Newser Story Index from January, 2008
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.
Bill Accuses Obama of 'Hit Job'
New York Times
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Jan 24, 2008 7:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
The bitter rivalry between the Clintons and Barack Obama took a toxic new turn yesterday as Bill Clinton, defending himself against accusations of injecting race into the campaign in South Carolina, accused Obama of "putting out a hit job" on him. During questioning by a CNN reporter, the former president accused the media of abetting an...
Ford Trims Q4 Loss to $2.75B; Plans Job Cuts
Bloomberg
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Jan 24, 2008 6:56 AM CST
(Newser) -
Ford Motor Co. said job cuts and plant closings helped slash its fourth quarter losses to $2.75 billion, Bloomberg reports, less than half of what they were a year ago. But, adds the Wall Street Journal, the company plans to reduce its workforce by at least another 13,000 jobs by the end of the first quarter through buyouts and attrition.
Prodi's Choice: Resign Today or Lose Tonight
AFP
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Jan 24, 2008 6:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
Italy's PM Romano Prodi may resign today rather than face defeat in a confidence vote scheduled for late this evening. After this week's defection of a small coalition party deprived Prodi of his one-seat Senate majority, his government looks set to fall. A handful of left-wing senators have also said they will vote against the government, leaving...
Poll: Clinton Still Ahead but Obama Support Surging
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 24, 2008 6:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton is still in first place among Democratic presidential hopefuls nationwide, despite a substantial 12% leap in support for Barack Obama since early December, finds the latest Los Angeles Times /Bloomberg poll. Clinton leads Obama 42% to 33%, with John Edwards trailing at 11%. Asked to pick between Clinton and Obama, a slender majority...
Hornets Sting Trail Blazers
Associated Press
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Jan 24, 2008 5:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Punctuating their best first half in franchise history, the Hornets handily defeated Portland 96-81 last night, AP reports. The victory extended the current season-high winning streak to six. Reserve Jannero Pargo scored a season-best 24 points in a mere 24 minutes, garnering five assists along the way. The Hornets have won 14 of their last 16 games.
Timberwolves Eclipse the Suns
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Jan 24, 2008 5:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
Despite being at the bottom of the NBA barrel, the Minnesota Timberwolves have for the second time dealt Phoenix an embarrassing defeat, beating the first place Suns 117-107 last night, the Arizona Republic reports. Minnesota's Al Jefferson scored a career high 39 points, as the underdogs dominated on the boards, while the Suns couldn't control the...
Ledger Masseuse Called Olsen Twin Before 911
New York Daily News
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Jan 24, 2008 5:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
The masseuse who found actor Heath Ledger's body in his Soho loft used a speed-dial on his cell phone to call gal-pal actress Mary-Kate Olsen in California—twice—before calling 911, reports the New York Daily News . In the second call, the panicky masseuse told Olsen: "I think he might be dead. I'm calling 911!" Olsen had...
Baylor Takes Marathon 5-OT Win vs. A&M
Dallas Morning News
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Jan 24, 2008 5:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
The 25th-ranked Baylor Bears managed to upset the No. 18 Aggies last night—eventually. The longest game in either team's history went for 3½ hours and five overtime periods before Baylor took it, 116-110, reports the Dallas Morning News. "Everyone's going to have great stats after this one," joked Baylor coach Scott...
Ivanovic Rallies Back to Finals
ABC News (Australia)
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Jan 24, 2008 4:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
Daniela Hantuchova looked to be cruising to an easy victory over Ana Ivanovic in today's Australian Open semifinal match, but the fourth-seeded Serbian came back from a 6-0, 2-0 hole to win it. Ivanovic suddenly became dominant, answering Hantuchova's volleys and taking break points to storm back to a 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 win, reports ABC News.
SocGen Admits Biggest Ever Bank Fraud of $7.3B
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 24, 2008 4:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
One of the world's largest banks has admitted epic-scale fraud by a rogue trader that has led to $7.3 billion in losses. French banking group Société Générale had to issue nearly $8 billion in emergency shares after the announcement of "serious" illegal activity by an "imprudent employee" working in the...
Geologists See Earth in New 'Anthropocene Age'
Canada.com
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Jan 24, 2008 4:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
Humanity's impact on the planet over the last 200 years has been so vast that geologists are proposing to label it the start of a new geological era, Canada.com reports. Textbooks label these times as the Holocene era, which began 12,000 years ago, but scientists argue that carbon pollution, urbanization, nuclear fallout and other traces of human existence...
Wal-Mart Stores Going Green
New York Times
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Jan 24, 2008 3:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
Retail giant Wal-Mart has launched an ambitious blueprint to go green, with plans to cut energy use of many of its products by 25%, and may even begin to sell hybrid cars and provide sustainable energy to charge them, reports the New York Times . Wal-Mart has already sold 145 million energy-reduction light bulbs, saving electricity equivalent to the...
Obese US Facing Diabetes Crisis
USA Today
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Jan 24, 2008 3:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
America is facing a diabetes epidemic—a health disaster more economically catastrophic than a Hurricane Katrina each year, USA Today reports. The disease killed 284,000 people last year, and a staggering million new cases are diagnosed each year as more Americans become morbidly obese, according to a new study by the American Diabetes Association.
Spurs Come Back to Shock Lakers 103-91
San Antonio Express-News
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Jan 24, 2008 3:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
With the Lakers leading by nine points at halftime, Gregg Popovich told his Spurs: "You have to participate in your recovery." They did just that, putting together an unstoppable third quarter that included a 14-0 run and three straight 3-pointers as the clock ticked down, reports the San Antonio Express-News. In other hoops news:
Date Game With Murder Suspect Drew Peterson Ditched
Chicago Sun-Times
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Jan 24, 2008 3:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
After some careful reflection, Chicago radio executives have decided their station won't host a dating game featuring former cop Drew Peterson, who's suspected of killing his missing fourth wife—and his third wife. Peterson may be back in the market for a new spouse because he told Chicago's WJMK-FM in a surprise phone call that "the ladies...
Yanks Nail Top Payroll in Bigs
Associated Press
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Jan 24, 2008 2:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
The New York Yankees may have been bounced in the first round of the playoffs this past season but at least fans of the Bronx Bombers can boast the team is first in something: payroll. New York set a record with its $218.3 million payroll last season—and collected the most revenue in baseball, $415 million, according to the Associated Press.
Sharapova Downs Jankovic to Reach Finals
Reuters
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Jan 24, 2008 2:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
Maria Sharapova reached her second consecutive Australian Open final by blowing away Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 6-1. The fifth-seeded Russian, who lost badly to Serena Williams in last year’s championship match, was never in any serious trouble against the third-seeded Jankovic. The Serb battled shoulder and leg injuries throughout the tournament and...
Sundin the Late Hero for Leafs
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 11:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
Veteran Swede Mats Sundin scored with a mere 29 seconds left in regulation last night, earning the Maple Leafs a 3-2 victory over the Capitals, the AP reports. The goal, Sundin's 21st of the season, came as trade rumors swirled around him, and lent some light to a franchise benighted by Tuesday's firing of general manager John Ferguson. The win was...
Calderon, Raps Topple Celtics
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 10:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
Jose Calderon’s three-point play with 10.5 seconds remaining gave the Toronto Raptors a 114-112 win over the team with the NBA’s best record, the Boston Celtics. Calderon led Toronto with 24 points and 13 assists. Twelve of his points came on three-pointers as the Raptors were on fire from behind the arc, hitting 15-of-21 attempts from...
Bonds Wants Perjury Charges Dismissed
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 10:23 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barry Bonds' attorneys have filed a motion in federal court to have the perjury charges against him dismissed. The charges stem from Bonds allegedly lying to a grand jury about his use of performance-enhancing drugs in December 2003. Bonds claims that the indictment was “scattershot” and that questions poised to him by prosecutors were...
Empty Coffers Force McCain From Stump
The Hill
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Jan 23, 2008 10:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
With Florida's Republican primary nearing, John McCain is making a risky decision to trade stumping for fund-raising—an effort to fill coffers ahead of Super Tuesday competition against a rival who can loan money to his own campaign. McCain has seven donor events before Tuesday’s vote, an itinerary advisers say is necessary to mount an...
Pistons Put Brakes on Skid in Philly 86-78
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 10:16 PM CST
(Newser) -
It wasn't pretty, but Detroit halted a three-game losing streak with a gritty win against youthful Philadelphia. Each team managed only four points in the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, with Sixers swingman Andre Iguodala bricking two easy looks. Detroit's vaunted starting backcourt had 40 points in the win. Also in the NBA:
No. 2 Kansas Routs ISU to Stay Undefeated
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 10:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
The No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks demolished Iowa State 83-59 to remain unbeaten. Darnell Jackson led the Jayhawks with 21 points, six of which came during a back-breaking 15-5 run in the second half to put Kansas up 64-41 over the Cyclones. Kansas shot a very respectable fifty percent from the field while holding Iowa State to just 31 percent, reports the...
Memphis Finally Wins as No. 1
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 9:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Twenty-five years and 13 days ago, Virginia Tech upset Memphis hours after they were anointed #1 in the NCAA; the Tigers avoided the same fate in their first game as college basketball's top team since then, beating Tulsa 56-41. Memphis had won its previous six games by at least 20 points.
Econ Crash Could Deflate Climate Crusade
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 23, 2008 9:50 PM CST
(Newser) -
As the global economy panics, leaders are in danger of abandoning lofty climate-change goals, top UN climate gurus warned today. At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the Guardian reports, the pair urged politicians not to be “distracted” by the crisis. “This is the time to be bold and push through,” said Bali conference...
Anti-Hillary Group Boasts, Umm...a Creative Name
Talking Points Memo
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Jan 23, 2008 9:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
A group by any other name wouldn’t sound as nasty: Citizens United Not Timid, an anti-Hillary group, has just filed for “527” status with the IRS. But it’s raising eyebrows not for its message but for its less-than-subtle acronym, reports Talking Points Memo. Not so coincidentally, Roger Stone, infamous in GOP political circles...
NY State of Mind? Rudy Has Florida Headache
Miami Herald
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Jan 23, 2008 8:40 PM CST
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani’s campaign continues to crumble in Florida, the Miami Herald reports. The GOP challenger has slipped to third in a new poll among likely Florida voters, putting him in a tie with virtual no-show Mike Huckabee. Despite weeks of vigorous campaigning in the state, Giuliani “has virtually no chance to win in Florida,”...
Ledger: The Light and the Dark
New York Times
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Jan 23, 2008 8:09 PM CST
(Newser) -
In the frenzy surrounding actor Heath Ledger’s sudden death, it's tempting to conflate the “troubled, brooding, self-destructive” qualities he portrayed so stunningly—in Brokeback Mountain ’s Ennis Del Mar, the heroin addict in Candy , the unhappy film star in I’m Not There —with some hidden anguish of his...
Human 'Pet' Not Allowed on UK Bus
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jan 23, 2008 8:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
A British teenager who calls herself a "human pet" is complaining of discrimination after she and her boyfriend/owner were kicked off a public bus. "We don't let freaks and dogs like you on," the driver allegedly told Tasha Maltby, whom fiancé Dani Graves leads by a leash. "It is definitely discrimination, almost like...
Relatives Sue Ohio Coroners Over Remains
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 7:43 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Ohio Supreme Court will hear arguments today in a lawsuit charging that coroners failed to return a man's brain to his body prior to burial and that his parents had a constitutional right to the remains. Coroners say hurried reintegration of organs for funerals could compromise autopsies; under state law, removed body parts are considered medical...
UFOs? Air Force Says Nope
Dallas Morning News
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Jan 23, 2008 7:32 PM CST
(Newser) -
Those mysterious lights flitting across the Texas sky earlier this month were military jet fighters, not alien ships, the Air Force said today. The lights prompted dozens of reports of UFO sightings, and the mystery grew when the military initially said it had no aircraft in the area. Today, the Air Force backtracked and said it made a mistake—but...
AT&T Might Filter Internet Traffic
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 6:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
AT&T is considering steps to filter the Internet traffic it provides in order to stop illegal file-sharing, the AP reports. CEO Randall Stephenson, speaking to the World Economic Forum today, likened the company's role as passive participant in copyright infringement to witnessing a crime: "It's like being in a store and watching someone steal...
Foreclosures Double Previous Calif. Record
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 23, 2008 6:47 PM CST
(Newser) -
Foreclosures in California hit a new high in the final quarter of 2007, more than doubling the previous record. Nearly 32,000 foreclosures in the state in the year's final three months smashed the existing high set in 1996. Experts say that the rise in foreclosures stems at least partially from the sub-prime loan collapse, reports the Los Angeles...
Big Dig's Big Mess Nets Big Settlement
Boston Herald
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Jan 23, 2008 6:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Contractors on the botched Boston construction project dubbed the Big Dig will pay state and federal authorities $458 million for its “gross failures.” But Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff will avoid criminal charges for a fatal 2006 ceiling collapse and won’t be banned from future government contracts, the Boston Herald reports. Massachusetts...
eBay Names CEO From Its Own Ranks
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 23, 2008 6:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
EBay today named John Donahoe to replace Meg Whitman, who will retire in March, as CEO, the Wall Street Journal reports. Donahoe’s ascension from president of the firm's auction business comes as the company is attempting to transform that aspect of its operations, which provides two-thirds of eBay’s annual revenue of $6 billion—but...
Hollywood Had Math Wrong on College Movie Downloads
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 5:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
College students aren't such movie thieves after all. Hollywood laid heavy blame for illegal downloading on colleges when a 2005 study alleged that 44% of domestic industry losses came from students downloading films. Now the industry has revised to 15%, citing "human error" in the study. Critics, however, say even the new figure also looks...
Branson Unveils SpaceShipTwo
TechCrunch
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Jan 23, 2008 5:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
Richard Branson has unveiled the ship that will carry paying passengers to space. Slightly different from its original prototype, SpaceShipTwo will be carried to high altitude by a double-hulled plane called White Knight, where the rocket will then separate and launch. Branson's Virgin Galactic startup hopes to start test flights this summer, reports...
Bush Legacy: US Awash in Ugly Red Ink
Bloomberg
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Jan 23, 2008 5:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Washington’s sea of red ink is getting deeper as President Bush plans tax cuts and spending bumps to stimulate a foundering economy. Bush's policies have created a fiscal morass that puts his successor, Democrat or Republican, in a deep fiscal hole, and makes delivering on campaign promises difficult, Bloomberg reports. “History will treat...
US Sneeze Doesn't Spook Many at Davos
CNN
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Jan 23, 2008 5:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
Bigwigs spooked by the downturn in the US economy aren't spreading their usual cheer at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Fortune reports, but many other Davos attendees are smiling. Representatives say the Indian and Chinese economies are strong enough to weather recession; many agree with George Soros that “the current crisis is the...
Dems Do Their Math on Feb. 5 Primary States
Washington Post
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Jan 23, 2008 4:39 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton is all but ceding Saturday's South Carolina primary to Barack Obama, just one variation of the political calculus Democratic presidential candidates are using ahead of Super Tuesday primaries February 5, the Washington Post reports. Clinton will spotlight states with personal history—Arkansas and New York—and two with...
Rolled $20 Found Near Ledger
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 4:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
A rolled-up $20 bill was discovered close to Heath Ledger’s body, the AP reports. No illegal drugs were found in the New York apartment where the 28-year-old Australian actor was found dead yesterday, and a police official said there was no visible drug residue on the bill, which will be tested in a crime lab.
Sketchy Donor Could Sully Obama's Image
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 23, 2008 4:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s relationship with a longtime contributor facing federal fraud charges could mar the candidate’s image as a politician unfettered by special interests. On Monday, Hillary Clinton slammed Obama with the allegation that he represented Antoin Rezko, a “slum landlord.” While that was an exaggeration, Rezko’s...
China Shut 44K Porn Sites in '07, Jailed Hundreds
Associated Press
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Jan 23, 2008 4:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
China took down 44,000 porn websites last year, arrested 868 people, and penalized 2,000 others. The Public Security Ministry said today that Internet pornography has “perverted China’s young minds,” the AP reports. Porn and paid sex are illegal in almost all forms in the country; the crackdown involved the seizure of cash and film...
Huge Blast Kills 15, Wounds 132 in Northern Iraq
Reuters
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Jan 23, 2008 3:50 PM CST
(Newser) -
A blast in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul claimed at least 15 lives and left 132 wounded today, Reuters reports. The explosion came after Iraqi troops detonated a roadside bomb near a building used as a munitions dump by militants, a US general said. At least 15 tons of explosives are estimated to have been stored in the building.
Markets Roar Back After Slide
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 23, 2008 3:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks roared back today after their initial slide, with the Dow ending up nearly 300 points as markets closed after plunging more than 300 points when they opened. Still, recession fears are far from banished. "The broader issues that are troubling this market are going to be with us," a broker told the Wall Street Journal . The Dow...
Study Shows Your Office Job Could Kill You
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 23, 2008 3:09 PM CST
(Newser) -
Researchers at University College London have found that stressful working conditions interfere with the body's ability to deal with high-pressure situations, the Daily Telegraph reports. Company cogs under 50 with high workloads and little control over their situations had a 68% greater chance of succumbing to heart disease than more-relaxed counterparts,...
Starbucks Tries Out $1 Coffee
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 23, 2008 2:50 PM CST
(Newser) -
Starbucks is offering a low-cost option as it experiments with new approaches in the face of fresh competition from McDonald's, the Wall Street Journal reports. While Starbucks made its fortune on extravagantly named $4 offerings, an 8-ounce “short” cup is now available for $1 in the Seattle area, and the firm is also offering free refills...
Stimulus Likely To Be Recipe for Paralysis
Politico
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Jan 23, 2008 2:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
Get ready for that glow to wear off: The good feeling on Capitol Hill over a stimulus package will end as soon as the first deal is done, with Republicans and Democrats digging in on various economic cures. The next legislative round, Politico reports, will likely see GOPers fighting to extend tax cuts and Dems pushing a huge infrastructure package.
45K Dying Each Month in Congo
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 23, 2008 2:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
The civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo officially ended in 2002, but it's still killing 45,000 people a month, a new study concludes. Malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition caused by 10 years of conflict—not to mention continuing armed skirmishes in the east—have left 5.4 million dead in the most lethal conflict...
Chavez Turning Florida Into Lil' Venezuela
New York Times
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Jan 23, 2008 2:27 PM CST
(Newser) -
Like Cubans fleeing Castro, Venezuelans leery of their country's future under socialist President Hugo Chavez are hightailing it to the US—mainly Florida. Venezuelan expats are raising kids, investing money, and opening businesses in South Florida, the New York Times reports. Asked about returning to Venezuela, “I won’t consider...
