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.
These 5 People Lost the Most This Year
Business Sheet
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Nov 26, 2008 2:31 PM CST
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Think you've taken a bath in the markets? Business Sheet compiles this year's five biggest losers: Warren Buffet Loss: $13.6 billion. Though he’s bought when others wouldn’t and come to the rescue of many (Goldman and GE, to start), losses dropped the famed investor’s liquid wealth to a paltry $48.1 billion. ...
MySpace Bully Not Guilty on Key Felony Charge
Associated Press
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Nov 26, 2008 2:13 PM CST
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A federal jury has rejected felony charges against cyberbully Lori Drew, convicting her instead of accessing a computer without authorization, a misdemeanor, the AP reports. The Missouri mom violated MySpace terms by creating a fake teen-boy profile to harass a neighborhood girl, but was found not guilty of using a computer to inflict emotional distress...
Mumbai Death Toll Climbs to 80
Times of India (India)
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Nov 26, 2008 2:08 PM CST
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A coordinated attack by men armed with machine guns and grenades has killed 80 and injured 250 in Mumbai, the Times of India reports. The violence started at a major rail hub, and included bombings of hotels and near a hospital. Indian officials are calling the attack a “terror strike.” Terrorists occupy two hotels, and are holding hostages...
Milk Doesn't Spill a Drop
Rotten Tomatoes
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Nov 26, 2008 2:05 PM CST
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If Milk were a ballot proposition, critics would pass it in a landslide. Part docu-drama, part biopic, the film spins the tale of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay American elected to public office, into an “incisive and stirring” drama, Owen Gleiberman writes in Entertainment Weekly . It’s “the rare liberal message-movie...
China Scraps Summit Over EU Meetings With Dalai Lama
Financial Times (UK)
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Nov 26, 2008 1:55 PM CST
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The Chinese government canceled a summit with leaders of the EU in response to the plans of several European countries to host the Dalai Lama next month, the Financial Times reports. The summit was to address the global financial crisis, and an EU statement expressed regret that China pulled out.
No 'Girly Dog' for Obama
Politico
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Nov 26, 2008 1:45 PM CST
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Barack Obama doesn't want a “girly dog” that just “sits in your lap and things,” he tells Barbara Walters in an interview set to air tonight, dismissing her unabashed lobbying for a White House pup similar to her sweet Havanese, Cha Cha Cha. “We're going to have a big rambunctious dog,” he said, as an unimpressed...
Mariah: Not Pregnant, But Not Drinking
People
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Nov 26, 2008 1:40 PM CST
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Mariah Carey’s not pregnant, she just doesn’t believe in drinking before 3pm—or so she says, People reports. The singer repeatedly shot down questions about pregnancy on Ellen today, but refused to take a sip of champagne when the host offered it, calling it "fattening." “You’re pregnant!” Ellen DeGeneres...
Aha! Zoo Bears Won't Mate Because Both Are Female
CNN
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Nov 26, 2008 1:36 PM CST
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A Japanese zoo is learning it might want to check the plumbing more closely the next time it acquires a polar bear cub, CNN reports. Tsuyoshi was brought to the Kushiro Zoo to breed with 11-year-old Kurumi. But when the cub reached reproductive age, he turned out to be she, which explained why Tsuyoshi wasn't making a move on “his” older...
Olmert Will Face Corruption Charges
Times (UK)
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Nov 26, 2008 1:26 PM CST
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Outgoing PM Ehud Olmert will be charged with fraud, abuse of confidence, and falsification of documents, Israel’s attorney general said today, a move that could force Olmert to leave office sooner than his intended February departure, the Times reports. The scandal—involving Olmert’s political appointments, travel expenses, and...
Meet the Press May Get New Anchor(s) Soon
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 26, 2008 1:20 PM CST
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NBC could name a new anchor, or anchors, for Meet the Press by Dec. 7, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sources at the network say that could be interim moderator Tom Brokaw’s last day on the show. Up for consideration are NBC’s David Gregory, Chuck Todd, and Andrea Mitchell. PBS anchor Gwen Ifill has also talked with NBC about the post.
There's Wild Food Missing Here
New York Times
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Nov 26, 2008 1:13 PM CST
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Mark Twain’s Thanksgiving looked nothing like the meal you’re having tomorrow—or, for that matter, like the one the Pilgrims had with the Wampanoag. The difference? Those bygone American tables would have been filled with wild game, Andrew Beahrs writes in the New York Times . Twain wrote with relish of frogs, woodcock, and canvasback...
Barbara Bush Has Surgery for Ulcer
Houston Chronicle
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Nov 26, 2008 12:54 PM CST
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Barbara Bush has been treated for a perforated ulcer and will likely remain in a Houston hospital through Thanksgiving, the Houston Chronicle reports. The former First Lady had been experiencing abdominal pain for a few days and was driven to the hospital last night by her husband. First Lady Laura Bush has talked to her in-laws and said the former...
3K Stranded in Bangkok as PM Refuses to Step Down
Guardian (UK)
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Nov 26, 2008 12:40 PM CST
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Thailand’s government today rejected a top general’s demand it dissolve parliament and hold elections, the Guardian reports, as protesters demand that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat step down entirely. Wongsawat snuck back into Thailand today and plans to meet with the king, whom protesters support; a pro-government gang killed an opposition...
Hollywood Acts That Could Use a Bailout
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 26, 2008 12:27 PM CST
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Like Wall Street and Detroit, Hollywood is sinking under stagnant numbers and outdated business plans. The Los Angeles Times runs down some Tinseltown properties in need of a bailout. MTV: The once counter-culture juggernaut should take a hint and develop edgy new dramas a la Gossip Girl . Law and Order : Old, tired, and indistinguishable,...
Bush 'the Lamest of All Possible Ducks:' Klein
Time
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Nov 26, 2008 12:14 PM CST
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Joe Klein really wants to find something charitable and valedictory to say about George W. Bush. “His position on immigration was admirable,” Klein writes in Time . “He spoke well, in the abstract, about the importance of freedom. He is an impeccable classicist when it comes to baseball.” But none of that makes up for the “paralytic...
Whitney and Bobby Back On
Chicago Sun-Times
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Nov 26, 2008 12:02 PM CST
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Stormy couple Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown may be reuniting, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The diva and her ex-husband have been spotted sharing romantic dinners lately, and friends say they might be getting back together. Though spokespeople for Houston insist they’re just “good friends,” daughter Bobbi Kristina reportedly...
Early On, Holiday Travel Going Smoothly
Associated Press
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Nov 26, 2008 11:53 AM CST
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Travelers breezed through airport terminals and drivers cruised open roads today, the effects of a sour economy blamed for keeping people closer to home at the start of the annual Thanksgiving rush. Even though gas prices fell and airlines offered last-minute deals, many Americans appeared to be skipping trips this year.
Australia a Continental Mess
Rotten Tomatoes
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Nov 26, 2008 11:42 AM CST
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Australia strives mightily to be a grand, old-school epic romance. “But what we get instead is an unwieldy mess” that’s overlong and drowning in clichés, writes Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily News . Stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman “have no chemistry to speak of,” but luckily they’re “the...
Want to Save Detroit? End the Iraq War
Politico
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Nov 26, 2008 11:30 AM CST
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You don’t hear much about the Iraq war these days, though the US death toll hit 4,205 on Monday. If human life isn't a convincing enough reason to bow out, writes Roger Simon in Politico, then here's one that "really is upsetting people these days: money." The war costs us $9-$12 billion per month, making Detroit’s request for...
FBI Warns of NYC Subway Terror Plot
Associated Press
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Nov 26, 2008 11:15 AM CST
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Federal authorities are warning law enforcement personnel of a possible terror plot against the New York City subway system during the holiday season. An internal memo obtained by the AP says the FBI has received a "plausible but unsubstantiated" report that al-Qaeda terrorists may have discussed suicide bombing attacks against the subway...
Obama Labor Snub Has Unions Worried
Politico
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Nov 26, 2008 11:01 AM CST
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Labor unions campaigned hard for Barack Obama, but are now worried he may have taken them for a ride, Politico reports. Unions noted with concern that there was no labor secretary-designate among the economic advisers introduced Monday, suggesting Obama isn’t emphasizing the position. “I hope they take that job seriously,” says David...
Greenland Votes for Self-Rule
Time
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Nov 26, 2008 10:52 AM CST
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Three-fourths of the Greenlanders who voted in yesterday’s referendum on self-rule want more autonomy from Denmark, Time reports. The historic vote—which must still be adopted by parliaments in Copenhagen and Nuuk—puts the world’s largest island on the path to becoming the first independent Inuit state. But that road is riddled...
Iraq Parliament Delays Vote on US Security Pact
Associated Press
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Nov 26, 2008 10:42 AM CST
(AP) -
Intense dealmaking among Iraq's political factions has delayed until tomorrow a parliamentary vote on the security pact that would allow American forces to stay in the country through 2011. The Shiite-led government is struggling to meet the demands of political blocs, including a large group of Sunni Arab lawmakers, seeking concessions in return for...
Nephew Probed in West's Death
People
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Nov 26, 2008 10:35 AM CST
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Authorities have launched a new investigation into the death of Kanye West’s mother, People reports, this time focusing on Donda West’s nephew. Registered nurse Stephan Scoggins, who is being investigated for possible negligence, was supposed to supervise West's post-op care but left for a baby shower the day after her surgery, a source...
Drug Companies Hide Data From Docs
Wired
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Nov 26, 2008 10:22 AM CST
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Pharmaceutical companies aren't as upfront with doctors as they are with the government about their new products, a study finds. Though drug companies must provide the FDA with all of the data from clinical trials, related papers published in medical journals were found to omit info from 20% of the trials, and were often presented with a favorable...
Let's Go Back to Beijing in 2012
Times (UK)
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Nov 26, 2008 10:11 AM CST
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With the economic crisis taking billions out of Britain’s coffers, spending billions more to get ready for the 2012 Olympics makes no sense, writes Alice Miles in the Times of London, who foresees a day when “the unemployed, the homeless, and the destitute will join the athletes parading through London.” The best solution: Give...
Feisty Medvedev Gives Obama Russian Headache
Politico
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Nov 26, 2008 9:59 AM CST
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Barack Obama’s main foreign policy challenge was supposed to be the Middle East, but Russia is giving its southern neighbors some competition, writes Ben Smith in Politico. Almost alone among foreign leaders in greeting the Obama victory with hostility, Dmitry Medvedev immediately threatened to move missiles westward if the new president goes...
Four Christmases a Big Turkey
Rotten Tomatoes
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Nov 26, 2008 9:46 AM CST
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Holiday comedy Four Christmases had some critics chuckling but left most moaning ho-ho-no. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon star as a couple forced by circumstance to visit the dysfunctional families of their divorced parents, but the "predictable and dyspeptic story" lacks the bite of misanthropic holiday classics like Bad Santa , Claudia...
Radio Struggles as Advertisers Tune Out
New York Times
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Nov 26, 2008 9:35 AM CST
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More listeners hasn’t translated into more cash for radio broadcasters struggling to keep advertising revenues up, reports the New York Times , as prime clients like auto dealers and retailers cut ad buys in their own battle to stay afloat. Radio advertising continued its 18-month nosedive, declining 10% in October from the previous year.
Pianist's Skull Steals Hamlet Scene
Times (UK)
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Nov 26, 2008 9:24 AM CST
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A concert pianist has appeared on stage in a 22-performance run of Hamlet —26 years after his death. André Tchaikowsky, a Polish Jew who was smuggled out of Warsaw as a child of 7, left his skull to the Royal Shakespeare Company upon his death in 1982. It was finally used in the graveyard scene as the unearthed skull of Yorick, the jester,...
Execs Cashed Out as Subprime Giant Staggered
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 26, 2008 9:10 AM CST
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Bosses at one of the country's biggest subprime lenders made some suspicious stock sales as the firm's mortgages soured, a Los Angeles Times investigation reveals. Records show that executives at now-bankrupt New Century Financial sold nearly $20 million in company shares shortly after setting up new trading plans, often within days of each other....
Market Opens Down on Grim Spending Data
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 26, 2008 8:58 AM CST
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Wall Street’s three-day revival screeched to a halt this morning, as the Dow opened down 136 points following a grim consumer spending report. Personal consumption fell 1% in October, the fastest consumers have slammed the brakes on spending in 7 years, the Wall Street Journal reports. Orders for durable goods took their third straight tumble,...
Ledger Tragedy to Hit Law & Order
New York Post
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Nov 26, 2008 8:56 AM CST
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Heath Ledger’s death is set to provide Law & Order with another “ripped from the headlines” episode, the New York Post reports. An upcoming show about a male supermodel who “has a great career and gets all the ladies” is based on Ledger’s demise, say an insider. The character is found dead by friends the...
Volcker to Chair an Economic Recovery Advisory Group
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 26, 2008 8:44 AM CST
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Former Fed chief Paul Volcker will run a new non-partisan White House economic advisory board being crafted by president-elect Barack Obama, reports the Wall Street Journal. The group, to be comprised of independent experts, will give Obama a channel of economic advice that falls outside Washington's traditional bureaucracy.
Mortgage-Rate Drop Sets off Refinancing Rush
Bloomberg
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Nov 26, 2008 8:30 AM CST
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The biggest one-day decline in mortgage rates in 7 years set off a frenzy of refinancing yesterday, as homeowners who'd been waiting for a bargain jumped into the market. The nearly one-point decline was prompted by the Fed's $600 billion commitment to buy mortgage-backed securities, reports Bloomberg. "It's the folks who have been sitting on...
Mexico, Paraguay Named Top Pot Growers
CNN
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Nov 26, 2008 8:16 AM CST
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Mexico holds the distinction of being the world's biggest marijuana producer—no big surprise there. But little landlocked Paraguay is turning heads after hitting No. 2 on the UN's list of top pot-growing countries, CNN reports. Paraguayan officials aren't surprised: Raids are difficult to orchestrate, marijuana fetches 500% the selling price...
Give Bill Hillary's Seat
Washington Post
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Nov 26, 2008 8:00 AM CST
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With so many pols jockeying for Hillary Clinton's potentially open Senate seat, David Paterson needn't agonize over the decision: Just give it to her husband, write Karl E. Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac in the Washington Post . It would give Bill "a fitting day job," be a boon to mid-meltdown New York, and "offer a refreshing reverse...
Honked Off: Car Horns More Harm Than Good
Slate
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Nov 26, 2008 8:00 AM CST
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The next time you honk your car’s horn, you might want to ask why you're doing it. Grabbing the horn by the bull for Slate, Dave Johns thinks you’re probably too close to do anything but tell your obstacle to get out of the way. That’s because drivers use their horns “as a tool for scolding rather than safety,” one expert...
Larry Summers: Team Obama's 'Truth Teller'
New York Times
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Nov 26, 2008 7:47 AM CST
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After Timothy Geithner won his old job of treasury secretary, Larry Summers' return to government as director of the National Economic Council might seem like a consolation prize. On the contrary, writes David Leonhardt in the New York Times , Summers will have a prime role in the new administration: the "fearless truth teller" who...
Madge and A-Rod Jet to Miami
New York Post
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Nov 26, 2008 7:34 AM CST
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Madonna and beau Alex Rodriguez jetted off to Miami together in a private plane, the New York Post reports. The pair arrived early yesterday morning in advance of the singer’s performance tonight—and for A-Rod to spend Thanksgiving with his family, contrary to previous reports. After landing, the lovebirds checked for paparazzi before...
'Bleak Friday' May Keep TV Prices Down All Season
Wall Street Journal
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Nov 26, 2008 7:21 AM CST
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If your holiday wish list includes a flat-panel TV, you may not have to battle crowds on Black Friday to land a deal, reports the Wall Street Journal. Struggling electronics retailers anticipating a bleak holiday season are likely to extend traditionally low day-after-Thanksgiving prices—which could top 50% savings on some 32-inch models—through...
After Cheney, a VP Without Portfolio
New York Times
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Nov 26, 2008 7:08 AM CST
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The nation's last two vice presidents loomed large in Washington—Al Gore leading on the environment and technology and Dick Cheney practically a shadow president. But when Joe Biden succeeds arguably the most powerful No. 2 in American history, the job is expected to shrink back to its original size. As the New York Times reports, Biden will...
Mbeki AIDS Denial Killed 365K in South Africa
New York Times
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Nov 26, 2008 6:54 AM CST
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South Africa's failure to provide antiretroviral drugs to AIDS patients has cost 365,000 lives, a new Harvard study finds. The report places the blame for the deaths with ousted president Thabo Mbeki, whose denial of AIDS' viral cause led Africa's richest country to ignore its sick citizens while other southern African nations provided medicine,...
Last Call's Daly to Be a Dad
People
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Nov 26, 2008 6:41 AM CST
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Carson Daly is going to be a dad, People reports. The late-night talk show host is expecting his first child with girlfriend Siri Pinter. In a nod to Daly’s love of cycling, “Friends are already looking for bike helmets for the little one,” a rep said. The baby is due in early spring.
China's Richest Man Vanishes Amid Probe
MarketWatch
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Nov 26, 2008 6:31 AM CST
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China's biggest electronics retailer is trying to find out what happened to its founder, Marketwatch reports. Huang Guangyu, ranked the richest man in China in a recent report, has been not been seen since last week. The tycoon was being investigated for insider trading, but company representatives said government officials have told them nothing,...
'Bailout' Named Word of the Year
Associated Press
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Nov 26, 2008 6:20 AM CST
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The word "bailout," in frequent use in newspapers, magazines, and TV thanks to the economic meltdown, has been named Merriam-Webster's 2008 Word of the Year, reports the AP. It was the word most looked up on the company's online dictionary, edging out other newly prominent and worrisome terms like "trepidation," "precipice,"...
Food Stamp Use Nears Record High
Washington Post
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Nov 26, 2008 6:05 AM CST
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Rising unemployment is expected to push the number of Americans on food stamps to an all-time high of more than 30 million this month, the Washington Post reports. Food pantries say they are also experiencing a surge in demand and a hunger hotline in Washington DC says its calls have more than tripled—and come mostly people who have never sought...
Bad Bosses May Be Deadly
Boston Globe
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Nov 26, 2008 5:32 AM CST
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Your incompetent boss could give you a heart attack, the Boston Globe reports. New research shows workers whose bosses are inconsiderate, uncommunicative and poor advocates for their employees are about 60% more likely to suffer a heart attack or other serious cardiac issues. Employees whose bosses have solid leadership skills are 40% less likely...
Obama's Top CIA Pick Drops Out
Los Angeles Times
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Nov 26, 2008 4:46 AM CST
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Barack Obama's top intelligence adviser and his first choice for CIA director has withdrawn his name from consideration, the Los Angeles Times reports. John Brennan, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, was branded by some liberal groups as a proponent of the harsh interrogation techniques used against terrorist suspects during...
India Sank Wrong Ship in Pirate Attack
International Herald Tribune
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Nov 26, 2008 4:20 AM CST
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The "pirate mother ship" blown out of the water by the Indian navy in the Gulf of Arden last week was actually a Thai fishing trawler that had been seized by the pirates, the International Herald Tribune reports. The boat's owner learned of the mistake when a surviving crew member was rescued after holding on to a floating barrel for five...
