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.
Get a Receipt for Those Candlesticks
Times (UK)
|
Jan 22, 2008 7:52 PM CST
(Newser) -
Carla Bruni has not yet become Mrs. Nicolas Sarkozy. In an interview with Liberation , the French president's ex-model girlfriend also made life easier for Indian officials by saying she won't accompany Sarkozy on his upcoming official trip there. Protocol-meisters in the conservative country, where unmarried couples are unusual, weren't sure how...
'Likable, Schmikable'... Right?
Chicago Tribune
|
Jan 22, 2008 7:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
“Likable, schmikable. Isn't the nation at war?” asks the Chicago Tribune 's Julia Keller. Yet America's love for likable candidates (think George W. Bush) took center stage at a recent debate when Barack Obama defended Hillary Clinton's likability. Some candidates have won without it, but it gives voters "a sense of human fellowship"...
Bush Vows Quick Boost for Economy
Washington Post
|
Jan 22, 2008 6:47 PM CST
(Newser) -
President Bush pushed his fiscal stimulus plan with lawmakers today and vowed the bipartisan group will find "common ground," the Washington Post reports. The economic boost—which he set at $150 billion—will not kick in overnight, he warned, but said congressional leaders must reach an accord in 3 weeks. That means checks would...
Go Sail a Kite, Across the Ocean
BBC
|
Jan 22, 2008 6:23 PM CST
(Newser) -
A ship partially pulled by a huge kite is starting its journey across the Atlantic today. The cargo ship—sailing from Germany to Venezuela—will test a new strategy of cutting CO2 emissions from ships by equipping them with computer-controlled kites. At more than 1,700 square feet, the kite could cut the ship's fuel consumption by as much...
Hillary Keeps Jabbing as Obama Parries
Chicago Tribune
|
Jan 22, 2008 5:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton kept the verbal battle alive today by reiterating that Barack Obama a "frustrated" former "slumlord" who “clearly came last night looking for a fight,” the Chicago Tribune reports. Obama retaliated from the high road, vowing a "different kind of politics" and saying that Clinton's "looseness...
Green Groups Push TV Tax to Get Kids Off the Couch
Huffington Post
|
Jan 22, 2008 5:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
A New Mexico environmental coalition is calling for a 1% sales tax on TVs and video games to fund outdoor programs for kids, and the idea is gaining steam, writes Carl Pope for the Huffington Post. Proponents of the "Leave No Child Inside” plan say the tax would raise $4 million a year and help kids get off their duffs and play outside.
Cousin Spots Wanted Marine in Mexico
CNN
|
Jan 22, 2008 4:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
A Marine wanted for murder was spotted by his cousin near Guadalajara, Mexico, a week ago, CNN reports. Cpl. Cesar Laurean visited his cousin's liquor store and said he was "just passing by." The cousin says he didn't know about Laurean's legal troubles. Meanwhile, a North Carolina district attorney pressing for extradition had to agree to...
Battle for Le Monde Heats Up
Reuters
|
Jan 22, 2008 4:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
A showdown over the future of one of the world's most prestigious newspapers has come to a head after the editor in chief of Le Monde said he would fight to keep a bosom buddy of Nicolas Sarkozy's from taking over the paper. The French evening newspaper lost $14.5 million last year, Reuters reports, and editor Eric Fottorino is battling to keep employees...
Heath Ledger Found Dead
Associated Press
|
Jan 22, 2008 4:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
Actor Heath Ledger was found dead today in his home in downtown Manhattan, the AP reports. The Australian native, an Academy Award nominee for his performance in Brokeback Mountain, was 28. Police said pills were "scattered around the room," WCBS-TV in New York reported, and the death may have been drug-related.
'Regis' Hits Sour Note With Ringo
Associated Press
|
Jan 22, 2008 3:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
Regis found out today that Ringo has a tough streak. Ringo Starr opted out of an appearance on "Live With Regis and Kelly" rather than cut his song short, the AP reports. On the set to promote his new album, Starr learned belatedly he would have to chop the title song of his new album, Liverpool 8, nearly in half. Instead, he walked.
Stocks Plunge, Battle Back
MarketWatch
|
Jan 22, 2008 3:38 PM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks declined today but ended the session up from the depths of their initial plunge, as the Fed's emergency rate cut seemed to calm freaked-out investors. "This at least gets people from piling in on the short side of things," one strategist told MarketWatch. The Dow fell 128.11 to 11,971.19, the Nasdaq 47.75 to 2,292.27, and the S&P...
Huckabee May Cut Losses, Bail on Fla.
Associated Press
|
Jan 22, 2008 3:38 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mike Huckabee is starting to hedge his bets in Florida. He's no longer making travel arrangements for journalists and may leave the state before Tuesday's primary to focus on his best Super Duper Tuesday prospects. “I don’t want to abandon Florida yet,” he said last night, but he won’t air any ads in the state and is campaigning...
Critics Split on Jukebox
Pitchfork
|
Jan 22, 2008 3:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
Indie crooner Cat Power's second album of covers is dividing critics. Many agree that Jukebox is a state-of-the-career effort, but they part ways on where the musician (real name: Chan Marshall) stands. After transforming from blues folkie to soul singer and overcoming depression, the Marshall who “savored” her songs is gone, says Pitchfork’s...
Abortion Foes See Young Join the Fight
Los Angeles Times
|
Jan 22, 2008 2:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Many of Roe v. Wade ’s most passionate opponents weren't even born when the ruling came down 35 years ago. Abortion opponents have excelled at turning young people into crusaders, the LA Times reports, through anti-abortion summer camps and even political internships. “You look at pictures of marches, and the crowds just keep getting...
Tonight May Be Game Over for Scrabulous
TechCrunch
|
Jan 22, 2008 2:44 PM CST
(Newser) -
Scrabulous—the wildly popular Facebook app based (without permission) on Scrabble—may have to fold up its board tonight. Hasbro and Mattel, which jointly own the rights to the board game, have set the deadline for the online game to either shut itself down or sell itself to Electronic Arts, which owns the online rights.
LA Times Shakeup: He Said, He Said
Wall Street Journal
|
Jan 22, 2008 2:23 PM CST
(Newser) -
In announcing that James O'Shea was leaving the LA Times, publisher David Hiller said the paper's top editor was "unable to make the hard choices" involved in budget-cutting. But the rift may run deeper: O'Shea tells the Wall Street Journal his ideological differences over how to save a sinking paper just didn't gel with Hiller's.
Smithsonian Enshrines Colbert
Los Angeles Times
|
Jan 22, 2008 2:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
Stephen Colbert has finally been enshrined as the “national treasure” he insists he is. His portrait now hangs in the Smithsonian, the LA Times reports. OK, so it’s next to the Portrait Gallery bathroom, but that just means that, in Colbert’s words, “There has never been a better time to take a whiz in Washington.”
Nagasaki Mayor's Killer Confesses
BBC
|
Jan 22, 2008 1:54 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Japanese man accused of killing the mayor of Nagasaki last April has admitted to the crime, the BBC reports. "I apologize to Mayor Iccho Ito and his family from the bottom of my heart," Tetsuya Shiroo said today on the first day of his trial. An alleged gangster, Shiroo was apprehended immediately after shooting Ito last year as he campaigned...
Thompson Exits GOP Race
Fox News
|
Jan 22, 2008 1:39 PM CST
(Newser) -
Honey-voiced presidential candidate Fred Thompson has ended his campaign after a disappointing third-place finish in Saturday’s South Carolina primary, Fox News reports. The exiting hopeful, famed for his role as District Attorney Arthur Branch on “Law and Order,” has been calling friends and supporters today to announce the end of...
White House Still Lacks Email Archive
Washington Post
|
Jan 22, 2008 1:39 PM CST
(Newser) -
The ongoing controversy over the potential disappearance of millions of White House emails stems from an inadequate archiving system that has not been brought up to snuff despite court orders to do so, the Washington Post reports. In fact, the White House scrapped a system put in place by the Clinton administration but has not replaced it.
Mitt Lets the Dogs Out
Slate
|
Jan 22, 2008 1:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney’s attempts to make small talk with black voters on Martin Luther King Day were so tone deaf, Slate ’s Christopher Beam blogs, that they were less offensive than stunningly clueless. Posing for a photo op with young African Americans, Mitt riffed, “Who let the dogs out? Who, who”; meeting a baby wearing a necklace,...
Tenn. Man, 94, Kidnapped, Murdered, Mutilated
Citizen Tribune
|
Jan 22, 2008 1:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
A 94-year-old Tennessee man was found dead with his hand cut off after a relative ran afoul of drug dealers who kidnapped him in retaliation, the Citizen Tribune of Morristown reports. "No one deserved to die like he did," the sheriff said of Willie Morgan. "This poor man was supposed to die peacefully on a front porch swing, not like...
Reform Plan Roils French
Times (UK)
|
Jan 22, 2008 1:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
In his bid to shake up French society, Nicolas Sarkozy commissioned a leading Socialist to head a 40-member committee to "unleash the economic growth that France is lacking." Its report, to be released tomorrow, contains an explosive set of proposals. The 300 items range from constructing high-tech cities to relaxing regulations on retailers,...
Advice Amid Market Turmoil: Don't Panic!
MarketWatch
|
Jan 22, 2008 12:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
If you’re watching today’s economic news with trepidation, financial experts want you to take a deep breath. “This is not the beginning of the end,” said one analyst. “If you’re going to invest in stocks, this kind of volatility comes with the territory.” Instead of selling with the crowd, analysts suggest...
Padilla Sentenced to 17 Years
Miami Herald
|
Jan 22, 2008 12:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
A federal judge sentenced Jose Padilla to 17 years and 4 months today following his conviction for conspiring to commit murder and otherwise aid Islamic terrorists around the world, the Miami Herald reports. Although the court invoked “terrorism enhancement” to lengthen the sentences of Padilla and his two co-conspirators, prosecutors,...
Musharraf Courts Wary Europeans
BBC
|
Jan 22, 2008 12:32 PM CST
(Newser) -
Pervez Musharraf visited Brussels yesterday and Paris today, reassuring leaders that Pakistan will hold fair elections and promising complete security for the nation's nuclear arsenal. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana warned the Pakistani president that future cooperation between the EU and his government is contingent on those criteria, reports...
$20M Payday May Await Bill Clinton
Wall Street Journal
|
Jan 22, 2008 12:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hoping to insulate his wife’s presidential campaign from potential conflicts of interest, Bill Clinton is negotiating to untangle himself from a business relationship with billionaire Ron Burkle that includes a potentially sensitive link to Dubai, the Wall Street Journal reports. In the process, Clinton could earn a $20 million payout.
Gunfire Erupts at Gaza-Egypt Border
BBC
|
Jan 22, 2008 12:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
Crowds of Palestinians swarming the Rafah border crossing today in an attempt to enter Egypt from Gaza were turned away as both riot police and Palestinians fired guns into the air, the BBC reports. Dozens of people were injured as the protesters, mostly pro-Hamas women, called for the border to be opened to supplies cut off by the Israeli blockade,...
Power Brokers Return to Davos
Independent (UK)
|
Jan 22, 2008 12:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Swiss ski resort of Davos turns into a giant think tank tomorrow as politicians, financiers, and other masters of the universe gather for the World Economic Forum. This year's summit will eschew some of the Hollywood glamor of sessions past, the Independent reports: Emma Thompson will put in an appearance, but the current pessimistic financial...
Tiger Calls 'Lynch' Flap Overblown
Orange County Register
|
Jan 22, 2008 11:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Enough already, says Tiger Woods. The recent flap over a sports announcer's "lynch" joke has been overblown by the media and is in the past as far as he's concerned, reports the Orange County Register . "There was no ill intent," he said during the unveiling of a learning center in his name in Anaheim. "She regrets saying...
To Save Energy, Prince Charles Beams to UAE
Telegraph (UK)
|
Jan 22, 2008 11:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
Prince Charles popped over to Abu Dhabi yesterday to underscore the importance of finding a solution to global warming, then went out like a light. And he used as much energy as a light bulb—instead of spewing 20 tons of carbon waste into the air by taking a jet, the eco-friendly royal sent a hologram instead, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Coffee May Lower Risk of Ovarian Cancer
Reuters
|
Jan 22, 2008 11:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
One day after the release of a study linking caffeine and miscarriages, female coffee addicts got some good news today: Caffeine appears to lower the risk of developing ovarian cancer, a new study shows. What's more, the benefit appears to increase with the amount of caffeine consumed. The risk is lowest for women who have never taken oral contraceptives...
At 35, Roe v. Wade Still Divides
CNN
|
Jan 22, 2008 11:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
Protesters on both sides of the abortion debate today mark the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that frames the debate. The anniversary of Roe v. Wade arrives with surveys showing US views on abortion largely unchanged over the past 15 years and with abortions at their lowest level since the ruling, CNN reports.
New Zealand Pays Homage to Heroic Hillary
New Zealand Herald
|
Jan 22, 2008 10:58 AM CST
(Newser) -
New Zealand paid tribute to its most famous native son today as throngs lined the streets of Auckland for the state funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary , the New Zealand Herald reports. The prime minister led the tributes. "Sir Ed described himself as a person of modest abilities," said Helen Clark. "In reality he was a colossus, he was...
Northern Rock Plan Backfires on Brown
Times (UK)
|
Jan 22, 2008 10:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
A day after the chancellor of the exchequer announced new plans to accelerate the sale of Northern Rock, the British press sees serious trouble for Gordon Brown's government and no certainty that the taxpayers' $110 billion will be repaid. Anatole Kaletsky, a leading Times columnist who has been sympathetic to Labour in the past, is scathing: "Mr....
Italian Govt. on Brink of Collapse
Bloomberg
|
Jan 22, 2008 10:48 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Italian government looks set to collapse after a key ally unexpectedly withdrew his support from Romano Prodi's coalition yesterday. The PM will face a no-confidence vote tomorrow, and if he loses, the president will have to decide whether to give Prodi another mandate or dissolve parliament and call early elections. "I will not discuss. It’s...
EU Frets Over Fallout From US Economy's Slide
Bloomberg
|
Jan 22, 2008 10:38 AM CST
(Newser) -
Stock markets around the world continued to hemorrhage today on worries the US would slide into recession, prompting finance ministers to warn that the slump is threatening EU growth. They revised forecasts downward for the 15-member EU, reports Bloomberg. “There is great concern about the financial crisis,” said the Belgian finance minister.
Comcast, TiVo Team Up in Boston
USA Today
|
Jan 22, 2008 10:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
TiVo and Comcast have rolled out their promised joint service in the Boston area, with national distribution to follow. The service sends TiVo software to Comcast-provided digital video recorders in a first that TiVo hopes to repeat with other cable providers, USA Today reports. TiVo lost hundreds of thousands of customers when DirecTV turned to...
Safe Strain Will Spur Ebola Work
Wisconsin State Journal
|
Jan 22, 2008 10:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
One of the world's deadliest viruses has been made safe for researchers, speeding up the process of finding drugs and a vaccine, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. University of Wisconsin scientists developed a safe strain of the Ebola virus by removing one of its eight genes. "Now we have a better system to combat this disease," said...
Stocks Rebound After 400-Point Plummet
Wall Street Journal
|
Jan 22, 2008 10:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks are rallying back after a terrifying open that saw the Dow fall over 460 points within minutes, the Wall Street Journal reports. Since then, buyers have returned, spurred on by the Fed’s unprecedented 0.75% emergency rate cut. The rally has so far recouped all but 145 points of the Dow’s drop, and pulled the Nasdaq out of the bear-market...
Tom Brady Is Injured?!
Boston Globe
|
Jan 22, 2008 9:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
Tom Brady appears to be a little banged up. Gossip photographers spotted the Patriots QB wearing a walking boot and limping noticeably as he visited girlfriend Gisele Bundchen yesterday in New York City, the Boston Globe reports. Brady dodged questions about the limp and promised to play, saying, “I’d have to be on a stretcher to miss...
BoA Writes Down $5.28B; 4Q Net Income Drops 95%
Wall Street Journal
|
Jan 22, 2008 9:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
Bank of America said today its net income plummeted 95% in the fourth quarter, and it wrote down $5.28 billion in collateralized debt obligation. Net income for the largest retail bank and credit-card issuer was $268 million, or 5 cents per share, compared to $5.26 billion, or $1.16 a share, last year. The company had previously estimated write-downs...
Britney Grilled on Parenting
E! Online
|
Jan 22, 2008 9:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
After skipping out on earlier court-ordered depositions, troubled pop star Britney Spears finally spent more than two hours yesterday being grilled about her fitness as a mother by attorneys for ex-hubby Kevin Federline. The 26-year-old singer was questioned at the lawyers' offices about drug use and her often erratic behavior, reports E! Online.
Vandal Scandal Mars Another Pageant
Palm Beach Post
|
Jan 22, 2008 8:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
The crime wave besetting American beauty pageants continued this weekend as Miss South Florida Fair had to overcome some skullduggery before claiming her crown, the Palm Beach Post reports. Cops were called after contestant Jessica Wittenbrink found her ruined dress backstage, vandalized with four red lipstick streaks. Police quizzed her 13...
No Country, Blood Lead Pack
Associated Press
|
Jan 22, 2008 8:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood led the way with eight Oscar nominations each today, including best picture. Fellow best-picture nominees Michael Clayton and Atonement each picked up seven nods, the AP reports. Rounding out the top-film race is quirky teen pregnancy comedy Juno.
Food Poisoning Can Mean Long-Term Trouble
Associated Press
|
Jan 22, 2008 8:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
People who catch food-borne illnesses such as salmonella and E. coli can suffer related health problems years later, the AP reports. The numbers are small, and the research still growing, but doctors and health advocates are beginning to sound the alarm. "Folks often assume once you're over the acute illness, that's it, you're back to normal and...
Fed Slashes Key Interest Rate by .75%
Bloomberg
|
Jan 22, 2008 7:32 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Federal Reserve, confronted with a world-wide sell-off triggered by fears of a US recession, cut a key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point today. The benchmark overnight lending rate was cut to 3.5% from 4.25%, which drops the prime rate to 6.5%. The Fed acted after Asian and European markets plunged, and the Dow was expected...
Sharapova Shocks No. 1 Henin to Reach Semis
Associated Press
|
Jan 22, 2008 7:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
First-ranked Justine Henin saw her 32-match win streak extinguished as an exultant Maria Sharapova put the Belgian away 6-4, 6-0, AP reports. The No. 5 Sharapova will need another upset to get through the semifinals of the Australian Open, where she will face No. 3 Jelena Jankovic. "I really feel like I was in a bubble," said the delighted...
Saudis to Let Women Behind the Wheel
Telegraph (UK)
|
Jan 22, 2008 6:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Saudi Arabia’s Royal Court has decided to allow women to drive. The move is calculated to stem growing activism, including protest convoys of women drivers, reports the Daily Telegraph . "If girls have been in schools since the 1960s, they have a capability to function behind the wheel when they grow up," said a government official.
Obama Parries 2 Clintons in Harsh, Personal Debate
Washington Post
|
Jan 22, 2008 6:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
Last night's acrimonious Democratic presidential debate saw Barack Obama confront an increasingly aggressive Hillary Clinton, reports the Washington Post , but the Illinois senator was really countering two Clintons at once. Over the past two weeks Bill has led the charge against Obama's credibility and record, most notoriously with his "fairy...
