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.
Iraqi Suicide Bomber Kills 36
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 17, 2008 3:25 PM CDT
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A female suicide bomber killed 36 and wounded at least 50 in the Shiite city of Karbala today, even as John McCain and Dick Cheney visited Iraq to tout American successes in increasing security, reports the Los Angeles Times . A roadside bomb also killed two American soldiers on a road north of Baghdad.
Deserters Fleeing War Go North—Again
Washington Post
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Mar 17, 2008 3:14 PM CDT
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Iraq war deserters aren't crossing the Canadian border in VW buses, but they are trickling across—and connecting with Vietnam draft dodgers who made the same trek 4 decades ago. About 200 Iraq resisters have migrated north, the Washington Post reports. Some grew disillusioned in Baghdad; others went AWOL from boot camp. And both generations...
Campaigns Hit the Road; the Road Hits Back
New York Times
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Mar 17, 2008 3:00 PM CDT
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Forty-two states have voted, and the Democratic Party isn't much closer to having a presidential nominee than it was on New Year's Day. Election fatigue is walloping campaign workers who planned to pack up on Super Tuesday and are still working 6 weeks later. “People are being held hostage by the tempo of this campaign,” a Hillary Clinton...
Tupac Was Right to Suspect Diddy
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 17, 2008 2:43 PM CDT
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Tupac Shakur was right: Associates of Sean "Diddy" Combs and the Notorious BIG were behind the beating and shooting of Shakur in New York in 1994. New info uncovered and interviews conducted by the LA Times show Combs' buddies set up the ambush, which kicked off the countrywide feud that eventually led to Shakur's death.
7th Crane Collapse Victim Found
New York Daily News
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Mar 17, 2008 2:27 PM CDT
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Rescue workers removed the seventh and final body from the wreckage of the New York City crane disaster this afternoon. Odin Torres, 28, was visiting from Florida for St. Patrick's Day when the crane demolished the townhouse she was in, the Daily News reports. Earlier, 37-year-old construction worker Santino Gallone was pulled from the wreckage as...
Is the Internet Bad News for Journalism?
Associated Press
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Mar 17, 2008 2:15 PM CDT
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The Internet is changing journalism—but not in the ways many predicted. Contrary to expectations that coverage would broaden, a new report says the news agenda is actually narrowing. The Iraq war and presidential campaign represented more than a quarter of news stories last year, while countries besides Iraq, Iran, and Pakistan drew less than...
NY Swears In New Gov; Paterson Calls for Unity
Times Union (Albany)
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Mar 17, 2008 2:00 PM CDT
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David Paterson was sworn in as New York’s governor this afternoon and gave a speech that mixed humor and solemnity, the Albany Times-Union reports. “I never expected to have the honor of serving as governor,” said New York’s first black governor, who repeatedly stressed the importance of bringing political parties together.
GOP Spoilers Are Fueling Clinton Surge
Boston Globe
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Mar 17, 2008 1:36 PM CDT
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Republicans for Clinton are turning up in surprising numbers, and not because they've stopped being Hillary haters, the Boston Globe reports. About 100,000 voted for her in Ohio, 119,0000 in Texas, and 38,000 in MIssissippi. Egged on by Rush Limbaugh, they're strategically voting in open primaries for the Democrat they consider weaker—and...
Supremes to Weigh On-Air Swearing
Reuters
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Mar 17, 2008 1:11 PM CDT
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The Supreme Court might take up a gavel in one hand and a bar of soap in the other next term, when it considers a case challenging the FCC’s “fleeting utterances” standards, it announced today. The FCC is appealing a lower-court ruling—which arose when Cher dropped an F-bomb during a 2002 Fox broadcast—that it has failed...
Deutsche Telekom to Buy Greek Stake
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 17, 2008 1:03 PM CDT
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Deutsche Telekom plans to buy a 20% stake in Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE) of Greece, for $3.92 billion. The deal is conditional on the German carrier getting management control, and the company will open talks immediately with the Greek government, the only larger shareholder. The OTE stake will let Europe’s biggest telephone...
Researchers Let the Cats Out of the Bag
Washington Post
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Mar 17, 2008 12:57 PM CDT
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Cats don't talk, but their genes can tell a good story, and they're revealing plenty about the animal's 10,000-year history. DNA samples from more than 1,100 cats, from fancy show breeds to wild animals from around the world, are confirming earlier discoveries as well as refuting some claims, reports the Washington Post. Persians, for instance, appear...
Intel, Microsoft Fund Multicore Research
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 17, 2008 12:50 PM CDT
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Intel and Microsoft will fund researchers at two universities working on new programming techniques for multicore chips, sources told the Wall Street Journal . The companies will reportedly provide $2 million annually for five years, to speed the development of chips that can contain dozens—or even hundreds—of microprocessors of multiple...
Experts Work to Create Ways to Identify Altered Photos
MIT Technology Review
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Mar 17, 2008 12:45 PM CDT
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As photo doctoring grows ever more sophisticated—and common—so does the art of “digital forensics,” or identifying fakes. Lighting is among the most tell-tale signs of a photo that’s been altered, reports Technology Review , because it’s hard to get it consistent. Still, current tools are mostly for expert users,...
State Budgets Caught in Economy's Freefall
New York Times
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Mar 17, 2008 12:38 PM CDT
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Politicians from New York to California are wringing their hands, wondering whether to cut spending or raise taxes. As the economy barrels towards recession, income and sales taxes are coming in well below expectations, and about half the states in the country are facing budget shortfalls, the New York Times reports. In many places, health care...
China Cracks Down on Tibetan Rioters
Times (UK)
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Mar 17, 2008 12:29 PM CDT
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Chinese authorities cracked down on Tibetan rioters today, conducting house-to-house searches in Lhasa ahead of the midnight deadline for rioters to turn themselves in. A convoy of four Chinese trucks marched 40 handcuffed prisoners through the city. The participants in the riots, the worst the region has seen in 20 years, have been promised possible...
JP Morgan CEO Emerges as Wall Street Force
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 17, 2008 12:08 PM CDT
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JP Morgan Chase CEO James Dimon is a hands-on boss who writes out a detailed to-do list each morning and has managed to keep his company healthy while many of its rivals are ailing or even critically ill, reports the Wall Street Journal. Dimon's focus has been on creating a bank strong enough to withstand any crisis. Investors say he’s succeeded.
WWII Ship Found After 66 Years
Sydney Morning Herald
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Mar 17, 2008 11:53 AM CDT
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A legendary Australian war ship sunk in the Indian Ocean by a German raider during World War II has been found nearly intact after 66 years, the Australian PM confirmed today. The HMAS Sydney sank after a 30-minute battle with the Kormoran in Australia's greatest tragedy at sea. The wreckage won't be disturbed, out of respect for the 645 Australian...
Allies. Warmongers. Lovers?
New York Times
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Mar 17, 2008 11:41 AM CDT
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What if the "special relationship" were a sexual relationship? In Caryl Churchill's 45-minute play, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You? , a codependent love affair between a reticent, adoring older Englishman and a young, brash, dominating American (called Sam, as in Uncle) stands in for a certain US-British alliance that led to the Iraq war....
Pakistan's New Parliament Sworn In
Reuters
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Mar 17, 2008 11:31 AM CDT
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Pakistan's newly anti-Musharraf National Assembly was sworn in today, a month after politicians hostile to the president swept the general election. The new coalition has promised to reinstate the judges that the president booted when he declared a state of emergency in November. These judges would likely challenge the validity of Musharraf's reelection...
Iraq Still Lacks Clean Water, Health Care
Reuters
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Mar 17, 2008 11:23 AM CDT
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Five years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, its health care system is “now in worse shape than ever,” and millions of Iraqis still don’t have clean water and medical care, Reuters reports. “The humanitarian situation in most of the country remains among the most critical in the world,” the Red Cross said in a new report.
Bernanke Looks Impotent as Fed's Fixes Fail
Bloomberg
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Mar 17, 2008 11:11 AM CDT
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Ben Bernanke has employed virtually every tool in the Federal Reserve's kit to calm markets panicked by the credit crisis, but hasn't scored any more than temporary rallies, Bloomberg reports in a look at the markets' fading faith in the Fed chief—and the Fed itself. "The Fed has been playing the equivalent of Whac-A-Mole,'' says a former...
Portrait of the Suicide Bomber as a Young Man
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 17, 2008 11:03 AM CDT
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The people carrying out suicide bombings in Iraq are overwhelmingly young men from other countries who grew up in large, poor families, the LA Times reports. After interrogating four dozen men taken into custody over 4 months, the American military has drafted a profile of the typical suicide bomber, who is in his late teens or 20s and in thrall...
Firebrand Pastor Worried Obama Campaign Early
Associated Press
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Mar 17, 2008 10:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s campaign uninvited his controversial former pastor Jeremiah Wright from speaking at his candidacy announcement last year, reports the Los Angeles Times . The campaign didn’t want to "make him the target and a distraction on a day when Senator Obama was going to announce his candidacy," said David Axelrod, the candidate's...
Dextre Stretches His Limbs
Houston Chronicle
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Mar 17, 2008 10:30 AM CDT
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Dextre, the International Space Station’s own gigantic space robot, flexed its mighty arms for the first time last night, the Houston Chronicle reports. Astronauts put the bot through its paces, moving and stopping each of its 14 arm joints. Dextre mostly passed the test; every joint moved perfectly save one, which took longer to brake than...
Stocks Rebound, Countering Selloff in Financials
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 17, 2008 10:17 AM CDT
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Stocks steadied after steep early morning losses today, with the Dow actually rising 1.06 points by mid-morning, the Wall Street Journal reports. But financials were still down big, as the Bear Stearns fire sale loomed large over the market. Lehman Brothers, down 22%, was hit the worst, other than Bear itself, which nosedived 87%. Still, at $3.79,...
UN Forces Withdraw From Kosovo Town
BBC
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Mar 17, 2008 9:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
UN police trying to retake a courthouse were forced to withdraw from the Kosovo city of Mitrovica after clashes with ethnic Serbs, reports the BBC. NATO troops were left in charge of security after the worst violence since Kosovo declared independence; AFP reported at least 100 police and protesters were injured in struggles that included rocks, tear...
McCartney Ordered to Pay Mills $48.7M to Settle Divorce
Daily Mail (UK)
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Mar 17, 2008 9:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A UK court today ordered Paul McCartney to pay Heather Mills $48.7 million to settle their protracted divorce case, in which the former model represented herself after firing her lawyers. "It was an incredible result to secure mine and my daughter's future and that of all the charities that I obviously plan on helping," Mills said on the...
Election Victory Emboldens Ahmadinejad
Bloomberg
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Mar 17, 2008 9:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
More complete results from Friday's Iranian parliamentary elections show Islamist conservatives who support Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s nuclear policy sweeping about 70% of the vote, Bloomberg reports. Pro-democracy candidates, meanwhile, did poorly after clerics blocked many from running. A triumphant Ahmadinejad said the results "stamped a mark...
Aussies Face Protests Over Kangaroo Cull
Sydney Morning Herald
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Mar 17, 2008 9:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Australia is planning to cull 400 kangaroos on a military base, and Japan—oft-criticized by Australia for its whaling practices—is jumping at the opportunity to hail its neighbor as hypocritical, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. Not so, says Australia’s PM. The whaling issue is subject to "an agreement between many states,...
Glacial Melt Hit Record in '06
BBC
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Mar 17, 2008 8:33 AM CDT
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Glaciers shrank an alarming average of 4.9 feet in 2006, the UN Environment Program says—a dramatic difference from ice loss numbers in the ‘80s and ‘90s, when glaciers lost an average 11.8 inches a year. UNEP’s director pointed to "many canaries in the climate change coal mine," emphasizing that millions depend on...
Exercise and Happiness Not Linked: Study
USA Today
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Mar 17, 2008 8:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Going for a run might not clear your head in quite the way thought, reports USA Today, and its supposed benefits on mental health may be misguided. Rather, Dutch researchers found that a single set of genes both determines one’s inclination toward exercise and happiness—making the most physically fit the most mentally fit as well.
3 Still Missing in Crane Collapse
1010 WINS (NY)
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Mar 17, 2008 8:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two construction workers and a visitor in town for St. Patrick's Day are still missing after the collapse of a construction crane Saturday destroyed a New York townhouse and damaged other nearby buildings. Rescue services yesterday used dogs, heat-sensing devices, and microphones to search for the victims in the wreckage, with diminishing optimism....
Blair Offered to Meet Hooded IRA Militants
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 17, 2008 7:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A new tell-all book by Tony Blair's chief of staff reveals that the former British prime minister offered to meet with eight leaders of the Irish Republican Army during a critical moment in Northern Irish peace talks. Jonathan Powell, one of Blair's longest-serving allies, admits in a memoir being serialized in the Guardian that the PM was ready...
Investors Ask: Who's Next?
Financial Times (UK)
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Mar 17, 2008 6:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Wall Street, reeling over JP Morgan’s bargain-basement purchase of Bear Stearns, is anxiously watching to see “who’s next” to succumb to the continuing credit squeeze, reports the Financial Times. As investment banks prepare to release first quarter results this week—led by Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers tomorrow—the...
Cheney Makes Surprise Visit to Baghdad
AFP
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Mar 17, 2008 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Leading Iraq war architect Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit to Baghdad today, beginning a nine-day Middle East tour by promising Iraq the "unwavering commitment of the United States in finishing the difficult work that lies ahead." John McCain, traveling as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, simultaneously met with other...
Irked Irish Bar Bans 'Danny Boy'
ABC News
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Mar 17, 2008 6:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
That annual Guinness-fueled serenade led by green-hat-and-bead-clad Yanks wearing "Kiss me, I'm Irish" pins won't be heard at Foley's Pub in New York today; barkeep Shaun Clancy has banned the maudlin lyrics of "Danny Boy" during the month of March, and especially on St. Patrick's Day. "Everybody thinks that after three pints,...
Merkel Holds Cabinet Meeting in Jerusalem
Times (UK)
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Mar 17, 2008 6:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When Angela Merkel holds her weekly cabinet meeting today, it will meet not in Berlin but in Jerusalem—a special gesture to mark the 60th anniversary of Israeli statehood. Only a few decades ago Israelis marched in protest when the country welcomed its first German ambassador, but now the chancellor will become the first foreign head of government...
Hundreds Mourn Metzenbaum
Cleveland Plain Dealer
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Mar 17, 2008 5:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hundreds of relatives, friends, and fellow politicians gathered outside Cleveland yesterday for the funeral of Howard Metzenbaum, recalling the ex-senator as a fighter for the little guy and a self-made millionaire who never forgot his modest roots, the Plain Dealer reports. "No one . . . was a better ally or a fiercer champion," Al Gore...
4 FBI Agents Among Injured in Pakistan Blast
CNN
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Mar 17, 2008 4:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Four FBI agents were among the dozen hurt in a bomb attack at an Islamabad cafe this weekend, CNN reports. The agents were caught in the blast when an explosive device was tossed over a wall surrounding the outdoor restaurant, popular among Westerners and journalists. The FBI says that the four remain "slightly injured," although at least...
Dollar Nosedives, Global Markets Tumble
Bloomberg
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Mar 17, 2008 3:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The dollar took a pummeling and equity markets in Europe and Asia slumped as worried investors reacted to the Bear Stearns fire sale and the Fed's emergency rate cut. The dollar dropped to a shocking 95 yen, hit an all-time low of $1.59 against the euro, and remained below one Swiss franc. The US currency is "facing a credibility crisis,"...
Air France Buys Alitalia in Cut-Rate Deal
BBC
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Mar 17, 2008 3:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Embattled Italian airline Alitalia has accepted a severely discounted buyout from Air France, the BBC reports. The $1.17-billion deal, which includes both the airline and its debt, sees Air France take over the Italian carrier at 81% below company's current share price. Alitalia has been in the red for the past five years, and failed to find a buyer...
Martin Helps Kings Outscore Reeling Raptors
Globe and Mail
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Mar 17, 2008 2:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Kevin Martin scored 32 points as the Sacramento Kings beat the Toronto Raptors 106-100 last night, reports the Toronto Globe and Mail . Ron Artest also had 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Kings handed the Raptors their fourth straight loss on this road trip. The Raptors are 2-7 in the nine games since star forward Chris Bosh injured his knee.
Nuggets Blast Sonics in 168-116 Win
Associated Press
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Mar 17, 2008 1:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Denver Nuggets scored early and often, late and often, and plenty in between, in a 168-116 win over the Seattle SuperSonics last night, reports the Associated Press. Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and Allen Iverson had 24 for the Nuggets, who led by as many as 55 points in the fourth period. The 168 was an NBA season high, but was 16 short of Denver's...
Oilers Squeak Past Streaking Sharks
Associated Press
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Mar 17, 2008 12:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Backup goalie Dwayne Roloson brought his A-game today as Edmonton bested San Jose in a shootout, 2-1. The Oilers ended a franchise-record 11-game winning streak for the Sharks. Ales Hemsky scored the lone goal for Edmonton in regulation, while Robert Nilsson and Fernando Pisani were credited with goals in the shootout. Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks. ...
Penguins Without Crosby Crush Flyers
Associated Press
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Mar 16, 2008 11:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It was four points apiece for Evgeni Malkin and Petr Sykora as the Penguins dominated the Flyers today, 7-1. The win was Pittsburgh’s second-consecutive game with seven goals, and comes two days after the team learned they’d be without Sidney Crosby for another three games, reports the Associated Press. The star center had only recently...
Hawks Top Knicks, Inch Toward Playoffs
Associated Press
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Mar 16, 2008 11:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Joe Johnson got by with a little help from his teammates today, as the Hawks beat the Knicks 109-98. While he scored 28 points and added 11 assists, Marvin Williams also stepped up his game and contributed 25 points, while Josh Childress added another 22, with nine rebounds, as Atlanta moves into a tie for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. ...
Caps Take Care of Bruins
Associated Press
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Mar 16, 2008 11:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It took a shootout for the Capitals to beat the Bruins today, as Alexander Semin and Viktor Kozlov scored Washington’s two overtime goals, giving the Caps a 2-1 win. Despite losing the game the Bruins managed to move up in the standings: they’re now tied with the Rangers for sixth-place in the Eastern Conference, reports the Associated...
Ex-Aide Claims Ménage à Trois With McGreeveys
New York Post
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Mar 16, 2008 9:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey's wife Dina was all over the media last week blasting Eliot Spitzer for hypocrisy and empathizing with this aggrieved wife. That was too much for Teddy Pedersen, a former McGreevey driver and aide who says “she’s out there being as dishonest as anyone could be.” Pederson says Dina had to...
Houston, We Have No Problems
Houston Chronicle
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Mar 16, 2008 9:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Another game, another win for the Rockets. The Lakers were their latest victim, losing to Houston 104-92 today. That marks 22 straight wins for Houston and now puts them atop the Western Conference, reports the AP. It was an enjoyable game for Rafer Alston, who scored a career-high 31 points for the Rockets in front of their largest-ever home crowd.
Carolina Top Seed in NCAA Tourney Field
Associated Press
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Mar 16, 2008 9:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The seedings are in and its time to fill out those brackets. North Carolina was rated the No. 1 overall seed for this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament, which begins in earnest on Thursday. The Tar Heels are the No. 1 seed in the East region, joined by fellow top seeds Memphis (South), Kansas (Midwest) and UCLA (West), reports the AP.
