Newser Story Index from March, 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.
So Long, Sooners As Louisville Moves On
Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.)
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Mar 24, 2008 12:36 AM CDT
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The Big East sent more teams to the NCAA tournament than any other conference this year, and will have as many as any conference in the Regional Semifinals, too, as three of the eight remain. Louisville is among them, after annihilating No. 6 seed Oklahoma, 78-48. The Cardinals led 44-22 at halftime when they ended the first half with a 26-8 run. That...
Play Suspended, Ogilvy Holds Slim Lead at Doral
Miami Herald
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Mar 23, 2008 10:30 PM CDT
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Geoff Ogilvy leads by one stroke after the final round at Doral was suspended due to darkness. Mother Nature forced an extended rain delay today, the tourney’s second stoppage in two days. Despite the weather, the golf is good as the leaderboard is crowded with big-name players. Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk are among them – both are two behind...
Raptors Collapse Late, Nuggets Prevail 109-100
National Post (Canada)
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Mar 23, 2008 9:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Toronto forward Chris Bosh came an assist short of his first triple-double, but it didn't make his team's latest loss any easier. The Raptors frittered away a 17-point first-quarter lead to the resilient Nuggets, who ended with a 13-2 run to win 109-100 and bump Toronto back to .500, reports the National Post.
Geno's Gift: UConn Rolls Past Cornell
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 9:52 PM CDT
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It’s been 14 years since UConn won a first-round women's NCAA tournament game by less than 23 points. Today was no exception, as they routed Cornell, 89-47. Already the Huskies have fared better than their male counterparts, who lost in the first round of their tourney. Maya Moore led UConn with 17 points as the team improves to 33-1. ...
Dallas Loses Dirk, Game in Hellish Third Quarter
Dallas Morning News
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Mar 23, 2008 9:48 PM CDT
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In a nightmarish third quarter, the Mavericks allowed a game-changing 19-0 run by their archrivals and saw their star forward, Dirk Nowitzki, sustain a lower leg injury on a nasty spill. The sweet-shooting Bavarian is likely to miss a minimum of 6-7 games, reports the Dallas Morning News, and now Dallas's playoff hopes rest in the balance.
UNC Makes It Look Easy —Again
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 8:59 PM CDT
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There’s little question why North Carolina was ranked the No. 1 seed overall in the NCAA tournament: in their first two games they’ve outscored their opponents 221-150, looking more like an NBA team than a college one. Today’s victim was 9th-seeded Arkansas, which lost to the Tar Heels 108-77. Wayne Ellington was UNC’s...
Memphis Plays It Tough in Beating Miss. St.
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 8:46 PM CDT
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Memphis eked past Mississippi State 77-74 today in what had been expected, and turned out to be, a rough and tumble game. Leading the bumping bodies was the Tigers' Joey Dorsey who had 13 points, 12 rebounds, six blocked shots and altered several others with solid defense, reports AP. Memphis stars Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 17 points...
Blackhawks Get Big Two Points, Beat Blues in OT
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 8:03 PM CDT
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Chicago rebounded from a late goal by the Blues' Keith Tkachuk, tying the game on a goal by James Wisniewski with 55 seconds left and winning it on rookie Patrick Kane's tally in overtime, stealing a 4-3 win from St. Louis, reports AP. The important win brought the Blackhawks within four points of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Fatah and Hamas Sign Deal, But Feuding Continues
Reuters
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Mar 23, 2008 8:02 PM CDT
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In a second attempt to mend fences, rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas agreed to resume direct talks today to resolve disputes and revive their failed coalition. A Hamas official called the deal “a new beginning and the start of a new stage,” but just hours after signing the Yemeni-sponsored Sanaa Declaration, the factions returned...
No. 2 seed Tennessee Tops Butler in OT
Indianapolis Star
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Mar 23, 2008 8:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Butler answered all but one of Tennessee's runs in their second round NCAA tournament matchup today. Unfortunately for the Horizon League champs (30-4), they couldn't match the Vols in overtime, and fell 76-71. Wayne Chism led Tennessee with 16 points, while Tyler Smith had 15 and JaJuan Smith 11, reports the Indianapolis Star . Senior A.J. Graves...
4 Dead After Boat Starts Sinking Off Alaska
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Mar 23, 2008 7:44 PM CDT
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Four crew members of a Seattle-based fishing boat died today after the vessel sank amidst high seas off the Alaska coast, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. Officials rescued 42 members, but a search continues for one missing staffer, according to the AP. The boat began sinking shortly before 3 a.m., when it lost control of its rudder 120 miles...
Sex Guide Gets a Modern Makeover
Telegraph (UK)
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Mar 23, 2008 7:34 PM CDT
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The hirsute lover on the cover is coming back, but other updates to The Joy of Sex are still under wraps, the Telegraph reports. The original author’s son and a relationships psychologist have paired to modernize the 1972 classic that sold more than eight million copies. The September edition "is taking in new material to reflect how...
Georgetown Shocked by Cinderella Davidson
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 7:26 PM CDT
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Davidson star Stephen Curry had no touch early in his team's second round game against Georgetown, the AP reports. The sophomore guard missed 10 of his first 12, and the Hoyas climbed to a dominating lead. But Curry would not be denied, erupting for 25 of his 30 points in the second half and leading underdog Davidson from 16 behind with 15 minutes...
No. 8 Georgia Women Rally to Knock off Iowa
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 7:22 PM CDT
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Ashley Houts scored her team's last eight points, all on free throws in the final 41 seconds, as eighth-seeded Georgia overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Iowa, 67-61, in the first round of the women's NCAA tournament. Angel Robinson led the winners with 17 points while Houts added 12 assists. Georgia next faces top-seeded UNC, reports AP. In other...
Maryland Survives Coppin State
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 7:19 PM CDT
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It looked like the Maryland Terrapins were in danger of being only the second top-seed to ever fall in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the AP reports. Unlikely Coppin State battled for the duration, at one point holding the lead, and the 16th seed kept the game close until Maryland ran away late to finish with a double digit victory, 80-66. ...
Seacrest Media Empire Still Expanding
Washington Post
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Mar 23, 2008 7:07 PM CDT
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Ryan Seacrest has a mission, and he’s proud to admit it: He aims to be the Dick Clark, Merv Griffin, and Larry King of his generation. Since childhood, the "American Idol" host has plotted every step to get closer to his goal, writes Tom Shales in the Washington Post . Now he shares his name with so many projects that he’s had...
W. Kentucky Hilltops San Diego
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 6:52 PM CDT
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Elated today with its first trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 15 years, Western Kentucky now faces a real trial, reports the AP. After warding off a scrappy San Diego 72-63 with Courtney Lee's clutch late free throws and his team-leading 29 points, the 12th-seeded Hilltoppers will have to go through top seed UCLA in the West Region semifinals in their next...
Easter Bombings in Iraq Kill at Least 57
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 6:49 PM CDT
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Despite a yearlong decline in violence in Iraq, a series of attacks on Easter Sunday killed at least 57, reports the AP. In the most severe, a suicide car bomber killed at least 13 Iraqi soldiers and wounded 42 people at a military base in Mosul, an al-Qaeda holdout. A second suicide car bombing killed 7 and wounded 14 in Baghdad, while a series of...
Consider Pulling Plug, NM Gov. Tells Hillary
Bloomberg
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Mar 23, 2008 6:25 PM CDT
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New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson advised Hillary Clinton today to consider quitting if she trails Barack Obama at convention time, Bloomberg reports. But Richardson, who has endorsed Obama, insists his heart is still with Hillary, CNN reports. “I’m very loyal to the Clintons,” said Bill Clinton’s former energy secretary. “But...
'Canes Give Horns All they Handle, But Fall
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 6:10 PM CDT
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A.J. Abrams, recruited by Miami coach Frank Haith while the latter was a Texas assistant, made two free throws with 9 seconds remaining as the Longhorns advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in seven years with a 75-72 victory over the Hurricanes. Texas started quickly, making 9-of-16 three pointers and taking an 11-point halftime lead, reports...
Who Stays Hot at Box Office
Variety
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Mar 23, 2008 5:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dr. Seuss’ Horton heard cha-ching at the box office again this weekend despite a 45% drop in sales, Variety reports. The family flick grossed $25.1 million, beating number-two Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns and photographic horror remake Shutter , which grossed $20 million and $10.7 million, respectively, the AP reports.
Saddam's Files Provide No 'Smoking Gun'
Newsweek
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Mar 23, 2008 5:20 PM CDT
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The Pentagon has rifled through 600,000 pages of Iraqi intelligence docs and found no sign of: a plot to kill George Bush, Sr. in 1993. a Saddam Hussein-al-Qaeda link. a connection between Baghdad and Abdul Rahman Yasin, an alleged Sept. 11 plotter. In fact, Hussein and his ministers are recorded on tape asking whether Washington...
Carolina Beats Bucknell for 14th Straight
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 5:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
North Carolina barely broke a sweat today in the women's NCAA first round, the AP reports. The Tar Heels dominated from the opening minutes, racking up an initial 21-2 run before finishing 16th-seeded Bucknell off, 85-50. The victory marks the 14th straight for top-seeded UNC, which was led by LaToya Pringle's 19 points. Lauren Schober led the Bison...
Mass. Rep Vows to Legalize Pot
Politico
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Mar 23, 2008 4:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rep. Barney Frank will move to legalize “small amounts” of marijuana, Politico reports, citing Americans who think use of the drug is no big deal. “It's time for the politicians to catch up to the public,” said the Massachusetts Democrat on "Real Time with Bill Maher." But it’ll be tough for him to get a vote...
It's Not Too Late for Old School Technology
New York Times
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Mar 23, 2008 4:17 PM CDT
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Older technologies frequently face predictions of their demise as they are replaced with cutting-edge innovations, but so-called progress is rarely the sea change it’s chalked up to be, writes Steve Lohr in the New York Times . If old tech can adapt, it can often stay alive. Case in point: PCs were supposed to kill the mainframe computer, but...
Villanova, Reynolds Waltz to Sweet Sixteen
Philadelphia Inquirer
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Mar 23, 2008 4:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Villanova made it look easy today, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Never trailing after a dominant start, the Wildcats notched their third Sweet 16 appearance in four years with an 84-72 triumph over Siena in the Midwest regional's second round. Scottie Reynolds made his presence felt early, netting 15 points in the first 10 minutes for...
Pa. Voters Like Tried-and-True Clinton Name
Politico
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Mar 23, 2008 4:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Keystone state voters prefer old-school to bling, Politico reports—which is why they favor Hillary Clinton by 12 points in the state's April 22 primary. “If you are going to introduce a brand new product, you don’t come to Pennsylvania,” one analyst said. “We are much more about heritage than cutting edge here.”...
Cocaine on the Upswing in Peru
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 23, 2008 3:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Peru's cocaine business is growing again, sparking a spate of killings, threats, and US-funded attempts to stop it, the Los Angeles Times reports. Coca bush plots have increased by a third since 1999 to feed markets in Europe, East Asia, and Brazil—but growers are hard to collar because they work piecemeal, without the flashy kingpins of old....
Dolly Parton Releases Album on Own Label
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 3:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
More than a decade after Nashville spurned her for a crop of up-and-comers, Dolly Parton is releasing a new album on her own label--and having the last laugh, as Backwoods Barbie hit Billboard's No. 2 on Billboard in its second week. That's thanks to new technologies that are creating end-run opportunities around major labels. “Now the majors...
Take Me Out to the Ballgame... at the Cineplex
New York Times
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Mar 23, 2008 2:52 PM CDT
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Cineplexes are boosting stagnant sales by showing more live broadcasts, the New York Times reports. From the Metropolitan Opera to the Mets, high-def feeds are luring fans for less than the price of a live concert or ball game. "We can now replicate Carnegie Hall across the country," an exec at Screenvision said.
China Slams Pelosi's Support for Tibet
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 2:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
China’s government hammered House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today over her meeting with the Dalai Lama and subsequent condemnation of China's "oppression" of Tibetan protests that turned to riots, the AP reports. Xinhua, China’s state news agency, said “human rights police” like Pelosi employed “double standards”...
Austrian Monks Nab Record Deal
BBC
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Mar 23, 2008 2:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Amy Winehouse and Cistercian monks wouldn't seem to have much in common, but now they've got the same record label, the BBC reports. Universal Music's search for "sacred singers" to record a Gregorian chant album turned up an Austrian monastery dating back to 1133. "It was beautiful, beautiful music," said a Universal exec.
British Teen Found Dead in Goa 'Was Drowned'
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 23, 2008 1:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In the latest tragedy involving a girl on vacation, medical authorities have determined a British teen was deliberately drowned after a night of partying in the Indian tourist hotspot of Goa, the Guardian reports. Scarlett Keeling, 15, disappeared during a holiday last month on Ajuna beach. Her battered and partially clothed body was later found...
Pope Hails Easter Conversions
BBC
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Mar 23, 2008 1:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Easter Mass today, hailing the miracle of conversion, "which renews itself even today" before a rain-soaked crowd in St. Peter's Square and calling for an end to hostilities in "Darfur and Somalia, the tormented Middle East, especially the Holy Land, Iraq, Lebanon, and Tibet." His address followed the...
Holy Week With the Homeless
Austin American-Statesman
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Mar 23, 2008 12:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In an effort to follow in the steps of Jesus, seven prosperous Austin men spent part of Holy Week this year living in a park in downtown Austin, Texas, with the homeless. The "street retreat' is led by Alan Graham, co-founder of a national organization that ministers to the homeless called Mobile Loaves & Fishes.
You Can Call Him (Judge) Al
New York Daily News
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Mar 23, 2008 12:01 PM CDT
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As if fathering a child at age 70 weren't enough drama, now Alfonse D'Amato might get benched: The former senator is in talks to start a daytime court TV show, the New York Daily News reports. And lest his following in the footsteps of Wapner incites too many snickers, such shows sentence their stars to a life without the possibility of going broke.
Okinawa Protesters Rip US Military Crimes
Reuters
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Mar 23, 2008 11:23 AM CDT
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Thousands poured into the streets of Okinawa today to protest crimes by US servicemen and to demand a smaller American military presence on the Japanese island, Reuters reports. "Crimes and accidents have happened over and over," said the mayor of Okinawa City. "But each time, our voices have been trampled and there has been no end to...
Cheney, Peres Warn of Iran's Reach
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 10:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Following an early Easter prayer service in Jerusalem, Dick Cheney continued his 10-day trip focused on the Mideast peace process by meeting with Israel President Shimon Peres this morning. Both men warned of Iran’s rising influence in the region, reports the AP. "We have this problem of the Iranians who want to build two satellites, the...
JK Rowling Considered Suicide
Times (UK)
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Mar 23, 2008 10:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Before Harry Potter came along, his creator was broke, recently divorced, depressed, and near suicide, reports the Times of London. JK Rowling was a mom in her mid-20s, living in a cramped apartment paid for by a friend when she sought professional help. “We’re talking suicidal thoughts here, we’re not talking ‘I’m a...
Brits Ready the Red Carpet for Sarko Visit
Reuters
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Mar 23, 2008 9:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Carla Bruni isn’t the only tempestuous romance in Nicolas Sarkozy's life—the “turbulent love affair” of Anglo-French relations comes to the fore Wednesday as the flamboyant French prez prepares to meet with Queen Elizabeth. But Sarkozy is a vocal fan of Britain’s hardy economy, and with increasing economic interdependence...
Obama Speech Injects Race Into Easter Sermons
New York Times
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Mar 23, 2008 9:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama altered the agenda for many Easter sermons with his risky speech last week on racial acrimony, the New York Times reports. Ministers of a variety of faiths say they will use Obama’s words—framed to explain the incendiary statements of his former minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright—when speaking to congregations on...
Lawmakers Gird for Battle Over Wall Street Reforms
New York Times
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Mar 23, 2008 8:04 AM CDT
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Lawmakers are debating how to regulate and oversee financial institutions to prevent another Bear Stearns near-catastrophe. But exactly what that solution should look like depends on who's doing the proposing. President Bush and Wall Street say that Washington's heavy hand could hamstring the industry’s ability to innovate, reports the New York...
Easter Defies Madison Avenue
Slate
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Mar 23, 2008 8:00 AM CDT
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Christmas’ religious meaning is lost in a sea of advertising, parties, and major retail dollars, but Easter has resisted becoming a “consumerist nightmare”—and that’s because its Christian origins demand serious thought, writes James Martin in Slate . While “the Christmas story is easily reduced to pablum,”...
Peeps Fans Sweet on Easter
Palm Beach Post
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Mar 23, 2008 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Brightly colored, sticky-sweet marshmallow Peeps have spawned a cult following unparalleled in the candy world. Aficionados of the line of Easter treats—ranging from sun-yellow chicks to bunnies and tulips—have created bizarre videos, Internet fan sites, diorama contests, and a microwave jousting game, the Palm Beach Post reports.
Prominent Italian Muslim Baptized by Pope
Associated Press
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Mar 23, 2008 6:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Italy's best-known commentator on Islam converted to Catholicism yesterday at the Vatican, during Easter vigil, and was baptized by the Pope himself, the AP reports. Though Magdi Allam was born a Muslim, he said he "never" practiced his native religion, and made his name criticizing Islamic fanaticism, receiving death threats in the process.
China Rips Dalai Lama for Olympic 'Sabotage'
Reuters
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Mar 23, 2008 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Beijing is charging that the Dalai Lama incited recent protests in Tibet as part of a "terror" plot to ruin the Olympic games, Reuters reports. "The Dalai Lama is scheming to take the Beijing Olympics hostage to force the Chinese government to make concessions to Tibet independence," writes China's official newspaper. The Dalai...
Suns Blaze Past Rockets
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Mar 23, 2008 5:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Suns reminded the recently unbeatable Rockets what it's like to be left in the dust, posting record stats on its way to a 122-113 triumph and a jump to third in the Western Conference. White hot from the start, Phoenix shot a mind-boggling 76% in the first half, with even more impressive free-throw efforts, reports the Arizona Republic.
Endangered Species Listings Plummeting Under Bush
Washington Post
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Mar 23, 2008 5:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bush administration for years has quietly established obstacles to listing new animals and plants on the endangered species list, the Washington Post reports. A total of only 59 domestic species have made it onto the list in the past seven years, compared to 58 each year under Bush's father and 62 per year under Bill Clinton. Critics charge that...
Striving for Playoff Berth, Leafs Edge Sens
Globe and Mail
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Mar 23, 2008 5:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Struggling to reach the playoffs, the Maple Leafs were determined to wrest two points from the Senators, and battled accordingly. The 5-4 Toronto victory was decided early in the third period with two quick goals, and secured when the Leafs killed a power play with 87 seconds remaining, reports the Globe and Mail. Elsewhere in the league of pucks...
When Dumb Lawsuits Attack
Daily Mirror (UK)
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Mar 23, 2008 5:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Emotional trauma because she used the men’s restroom? Surfer in pain after losing his wave? The Daily Mirror digs up the silliest lawsuits ever filed: Whale tale: After their 27-year-old son was found dead on the back of an orca, parents sued SeaWorld for depicting killer whales as huggable stuffed animals. My name’s Jackass,...
