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.
World Will Dim Lights Tomorrow for Earth Hour
Christian Science Monitor
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Mar 28, 2008 1:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Cities across the world will dim their lights tomorrow night—temporarily darkening major landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Sydney’s Opera House and Chicago's Wrigley Field—in an effort to raise awareness about energy conservation and climate change. Phoenix, Atlanta, and a dozen other US cities will join in for Earth...
Italy Recalls Famed Mozzarella
Reuters
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Mar 28, 2008 1:15 PM CDT
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Fear of contamination today forced Italy to recall its celebrated mozzarella cheese, Reuters reports. Rome is withdrawing the cheese of 25 companies in the Campania region near Naples, source of the country’s best buffalo mozzarella, after a garbage crisis is thought to have spread cancer-causing dioxin. The European Commission had threatened...
Obama Takes Image Rehab to The View
CNN
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Mar 28, 2008 1:02 PM CDT
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Barack Obama "wouldn't have felt comfortable staying there at the church" had Jeremiah Wright not retired this year, he said today on The View. Obama reiterated his denunciation of his ex-pastor’s sermons, saying Wright had “deeply offended people,” CNN reports. He also told Barbara Walters & Co. that he’d spoken...
Cuba Ends Cell Phone Ban
BBC
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Mar 28, 2008 12:50 PM CDT
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The Cuban government said today it will lift restrictions on mobile phones for the first time, the BBC reports—a sign new leader Raul Castro is following through on reform pledges. Cell phone service will be made generally available next week; service fees will have to be paid in foreign currency, however, effectively narrowing access to richer...
Amazon Squeezes Publishers
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 28, 2008 12:42 PM CDT
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Publishers who print books on demand will have to use Amazon’s printing service if they want to sell their books on the leading online bookseller's site. Amazon's new policy means print-on-demand publishers will have little choice but to accept Amazon’s prices if they want to sell via the site. It also threatens to steal business from competing...
Chinese Law Muddles Microsoft Bid for Yahoo
New York Times
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Mar 28, 2008 12:24 PM CDT
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A new anti-monopoly law in China could interfere with Microsoft’s bid for Yahoo, the New York Times reports. Because Yahoo owns 40% of Alibaba, China’s biggest e-commerce business, Beijing could demand approval of the deal along with the US and the EU. “I don’t think anyone has worked through the issue of where an Internet...
New Suit Shakes Up Swim World
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 28, 2008 12:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Swimmers in the Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit have been smashing records since it made its debut six weeks ago, and some athletes are beginning to grumble that the high-tech swimming gear gives wearers an unfair advantage, the Los Angeles Times reports. Of the 14 world records to have fallen in the last month or so, 13 were broken by swimmers wearing...
This Is Your Life, John McCain
USA Today
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Mar 28, 2008 11:49 AM CDT
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John McCain will take a tour of his own biographical highlights, reports USA Today. His campaign intends the “Service to America” tour of schools and military installations to help the candidate define his brand before the Democrats do—and help offset a significant fundraising disparity. He will visit places that have “played...
Clinton Boots Adviser for 'Crankpot' Line
Telegraph (UK)
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Mar 28, 2008 11:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton has been forced to disown one of her advisers after he lashed out at the former leader of Northern Ireland in a television interview, writes the Telegraph . Jamie Rubin, who worked in the State Department under Bill Clinton, spoke out in reaction to comments from David Trimble that the candidate exaggerated her role in the peace process....
Personal Spending Slows to a Crawl in February
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 28, 2008 11:37 AM CDT
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Personal spending—a major force in the health of the economy— rose just 0.1% in February, its smallest increase in 16 months, the Wall Street Journal reports. The increase, which actually beat analysts' estimate of a 0.1% decrease, came despite a bump in personal income and signs that inflation is easing, the Journal notes.
Comcast Bends Under Net Neutrality Pressure
New York Times
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Mar 28, 2008 11:36 AM CDT
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Comcast is changing the way it manages Internet traffic after an intense public and FCC outcry over its blocking traffic from BitTorrent users. To cut use during peak hours, the Internet provider will stop targeting specific applications and instead slow its highest-bandwidth users’ traffic, reports the New York Times . Still, the FCC promised...
AT&T Offers Mobile TV; Demand Slow on Verizon Unit
CNET
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Mar 28, 2008 11:27 AM CDT
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AT&T will offer TV subscriptions on some of its cellphones starting in May. The 10-channel service will be available for the LG Vu and the Samsung Access handsets. The company won’t release prices until May, but Verizon charges $15 for a similar service. The question—especially in a weak economy—is whether anyone really wants...
Beloved Brit Painting Once Owned by Hitler
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 28, 2008 11:17 AM CDT
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A nude painting of Venus on display in London's National Gallery for 45 years—one of the gallery's most popular works—turns out to have been once owned by Adolf Hitler. The whimsical Cupid Complaining to Venus, by German master Lucas Cranach, was given to Hitler by a prominent Nazi and hung in his apartment in Munich, the Guardian reports.
Mexico's Emo Teens Under Fire
Wired
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Mar 28, 2008 10:58 AM CDT
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An ugly clash of cultures is surfacing in Mexico with so-called emo teenagers being viciously beaten in big cities across the country, Wired reports. In one well-publicized attack north of Mexico City, an 800-strong mob—made up of punk fans and ordinary working-class teens—beat up a handful of long-haired, mascara-wearing teens. Another...
Colombia Offers Swap: Hostages for Prisoners
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 28, 2008 10:43 AM CDT
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After more than 6 years in captivity, Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt will go free if FARC agrees to a deal Alvaro Uribe signed off on last night, the Guardian reports. The Colombian president issued a decree saying the country will release imprisoned rebel fighters in exchange for Betancourt, a onetime presidential candidate believed to be seriously...
Agents Use 'Cash for Keys' to Stem Owner Vandalism
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 28, 2008 10:23 AM CDT
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Banks and mortgage companies are hoping a “cash for keys” policy will stem a growing problem for lenders taking possession of foreclosed homes: dispossessed homeowners trashing their houses on the way out the door. Cheaper and faster than eviction proceedings, the policy is "win-win for both parties," an agent who handles foreclosures...
Woman Forced to Remove Nipple Rings at Airport
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 10:04 AM CDT
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A Texas woman is calling for an apology after airport security in Lubbock forced her to pull out her nipple piercings with a pair of pliers before boarding her plane, the AP reports. When her chest set off the security wand, Mandi Hamlin offered to show a female guard her unremovable piercings in private, but male guards insisted they be removed. She...
Is 21 Bad? Bet the Bank on It
Rotten Tomatoes
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Mar 28, 2008 9:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
There’s a problem with 21 , a movie based on a true story (and the book it inspired) about some MIT math nerds who set up an elaborate system to beat the house in Las Vegas. “None of the main stars is remotely convincing as a smart person,” writes Josh Bell of Las Vegas Weekly . And the storytelling is far from gangbusters, critics...
Starbucks Balks at Paying Back Barista Tips
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Mar 28, 2008 9:41 AM CDT
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Starbucks is defying a California court ruling, arguing a judge has created a tempest in a tip jar, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer . The court ruled the coffee shop must pay nearly $100 million to California baristas forced to share tips with their supervisors. Similar suits have been filed in Minnesota and Massachusetts. Starbucks says it...
CIA's Legal Troubles Grow Over Tapes' Destruction
New York Times
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Mar 28, 2008 9:24 AM CDT
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The CIA's decision to destroy interrogation videotapes to save itself legal trouble is backfiring in a big way, the New York Times reports. Lawyers for more than a dozen detainees have filed challenges citing the destruction of evidence, putting terrorism cases on shaky ground and jeopardizing future prosecutions as well, the Times notes.
Pa. Senator to Endorse Obama
Politico
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Mar 28, 2008 9:05 AM CDT
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Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey will endorse Barack Obama today, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, in what could be big break for the presidential hopeful who's been trailing Hillary Clinton in polls there. Not only can Casey help Obama with Keystone State Democrats, says Politico’s Ben Smith, but his endorsement could signal a superdelegate surge...
Japan's Inflation Surges
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 28, 2008 8:58 AM CDT
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A double whammy of rising inflation and unemployment has experts worried that Japan’s economy—the world’s second largest—is fast losing steam, reports the Wall Street Journal. Inflation in February rose 1%, its fastest spike in a decade, and household spending stalled in the face of rising food and oil prices.
Slowing Click Rate Hits Google Shares
MarketWatch
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Mar 28, 2008 8:49 AM CDT
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Google shares declined 2.7% yesterday as the company reported its third month-on-month drop in advertising clicks, MarketWatch reports. Google's market share is still expanding, but that growth won't show up on the bottom line if the clicks that generate revenue keep slipping. The firm has shed 14% of its value since February on fears it may not...
Lindsay Lohan to Play Teen in Manson Family
E! Online
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Mar 28, 2008 8:40 AM CDT
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Actress Lindsay Lohan will play a member of the violent Manson family in the upcoming movie Manson Girls , reports E! Online. LiLo will portray Nancy Pitman, who grew up well-to-do in Malibu and was just 16 when she met Manson through a friend and quickly became one of his followers.
US Joins Basra Battle; Maliki Extends Deadline
BBC
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Mar 28, 2008 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki today gave Shia militants in Basra 10 more days to turn over their weapons, as fighting continued in Iraq’s third largest city. The US, meanwhile, made its first moves in the fight, bombing Mahdi Army positions, the BBC reports. Muqtada al Sadr, the radical cleric who leads the Shia militias, called last night for...
Clinton Pitches Cap on Health Insurance
New York Times
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Mar 28, 2008 8:01 AM CDT
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Hillary Clinton has proposed putting a cap on premiums in her universal health care plan, limiting them to between 5% and 10% of family income, the New York Times reports. The average cost of a family policy bought by an individual last year was $5,799, or 10% of median income, but some ranged up to 16%.
Indians Protest 'Slave' Working Conditions in US
BBC
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Mar 28, 2008 7:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Some 100 Indian immigrants have marched hundreds of miles from New Orleans to Washington to protest what they call "slave" working conditions at a marine construction company. The Indian laborers say they work long hours with 24 men sharing a dormitory for which they each had to pay more than $1,000 a month. The workers launched the demonstration...
Stop-Loss Earnest But Flawed
Metacritic
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Mar 28, 2008 7:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
While some critics are calling Stop-Loss , Kimberly Peirce’s long-awaited Boys Don’t Cry follow-up, earnest and, at times, riveting, none of them seem to see it as the definitive Iraq war film. But the picture, about some GIs who’ve completed their tours of duty only to be told they’re being sent back to the front, still...
FDA Probes Suicide Link to Asthma Drug
USA Today
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Mar 28, 2008 7:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The FDA has opened an investigation of anecdotal links between the popular asthma and allergy drug Singulair and suicidal thoughts. In the past year, manufacturer Merck has added warnings of several possible side effects of the pill related to the nervous system, including anxiety, depression, tremors, and suicidal thinking. The FDA says its...
Bear Stearns Chairman Sells $1B Stake for $61M
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 28, 2008 6:47 AM CDT
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Bear Stearns Chairman Jimmy Cayne yesterday became the poster boy for the company’s fall from grace, selling his one-time $1 billion stake in the investment bank for a mere $61.3 million, reports the Wall Street Journal. Cayne sold 5.7 million shares he’d acquired for $10.84 each, a far cry from the $159 they were worth last April.
Gates Orders Full Nuclear Inventory
Washington Post
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Mar 28, 2008 6:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Secretary of State Robert Gates has ordered Pentagon officials to take a new inventory of all US nuclear weapons and related equipment, the Washington Post reports. The count, to be completed in 60 days, is in addition to a specific probe into how 4 missile fuses were shipped accidentally to Taiwan and not noticed for 18 months.
Schizophrenia Gene Find Surprises Scientists
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Mar 28, 2008 6:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists have tracked down the genetic roots of schizophrenia, but in a surprising twist researchers found that the genetic errors to blame often vary from person to person, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer . The discovery suggests that multiple glitches in the genetic code are behind schizophrenia, with the exact combination unique in every...
Dutch Pol Posts Anti-Islam Film Online
BBC
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Mar 28, 2008 5:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A controversial anti-Islamic movie interweaving graphic images of 9/11, a beheading and protests by extremists has been posted on a maverick internet site by the leader of a far-right Dutch political party. Dutch television refused to broadcast the 17-minute movie, Fitna , which has been slammed as anti-Muslim propaganda. It ends with the message:...
WTC Developer Sues Airlines for 9/11
CNN
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Mar 28, 2008 4:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The developer of the World Trade Center is suing airlines and airport security companies for $12.3 billion to cover his 9/11 losses, CNN reports. Larry Silverstein signed a 99-year lease on the site just six weeks before the attacks. He holds the defendants responsible for failing to prevent the terrorist hijackings that crashed the planes into the...
UCLA Shows Western Kentucky No Love
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 28, 2008 4:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
UCLA held its breath last night until Cinderella finally decided to go home. With point guard Darren Collison fouling out with five minutes left, the Bruins had to hold on down the stretch for an 88-78 win over 12th-seeded Western Kentucky, reports the Los Angeles Times . The Bruins now just need to beat Xavier tomorrow to reach a third straight Final...
Breakdown Snarls New Heathrow Terminal
Times (UK)
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Mar 28, 2008 4:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The gleaming new Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport had a disastrous opening yesterday as its state-of-the-art baggage handling facility crashed and 34 flights were canceled. British Airways, the only airline flying out of the new terminal, suspended baggage check-in by the afternoon, and arriving passengers were forced to wait up to four hours for their...
Irked North Korea Fires Test Missiles
Bloomberg
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Mar 28, 2008 3:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
North Korea test-fired a number of short-range missiles into the waters off its west coast, according to South Korean officials, in an apparent show of anger at Washington and the new government in Seoul, Reuters reports. "We are monitoring the situation," said a South Korean presidential spokesman. The development comes at a key moment in...
With Defeat of Dallas, Sharks Grab Advantage
San Jose Mercury News
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Mar 28, 2008 3:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
San Jose is guaranteed home ice in the first round of the playoffs after a 3-2 overtime victory against Dallas. The Sharks fell behind before Joe Thornton tied it up in the second. He then slipped the winning goal in during a 5-on-3 power play in the extra period, reports the Mercury News . Elsewhere in the NHL:
Romney, McCain Join Forces
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 2:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain and Mitt Romney buried the hatchet and hit the campaign trail together in Utah yesterday. Romney thumped McCain 90% to 5% in the state's Republican primary, but he's now stumping and fundraising for his former rival in a week-long trip through the West, AP reports. "We are united. Our job is to energize our party," McCain told...
Judge Springs Gov. Linked to 'Political Prosecution'
CNN
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Mar 28, 2008 2:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The former governor of Alabama, serving seven years for bribery in a case critics claim was engineered by the White House, has been ordered released pending appeal. Don Siegelman will now be free to testify at congressional hearings on politically motivated prosecutions, reports CNN. Siegelman's supporters charge that he was the target of a smear campaign...
Warriors Torch Roy-less Blazers
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 1:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Warriors didn't get a single foul call playing at home in the first half, then went to the line 20 times in an aggressive, decisive third quarter, en route to beating the Trail Blazers 111-95. Portland was without star guard Brandon Roy, whose balky groin may not allow him to return this season. Stephen Jackson led Golden State with 24 points.
Louisville Derails Tennessee Train
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 1:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rick Pitino improved to 8-0 in regional semifinals and has Louisville one win away from the Final Four after a 79-60 win over Tennessee last night, reports the Associated Press. Pitino mixed up his defenses throughout the game to shut down the high-powered offense of the No. 2-seeded Volunteers. The Cardinals jumped out to a 24-8 lead early, then held...
Dallas Approaches Playoffs Precipice
Associated Press
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Mar 28, 2008 1:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Jason Kidd's Mavericks remain winless against winning teams after Carmelo Anthony's Nuggets took control in the third quarter to win 118-105. It was a devastating loss for Dallas, which is now only one game ahead of Denver, the West's ninth place team, for the conference's final playoff spot. The Nuggets have the tiebreaker should they finish the season...
Cowboys Up Their Bid for Pacman Jones
Sports Illustrated
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Mar 28, 2008 12:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Tennessee Titans would love to unload suspended defensive back Pacman Jones, but they want to make sure they get something in return for the Pro Bowl-caliber player. The Cowboys appear willing to make that happen, reports Sports Illustrated . Dallas, which originally offered a seventh round pick for Jones, has now offered a player and a...
Ruutu Shines in Crosby's Return to Ice
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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Mar 28, 2008 12:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sidney Crosby has been gone for two months, but the way his teammates have stepped up, his absence hasn’t hurt them much. Last night marked the golden boy's long-awaited return, but it was Jarkko Ruutu's who stole star of the game honors in the Pens 3-1 win over the Islanders, netting a goal and an assist for a career-high three points, reports...
Pistons Sputter But Beat Heat to Win Central
Detroit News
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Mar 28, 2008 12:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Detroit Pistons tired to keep the Miami Heat in the game last night, but even an injured starter, too many turnovers, and bad shot selection couldn't stop the Pistons from winning the Central Division title with an 85-69 win over the Heat, reports the Detroit News . Arron Afflalo played for an injured Richard Hamilton and scored 15 points while...
Dolan Still Wants Thomas
New York Daily News
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Mar 27, 2008 11:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Donnie Walsh's handshake agreement to run the Knicks next season could end up being a goodbye wave if owner James Dolan meddles too much, reports the New York Daily News . Dolan had said he won't step in if Walsh wants to replace coach Isiah Thomas, but he also made it very clear he wants Thomas back as the coach.
Caps Grab OT Win, Remain in Playoff Chase
Washington Post
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Mar 27, 2008 11:38 PM CDT
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The Capitals got the two points they needed tonight, but the Lightning didn’t give them up without a fight. Alexander Semin got Washington through regulation and Tomas Fleischmann won it for them in overtime, reports the AP. The victory puts the Caps just two points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Elsewhere...
Bruins End Maple Leafs Playoff Hopes
Globe and Mail
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Mar 27, 2008 11:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Toronto Maple Leafs are officially out of the NHL playoff hunt. The Leafs had a glimmer of hope as they entered this week with a home-and-home against Boston, but the Bruins swept the series, taking tonight’s backend game 4-2, reports the Associated Press. It's the third consecutive year Toronto will be watching the playoffs from home—a...
Xavier Sends West Virginia Packing
Cincinnati Enquirer
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Mar 27, 2008 11:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Josh Duncan gave it his all tonight as Xavier downed West Virginia in overtime, 79-75. The senior scored 26 points in the win as the Musketeers move on to the Elite Eight this Saturday. Xavier looked ready to hand the game over to West Virginia late in the second after blowing a lead that had ranged as high as 18 points, but luck was on their side.
