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.
Nothing Funny About This Money
Metacritic
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Jan 18, 2008 4:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
Even Oscar-caliber talent like Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah can't save Mad Money , about three cash-strapped women who join forces to pull off the perfect heist. The movie, which also stars Katie Holmes, "fails to hit the stratosphere," Stephen Schaefer writes in the Boston Herald, because it "just isn’t funny enough to be...
Engines Didn't Respond in Heathrow Crash
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 18, 2008 4:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
Engine failure caused the crash landing of a British Airways Boeing 777 just off the runways at Heathrow Airport yesterday. An initial investigation into the crash revealed that the plane's twin engines "didn't respond" to demands for thrust "at approximately 600 feet and two miles from touchdown," reports the Guardian . A second...
Stocks Fall as Early Rally Fades
MarketWatch
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Jan 18, 2008 4:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks fell for the fourth straight session today as fears that President Bush’s stimulus plan will not be enough to stave off a recession dissipated an early rally, MarketWatch reports. The Dow ended down 59.91 at 12,099.30, and the Nasdaq fell 6.88 to close at 2,340.02. The S&P 500 dropped 8.06 points to 1,325.19, capping its biggest weekly...
Pols Like to Reach Out and Annoy Someone
USA Today
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Jan 18, 2008 4:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Americans tend to get popular right before they vote, with their phones ringing as many as 25 times on election eves. Nineteen states have tried to cut down on “robo-calls,” and five more are considering laws this year, when hundreds of millions of them may be placed, USA Today reports. But few states with the laws enforce them, for fear...
'Snowflake' Lands in Nuremberg
Der Spiegel
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Jan 18, 2008 3:35 PM CST
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After fielding tens of thousands of suggestions from around the world, the Nuremburg zoo has named its new polar bear cub Flocke, German for "snowflake," Der Spiegel reports. The adorable 6-week-old will keep her nickname, says the city's mayor, in part because many of the monikers proposed by her legions of fans were "difficult for...
Chelsea Hits Road on Mom's Behalf
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 18, 2008 3:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
Chelsea Clinton has put aside her quiet life as a Manhattan hedge-fund executive to hit the campaign trail solo in California and Nevada, hoping to bring her mother's message to young voters—the crucial demographic currently enamored of Barack Obama. Chelsea, 27, is pressing the flesh everywhere from sororities to farmer's markets, the LA Times...
Top US Diplomat on Iran Resigns
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2008 3:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Bush administration’s leading diplomat on Iran, a top adviser to Condoleezza Rice, is resigning, the Washington Post reports. Under secretary of state for political affairs Nicholas Burns will leave in March but retain a limited role as a special envoy for negotiations on nuclear matters with India. William Burns (no relation), the American...
McCain, Clinton Lead Polls on Eve of Votes
Reuters
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Jan 18, 2008 2:50 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton and John McCain lead their fields 1 day before important contests in Nevada and South Carolina, Reuters reports. In Nevada, a Reuters/Zogby poll puts Clinton up 42% to 37% over Barack Obama, with John Edwards at 12%. In South Carolina, the poll has John McCain at 29%, ahead of Mike Huckabee at 22% and Mitt Romney at 15%.
Editor Fired for Magazine Cover
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2008 2:36 PM CST
(Newser) -
Golfweek has fired its editor for approving a cover illustration of a noose, the New York Times reports. PGA commissioner Tim Finchem decried the art, a reference to a recent on-air remark by a Golf Channel anchor about Tiger Woods, as “outrageous and irresponsible.” Finchem called the cover a “naked attempt to inflame”...
As Consumers Cut Back, Retailers Brace for Trouble
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 18, 2008 2:23 PM CST
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With consumer confidence skidding as the economy continues to spiral downward, retailers are reconsidering expansion, reducing staff, and trimming inventory, the Wall Street Journal reports. Analysts say 2008 could be the worst year for retail sales since 1991, and one economist warns that the early going “will feel like a recession to many...
First Boomer, First Check
AARP The Magazine
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Jan 18, 2008 2:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
The first Baby Boomer will collect her—and her generation's—first Social Security check next month, and she can expect a lot of attention, reports AARP The Magazine. Kathleen Casey-Kirschling was born at 12:00:01 on January 1, 1946, and her big move spotlights the way her generation will both redefine retirement and squeeze Social Security...
New Virus Linked to Virulent Skin Cancer
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2008 1:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
A new virus has been linked with a rare but particularly aggressive form of skin cancer that affects as many as 1,200 Americans a year. Scientists have yet to definitively prove a causal relationship between the newly discovered polyoma virus and Merkel cell carcinoma, but evidence strongly suggests that they soon will, the New York Times reports.
GE Q4 Profit Climbs 15%; Stock Rebounds
Bloomberg
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Jan 18, 2008 1:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
GE profits rose 15% in the fourth quarter as overseas demand for jet engines and power turbines more than offset the weakness in the US economy, the company reported today. “They've really been a beneficiary of the whole global growth story,” an analyst told Bloomberg. GE stock was up 3.4% at midday; earlier, it rose 5.3%, its biggest gain...
Sprint to Cut 4,000 Jobs, Close Stores
Kansas City Star
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Jan 18, 2008 1:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sprint Nextel announced a new round of job cuts and store closings today, the Kansas City Star reports. As it falls further behind in the wireless industry, the company will slash 4,000 jobs and 1,600 contractor positions. It also will shut 125 stores—8% of its total—and 4,000 distribution sites embedded in other stores. The cuts are...
Tiger Attack Survivor Taunted Animal
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jan 18, 2008 1:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
One of the two brothers who survived a tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo told the father of the teen who died that all three had yelled and waved at the animal before the mauling, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The investigation had been inactive, but new police searches of the victims’ car and phones indicate that the men may be...
If Pats Win, So Do Networks, NFL
MarketWatch
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Jan 18, 2008 12:59 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sorry, San Diego, but the NFL is rooting for the Patriots. New England and its pursuit of perfection have racked up historic ratings all season: the Patriots' final regular-season game was the most watched TV program of the season, and the highest-rated NFL game since 1995. If they beat the Chargers, Fox might wind up with the most watched Super...
CIA Chief Names Groups Behind Bhutto Assassination
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2008 12:41 PM CST
(Newser) -
The CIA director blames a cooperative effort by al-Qaeda and a group of Pakistani militants for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the Washington Post reports. The conclusion jibes with the explanation Pervez Musharraf has offered, though some Pakistanis still suspect the president and his government had a hand in the ex-PM’s murder.
Cloverfield Not Monstrous
Metacritic
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Jan 18, 2008 12:23 PM CST
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Cloverfield “is going to divide audiences,” predicts ReelViews’ James Berardinelli, and if the critics are any indication, he’s right. The film’s Godzilla/ Blair Witch high concept is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. For Berardinelli, the shaky handheld view provides immediacy and intensity. Time’s Richard...
Disputed Cancer Therapy Sparks Rush to Border
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2008 12:10 PM CST
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A prostate cancer treatment not approved in the US is drawing patients to Mexico despite American doctors' doubts about its effectiveness and reputed minimal side effects, the New York Times reports. High-intensity focused ultrasound heats the prostate to temperatures near boiling but involves neither surgery nor radiation. Practitioners say it carries...
Bush Pitches $145B in Tax Relief
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 18, 2008 11:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
President Bush today called for a $145 billion stimulus package to stop the economy from sliding into a recession, the Wall Street Journal reports. A bipartisan plan loaded with compromises is likely in the near future. Valued at 1% of GDP—and in line with dollar amounts suggested by the Fed—Bush’s plan includes tax relief for individuals...
AMD Gets Closer to Profitable
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2008 11:48 AM CST
(Newser) -
Advanced Micro Devices pleased investors with its fourth-quarter financial report yesterday, as it neared profitability despite a big loss that included its acquisition of graphics chip maker ATI Technologies. AMD execs said they expect to break even early in the second half of 2008, reports the New York Times . AMD shares jumped 35 cents to $6.69...
Shopping's Future Is High-Tech
Reuters
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Jan 18, 2008 11:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
Retailers need to go higher tech, adapting to cell phone use and virtual world shopping, said speakers at the National Retail Federation's annual conference this week, Reuters reports. One speaker noted that high-tech shopping is already reality in Asia, where Koreans buy McDonald’s by phone (it rings when their order’s ready) and Japanese...
Building an HDTV Without Wires
MIT Technology Review
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Jan 18, 2008 11:39 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sick of all those cables tangled behind your TV or entertainment center? So are two companies that demonstrated products to wirelessly beam high-definition video and audio to TVs at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Pulse-Link is creating far-reaching signals, while SiBeam’s system can stream the highest quality HD video. The first...
At Least 13 Dead in Kenyan Protests
Reuters
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Jan 18, 2008 11:35 AM CST
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At least 13 people were killed today in Kenya as police fired into crowds of protesters and rival tribes attacked one another in a continued response to the disputed presidential election, Reuters reports. Today marked the third and final day of oppositional political protests, which were met with lethal force. Police deny they have shot unarmed protesters.
Roddick Bounced Down Under
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 11:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
Andy Roddick was knocked out of the Australian Open today, losing a 4-hour, five-set epic to Philipp Kohlschreiber despite notching a personal best 42 aces. “It's the best that happened to me in tennis,” Kohlschreiber said of bouncing the sixth-seeded American. “I enjoyed every second.” Another upset rocked the women’s...
Voyeurs Sneak Past MySpace Privacy Blocks
Wired
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Jan 18, 2008 11:06 AM CST
(Newser) -
Voyeurs have been exploiting a MySpace bug for months to see supposedly private teen photos, reports Wired . The bug first cropped up in the fall and has gained traction on ad-based websites that make it easier to take advantage of it. The revelation comes just days after MySpace struck a deal with the attorney generals of 49 states to beef up its...
Judge Sends Lohan to the Morgue
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 10:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Glamorous, it ain't. Lindsay Lohan will begin working at a morgue as punishment for her most recent drunken driving conviction, the AP reports. Lohan will put in two days of community service at the morgue and another two in a hospital emergency room. The court-ordered program is aimed to illustrate the consequences of driving while drunk.
FCC: Economy Could Dampen Wireless Sale
Reuters
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Jan 18, 2008 10:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
FCC head Kevin Martin registered concern this week about the impact of the credit crunch on the government auction of wireless airwaves scheduled to begin Jan. 24, Reuters reports. The auction, which Congress has ordered to go forward, comes at a time when the meltdown of housing and subprime mortgage markets has battered the ability of companies to...
Video Game Sales Shatter Annual Record
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 10:23 AM CST
(Newser) -
More video games were sold in 2007 than ever before, with a total of $17.94 billion marking a 43% increase over 2006, reports the AP. Much of the growth came from sales of Nintendo's chronically undersupplied Wii and Microsoft's Halo 3, market researcher NPD Group said. Nintendo dominated gaming system sales, moving 6.3 million Wii units and 8.5 million...
GM Sees Light at End of Tunnel
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 18, 2008 10:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
Overseas sales expansion and reduced labor costs over the next three years will bring “significant” profit increases to General Motors, CEO Rick Wagoner told analysts yesterday. Wagoner also asked investors for patience as share prices continue slipping in a worsening US economy, reports the Wall Street Journal. He said production cuts...
Tourists Ambushed in Yemen
Reuters
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Jan 18, 2008 9:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists traveling through southeastern Yemen today, killing four, Reuters reports. Two female Belgian tourists, a Yemeni driver, and a Yemeni guide died, and at least two other members of the 15-person party were wounded. Officials said Islamic militants associated with al-Qaeda were responsible for the attack, the...
Heigl Can't Save 27 Dresses
Metacritic
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Jan 18, 2008 9:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Despite actress Katherine Heigl's undeniable appeal, her first role as a leading lady is in a film of such little consequence "that seeing it and skipping it are the exact same thing," writes Robert Wilonsky of the Village Voice . In 27 Dresses , Heigl plays Jane, a perennial bridesmaid who's got a major crush on her boss (Ed Burns), who,...
Strong Overseas Growth Buoys IBM Sales
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 18, 2008 9:17 AM CST
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IBM, already weathering the economic storm that’s bedeviled many other major US companies, said sales overseas, especially in Europe and developing nations, would help it overcome trying economic conditions at home in 2008, reports the Wall Street Journal. The computer services giant said it expects annual per share earnings between $8.20 and...
Village Flees Colombia Volcano
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 8:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
A volcano erupted in southwestern Colombia last night, lighting up the night sky with lava and throwing volcanic ash miles into the sky. The mayor ordered the evacuation of the 8,000 or so people who live near Mount Galeras, but one seismologist said that most of the city is not in danger. No serious injuries have been reported, the AP says.
US Sees Huge Gains in Baghdad Security
USA Today
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Jan 18, 2008 8:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
US and Iraqi forces have secured 75% of Baghdad's neighborhoods, a sharp increase from pre-surge days, USA Today reports. The combined forces "basically own the streets," said a US colonel. Military figures say that 356 of 474 of the city's neighborhoods have returned to some semblance of normalcy, with violence all but eliminated and economic...
Matthews: Hillary Jab Was 'Nasty'
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2008 8:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
It took protesters outside NBC's studios, a letter of complaint signed by Gloria Steinem, and a little pressure from on high, but after 10 days Hardball host Chris Matthews backed down from sexist remarks about Hillary Clinton, the Washington Post reports. He admitted last night that saying Clinton's political career launched because "her...
New ID Rules Look to Shore Up US Borders
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 8:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
All travelers entering the US, including Americans, will face tough new ID requirements beginning in two weeks. "It's time to grow up and recognize that we've got to take determined steps to getting better security," homeland security chief Michael Chertoff told the AP.
Chess King Bobby Fischer Dies
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 7:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
Chess master Bobby Fischer, who became a Cold War icon when he dethroned Russian Boris Spassky in 1972, has died at age 64 in Iceland, the AP reports. Fischer is considered by many to be the greatest chess player ever, but his genius for the game was often overshadowed by his troubled eccentricities. The Chicago native became America's first world...
Scientists ID Leukemia Stem Cells
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 18, 2008 7:09 AM CST
(Newser) -
British scientists have identified the stem cells that cause the most common type of childhood leukemia, the Times of London reports. The unprecedented discovery means doctors can monitor cell levels in young cancer patients and stop treatment when those cells are gone, said a leading oncology expert. The work also could help scientists develop therapies...
US Makes Canadian Torture List
BBC
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Jan 18, 2008 6:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
The US, along with China, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, and Israel, is listed in an official Canadian foreign ministry document of countries where prisoners are at risk of torture, the BBC reports. The "torture awareness" training manual classifies as torture some US interrogation techniques, including forced nudity, isolation, and sleep deprivation.
Pregnant Marine 'Slit Her Own Throat,' Suspect Told Wife
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 18, 2008 6:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
The suspect in the murder of a pregnant Marine told his wife she slit her own throat during an argument and he buried her body in the woods, reports the Los Angeles Times . Cesar Armando Laurean's wife waited almost 24 hours before reporting the account to police. He vanished the day after he told her of the death, and is believed to be hiding...
Heathrow Pilot Hailed as Hero
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 18, 2008 5:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
When all power on a British Airways flight suddenly failed 400 feet above ground as it headed into Heathrow Airport yesterday, pilot Peter Burkill had to muster all his skills gained in decades of flying to save the lives of hundreds of people—not only passengers, but also those in the cars and houses the plane was barrelling toward, the Telegraph...
CIA 'Gulled' Court on Torture Tapes, Says Judge
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2008 5:25 AM CST
(Newser) -
A federal judge said he suspects the CIA lied to his court about tapes showing the harsh interrogations of two al-Qaeda leaders, the New York Times reports. The CIA claims no records exist concerning the tapes, which were destroyed in 2005. But the judge, currently deciding a Freedom of Information Act request concerning the videos, says that's not...
JK Rowling to Speak at Harvard Commencement
Harvard Crimson
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Jan 18, 2008 4:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
Harvard students will get a Hogwarts send-off at their spring commencement this year, reports the Crimson, with Harry Potter author JK Rowling as the keynote speaker. "Perhaps no one in our time has done more than JK Rowling to inspire young people to experience the excitement and the sheer joy of reading,” said the university's...
Bin Laden Son Plans 'Race for Peace' Event
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 4:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
Osama bin Laden’s 26-year-old son says he wants to be an “ambassador for peace” between Muslims and the West and is planning a cross-continental horse race to raise money for child war victims, AP reports. Omar Osama bin Laden, one of the al-Qaeda leader’s 19 children, is planning a 3,000-mile race across North Africa with his...
GE Money Loses Data on 650,000 Credit Card Holders
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2008 4:29 AM CST
(Newser) -
GE Money has lost a computer tape with the personal information of up to 650,000 customers of JC Penney and other retailers, reports the AP. The tape went missing in the warehouse of a data storage company. There's "no indication of theft" and none of the data has yet been used, said a GE Money spokesman.
Bernanke Can't Rally Markets
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2008 4:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
Signs the housing market black hole was worsening and pulling down the rest of the economy spurred the DJIA to slide another 3% yesterday as investors decided a federal rescue plan was too late to help, reports the New York Times . Even reassuring words from Fed Chair Ben Bernanke that the economy was “extraordinarily resilient,” did little...
473 Days of White House Emails Missing
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2008 3:53 AM CST
(Newser) -
An internal White House study found that email messages weren't archived for hundreds of days between 2003 and 2005, the Washington Post reports. The disclosure follows the White House admission that administrators recycled back-up tapes for the first three years of Bush's presidency, possibly losing millions of emails during a time that included...
Sick Soldiers Sent to War Zones
Denver Post
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Jan 18, 2008 3:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
Soldiers who are unfit because of injuries or illness are being sent to Iraq to meet deployment goals. Physicians reveal that 52 soldiers from Colorado's Fort Carson were deployed despite suffering from nerve damage, mental health problems and other ailments, the Denver Post reports. "Because of issues reaching deployable strength we have been...
Cheney May Testify in 'Assault' Arrest Lawsuit
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2008 3:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
Vice President Dick Cheney may be questioned under oath in a free-speech and civil rights lawsuit brought by a man who was arrested and threatened with assault charges when he approached Cheney at a ski resort. The 2006 incident has sparked a storm of controversy inside the Secret Service with agents charging one another of a cover-up. Steven Howards...
