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.
Paulson Wants Closer Tabs on Investment Banks
New York Times
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Mar 26, 2008 2:25 PM CDT
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Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said today that investment banks owe the government more information about their financial condition if they are occasionally allowed to borrow money from the Federal Reserve, the New York Times reports. Paulson seemed to call for tighter regulations before calling the recent bailout of Bear Stearns "precedent...
Story Linking Diddy to Tupac Shooting a Hoax
The Smoking Gun
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Mar 26, 2008 2:13 PM CDT
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The Los Angeles Times was duped into reporting that associates of Sean “Diddy” Combs were involved in the 1994 shooting of rapper Tupac Shakur, the Smoking Gun reports. The paper based last week's story on FBI reports fabricated by a long-time con man who has long sought to insinuate himself in the rap world.
Yahoo Joins Google Social Network Alliance
Reuters
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Mar 26, 2008 2:10 PM CDT
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Yahoo will join Google in developing the latter's open social networking framework OpenSocial, the company announced yesterday. The two giants, along with other partners, also announced the creation of a foundation to oversee the effort. Neither Facebook nor Microsoft, which have an advertising agreement, are part of OpenSocial; Facebook on its own...
Spas Get the Vegas Treatment
W
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Mar 26, 2008 1:50 PM CDT
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Las Vegas' go-big-or-go-home attitude runs from its slots to its spas, which now rival the Dead Sea as the world's favored soaking grounds, W reports. But what separates Sin City from Baden-Baden is the de-emphasis on escaping it all: At these luxury bathhouses, seeing and being seen is equally important as the relaxing bit.
28% of Hillary Fans Would Pick Mac Over Obama
Chicago Tribune
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Mar 26, 2008 1:39 PM CDT
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In a troubling sign for Democratic odds of overcoming the primary bloodbath, a poll finds 28% of Hillary Clinton supporters say they would vote for John McCain over Barack Obama, and 19% of Barack boosters would go GOP over Clinton. It’s great news for the crossover-friendly Republican, the Chicago Tribune notes—and suggests Dem “divisions...
America's 10 Cleanest Cities
Forbes
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Mar 26, 2008 1:26 PM CDT
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Clean air and water makes for happy city dwellers, and clean streets help attract tourists—and businesses. Forbes went coast-to-coast to pick the 10 cleanest big cities in America. The Sunshine State led the way, with four entries: Miami, Fla. Seattle, Wash. Jacksonville, Fla. Orlando, Fla. Portland, Ore. ...
Paparazzi Punk Plan Doesn't Scare Mags
New York Daily News
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Mar 26, 2008 1:12 PM CDT
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Avril Lavigne with a baby bump. Paris Hilton out with a monk. Ashton Kutcher's plans to punk gossip rags by teaming up with celebrity friends to serve fake news stories doesn't have many editors shaking in their boots, the New York Daily News reports. “A fake belly doesn’t get by us," one says in dissing "Pop Fiction,"...
Got Junk? Call These Guys
NPR
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Mar 26, 2008 12:56 PM CDT
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A shed full of roller skates, 400 wedding dresses, 18,000 sardine cans, a diffused bomb—1-800-GOT-JUNK? hauls away more than just trash in its custom-built dump trucks. The largest junk-hauling company in North America turned clutter into revenues of $150 million this year, says NPR, while professionalizing the industry and banishing the stereotypical...
Experts Deride McCain’s Mortgage Crisis Fix
New York Sun
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Mar 26, 2008 12:52 PM CDT
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Economists, and rivals, are scoffing at John McCain’s ideas for countering the nation’s foreclosure crisis, taking aim at the suggestion that top lenders follow the post-9/11 example of General Motors—which offered 0% financing on new cars. But experts note that GM had its own interests in mind—not the country’s—in...
Russian Investing in ... WNBA Stars?
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 26, 2008 12:45 PM CDT
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Basketball-crazy Russian billionaire Shabtai von Kalmanovic is pouring money into women's hoops—flying WNBA players to Russia in the off-season and paying them 10 times what they make in the US. Players like Diana Taurasi are put up in luxury digs and chauffeured around. "They should be treated like people of art, like stars," Kalmanovic...
China Furious Over US/Taiwan Nuke Mixup
Washington Post
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Mar 26, 2008 12:34 PM CDT
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Beijing unloaded on Washington today, enraged by reports that the US had accidentally sent nuclear missile parts to Taiwan. China demanded a full US investigation, and said the mistake had “disastrous consequences.” China told the US to halt all arms shipments to Taiwan to “avoid endangering the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait...
Ready for $35 Movie Tickets?
Variety
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Mar 26, 2008 12:14 PM CDT
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Think your movie-going experience could be more than sticky floors and greasy popcorn? Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas agrees. The high-end theater chain is making its debut in America, offering a bar selling cocktails and sushi, reclining lazy-boy style seats (with service buttons to call waiters), and valet parking for the deluxe price of $35...
Dr Peppers All Around If GNR Finishes 17-Year Album
New York Post
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Mar 26, 2008 12:05 PM CDT
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Not only will Guns N’ Roses fans rejoice if Axl Rose and company deliver “Chinese Democracy” in 2008—they’ll also be sipping a free can of Dr Pepper, the New York Post reports. The soda-maker promises every American a free can if the 1980s rock icons complete their 17-year-old project before the year is through.
Tata's Luxury Buys Tell World 'We're Here'
BBC
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Mar 26, 2008 11:53 AM CDT
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Perhaps you’ve never heard of Tata, the Indian company that's the new owner of Jaguar and Land Rover—but it's already a $70 billion globe-straddling giant, the BBC reports, with major subsidiaries in a host of industries. Not content with dominating its fast-growing home market, Tata Motors sells cars in Africa, South America, and throughout...
Miami Hopes to Patrol Streets With Flying Spy Drones
Reuters
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Mar 26, 2008 11:44 AM CDT
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A flying spy drone may soon join the ranks of Miami's finest, pending FAA approval of the 14-pound bot. "Our intentions are to use it only in tactical situations as an extra set of eyes," says a department spokesman. The US military has been using spy drones for years, reports Reuters, and police departments around the country are interested...
Sarkomania Hits Britain
Telegraph (UK)
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Mar 26, 2008 11:32 AM CDT
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The British press is in the full throes of Sarkomania as the French prez and wife Carla Bruni arrived today. The Sarkozys were met by Prince Charles, who accompanied them to Windsor Palace—where Queen Elizabeth obliged with a full royal welcome, followed by a state banquet. Nicolas Sarkozy said he hopes the two nations progress from "being...
Durable Goods, New Homes Take Hit in February
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 26, 2008 11:21 AM CDT
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Durable goods took an unexpected tumble in February, the Commerce Department announced today, with a 1.7% drop headlining a raft of bad economic news. Analysts expected a 0.8% increase. “Businesses definitely have shown they are beginning to retrench,” one analyst told Bloomberg. “Demand is weakening.” New-home sales, meanwhile,...
Reid: Race Will End Before Convention
Politico
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Mar 26, 2008 11:12 AM CDT
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The top Senate Democrat says his party's presidential nomination will be wrapped up before the Aug. 25-28 convention. “It will be done,” majority leader Harry Reid declared of the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama—adding mysteriously, Politico reports, that he’d spoken to party chairman Howard Dean and that “things...
Gray Goosed: Color Shines in Spring Fling
W
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Mar 26, 2008 10:56 AM CDT
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An unexpected shadow has fallen over runways this spring: Gray is the neutral shade of the moment, W magazine reports. Once a seasonal look, gray—be it silvery, smoky, or tinged with brown—has become a year-round staple, replacing “black in fashion and beige in makeup,” says Chantecaille’s creative director. Even taupe-lover...
UK Pig Farmers Squeal Poverty
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 26, 2008 10:39 AM CDT
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Floundering British pig farmers are on the march behind a curious protest song: "Stand by Your Ham." With feed prices soaring, UK farmers say they're losing $50 on every pig they sell, so they’re begging anyone who’ll listen to support higher pork prices, reports the Wall Street Journal. They've taken to the streets alongside...
American Cancels 171 Flights to Inspect Boeing Jets
Chicago Tribune
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Mar 26, 2008 10:25 AM CDT
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American Airlines canceled 171 flights today, benching almost its entire fleet of Boeing MD-80 twinjet aircrafts, the Chicago Tribune reports. American said it was inspecting how a “certain bundle of wires” was attached to ensure it complied with an FAA directive. But American said the grounding was voluntary, not FAA-mandated. The planes...
Brits Reverse, Endorse Booze-Free Pregnancy
BBC
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Mar 26, 2008 10:12 AM CDT
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The Brits are coming around to the notion that pregnant women shouldn't booze, reports the BBC, as an independent UK health institute revised recommendations to bring it in line with the government policy of teetotalling. The report comes less than a week after a Guardian columnist slammed calls for US-style labeling warning pregnant women against...
South Korea to Back UN on North Korea
Associated Press
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Mar 26, 2008 9:57 AM CDT
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South Korea is set to vote in favor of a United Nations resolution that criticizes the "systematic, widespread, and grave violations" of human rights in North Korea, the AP reports. The South's new president, Lee Myung-bak, is changing a decade of precedent: earlier administrations have either abstained or been absent when the UN considers...
Gun-Blasting Pilot Suspended
CNN
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Mar 26, 2008 9:43 AM CDT
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A trigger-happy US Airways pilot whose gun accidentally discharged in the cockpit has been suspended from the federal program that permits pilots to pack heat, reports CNN. He's also been yanked from flight duty pending the results of an investigation by the FAA, the TSA, and US Air. The shocking weekend discharge was the first time a gun has been...
Superdelegates Should Hold Superprimary: Tenn. Gov.
Politico
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Mar 26, 2008 9:34 AM CDT
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Democrats should hold a superdelegate superprimary to settle the race before the summer, says Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen. “You’re going to spend this whole summer—and lots of money and time and effort—trying to convince people that whoever isn’t eventually nominated, isn’t electable,” says Bredesen. To staunch...
Canseco Links A-Rod to 'Roids in New Book
New York Post
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Mar 26, 2008 9:19 AM CDT
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Jose Canseco, baseball’s most outspoken steroid user, suggests that reigning AL MVP Alex Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs in his new book Vindicated, reports the New York Post. This according to a Massachusetts-based writer, who found a copy yesterday in a local store, although it's not due for release until April 1. "I really...
Could the Credit Crunch Sink a Whole Country?
Financial Times (UK)
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Mar 26, 2008 9:10 AM CDT
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The global credit crisis has spelled disaster for banks and hedge funds, but now worry is mounting that an entire country could go under. Yesterday the central bank of Iceland was forced to raise its interest rate 1.25 percentage points to 15% at an emergency meeting, reports the Financial Times . The surprise move was a desperate effort to curb runaway...
Foes Tag Obama With L-Word
Washington Post
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Mar 26, 2008 8:59 AM CDT
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Barack Obama's campaign says the candidate is beyond labels but the senator's critics think they've found one that fits: liberal. The McCain campaign has branded the candidate an "old-style liberal," while the Clintonites say Obama's positions could alienate moderates—and wonder how the candidate National Journal rated as 2007's most...
Sports Stars Endorse Little League Facebook
New York Times
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Mar 26, 2008 8:49 AM CDT
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Want to see Peyton Manning’s Pop Warner games? Derek Jeter playing Little League? They’ll be on WePlay.com, alongside some game film from a lot of other not-yet-famous players. WePlay, which is launching today, is a youth sports social-networking site—a kind of little league Facebook. Athletes, coaches, and parents will all be able...
Millions Tune In to Afghan 'Idol'
Time
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Mar 26, 2008 8:40 AM CDT
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More than a third of all Afghans were hooked on this year’s Afghan Star, the nation's version of the TV hit American Idol. Although religious leaders condemned the show for allowing women to perform, viewers voting on cell phones chose a female contestant as one of the top five performers for the first time in the three-season run, reports...
Tiffany Presses eBay to Police Forgeries
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 26, 2008 8:26 AM CDT
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A legal battle between Tiffany & Co and eBay could change the face of online auctioneering forever, the Wall Street Journal reports. The jeweler says eBay should be responsible for checking its millions of listings for counterfeit goods, while eBay maintains that it's up to the trademark holder to flag the fakes—especially since eBay itself...
Icahn Wins: Motorola Will Spin Off Mobile Unit
Bloomberg
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Mar 26, 2008 8:13 AM CDT
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Motorola blinked in its showdown with billionaire investor Carl Icahn, announcing this morning it will spin off the foundering mobile-device division that lost $1.2 billion last year and has seen its share of the mobile phone market shrink from 22% to 12%, reports Bloomberg. Moto’s stock rose 6.6% on the news before the markets opened, after...
Obama Pastor Cancels Speeches
Houston Chronicle
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Mar 26, 2008 8:05 AM CDT
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Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s controversial former pastor, has canceled scheduled appearances this week, citing security concerns. Wright was due to lead a Tampa, Fla., church's three-day revival beginning yesterday, and visit several Houston-area churches Sunday. "As much as I hate for him not to come I think it's probably prudent"...
Lifelong Issues Plague Preemies
USA Today
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Mar 26, 2008 7:48 AM CDT
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More babies are surviving premature birth than ever before, but new research has found they suffer lifelong problems. Preemies face health challenges into adulthood and are less likely to graduate from high school or to have children of their own, reports USA Today. Those who do have children are more likely to have premature or stillborn babies....
Bear Stearns Staffers Gird for Mass Layoffs After $3B Hit
Reuters
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Mar 26, 2008 7:30 AM CDT
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The Icarus-like fall of Bear Stearns stock, trading as high as $170 a share a year ago before plummeting to $2 last week, has cost Bear employees—who once owned nearly a third of the company—more than $3 billion. That's even after JPMorgan raised its bid for the investment bank to close to $10 a share, reports Reuters.
Mars Rovers Dodge NASA Cuts
Washington Post
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Mar 26, 2008 7:10 AM CDT
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NASA has spared its far-flung Mars rovers from budget cuts, reports the Washington Post, after its administrator got wind of the plan to hibernate Spirit and roll Opportunity back to part time. "Closing down either of the rovers is not on the table," his spokesman said, and underlings are looking elsewhere for cuts.
Iraq PM Threatens Sadrists as Basra Explodes
BBC
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Mar 26, 2008 6:47 AM CDT
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As Iraqi government forces battle Shia militants for a second day in Basra, the Iraqi prime minister has issued a 72-hour deadline for insurgents to lay down their arms. In a television broadcast, Nouri al-Maliki warned militants, many of them loyal to the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, to stand down or "face the most severe penalties,"...
Brown: World Needs US to Lead
Telegraph (UK)
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Mar 26, 2008 6:36 AM CDT
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British PM Gordon Brown plans a landmark speech in Boston next month, calling on the US to once again provide inspiration to a world in need of American "values and leadership." The address will be aimed at John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama—not President Bush, the Daily Telegraph reports. Brown will evoke the memory...
After 15 Years, Chris Webber to Retire From NBA
ESPN
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Mar 26, 2008 6:30 AM CDT
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Chris Webber's poetic return to the Warriors has come to an end following the latest injury to the ravaged left knee which has plagued him for the past five years. The power forward, a four-time all star and 93-94 rookie of the year with Golden State, will announce the end of his 15-year career later today, ESPN reports.
Oil Hovers Near $102 a Barrel
Associated Press
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Mar 26, 2008 6:16 AM CDT
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Concern about potential supply disruptions in Iraq and American gasoline reserves pushed oil prices up for the second day in a row, despite expected news from the Energy Department that crude supplies in the US had rebounded, reports the Associated Press. The US dollar’s continued depreciation against a slew of currencies also helped inflate...
Suicide Kills More LA Cops Than Criminals
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 26, 2008 5:59 AM CDT
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Cops in Los Angeles are more likely to die by their own hand than from a criminal's bullet, the Los Angeles Times reports. Psychologists trying to improve the LAPD's suicide prevention efforts found that 19 police officers in the city killed themselves between 1998 and 2007, while just seven died on the job. The police say the nature of the work...
Dad Penned Apology Before Killing Family
Chicago Tribune
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Mar 26, 2008 5:24 AM CDT
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An Iowa man left a note in his kitchen and voice mail messages for friends and ex-colleagues apologizing before killing his wife and four young children, the Chicago Tribune reports. Steven Sueppel then killed himself in a fiery highway crash. The former bank executive was facing trial on embezzlement charges, and had admitted using half of the cash...
NATO Escorts Russian Bombers Away From Alaska
Reuters
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Mar 26, 2008 4:49 AM CDT
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Two bombers from the Russian air force flew uncomfortably close to American territory as they patrolled neutral space off the coast of Alaska, Reuters reports. NATO forces deployed several jets to escort the Russian planes away. The incident is yet another case of the Russian military resuming the Soviet-era practice of flying patrols beyond its borders.
Howard Propels Dirk-Less Mavs Past Clippers
Associated Press
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Mar 26, 2008 4:41 AM CDT
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In the Mavs' first game since Dirk Nowitzki was sidelined with sprains to his left knee and ankle, Josh Howard stepped up with a 32-point performance, lifting Dallas over the Clippers, 103-90. Howard started slowly before exploding in the third quarter, scoring 20 rapid points to break open a 60-58 lead into a 16-point Dallas advantage by the fourth.
Gov. Terminates Clint's Term on California Parks Panel
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 26, 2008 4:30 AM CDT
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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't make fellow actor Clint Eastwood's day when he opted not to renew his term on the state parks commission, reports the Los Angeles Times . The guvernator said it's time to give others a chance to serve. “They make changes, and that’s their prerogative,” said Eastwood, who was appointed...
Nancy Reagan Endorses McCain
Associated Press
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Mar 26, 2008 4:00 AM CDT
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Top Republicans continue to fall in line behind John McCain, despite skepticism about his conservative credentials. The latest to back the candidate is former first lady Nancy Reagan, who met privately with McCain at her southern California home. Her endorsement is an important boost for McCain, linking him to the former president who stands as a GOP...
Upbeat Cancer Research Funded by Big Tobacco
New York Times
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Mar 26, 2008 3:37 AM CDT
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Tobacco money paid for research that said CT scans could prevent 80% of lung cancer deaths, the New York Times reports. The news has shocked cancer researchers, who are generally loathe to have anything to do with cigarette companies. “If you’re using blood money, you need to tell people you’re using blood money,” said the...
Flames Climb Out of Hole to Shock Canucks
Vancouver Sun
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Mar 26, 2008 3:16 AM CDT
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The Calgary Flames turned a 2-0 disadvantage into a 3-2 victory last night, capitalizing on two third-period power plays 41 seconds apart to shake Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo. The win sends the Flames to the top of the Northwest Division, and seeds them third for the Western Conference playoffs, the Calgary Herald reports. Elsewhere in the league:
Africa Crushes Comoros Coup
Independent (UK)
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Mar 26, 2008 3:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The latest renegades to seize power in the Comoros Islands have been defeated, reports the Independent. Government and African Union troops regained control in an amphibious assault at sunrise yesterday. The island nation in the Indian Ocean has been rocked by more than 20 coups or coup attempts, many involving foreign mercenaries, since it gained...
Smashing Pumpkins Sue Virgin Over Pepsi Ads
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 26, 2008 2:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Smashing Pumpkins are suing Virgin Records, claiming the company illegally used the band's name and music in ads for Pepsi and Amazon.com, the Guardian reports. The rockers' contract does not allow using the band in promotional campaigns such as the Pepsi Stuff ads, and members would “never grant such authority" that undermines "artistic...
