Newser Story Index from April, 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.
Life Grows Shorter for America's Poor
USA Today
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Apr 22, 2008 10:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Life is getting shorter for many of America's poorest people, USA Today reports. Life expectancy has risen in most of the nation since 1960 but in some areas—including the Deep South and Appalachia—life expectancy has dropped significantly, according to a study published in The Public Library of Science . Smoking and obesity were the...
Murdoch Closing In on Newsday Deal
Reuters
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Apr 22, 2008 10:27 AM CDT
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Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. empire is closing in on a deal to buy Newsday from the Tribune Company for an $850 million package, reports Reuters. Under the terms of the deal, Newsday would be run as a joint venture with the New York Post , but the papers would remain separate for now. Tribune would get $550 million in cash and retain a 5% stake...
Dream Ticket Is the Candidates' Worst Nightmare
New York Times
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Apr 22, 2008 10:20 AM CDT
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Despite Democratic dreams of a shared ticket, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton may not be able to stand each other long enough to share a campaign. It’s been the first question in several debates, and will be for either as the freshly crowned nominee, but when the Times privately queried the candidates’ aides, the response was laughter.
March Home Sales, Prices Fall
Bloomberg
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Apr 22, 2008 10:02 AM CDT
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Prices on existing homes fell in March, but buyers stayed away, either unable to get loans, or betting on yet bigger drops, Bloomberg reports. Sales dropped 2%, to an annual rate of 4.93 million, as the median price fell to $200,700 from $217,400 last year. The number of available homes meanwhile swelled by 40,000, exacerbating supply problems.
Top Editor Bails on Journal
Time
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Apr 22, 2008 9:54 AM CDT
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Four months into the Rupert Murdoch era, the Wall Street Journal ’s managing editor is resigning. Marcus Brauchli, in the job since May, has tried to chart a path between Murdoch and the paper’s traditionalists, sources told Time, which broke the story on its website. The split is said to be amicable, and Brauchli is likely to take another...
Chinese Weapons Ship May Head Home
BBC
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Apr 22, 2008 9:33 AM CDT
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China may recall the ship carrying arms to Zimbabwe, thanks to stonewalling by its Southern African neighbors, the BBC reports. Coastal nations are refusing to allow the ship to dock, worried that the weapons will be used to escalate Zimbabwe’s tense post-election standoff. The ship may yet find harbor in Angola, an ally of Zimbabwe’s government,...
Sarkozy Acts as Chinese Mount Anti-French Protests
Independent (UK)
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Apr 22, 2008 9:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two weeks after the Olympic torch relay in Paris, anti-French backlash in China is gaining steam. Rare demonstrations on the streets of Chinese cities, seemingly with the government's tacit approval, have seen French flags burned and defaced with swastikas. As the nations' relationship deteriorates, Nicolas Sarkozy has been forced to step in, reports...
Idol Idled by Vocal Injury
New York Post
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Apr 22, 2008 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
"American Idol" champ Jordin Sparks has been forced to cancel April concert dates with Alicia Keys because of dangerous vocal-cord hemorrhaging, the New York Post reports. Even a sneeze could permanently damage the 18-year-old chart-topper, who has been singing nonstop since winning "Idol" last year. However, her handlers say,...
Polygamist Sect Launches Online PR Campaign
Deseret News (Salt Lake)
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Apr 22, 2008 8:43 AM CDT
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Members of the Texas polygamist community whose children were seized because of suspected abuse have taken their battle against authorities to the Internet, reports the Deseret News . The sect has launched two companion websites—one of them featuring photos and videos of crying children being led away, flanked by armed security forces. The goal...
Bloomberg Won't Buy NY Times
Reuters
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Apr 22, 2008 8:11 AM CDT
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If the New York Times is wooing potential buyers as many have speculated, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg seems to be an ideal suitor. He heads a media empire, has a $12 billion fortune and the acumen to go mano-a-mano with Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal— and he'll have time on his hands when he leaves office next year. Only problem:...
Skype Launches $9.95 Plan for Unlimited Foreign Calls
CNET
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Apr 22, 2008 7:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Internet calling system Skype is introducing a plan for unlimited overseas phone calls for $9.95 a month, CNET reports. The plan includes 34 European and Far Eastern countries, along with Australia and New Zealand—but the deal is limited to landlines except for calls to cell phones in Canada, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The plan also includes...
'Dealer'-in-Chief? Bush Hits Game Show
Reuters
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Apr 22, 2008 7:27 AM CDT
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Increasingly overshadowed by the presidential campaign, George W. Bush got a bit of exposure last night—on a TV game show. The commander-in-chief appeared via satellite on Deal or No Deal to root for a soldier back from Iraq who was gunning for a million dollars in a suitcase, reports Reuters. "I’m thrilled to be anywhere with high...
Deadly Heparin Found in 11 Nations
New York Times
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Apr 22, 2008 7:17 AM CDT
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The FDA has traced a contaminated blood thinner from a Chinese factory to 11 countries, the New York Times reports. Severe reactions to the contaminated heparin have been linked to the deaths of 81 Americans, but it wasn't immediately clear if the drug may have triggered fatalities in other countries. Chinese officials have denied that the contamination...
Samsung Chairman Resigns
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 22, 2008 7:00 AM CDT
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The chairman of Samsung, Korea's leading exporter, has resigned after being indicted on multiple counts of tax fraud and breach of duty. Lee Kun-hee, whose resignation speech was carried live on all of South Korea's TV networks, has controlled the Samsung consortium since 1987. Lee, his wife, his son, and nearly a dozen other execs have been implicated...
Air France-KLM Pulls Offer for Alitalia
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 22, 2008 6:37 AM CDT
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Air France-KLM has withdrawn its offer to buy Alitalia, leaving the cash-poor Italian carrier with few options. In a tersely worded statement, the world's largest airline said its Alitalia overture—which had been opposed by Alitalia's unions—was "no longer valid." With no suitors forthcoming and cash reserves dwindling—the...
Skin Cancer of Scalp, Neck Deadlier
Time
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Apr 22, 2008 6:07 AM CDT
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Melanoma is the rarest, deadliest form of skin cancer, but new research shows that a tumor's location is an indicator of survival chances. An analysis of 50,000 cases over a decade shows patients with lesions on the scalp and neck died twice as quickly as patients with lesions elsewhere, reports Time .
Pennsylvania: The Obama Referendum
Washington Post
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Apr 22, 2008 5:41 AM CDT
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As Pennsylvanians go to the polls on what could be the decisive day of the Democratic primary, one columnist sees today's vote not as a race between two candidates, but a referendum on one. Barack Obama has appeared as both populist and elitist, crusader and policy wonk, black and post-racial. Which Obama voters choose to see today will define his...
Hybrid Sales Soar in 2007
Associated Press
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Apr 22, 2008 5:17 AM CDT
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Sales of hybrid cars rose 38% in the US last year, with Toyota's Prius grabbing more than half the market. As fuel prices climb, hybrid sales are expected to continue to rise this year. Five states lead the rest in buying hybrids, calculated by percentage of sales: California (26.1%) Florida (5.5%) New York (5.0%) Texas...
Pre-Drug Heart Checks Urged for ADHD Kids
Reuters
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Apr 22, 2008 4:55 AM CDT
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Children with ADHD should have their hearts checked for abnormalities before starting treatment with Ritalin or other stimulants, the American Heart Association warns. Serious heart problems have occurred in only a small fraction of the millions of children being treated for ADHD, but the group's experts say it's enough for concern, Reuters reports.
New Hillary Attack Ad Features bin Laden
New York Times
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Apr 22, 2008 4:25 AM CDT
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Voters go to the polls today in Pennsylvania after a bruising last day of campaigning in which Hillary Clinton unleashed a particularly harsh attack ad that uses an image of Osama bin Laden. The TV spot shows news footage of Black Thursday, Pearl Harbor, the Berlin Wall and the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks to call into question Barack Obama's ability...
Party-Balloon Aeronaut Priest Missing in Brazil
Associated Press
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Apr 22, 2008 3:55 AM CDT
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Rescuers in boats and helicopters are searching off the coast of Brazil for a priest who vanished while trying to set a world record for the longest flight with helium-filled party balloons, AP reports. The priest took off from the northeastern city of Paranagua in a chair with hundreds of balloons attached. He was last heard from 30 miles offshore.
Bush Boosts Battered NAFTA at Summit
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 22, 2008 3:25 AM CDT
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President Bush yesterday opened a two-day economic summit in New Orleans with Mexico and Canada amid growing hostility to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is widely blamed for US job losses. Bush is using the meeting with the trillion-dollar trading partners to highlight support for NAFTA as the 14-year-pact is repeatedly roasted on the...
Brits 'Duped' Over Olympic Pricetag
Guardian (UK)
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Apr 22, 2008 3:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The projected pricetag of the 2012 Olympic games in London has more than doubled to $18 billion since the city was picked as host three years ago—and the British government is being accused of deliberately low-balling estimates to sell the event to the public, the Guardian reports. A public spending watchdog says the original figure was...
Lying Admiral Forced to Retire
Navy Times
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Apr 22, 2008 2:39 AM CDT
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A Navy officer accused of lying to investigators has been reprimanded and will take early retirement, the Navy Times reports. Rear Admiral John "Boomer" Stufflebeem was found to have made false statements about what was termed an "inappropriate relationship" while he was a military aide to former President Bush 18 years ago. The...
Jazz Beat Rockets 90-84 to Take 2-0 Series Lead
Associated Press
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Apr 22, 2008 1:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tracy McGrady disappeared again in the fourth quarter and the Utah Jazz took a commanding lead in their playoff series with the Houston Rockets. Deron Williams shrugged off an ankle injury and scored 22 points and Mehmet Okur added 16 points and 16 rebounds as the Jazz beat the Rockets 90-84 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Owings Moves to 4-0 as D'backs Edge Giants 4-2
Associated Press
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Apr 22, 2008 1:29 AM CDT
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Eric Byrnes hit the go-ahead, two-run homer, and Micah Owings became the season's third four-game winner Monday night when the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2. Mark Reynolds and Orlando Hudson hit solo home runs as the Diamondbacks improved their major league-best record to 14-5. Arizona is 13-3 against NL West foes.
Cops: 'Pacman' Paid Extortion Cash in Vegas Shooting
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 11:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Adam "Pacman" Jones paid "extortion" money to a 29-year-old man arrested for a Las Vegas strip club shooting that left a club employee paralyzed, police said. Arvin Kenti Edwards, of Renton, Wash., allegedly used go-betweens to reach Jones, who paid $15,000 in two installments after the shooting, according to a police report obtained...
Utley's Homer Streak Hits 5 and Phillies Beat Rockies 9-5
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 11:32 PM CDT
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Now that there's no playoff pressure, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies with relative ease. Chase Utley homered for the fifth straight game, Jason Werth hit an inside-the-park home run and Philadelphia rallied for a 9-5 win over Colorado on Monday night in the first meeting between the teams since the Rockies' first-round sweep last...
Habs Blank Bruins, Advance
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 11:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Carey Price got his second shutout and Andrei Kostitsyn scored twice to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-0 win over the Boston Bruins in the deciding game of their first-round playoff series. Price stopped 25 shots overall, including 11 shots in the opening period. He got his first playoff shutout in a 1-0 win in Game 4.
Pair of RBI Doubles in 9th Lift Cards Over Brewers
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 11:21 PM CDT
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Skip Schumaker doubled in the go-ahead run in the ninth and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame a fielding blunder in the eighth to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3. Brian Barton, who pinch hit for reliever Ryan Franklin, doubled off embattled Brewers reliever Derrick Turnbow (0-1) to start the inning and Schumaker drove him in with a double after a sacrifice...
Cubs Top Mets for 12th Win in 15 Games
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 11:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Carlos Zambrano pitched seven strong innings, and Aramis Ramirez and Felix Pie homered Monday night as the surging Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 7-1 for their 12th win in 15 games. Zambrano (3-1) allowed five hits and a run with two walks and four strikeouts. Chicago's ace was backed by four double plays.
Long Ball Leads Marlins Past Pirates, 10-4
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 11:01 PM CDT
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Hanley Ramirez, Josh Willingham, and Dan Uggla homered, and Marlins pitcher Mark Hendrickson, normally one of the majors' worst hitters, had two hits while pitching eight innings of Florida's 10-4 victory over the slumping Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night. Ramirez, a .457 career hitter in PNC Park, hit a two-run homer during a four-run second inning.
Garciaparra Ends Homer Drought
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 11:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Nomar Garciaparra hit his first home run since Sept. 14 and drove in three runs, Brad Penny stayed perfect at Great American Ball Park and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-3 Monday night. Rafael Furcal also homered, and James Loney added three RBI for the Dodgers, who equalled their season high with 15.
Oswalt Leads Astros Past Padres
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 10:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Roy Oswalt won consecutive starts for the first time since August, and Miguel Tejada and Lance Berkman drove in three runs each to lead the Houston Astros over the San Diego Padres 10-3 Monday night. Oswalt (2-3) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings as the Astros won their second straight following a three-game losing streak.
Ovechkin Forces Game 7
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 10:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Alex Ovechkin truly was "Alexander the Great" with the Washington Capitals' season on the line. Held without a goal for four straight games, Ovechkin scored twice in the third period to lift the Capitals to a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers and send the series back to Washington for a decisive Game 7.
James Scores 30 In Cavs' Historic Rout of Wiz
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 10:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Maybe Gilbert Arenas was talking about some other Cavaliers. The Cleveland team he and the Washington Wizards faced Monday night doesn't look so beatable. LeBron James scored 30 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16, and the Cavaliers played their best game in months, blowing out Arenas and Co. 116-86.
Hudson Rebounds, Braves Win 5th Straight
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 10:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tim Hudson pitched six scoreless innings before tiring and drove in two runs, leading the Braves past the Washington Nationals 7-3 on Monday night for Atlanta's fifth straight win. The Braves have allowed only six runs during their winning streak, which pushed them above .500 for the first time this season at 10-9.
Spurs' Ginobili Wins NBA's Sixth Man Award
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 10:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili—good enough to be a starter on about any team—won the NBA's sixth man award given to the league's best reserve on Monday. Ginobili led the Spurs in scoring, averaging a career-high 19.5 points to go with 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
Armed Forces Enlist More Criminals
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 8:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The US Army and Marines are signing up more felons in an effort to overcome flagging enlistment, the AP reports. The Army doubled its recruitment of felons last year and the Marines upped theirs from 208 to 350—including conscripts with sex crime and manslaughter convictions. The rise in felon recruits "may be undermining military readiness,"...
UK Docs Implant Bionic Eyes
Telegraph (UK)
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Apr 21, 2008 8:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
British doctors have given two blind men bionic eyesight and say they will soon enjoy partial vision, the Telegraph reports. Using US technology, the surgeons inserted electrodes in the men's retinas last week. Studded on a metal plate, the conductors will be connected to a small eyeglass camera that enables users to see objects as blotches of light.
Email Mining Software No Slam-Dunk
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 21, 2008 7:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Software that allows co-workers to share customer and client information without the initial contact's explicit permission is catching on, overcoming worries about privacy that initially kept the applications from gaining traction, the Wall Street Journal reports. One exec who saw "a very harsh reaction from people who viewed it as a Big Brother-type...
Those Shoes Are Just Killing Your Feet
New York
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Apr 21, 2008 6:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Walk a mile in my shoes? No way, researchers say—even comfortable shoes warp how we walk and damage our bodies. "With one carelessly designed instrument, our shoes, we have warped the pure anatomical form of human gait," one expert wrote. So Brooklyn scribe Adam Sternbergh walks a day in no shoes, and writes in New York that cavemen...
Galarraga Wins Again as Tigers Beat Blue Jays
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 6:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Rookie Armando Galarraga won his second straight start, Edgar Renteria homered and the Detroit Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 Monday. Ivan Rodriguez had four hits and Renteria scored twice for the Tigers. Galarraga (2-0) has won back-to-back starts since being called up from Triple-A Toledo last week to replace Dontrelle Willis, sidelined by...
Zimbabwe's Opposition Pleads for Help
Reuters
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Apr 21, 2008 6:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Zimbabwe's opposition begged world leaders today for protection from post-election violence, Reuters reports. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said troops were "terrorizing people" and creating "a very serious humanitarian situation" in Zimbabwe, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said. Tsvangirai also told Ban that African leaders had failed...
Ortiz Backs Buchholz as Red Sox win 4th Straight
Associated Press
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Apr 21, 2008 6:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Clay Buchholz pitched six shutout innings, David Ortiz drove in three runs with a pair of doubles and the Boston Red Sox completed a four-game sweep of the Texas Rangers with an 8-3 win Monday. Julio Lugo went 4-for-4 with a walk and an RBI as the Red Sox scored at least five runs for the ninth straight game. They finished with 12 hits and 11 walks....
NY Stays Calorie-Count Law
Village Voice
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Apr 21, 2008 5:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Today a New York judge delayed a law requiring Big Apple eateries to list calorie content on menus. Set to kick in today, the law is now slated to take effect Friday—which gives the city time to sort out a suit by New York restaurants, which are seeking yet another stay. Meanwhile, the Village Voice visits a few restaurants to chat up servers...
Candidates Climb Into the Ring
World Wrestling Entertainment
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Apr 21, 2008 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The three presidential candidates have each recorded a stilted video for tonight's episode of Raw, the WWE show that attracts 5 million viewers a week. In the segments, intended to promote voter participation, the candidates do some grandstanding with goofball quotes, including Clinton referring to herself as "Hillrod," the AP reports.
Mecca Time Plugged for World Standard
BBC
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Apr 21, 2008 4:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A group of Muslim scholars wants Mecca time to replace Greenwich Mean Time as the world's default setting, the BBC reports. As Islam’s holiest city lies in perfect longitudinal alignment to magnetic north, scientists told a Qatar conference that Mecca was the “true” center of the earth. GMT, they argue, is a relic of British imperialism,...
Gates to USAF: Straighten Up and Fly Right
Washington Post
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Apr 21, 2008 4:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Robert Gates chided the Air Force today for being slow to change and for not providing enough help in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Addressing American and international student officers in Alabama, the defense secretary said getting the USAF to adapt, particularly in the use of drone aircraft, has been "like pulling teeth," the Washington...
Clintonites: Obama's Copying Us
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 21, 2008 4:32 PM CDT
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Hillary Clinton's campaign is fuming at what it perceives as Barack Obama's plagiarism of its policy ideas, the Chicago Tribune reports. "I came up with that a year ago,” Clinton said of the stimulus package her rival is boosting. Obama's formula, her advisers argue, is glomming onto a Clinton idea, adding extra millions, and pitching...
