Newser Story Index from September, 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.
Vietnam Bridge Collapse Kills 60
Reuters
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Sep 26, 2007 12:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As many as 60 workers were killed today when a bridge under construction in the southern Vietnamese city of Can Tho collapsed, Reuters reports. Chinese and Japanese contractors were working on the bridge over the Hau river; Vietnamese TV reported that rain might have softened the bridge's foundations, though no official explanation has been given.
Getty to Return Art; Italians Drop Charges
Los Angeles Times
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Sep 26, 2007 11:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Following the outlines of a deal struck in August, the Getty Museum formally pledged yesterday to return to Italy 40 works from its collection. As a result of the agreement, which repatriates such masterpieces as an Aphrodite from the 5th century BC, Italian authorities dropped civil charges against Getty curator Marion True. Her criminal trial for...
4th Grade Math Scores Add Up
USA Today
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Sep 26, 2007 11:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American elementary school students have improved their math skills considerably, with 20% more fourth graders scoring "proficient" on standardized math tests than in 1990, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Reading skills show more modest gains. The number of students scoring proficient in reading has increased...
Karzai Defies Legislators' Call to Sack Minister
New York Times
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Sep 26, 2007 11:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Afghanistan's government is at the breaking point, as President Hamid Karzai continues to defy the legislature's wishes to remove the country's foreign minister. Four months into the standoff, the New York Times reports, the president's opponents have threatened either to boycott Parliament or quit government altogether.
Bonds' 756 Ball Headed to Hall*
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 11:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 756th home run ball will be branded with the asterisk many fans think his record deserves. Fans decided the ball's fate after fashion designer Marc Ecko bought the ball for $752,467, and put it up for vote. The asterisk won out over sending the ball to the Hall of Fame unmarked or launching it into outer space, the...
State Dept. Stonewalls Blackwater Investigation
Los Angeles Times
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Sep 26, 2007 10:54 AM CDT
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Documents revealed yesterday show that the State Department ordered Blackwater USA, the private security firm accused of shooting Iraqi civilians last week, not to disclose information about its Iraq operations without White House approval. The State Department order has interfered with a congressional probe into Blackwater, angering the reps investigating...
5 Monks Killed by Burma Police
BBC
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Sep 26, 2007 10:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Five monks are reported dead and many are wounded after riot police fired at pro-democracy demonstrators, beat them with rifle butts and arrested more than 100 today in continuing protests in Yangong, Myanmar. Security forces surrounded six monasteries; as monks approached troops fired tear gas and live rounds over the protesters' heads, and...
Episcopalians Affirm Gay Rights Stand
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 10:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Episcopal leaders wrapping up their meeting in New Orleans yesterday pledged to “exercise restraint” in selecting gay bishops and blessing same-sex marriages, but declined to disavow either practice. The move was designed to appease Anglicans, who sought a ban. “This is a ‘try to keep your foot in the door’ maneuvering...
O'Reilly's Rant Wasn't His Imus Moment
New York Times
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Sep 26, 2007 9:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The firestorm over Bill O'Reilly's statement that a Harlem restaurant was "exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks" may be overblown, writes New York Times blogger Mike Nizza. While liberal groups are gleefuly taking aim, Nizza says the conservative pundit was recounting a conversion and guilty of no more than being a sheltered...
Hackers to Re-Lock iPhones
CNET
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Sep 26, 2007 9:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When Apple warned Monday that unlocked iPhones would be destroyed by an upcoming software update—and that the hacked phones wouldn't be covered by the warranty—the hackers who made the tools to unlock the phones in the first place got to work. Yesterday the iPhone Dev Team said they will soon release a tool for restoring iPhones to their...
GM, UAW Deal Is Turning Point for Detroit
Wall Street Journal
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Sep 26, 2007 8:55 AM CDT
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The agreement General Motors and the UAW reached early this morning, after a 2-day walkout, could make a significant difference in Detroit's long, losing battle with foreign competitors who enjoy lower labor costs, the Wall Street Journal reports. GM successfully offloaded spiraling medical costs by forming a union-controlled trust, and won the right...
Possible Maddy Photo Surfaces
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 26, 2007 8:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Spaniard on holiday in Morocco has introduced the latest twist in the Madeleine McCann case: A blurry photo in which a similar-looking blond girl peeks around the woman carrying her on her back, almost as if to say "Help me." The photo, snapped at about 200 meters three weeks ago, is the first photographic evidence in a series of reported...
Breast Cancer Death Rates Continue to Drop
Reuters
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Sep 26, 2007 7:36 AM CDT
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Breast cancer mortality rates have continued to drop 2% a year, according to the latest statistics from the American Cancer Society. Diagnoses also fell 3.7% annually, both because fewer women were on hormone therapy which could have triggered more cases and because 2% fewer women were getting mammograms, preventing diagnosis, according to figures...
Power-Sharing Deal in Pakistan All but Lost
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 26, 2007 6:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The showdown over the political future of Gen. Pervez Musharraf took another turn today as the party of Benazir Bhutto threatened to boycott presidential elections and quit parliament. The Guardian writes that Bhutto, who was set to strike a power-sharing deal with Musharraf, is angry that the president has not yet given up his role as head of the...
Security Firm: AIM Is Fatally Flawed
PC World
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Sep 26, 2007 6:10 AM CDT
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Hackers could exploit a glitch in AOL's instant messaging program and take control of users' computers , a security firm reports. Core Security discovered that the way AIM uses HTML code provides a loophole for hijacking PCs, via a web link that implants a self-copying worm. AOL says it has solved the problem; Core claims the solution doesn't go far...
Manny Returns, Sox Win
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 6:08 AM CDT
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Manny Ramirez returned to the Red Sox last night, getting a hit and scoring a run in a crucial 7-3 win over the Oakland A's. Hours later, the Yankees lost in extra innings. Now, with five games left in the regular season, the Sox need just three more victories to win the American League East for the first time since 1995.
Bush Hooked On FON-iks at UN
ABC News
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Sep 26, 2007 5:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A draft of President Bush's speech to the United Nations included phonetic spellings to help him pronounce difficult names like sar-KOzee, according to a copy of the speech accidentally posted for a time on the UN website. It was up long enough for reporters to see it, much to the embarrassment of the White House, reports ABC.
Prez Yanks Pick for Top CIA Lawyer
Reuters
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Sep 26, 2007 5:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The White House has dropped its nomination of John Rizzo as the CIA's top counsel after Democrats and human rights groups slammed him for supporting "enhanced interrogation" techniques. The career CIA lawyer sent a letter to President Bush withdrawing his nomination yesterday, Reuters reports. Rizzo retreated because he had little chance...
Clemens Shut Down For Regular Season
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 4:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Yankees pulled Roger Clemens from his start last night at Tampa Bay because of a lingering left hamstring injury and announced that he won't pitch for the remainder of the regular season. Kei Agawa filled in and threw five scoreless innings, but the Yankees bullpen collapsed and Tampa Bay won it in the 10th.
Kiefer's DUI Bust Threatens '24' Future
Hollywood Reporter
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Sep 26, 2007 4:42 AM CDT
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A hefty jail term linked to Kiefer Sutherland's DUI arrest this week could threaten the future of the actor's hit show "24," according to the Hollywood Reporter . Sutherland's arrest Tuesday apparently violates a five-year probation and could cost him a year in jail. Sutherland was returning from a Fox party when he was stopped for making...
Flu Shots May Not Save Lives Among Elderly
San Francisco Chronicle
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Sep 26, 2007 4:16 AM CDT
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The effectiveness of flu shots in the elderly has been highly exaggerated and the vaccination appears to have little impact on death rates among people over 70, according to a study published in the Lancet . The shots do help people under age 65, researchers concluded. The vaccinations are less effective in older people in part because their immune...
Phillies Fall, Lose Ground in Playoff Race
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 4:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Phillies lost 10-6 to the Braves last night, putting them two games behind the Mets for the National League East lead with 5 games remaining for both. The loss also dropped them to one game behind the Padres, who beat San Francisco 7-6, in the race for the National League wild card.
Sunnis Launch Ramadan Murder Drive
New York Times
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Sep 26, 2007 4:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sunni insurgents have launched an assassination campaign aimed at Iraqi police and officials of the Interior Ministry to mark the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, reports the New York Times . Eight police officers, including a police chief, have been killed and 30 injured. A provincial governor survived a suicide bombing when five bodyguards...
Women Wired to Fall for Bass Baritones
Times (UK)
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Sep 26, 2007 4:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Posh Spice may not agree, but new research shows that women are more drawn to the deep baritone of a Barry White than the higher-pitched squeak of a David Beckham. Studies of the Hadza tribe of Tanzania, whose lifestyle is similar to that of early man, reveal that men with deep voices have more children—because they have more success with...
Bears Coach to Bench Rex
Chicago Tribune
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Sep 26, 2007 4:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The least popular man in Chicago is out of a job, reports the Chicago Tribune, citing a Bears source. Erratic, interception-prone quarterback Rex Grossman, often cited by fans and media as the biggest liability on the reigning NFC champions, will be benched. Coach Lovie Smith is expected to announce tomorrow that Brian Griese will replace him.
Shots Fired at Burma Protest
CNN
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Sep 26, 2007 3:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Buddhist monks and pro-democracy activists clashed with riot police today as they continued their protest in defiance of the Myanmar regime's ban on public assembly. Police in Yangon fired warning shots and tear gas, chased and beat monks, dragged protesters into waiting trucks, and beat their shields with batons while shouting orders to disperse,...
House Passes Children's Health Insurance Bill
Washington Post
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Sep 26, 2007 3:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A bill to boost spending on children's health insurance by $35 billion sailed through the House yesterday 265-159, despite President Bush's repeated threats to veto it. The Senate is likely to approve the bill next week. The bill would increase the current children's health insurance program by $7 billion a year over five years and cover 10 million...
GM, Union Strike Tentative Deal
Detroit Free Press
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Sep 26, 2007 3:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
General Motors and the United Auto Workers have struck a contract deal that sent striking union members back to the job today, reports the Detroit Free Press. The late-night agreement includes GM's plan for a health program, which was the major sticking point in earlier negotiations.
Nightmare Continues for Saints
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 3:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New Orleans power running back Deuce McAllister sustained a torn ACL in his left knee during Monday night's 31-14 thumping by the Titans. That means the locally beloved Pro Bowler will miss the rest of the season, compounding New Orleans' hangover in the wake of last year's Cinderella season.
Spector Judge Threatened in Myspace Post
Los Angeles Times
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Sep 26, 2007 3:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Police are investigating a Myspace web posting which contained an implied threat to the judge in the murder trial of comedian Phil Spector, reports the Los Angeles Times . "The evil judge should die" read the post on a page credited to "Official Team Spector." The message is signed "Chelle," a nickname for Rachelle,...
'Halo 3' Disk Comes Scratched
Associated Press
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Sep 26, 2007 12:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A limited-edition package for Microsoft's 'Halo 3' may be scratching the game disks, AP reports. The latest installment of the famous shoot-em-up franchise appears to be well on its way to huge sales, but with its new Xbox 360 suffering from news of bugs in recent months, the scratched disks are a hitch the software giant could have done without.
Vonage Guilty in Sprint Patent Suit
CNN
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Sep 26, 2007 12:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Vonage was found guilty of illegally using Sprint’s Internet phone patents, and now owes the carrier $69.5 million in damages, according to Dow Jones Newswires. More worrisome for Vonage is that an injunction could soon bar it from offering Net-based phone service altogether.
Sanctions on Iran 'Illegal': Ahmadinejad
Reuters
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Sep 25, 2007 9:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Today Ahmadinejad attacked "illegal" sanctions on Iran and said that its "peaceful and transparent" nuclear policy should be left to UN watchdog, Reuters reports. Speaking at the UN, he also slammed the "illegal Zionist regime" and blasted the US for occupying Iraq. "The occupiers ... do not even have the courage...
Is Hillary Eyeing Evan Bayh as Potential Veep?
Politico
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Sep 25, 2007 8:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh endorsed Hillary Clinton yesterday, they looked suspiciously like a ticket, says Politico's Roger Simon, speculating that Bayh could be the front-runner’s running mate if she wins the Democratic primary. Bayh was a two-term governor of Indiana before joining the Senate, giving him a rare mix of executive and legislative...
Swiss Fight Fire With ...Er, Rap
BBC
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Sep 25, 2007 8:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tired of receiving directory assistance calls on their emergency line, Swiss firefighters filmed a rap video that no one could forget. The resulting “118 Project," which clears up the confusion, has become a YouTube sensation. “They chose rap because it is spoken and not sung,” a fire lieutenant told the BBC, “because...
Homeland Security Sues Illinois Over Worker Plan
Chicago Tribune
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Sep 25, 2007 8:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Homeland Security is suing Illinois for effectively protecting illegals from a new federal crackdown, the Chicago Tribune reports. A DHS plan has companies submit data on workers, but Illinois' governor says the Feds are too slow and no good: "The Internet-based program has a less than 50 percent accuracy rate and takes 10 days to get results,"...
MacArthur Picks New $500K 'Geniuses'
Chicago Tribune
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Sep 25, 2007 7:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
"Master vocalist" Dawn Upshaw is among 24 "geniuses" awarded half a million bucks by the MacArthur Foundation today. Back from a break to treat her breast cancer, Upshaw says she hopes that "a lot of amazing music comes from it. Maybe new pieces with young singers." Other so-called "Genius Grant" recipients...
Gurus Rack Up Ratings With Love and Hate
Forbes
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Sep 25, 2007 7:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Pundits—political and cultural commentators with big opinions—are today's media darlings and Nielsen lightning rods. Forbes picks the loudest, most volatile and incendiary, i.e.: the ones we love to watch: Roger Ebert Bill Maher Bill O'Reilly
Obama, Edwards Should Swap Campaigns
New Republic
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Sep 25, 2007 6:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton’s place at the head of the Democratic table becomes more assured by the day, and Barack Obama and John Edwards must exchange strategies for any chance at an upset, New Republic blogger Noam Scheiber argues. The two have it backward: Edwards’ best bet is to run as an electable candidate; Obama’s shot is to carve out...
Puzzle Lover Pops Question in Crossword
Boston Globe
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Sep 25, 2007 6:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
One lovable "dork" was in luck yesterday when she ended a crossword on the clue, "Will you marry me?" Her boyfriend fell to one knee and popped the question right then and there. He'd had a long night, wondering if his conjugal crossword would be published in the Boston Globe — but lucky for him, a married team had penned...
Joni Wows With Shine
Allmusic
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Sep 25, 2007 6:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Joni Mitchell has dropped new material for the first time in 10 years, and Shine is wowing critics. It “isn’t a coffee table record,” raves AllMusic, in awarding it 4 of 5 stars; “it won’t attract record execs looking for a resurrection." That’s because it’s “unsettling” and darkly political....
Junta Issues Curfew to Stem Protests
BBC
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Sep 25, 2007 6:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Burma issued a dusk-to-dawn curfew and warned it will crack down on any large meetings, but protesters still marched by the tens of thousands today. The junta also sent out armed troops and declared it time to "take action," raising fears that it will repeat its 1988 crackdown, in which soldiers killed 3,000 people, the BBC reports.
Seattle Sues SuperSonics
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Sep 25, 2007 5:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In the latest struggle between local governments and pro sports teams over who foots the bill for the places they play, the city of Seattle has filed suit to try to stop the SuperSonics from breaking their lease at the city's Key Arena before 2010 and moving elsewhere. The NBA franchise's Oklahoma-based owners claim they're losing money under the deal.
Municipal Wi-Fi Dreams Persist
CNET
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Sep 25, 2007 5:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Citywide Wi-Fi isn't a dead horse. Despite the negative press that followed San Francisco's squashed wireless plan, other cities' networks are actually seeing signs of success because they articulated how it will be used and how it will benefit people, reports CNET. Corpus Christi's Wi-Fi initially allowed utility workers to read meters remotely; it...
Pirates Tap Indians Assistant for GM's Job
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Sep 25, 2007 5:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Pittsburgh Pirates named Neal Huntington as their new general manager today, nearly 3 weeks after firing Dave Littlefield. A delay in the announcement had fueled speculation they were backing away from Huntington as their first choice. His jobs in Cleveland as special assistant to Indians GM Mark Shapiro had included advance scouting and strategic...
Jury Finds Polygamist Sect Leader Guilty
Salt Lake Tribune
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Sep 25, 2007 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was convicted today on two counts of rape as an accomplice for forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry her 19-year-old cousin. The jury reached a verdict just hours after one member was replaced for undisclosed reasons, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Jeffs faces 5 years to life in prison; no sentencing date has been...
Vick Hit With State Charges
Associated Press
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Sep 25, 2007 4:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Today the state of Virginia piled on Falcons QB Michael Vick, who's awaiting sentencing on federal dogfighting charges, with dogfighting charges of its own. Vick will face one count of beating, killing or causing dogs to fight and one count of engaging in or promoting dogfighting in state court. Both are felonies punishable by up to 5 years in prison,...
Magna Carta Up for Sale
New York Times
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Sep 25, 2007 4:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A 1297 copy of the Magna Carta owned by Ross Perot will go on the auction block in December, Sotheby's announced today. The document, one of 17 left in existence, is expected to sell for 20 million to $30 million, the Times reports. It had been on display at the National Archives in Washington since 1987.
Amazon Aims at iTunes With Own Digital Music Store
Associated Press
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Sep 25, 2007 4:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Amazon threw down the guantlet to iTunes today when it launched its digital music store, Amazon MP3. Roughly 2 million songs are available for 89-99 cents each, with albums going for $5.99 to $9.99. Not only do those prices beat iTunes's, but all the files are DRM-free. Selection is limited, however, by some major labels' refusal to let their music...
Chinese Opera House Opens
Guardian (UK)
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Sep 25, 2007 4:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Armed ballerinas and a song by former Chinese president Jiang Zemin today celebrate the opening of Beijing's controversial National Grand Theater, a $360 million modern arts complex built in the shadow of the Forbidden City. The Red Detachment of Women , however, is a traditional touch—it's one of eight plays permitted under the watchful eye...
