday. One million would-be immigrants are competing for only 120,000...
More Flooding Ravages Midwest
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 7:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Ohio towns were turned into lakes as some of the worst flooding in a century spread across the Midwest yesterday, displacing hundreds of people, reports the AP . Locals in the town on Findlay, Ohio, not far from the Indiana border, navigated the submerged streets in canoes as firefighters and volunteers rescued stranded residents. The Ohio governor...
Bank of America Bails Out Countrywide
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 23, 2007 6:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Countrywide came back from the brink yesterday as Bank of America bought $2 billion in preferred stock in the mortgage company, writes the Los Angeles Times . Countrywide's share price soared in after-hours trading, only a week after the credit crunch brought it to the point of bankruptcy.
Racket Raised Over Lopsided US Open
New York Times
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Aug 23, 2007 6:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The US Open is sparking controversy even before it begins because of complaints that the women's tournament structure is conspicuously lopsided with all the best players in the top bracket. "We got all the heavy hitters up top," said analyst Mary Jo Fernandez. Fans argue that the finalist from that top half will be unfairly exhausted...
Rivals Attack Rudy's Record as NY Mayor
New York Times
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Aug 23, 2007 6:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani uses his tenure as New York mayor as a badge of courage as he campaigns for the White House, but now his record is being turned against him. Attack ads by GOP rival Mitt Romney portray Giuliani's New York as "sanctuary city" for illegals, while would-contender Fred Thompson blasts this administration's efforts to sue gun manufacturers...
Sex, Please; We're Grandparents
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 23, 2007 5:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
US grandparents are enjoying sex nearly as often as younger generations, concludes a surprising new study. Even couples in the 75-to-85-year age range reported having sex at least twice a month, with a quarter enjoying sex at least once a week. When there is a drop off in activity, it's more likely related to health problems or lack of a partner than...
Top Banks Borrow $2B From Fed
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 23, 2007 5:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
America's biggest banks—Citigroup, Bank of America, J.P.Morgan Chase and Wachovia— have borrowed a total of $2 billion from the Federal Reserve at the government's so-called discount window. It's an attempt to shore up the faltering credit markets by encouraging smaller banks to borrow from the Fed without stigma, the Wall Street Journal...
Pakistani Court Frees Terror Suspects
Times (UK)
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Aug 23, 2007 4:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Dozens of Pakistani terror suspects have been released from jail without trial following orders from the nation's supreme court that they be freed. The bold move by the judiciary against President Musharraf's tenuous rule is bound to elicit protests from the US and Britain. The most notorious prisoner released is Al-Qaeda suspect Mohammed Naeem Noor...
Rescue Workers Will Bore One Last Hole
Los Angeles Times
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Aug 23, 2007 3:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Workers will bore a final hole in a bid to locate six miners lost in a Utah mine, but if that fails, the operation will be halted and the mine closed as a kind of memorial tomb, the owner said yesterday. "We're not going to risk more live people to get dead bodies," said Bob Murray. Three rescue workers died in a collapse last week.
Sales Rocket for Morning-After Pill
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 3:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sales of the morning-after pill have zoomed since it became available over the counter last year, but conservative activists are still lobbying to block it from pharmacy shelves. The federal Food and Drug Administration ruled in 2006 that the pill, marketed under the name Plan B, be made available without a prescription to customers 18 and older .
Grandpa, 59, Rejoins NCAA College Team
Associated Press
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Aug 23, 2007 3:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After being kicked off his Sul Ross State football squad 37 years ago, 59-year-old Mike Flynt is returning to the lineup. The grandfather earned a spot on the Division III Texas team and is slated to start next month. The one-time star was booted off his senior year after getting into too many fistfights--a fate he's regretted for years.
Manning Calls Truce in Barber Feud
USA Today
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Aug 23, 2007 3:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Giants quarterback Eli Manning insists he's no longer feuding with NBC commentator and former teammate Tiki Barber, who recently criticized Manning for lacking leadership skills. "I'm fine with Tiki," Manning said yesterday. "I'll end it here. Hopefully, when we see each other — and we will — it won't be awkward, because...
Reality Bytes: Bobbies Bust Wi-Fi Squatter
BBC
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Aug 23, 2007 3:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
London bobbies took a byte out of an internet surfer's liberty yesterday when they tossed him in jail for freeloading on someone else's wireless network. "This arrest should act as a warning to anyone who thinks it is acceptable to illegally use other people's broadband connections," admonished a detective.
World on Brink of New Epidemic: WHO
BBC
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Aug 23, 2007 3:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A new global epidemic is likely on the horizon with fresh diseases cropping up at a record pace and billions of air travelers in motion to spread an illness with alarming speed, the World Health Organization warned yesterday. The AIDS or Ebola of tomorrow could be just around the corner unless countries cooperate to prevent outbreaks, said the United...
Rangers Rack Up Record 30 Runs
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 9:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Rangers punished the Orioles 30-3 last night in MLB's first 30-run performance in 110 years, the AP reports. Though short of the big-league record for most runs in a game--Chicago routed Louisville 36-7 on Jun 28, 1897--Texas' mark is the best in American League history. The Rangers' 29 hits were also the most since the Brewers smashed 31 on Aug...
Dukakis to Dems: Make 'Chemistry'
New York Observer
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Aug 22, 2007 8:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Dukakis compares today’s political climate to the time of his own downfall in 1988, when George Bush Sr. overcame a 17-point deficit and whipped him 426-to-112 in the electoral college. Refusing to feel comfortable with the Dems’ advantage, Dukakis told the New York Observer that "We have to organize every damn precinct in...
Some Sarkozy Lost in Translation
BBC
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Aug 22, 2007 8:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The French president’s “love handles” got a makeover this week when Paris Match Photoshopped them down to size in pics from his US holiday. An otherwise manly bare-chested shot of Sarkozy canoeing with his son shows his stomach to be distinctly slimmer than in Reuter’s original photo. Another French mag amused its readership...
Shooting Report Levels No Blame at Virginia Tech
CNN
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Aug 22, 2007 7:17 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Virginia Tech's response to the April shootings that left 33 dead got a free pass in an internal review today, CNN reports. Although the university should improve its communications systems and means of monitoring troubled students, the report says, it found no fault with how school officials and police handled the incident. The spree was the worst...
How to Shut Protesters Up: A White House Guidebook
Washington Post
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Aug 22, 2007 6:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A lawsuit sparked by two protesters wearing anti-Bush T-shirts has forced the White House to reveal its guidebook on dealing with dissenters, the Washington Post reports. The manual calls for a "protest area" separate from event sites and roaming "rally squads" to drown out demonstrators who infiltrate the audience. Chants of...
Rain, Flooding Now Dean's Biggest Threat
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2007 6:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Hurricane Dean hit Mexico again today and poured heavy rains over flood-prone regions, the AP reports. Nobody died in the onslaught, which struck as a Category 2 hurricane and weakened into a tropical storm by evening. But Dean is raising water levels and fears of mudslides and flash floods as winds continue to howl near 70 miles per hour.
Tips for Beating the Heat
MSNBC
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Aug 22, 2007 6:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Everyone needs a little vitamin D, but sunburn (or, worse, heatstroke) is no fun. Protect yourself and your family with these tips from MSNBC: Drink up! Plan on 1 gallon of water per person per day. Smear on the sunblock and slap on a hat. Wear breathable fabrics, like cotton or linen, in light colors.
Group Drops $15M on Pro-Surge Campaign
Politico
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Aug 22, 2007 5:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Launched today by ex-White House PR man Ari Fleischer and a laundry list of pro-Bush bigwigs, a new group called Freedom's Watch has spent $15 million on ads to support the president's troop surge in Iraq, Politico reports. The group aims to fill a conservative "vacuum" ahead of September's report on the surge, doing for the GOP what MoveOn...
Bill Murray's Perfect Day Ruined
People
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Aug 22, 2007 5:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Bill Murray stole a scene out of “Caddyshack” today by admitting to driving a golf cart through downtown Sweden while under the influence. When cops pulled him over, the lively thespian refused to take a breathalyzer test but did sign a statement admitting he had been drinking. Police said they had no idea how his new vehicle “ended...
