Newser Story Index from November, 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.
Blackwater Faces Hefty Fine for Iraq Gun Violations
McClatchy Newspapers
|
Nov 13, 2008 4:08 PM CST
(Newser) -
The government will hit security firm Blackwater USA with a multimillion-dollar fine for shipping hundreds of unauthorized guns to Iraq, McClatchy reports. A lengthy State Department investigation has concluded that the security contractor shipped some 900 weapons to the country—some of which likely wound up on the black market—without...
Scientists Snap First Images of New Planets
Space.com
|
Nov 13, 2008 3:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Scientists have photographed planets outside our solar system for the first time, Space.com reports. One team captured images of a three-planet system orbiting a star in the Pegasus constellation, while another group snapped a planet rotating around the star Fomalhaut. The planets can't support life or little green men, but one astronomer says the...
Millions Mobilize for SoCal Earthquake Drill
Los Angeles Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 3:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
An estimated 5 million volunteers and emergency personnel participated in a huge earthquake drill in Southern California today, the Los Angeles Times reports. The “ShakeOut,” as it is known, was designed to raise awareness of the continued need for earthquake preparedness. California will almost certainly get hit with a quake of 6.7 magnitude...
Stocks Fight Back; Dow Up 553
MarketWatch
|
Nov 13, 2008 3:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
Stocks rallied late today, overcoming the report of a big jump in weekly jobless claims that pushed the Dow briefly below 8,000 earlier in the session, MarketWatch reports. Amid mixed earnings reports and generally downbeat forecasts, the Dow gained 552.59 to close at 8,835.25. The Nasdaq rose 97.49 to close at 1,596.70, while the S&P 500 climbed...
Clinton Rumored On Short List for Secretary of State
Washington Post
|
Nov 13, 2008 3:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Washington rumor mill has spit out an interesting item: Barack Obama may be considering erstwhile archrival Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State, the Post reports. Obama is not pleased with names floated for the position, including Sens. John Kerry and Chuck Hagel and Gov. Bill Richardson. Clinton might salve Democratic wounds, and her foreign...
Obama Vacates Senate Seat, Effective Sunday
Chicago Tribune
|
Nov 13, 2008 3:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
President-elect Obama will resign from the Senate effective Sunday, the Chicago Tribune reports. Illinois state law makes Gov. Rod Blagojevich responsible for choosing Obama’s successor, but states no deadline on the appointment. That could be problematic, with a vote possible during Congress’ lame-duck session on pressing economic issues;...
Justice Dept. Math: Subtract Politics, Add Confidence
Washington Post
|
Nov 13, 2008 2:54 PM CST
(Newser) -
Repairing a Justice Department heavily politicized by the Bush administration’s ideologically motivated hiring practices and controversial counterterrorism measures will be one of Barack Obama’s most daunting challenges, Carrie Johnson writes in the Washington Post . One key area is the secretive Office of Legal Counsel, which advises...
Lively Not Really That Gossipy
W
|
Nov 13, 2008 2:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
Blake Lively might be the "hottest senior ever to roam the halls" of hit show Gossip Girl , but the 21-year-old is a far cry from the "boozy party girl she plays on TV," writes Dana Wood in W . "I don't really like to go out," says the "borderline geeky" Lively, who does share her character's passion for fashion....
Feds Indict UBS Exec on Tax Evasion Charges
Financial Times (UK)
|
Nov 13, 2008 2:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
The US Department of Justice indicted UBS’ head of global wealth management for enabling the Swiss bank’s American clients to avoid taxes, the Financial Times reports. Although authorities are only specifically pursuing Raoul Weil at this time, they hold that several senior UBS executives are “unindicted co-conspirators.”
Best, Worst Flicks About 'Net
PC World
|
Nov 13, 2008 2:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
Christopher Null, in PC World , has compiled his five best, and five worst, movies that are either about the Internet or use it as a plot device: The good: The Matrix (1998): Keanu Reeves bends bullets. Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005): Meeting people online equals comedic gold. Hackers (1995): Campy cult classic...
Fewer Than 20% of US Adults Smoke, a First
Reuters
|
Nov 13, 2008 2:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
Smoking in the US is at its lowest since cigarettes became widespread after World War I, Reuters reports, with fewer than 20% of adults in the country lighting up—the lowest figure on record. Observers credit the gradual decline to awareness, bans on smoking in public places, and prohibitive taxation. Still, smoking is estimated to kill 443,000...
A Look at Obama's Energy Blueprint
Time
|
Nov 13, 2008 1:56 PM CST
(Newser) -
Detroit's looking for a bailout. China just announced a massive stimulus package, including big investments in transportation and energy. What’s a president-elect to do? Barack Obama would be best served by making good on his promise to create an alternative energy economy, writes Joe Klein in Time. Thankfully, the head of Obama’s transition...
Indians' Lee Cruises to AL Cy Young
MLB.com
|
Nov 13, 2008 1:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
Left-hander Cliff Lee, who had to compete just to get on the Cleveland Indians’ regular-season roster, became the team’s second consecutive American League Cy Young Award winner today, easily outdistancing Toronto’s Roy Halladay, MLB.com reports. Lee led the league with a 22 wins and a 2.54 ERA; he follows CC Sabathia (since traded...
Madonna to Gwyneth: Shut Up!
National Enquirer
|
Nov 13, 2008 1:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
Maybe Gwyneth Paltrow was just trying to help, but the star has received a tongue-lashing from pal Madonna for publicly discussing Madge’s split with Guy Ritchie, the National Enquirer reports. “If you want to help me and be supportive of me, then keep your mouth SHUT!” the Material Girl told a stunned Gwyneth. Paltrow had told...
'First Jewish President' Delights Chicago Faithful
Haaretz (Israel)
|
Nov 13, 2008 1:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Though there was doubt during the campaign of broad Jewish support for Barack Obama, the Chicago Jewish community didn't share it, Haaretz reports. “I said with a smile that he will be the first Jewish president,” said one community leader and who traveled with Obama to Israel in 2006. “He also has a deep understanding of issues...
Red Sox Freeze Ticket Prices
Boston Globe
|
Nov 13, 2008 1:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Times are tough, and the Boston Red Sox know it—in a nod to fans, the team froze ticket prices at Fenway yesterday for the first time in 14 years, the Globe reports. At an average $48.80, tickets are still some of baseball's most expensive, but "We do not want to be the ballpark of the rich and famous," says a team exec.
Assaults on Our Freedom Come From Left and Right
American Conservative
|
Nov 13, 2008 1:07 PM CST
(Newser) -
Those who blame the current administration for assaults on US constitutional freedoms should take a longer view, writes Alexander Cockburn in the American Conservative . “No doubt the conservatives who cheered Bush on as he abrogated ancient rights and stretched the powers of his office to unseen limits would have shrieked if a Democrat had...
Hypoallergenic Dog Is Tall Tail: Allergists to Obama
Associated Press
|
Nov 13, 2008 12:56 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama plans to acquire a hypoallergenic dog because of daughter Malia’s allergies, but doctors have bad news, the AP reports. No canine is “truly ‘hypoallergenic,’” an allergists group says. “It is falsely believed that a dog that sheds less will not cause a reaction,” the group continued. In fact, allergens...
Want to Stop Iran, President Obama? Cut Its Gas Supply
Wall Street Journal
|
Nov 13, 2008 12:47 PM CST
(Newser) -
Could Barack Obama petro-blackmail Iran on its nuclear ambitions? Former State Department official Orde Kittrie thinks so. Despite abundant crude oil, limited refining capacity forces Iran to import 40% of its gasoline, Kittrie explains in the Wall Street Journal . And though none of its main suppliers are based in the US, four of the five companies...
Oregon Man Pregnant Again
ABC News
|
Nov 13, 2008 12:37 PM CST
(Newser) -
“Pregnant man” Thomas Beatie has another bun in the oven, just four months after the transgender male gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Though he’s legally a male, Beatie kept his natural female sex organs and has stayed off testosterone pills since the birth so that he could have another child, he tells ABC News.
Political Office Is Gray Area at White House
Politico
|
Nov 13, 2008 12:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama made transcending partisan politics part of his campaign pitch, but he remains noncommittal on a proposal to abolish the White House political office. A Reagan Administration creation, it played a vastly different role under Karl Rove than it had previously, Politico reports. John McCain has called for eliminating the office, as have good-government...
Belly Fat Can Kill You: Study
BBC
|
Nov 13, 2008 12:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
Flabby guts send many to the gym, but a far-reaching new study concludes that they can send you to an early grave as well—even among those with normal weight. The risk of dying prematurely shoots up about 15% each time the belt is let out two inches, researchers concluded after sizing up 360,000 European bellies. Experts recommend measuring the...
Palin Focuses on Future at Glum GOP Event
New York Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 12:07 PM CST
(Newser) -
Breaking from presidential-campaign habits with a press conference, Sarah Palin thanked supporters, mentioned Joe the Plumber, and dodged the obvious question about 2012 today at the Republican governors confab in Miami, the New York Times reports. “The future is not that 2012 Presidential race, it’s next year and our next budgets,”...
Pitt 'Thrown' by Jen's Dig, Calls to Gripe
Chicago Sun-Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 11:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
Jennifer Aniston's candid Vogue interview and first public digs at Angelina Jolie are causing quite a stir—and Brad doesn't like it, reports the Chicago Sun-Times . Pitt called Aniston to complain about the piece, though his ex-wife went out of her way to compliment him. Pitt and Jolie were “totally thrown” by Jen's rehashing...
Biden's Son Will Deploy to Iraq by Month's End
Politico
|
Nov 13, 2008 11:48 AM CST
(Newser) -
Joe Biden’s son Beau, 39, will be sent to Iraq by Thanksgiving, Politico reports. Beau Biden, a captain in the Delaware National Guard and also the state’s attorney general, will leave Fort Bliss, Texas, for the Middle East in the next two weeks with the rest of Delaware’s 261st Tactical Theater Signal Brigade.
LiLo and Sam Getting Engaged
Daily Mirror (UK)
|
Nov 13, 2008 11:38 AM CST
(Newser) -
Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson are getting engaged in the City of Lights, sources tell the Daily Mirror . The pair leave London tomorrow for Paris, where they will visit jewelers to discuss their “hip and edgy”—not “flash and expensive”—ring designs.
GOP Lawsuits Aim to Undo McCain-Feingold Reforms
Washington Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 11:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Republican Party, smarting over its defeat at the hands of Barack Obama’s fundraising machine, is suing to defang the campaign-finance bill John McCain sponsored, the Washington Times reports. Two suits to be filed today will challenge the legislation’s limits on so-called “soft money” and the parties’ ability to...
Mexico Turns Tequila Into Diamonds
Guardian (UK)
|
Nov 13, 2008 11:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
Mexican scientists have discovered that their national drink is good for a lot more than margaritas, the Guardian reports. Tequila contains hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon in exactly the right proportion to form diamonds when it is heated to a vapor and left to crystallize. The extremely thin tequila diamonds are way too small for rings, researchers...
Bill Ayers Will Appear on ABC Tomorrow
ABC News
|
Nov 13, 2008 11:08 AM CST
(Newser) -
After keeping a low profile through the presidential election in which he became a talking point, Chicago activist Bill Ayers will appear on Good Morning America tomorrow, ABC News reports. In the exclusive TV interview, Ayers will discuss his transformation into a 1960s radical and his memoir, Fugitive Days .
Study Paves Way for 'Entrepreneur Pill'
Telegraph (UK)
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
A study that links entrepreneurial success to risky decision-making, a trait less prevalent among buttoned-up business managers, has scientists pondering whether a pill could boost enterprising behavior. Riskiness is associated with the hormone dopamine, which could inject chutzpah into hesitant managers, the Telegraph reports. Critics doubt chemicals...
Chronically Ill Worse Off in US Than Elsewhere: Study
Reuters
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Chronically ill Americans are more likely to forgo medical care because of high costs or bad experiences than counterparts in a number of other rich nations, a study finds. Researchers interviewed 7,500 adults with conditions like cancer, arthritis, depression, and diabetes, and the Americans led the complaints. Dutch patients had the fewest qualms,...
Iran Toughens Stance on Obama
Washington Post
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
Facing a US president-elect willing to negotiate, just as they’ve asked for, Iran’s leaders have adopted a more hostile tone toward Barack Obama, the Washington Post reports. “People who put on a mask of friendship, but with the objective of betrayal, and who enter from the angle of negotiations without preconditions, are more dangerous,”...
401(k) Matches Fall Victim to Downturn
BusinessWeek
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Shrinking 401(k) accounts may soon seem like a bit of a luxury as more and more companies eliminate matching contributions to the retirement accounts, reports BusinessWeek . Some 2% of firms in a recent survey said they had already cut out the match, and another 4% said they’ll drop it within the next year as the economy worsens.
Greatest Singer Ever: Aretha
Rolling Stone
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:18 AM CST
(Newser) -
Aretha Franklin isn't just the Queen of Soul, she's the greatest singer of all time, according to a new Rolling Stone poll of critics, musicians, and industry leaders. Her heavenly voice is "a gift from God," says Mary J. Blige. "Aretha has everything—the power, the technique," Bilge adds. "When it comes to expressing...
Pay Cut, Scrutiny Await Axelrod in DC
Politico
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
David Axelrod would pay a steep price to follow his most famous client to the White House, Politico reports. Barack Obama’s right-hand man would probably have to sell his stakes in the lucrative consulting firms he founded and open his finances to public scrutiny. Axelrod’s firms have collected more than $35 million since 1998 for...
Clooney Slams Gay Marriage Ban
E! Online
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:09 AM CST
(Newser) -
George Clooney is none too happy with residents of California for passing Proposition 8, reports E! Online. The actor says he looks forward to the day when opponents of gay marriage “will look as outdated as George Wallace standing on the school steps keeping James Hood from entering the University of Alabama because he was black.”
Wi-Fi Goes for a Ride—in the Slow Lane
Wall Street Journal
|
Nov 13, 2008 10:06 AM CST
(Newser) -
Wi-Fi has moved to the car, with Chrysler and Autonet Mobile teaming up to offer connectivity on wheels. It's a neat idea that works reasonably well, writes Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal , though speed isn't great, and the initial cost is steep. Moreover, "the company says the service is only for passengers, not drivers, but there's...
GOP Will Bounce Back: Rove
Wall Street Journal
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Voters didn’t so much choose liberalism or the Democratic Party as they did Barack Obama, writes Karl Rove in the Wall Street Journal . And that’s potentially good news for the GOP in the 2010 midterm elections, Rove says: “In politics, good years follow bad years. Republicans and Democrats have experienced both during the past...
McCain 'Insider' Who Leaked Palin Dirt a Fake
New York Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
MSNBC thought it had a scoop: On Monday, it identified "Martin Eisenstadt, a McCain policy adviser" as the man who claimed Sarah Palin didn't know Africa was a continent. Only trouble? Martin Eisenstadt doesn't exist—he's a character in an elaborate, months-long hoax that has taken in news organizations from the New Republic...
Child Murder Added to Fritzl Charges
Telegraph (UK)
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Josef Fritzl has been charged with murder in the death of one of the seven children he had with his daughter Elisabeth, the Telegraph reports. Austrian prosecutors say he failed to provide medical care to the child, who fell ill shortly after birth. He later burned the child's body in a furnace. Fritzl, 73, also faces charges of rape, enslavement,...
Hathaway's Ex 'Deteriorates' in Prison
New York Post
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
Moving from his $37,500-a-month Trump Tower apartment into a windowless dorm room shared with 120 other inmates has not been good for Raffaello Follieri’s health, the New York Post reports. The convicted con man’s lawyer told a judge that Anne Hathaway’s ex has blood in his urine, a fever, and other problems; he blamed the deterioration...
Jolie: Movie Inspired Pregnancy
Associated Press
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
Playing the mother of a missing child kicked Angelina Jolie's well-documented maternal instincts into even higher gear, reports the LA Times. "I got pregnant right in the middle of it and I think partially because of it,” the actress said of Changeling , her latest motherhood-centered flick. Jolie, now the mom of six, called her...
Obama Applicants Go Under Microscope
New York Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:16 AM CST
(Newser) -
If you want a job in the Obama administration, be ready to tell all. High-level job applicants must complete a seven-page form that asks for everything from online aliases to traffic tickets that carried a fine of $50 or more, reports the New York Times . The questionnaire appears to reflect a desire to head off resume-related trouble that's submarined...
Major Works Fail to Sell at Christie's
Bloomberg
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:16 AM CST
(Newser) -
The art world bust continued last night at the Christie's contemporary auction in New York, where almost a third of the 75 works on the block went unsold. Not a single collector bid for the highlight of the sale, a self-portrait by Francis Bacon estimated to sell for around $40 million, Bloomberg reports. And in a sign of the times, a collection of...
Canada May Have a Match in Case of Severed Feet
Vancouver Sun
|
Nov 13, 2008 9:06 AM CST
(Newser) -
Another severed foot in an athletic shoe has washed up on a Canadian shore, the sixth in a bizarre series of feet found over the last 15 months, reports the Vancouver Sun . The left foot, encased in a New Balance running shoe, was found earlier this week on a riverbank in a Vancouver suburb. An earlier right foot in a New Balance sneaker was found...
Soaring Jobless Claims Leave Stocks Flat
Wall Street Journal
|
Nov 13, 2008 8:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
Jobless claims rose to a 7-year high last week, but that didn’t appear to move the needle for stocks, which barely budged at today's open. The Dow crept up 66 points, while the S&P and Nasdaq rose 0.9% and 0.4% respectively. A staggering 32,000 filed new jobless claims last week, to a seasonally adjusted 516,000, a much bleaker number than...
GOP Could Face a Decade of Oblivion
New York Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 8:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
What happens when a party gets the thumping that the Republicans endured in 2006 and 2008? If their British cousins are anything to go by, says Jonathan Freeland, "the first response to electoral disaster is denial." Writing in the New York Times , the Guardian columnist analyzes the Tories' decade in the wilderness after Tony Blair's...
Hef Is Like a Dad to Ex Kendra
Us Weekly
|
Nov 13, 2008 8:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hugh Hefner is more than just an ex of Girls Next Door star Kendra Wilkinson—he’s “like a father to her,” says Wilkinson’s fiancé, Hank Baskett. The Philadelphia Eagles receiver made sure to get Hef's blessing before popping the question, reports Us magazine. The two have been dating nine months and plan to...
Bailout Oversight: 'It's a Mess'
Washington Post
|
Nov 13, 2008 8:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
More than one-third of the $700 billion bailout package has been committed, but the program is operating without any government oversight, reports the Washington Post. The provisions intended to monitor the disbursement for corruption and waste are being overlooked, and no one has been nominated to the newly created post of special inspector general...
The Big Debate: Bailout or Bankruptcy?
New York Times
|
Nov 13, 2008 8:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
The water is coming in fast at General Motors, and Washington is readying its bailing buckets. But simply giving GM money won’t keep America’s biggest automaker afloat. GM needs massive restructuring, and many believe bankruptcy court is the place to do it, says the New York Times , reviewing the argument that is dominating Washington....
