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.
Nalgene Nixes Suspect Chemical
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 1:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The maker of Nalgene bottles will pull the products from stores over concerns about the health effects of the chemical bisphenol A, Reuters reports. The plastic water bottles, long a favorite of hikers, will be made with BPA-free materials going forward. The move comes despite the chemical industry's assurances that BPA does not harm humans.
Putin Blasts Remarriage Rumors
BBC
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Apr 18, 2008 1:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Vladimir Putin moved swiftly to put to rest rumors he was planning to divorce his wife to marry a 24-year-old former gymnast and current member of parliament. During a visit to Italy, the lame duck Russian president assured reporters that there was "not a single word of truth" to the tabloid story that broke yesterday, the BBC reports.
Author Just Talking 'Bout X Generation
Time
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Apr 18, 2008 1:07 PM CDT
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Between the stuck-in-the-'60s boomers and their blog-happy offspring is a mighty yet forgotten generation, Jeff Gordinier writes in his new book, X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft But Can Still Keep Everything From Sucking . From less Dylan to more Cobain, the author wants the "dark-horse generation" born between 1965 and...
WTC Blueprints Found in Trash
New York Post
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Apr 18, 2008 12:50 PM CDT
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A vagrant sifting through a trash can found confidential blueprints for the Freedom Tower, the New York Post reports. Though the documents are not complete, they contain sufficient information, such as the thickness of the building’s concrete core and schematics of the ventilation system, to facilitate a potentially devastating terrorist attack.
Finns May Stop (Working) in the Name of Love
Bloomberg
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Apr 18, 2008 12:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Finland's citizens will get an extra week of vacation specifically for romance if a proposed bill becomes law, Bloomberg reports. The legislation, which currently has 13 of the 100 required backers, would augment the 25 paid vacation days and 10 public holidays that already put Finns above the EU norm. Slightly more than half of Finnish marriages end...
Chan-Li Vehicle Stuck in Neutral
Metacritic
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Apr 18, 2008 12:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Forbidden Kingdom , packing the one-two punch of Jackie Chan and Jet Li, is "great fun," David Edelstein writes in New York, once the martial-arts flick gets past "the clunky prologue." Other critics are a little more reserved in praising the film, about a modern-day teenager who's magically transported to ancient China and...
$1B Intel Plant Helps Vietnam Reinvent Itself
San Jose Mercury News
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Apr 18, 2008 12:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Intel's choice of Vietnam for a massive superconductor plant surprised the tech world 2 years ago, but the firm's trailblazing has sparked a wave of high-tech investment that is transforming the country, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The plant is still more than a year away from completion, but Intel's presence is helping a nation that had no...
Pope Warns Against Tyranny
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 11:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pope Benedict addressed the UN for the first time today, calling human rights the solution to many of the world’s problems, the AP reports. Speaking in French, the pontiff praised the UN, stressing the importance of international cooperation. But he also warned, “Multilateral consensus continues to be in crisis,” controlled by “the...
Plane Trips Grow Longer
USA Today
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Apr 18, 2008 11:33 AM CDT
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Air travel is the slowest it's been in the past 20 years, thanks to increased congestion both on the runway and in the air. A flight from Las Vegas to New York took 4 hours, 37 minutes in 1988, but that same route now requires over 6 hours, reports USA Today. And don't expect things to improve any time soon.
Bowl System May Violate Federal Law
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 11:31 AM CDT
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A Congressional resolution could have the Justice Department looking into whether the college football bowl system is illegal, the AP reports. The authors of the resolution say the system restricts trade because only the biggest schools seem to have a shot at being voted into the championship game. A look at the leglsiators' home addresses suggests...
Why You're Still Chubby
ABC News
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Apr 18, 2008 11:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
If you've mustered the energy to lose weight, nothing is more frustrating than not seeing results. Men's Health lists some common mistakes: Too much carb consumption You're eating low-fat foods, but more of them Skipping breakfast can lead to sugar bingeing
'Abortion Art' a Hoax, Yale Says
Washington Post
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Apr 18, 2008 11:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When Yale art student Aliza Shvarts said she’d impregnated herself “as often as possible,” aborted all the results, and intended to display the resulting menstrual blood, people got a bit upset. Students gathered in protest as the story blazed across a disgusted blogosphere. One problem: It was all made up. Yale said yesterday the...
Sonics Spat Heats Up
Seattle Times
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Apr 18, 2008 10:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett is now taking a swing at Seattle, accusing Mayor Greg Nickles of a "Machiavellian plan" to turn the basketball team back over to local ownership. The Oklahoma billionaire claims the city has misled the public and mischaracterized reasons for the lawsuit it filed to keep the Sonics at Key Arena, reports the ...
Bitter Breakup? Time for a Blog
New York Times
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Apr 18, 2008 10:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Call it therapeutic or call it revenge, but more ex-spouses are airing their dirty laundry on the Internet—and courts are supporting them even if their former partners are not. Personal blogs have quadrupled since 2003, the New York Times notes in a look at the trend, with many using them to dish about everything from marital affairs, divorce...
Biggest Busts of the NFL Draft
ESPN
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Apr 18, 2008 10:42 AM CDT
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Hype is mounting for this year's NFL draft class, but plenty of hopes are dashed each year. ESPN catalogs the top 50 picks who fizzled: Ryan Leaf: drafted No. 2, behind Peyton Manning, but racked up 14 TDs to 65 sacks in 4 seasons Lawrence Phillips: had troubles with the law and with his own attitude
Facebook Apps Have Fans, Need Money
BusinessWeek
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Apr 18, 2008 10:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Facebook widgets have been wildly popular, but they haven’t always been wildly profitable. “The fascinating thing about widgets is it turns out that distribution isn't really the challenge,” says the CEO of VideoEgg, the developer behind Scrabulous and Flixster. "The question is how do you monetize that attention?” VideoEgg...
US Downturn Cuts Migrants' Payments Home
Washington Post
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Apr 18, 2008 10:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The downturn in the US economy is also hitting Mexico hard, the Washington Post reports. Money sent home from the US, known as remittances, dropped nearly 7% in January compared with the year before, the biggest plunge in 13 years, says the Mexican government. Without that money, the country's No. 2 source of foreign currency, many Mexicans can’t...
Guggenheim Bilbao Honcho Embezzled $800K
Independent (UK)
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Apr 18, 2008 10:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Guggenheim Museum's outpost in Bilbao is suing its director of finance after he admitted embezzling $800,000 from the institution's coffers. In a long mea culpa letter to the museum's director, Robert Cearsolo Barrenetxea confessed that he had used bank transfers and fraudulent checks to line his own pockets and had falsified the museum's financial...
LAX Readies 'Strip Search' Scans
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 18, 2008 9:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New technology will allow screeners at Los Angeles International Airport to scan passengers with a device that effectively looks beneath their clothes, the LA Times reports. The “whole body imaging” machines are drawing mixed reviews—a TSA spokesman praised the "brand-new security tool," but an ACLU rep compared a scan...
Sarah Marshall Is Memorable
Metacritic
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Apr 18, 2008 9:40 AM CDT
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Forgetting Sarah Marshall is another raunchy romantic comedy from Judd Apatow's repertory company, with an important difference: star/screenwriter Jason Segel. His performance as a clueless spurned boyfriend is "awkward and embarrassing," yet "sweet" and "disarming," writes Scott Tobias of The Onion A.V. Club. Segel...
Latest Credit Victim RBS Seeks $24B
Telegraph (UK)
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Apr 18, 2008 9:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Royal Bank of Scotland is preparing to issue new stock after conceding it was facing serious cash flow problems. After consulting with the Treasury and the nation's financial oversight authority, Britain's second-largest bank is planning a rights issue for around $24 billion to rebuild its capital reserves. The move may trigger a wave of other appeals...
Navy Busts Marriage Fraud Ring
CNN
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Apr 18, 2008 9:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Dozens of US sailors and Eastern European women have been arrested for their part in a purported mass-marriage fraud ring, CNN reports. Sailors allegedly tied the knot with women they barely knew, netting the wives green cards and the sailors marriage benefits totaling roughly $500,000. “What we see are small pockets of friends forming this conspiracy,”...
Mugabe: Brit Bribes Swayed Election
Reuters
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Apr 18, 2008 9:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In his first speech since his maybe-final election defeat, Robert Mugabe accused Britain of bribing Zimbabwe’s voters, Reuters reports. “Down with the British. Down with the thieves who want to steal our country,” he told a cheering crowd of 15,000. Britain’s Gordon Brown has been among Mugabe’s loudest international critics,...
13-Year-Old Moms Among Girls From Polygamist Ranch
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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Apr 18, 2008 8:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Moms as young as 13 are among the 416 children removed from the Texas ranch of a polygamous sect, a child protection officer told a hearing yesterday. The state, making its case to keep the children away from the ranch, testified that a pregnant 14-year-old and a number of pregnant 15-year-olds are also among those in custody, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram...
Chelsea Faces Campaign's Rough Side
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 18, 2008 8:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Until recently, the campaign trail has been a generally hospitable place for Chelsea Clinton. She never talks to reporters, and her rallies generally attract fawning Clinton supporters lobbing softball questions. But as the race heats up, the questions are becoming more pointed, as is the scrutiny, the Los Angeles Times reports. Some of the stories...
Citigroup Posts $5B Loss, Will Cut 9,000K Jobs
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 18, 2008 7:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Citigroup reported a first-quarter loss of $5.1 billion today, posting another $14 billion in writedowns as a result of the credit crunch and loan defaults, the Wall Street Journal reports. The loss of $1.02 a share exceeded analysts' estimates and marks the second straight quarterly loss for the nation's biggest bank. It plans 9,000 layoffs next...
Mild 5.2 Earthquake Shakes Up Chicago
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 18, 2008 7:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A moderate earthquake in southern Illinois was enough to wake far-off Chicago-area residents this morning, but no major damage was reported, the Chicago Tribune notes. The shake-up reached 5.2 on the Richter scale, shy of an area record of 5.4, but enough to move furniture. “For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like...
E Street Rocker Danny Federici Is Dead at 58
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 7:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Longtime Bruce Springsteen keyboardist Danny Federici died yesterday at the age of 58 in New York after a three-year battle with melanoma. As a member of the Boss’ E Street Band, he performed on hit records for decades and helped bring Springsteen into the spotlight after jamming in New Jersey in the 1960s. “We grew up together,”...
$4 Gas Driving San Franciscans From Cars
San Francisco Chronicle
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Apr 18, 2008 7:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Bay Area is used to being on the cutting edge, but becoming the first to pay $4 for a gallon of gas is a milestone San Francisco could do without, the Chronicle reports. Prices are expected to nudge past the mark next week—but many Bay Area residents have already fled their cars to dodge ever-growing fuel costs.
Bloomberg Looks Forward to 'Adult' in the White House
CNN
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Apr 18, 2008 6:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg hasn't decided whom he'll vote for in the presidential election, but he's glad that the next occupant of the Oval Office will be "an adult," reports CNN. The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent mayor offered a thinly veiled rebuke of President Bush when he noted: "At least we'll have an...
US Builds Giant Wall in Sadr City
New York Times
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Apr 18, 2008 6:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American forces have begun construction of an enormous concrete wall that will partition Sadr City, one of Baghdad's most dangerous neighborhood. The structure is intended to make the southern section of Sadr City, a Shiite stronghold that borders the Green Zone, into a protected enclave, reports the New York Times . Walls in other parts of Baghdad...
Study Finds Mass Rigging in Russian Vote
Times (UK)
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Apr 18, 2008 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As many as one in three votes for Dmitry Medvedev in Russia's presidential election were fraudulent, according to a comprehensive study by a computer analyst. Not only was Medvedev's total inflated by about 7 points, but the turnout was also exaggerated, reports the Times of London. That means that only a third of Russia's 100 million voters actually...
Gibraltar to Kill Pesky Apes
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 5:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Gibraltar has decided to kill a band of its famous Barbary apes that has been harassing tourists and residents, AP reports. The 25-strong group of renegade apes—actually large monkeys—has moved to a popular beach area where the animals have been stealing food and climbing into open windows. The British territory's tourism minister said...
SocGen CEO Resigns Over Rogue Trader
Financial Times (UK)
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Apr 18, 2008 4:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The CEO of Société Générale will step down, at last bowing to pressure in the wake of the $7.8 billion rogue trading scandal. Although investors and politicians—including French President Nicolas Sarkozy—had demanded Daniel Bouton's resignation immediately after the revelation of Jérôme Kerviel's...
China Ships Arms to Mugabe
Guardian (UK)
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Apr 18, 2008 4:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As tensions rise in Zimbabwe, a Chinese ship has arrived in a South African port with arms bound for Harare. The ship put to sea with AK-47 rifles, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and millions of rounds of ammunition, apparently to fortify President Robert Mugabe, who's not relinquishing power despite his suspected loss in last month's presidential...
March Land Temperatures Hit Record High
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 4:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
This March was the world's warmest ever on record over land surfaces—and the second warmest overall, AP reports. Land temperatures worldwide averaged 40.8 degrees Fahrenheit, 3.2 degrees above the 20th-century average. Over land and sea, only 2002 saw higher temperatures in 129 years of record-keeping, adding to mounting concerns about climate...
Abuse Victims Find Some Peace With Pope
CNN
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Apr 18, 2008 3:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Victims of sexual abuse yesterday exited a long-sought meeting with Pope Benedict XVI moved by his compassion and inspired by hope. "He apologized," one of them told CNN after the talk in a Washington chapel. "He seemed to intrinsically understand what we were talking about." Benedict listened to personal accounts of abuse by priests...
Peterson Faces Lawsuit in Third Wife's Death
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 18, 2008 3:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A judge yesterday replaced the executors for the estate of murder suspect Drew Peterson's third wife, paving the way for a wrongful death suit against the ex-cop. The judge cited recent autopsy findings saying Kathleen Savio was murdered. Her family now plans to file a wrongful death suit within weeks, their attorney told the Chicago Tribune .
Cloning Could Save Rare Rhino
Independent (UK)
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Apr 18, 2008 3:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Faced with a wild population of northern white rhinos that can be counted on the fingers of one hand, scientists are turning to cloning in a last-ditch effort to save the species, the Independent reports. In a technique that could be used to pull other species back from the brink of extinction, scientists are mixing the rhino's cells with embryos...
Media-Shy Scalia Hits Road With 18th-Century Views
USA Today
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Apr 18, 2008 2:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After years of courting controversy but shunning publicity, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is about to go on a media offensive, reports USA Today. The conservative Scalia, who has notoriously kept the press away from his public appearances, allowed C-SPAN recently to broadcast a question-and-answer session with students. He'll also appear on...
Seattle Rides Another Strong Pitching Effort
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 12:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Seattle's starters took it to Oakland again. This time, it was Carlos Silva. Silva followed Felix Hernandez's complete game a day before with his own gem, leading the Mariners to their sixth straight win in the series with an 8-1 victory over the Athletics last night. They won their third straight overall and sent the A's to their first three-game...
Sharks Skate to 4-3 Victory Over Flames
Associated Press
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Apr 18, 2008 12:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Patrick Marleau and Jonathan Cheechoo made sure San Jose wouldn't squander the momentum gained in Calgary, moving the Sharks within one win of a fourth straight trip to the second round of the playoffs. Marleau scored the tiebreaking goal late in the second period, while Cheechoo added two more in the third sending the Sharks to a 4-3 victory over...
Nats Hand Mets Win in Extras
Newsday
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Apr 18, 2008 12:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
It took 14 innings for the Mets to beat the Nationals tonight, 3-2. And it wasn’t even their offense that did it. New York’s Damion Easley scored the winning run on a wild pitch by Joel Hanrahan to conclude the 4:45 game. The win gave the Mets a sweep of the Nationals and put them two games above .500 for the first time this season.
Wolski, Stastny Strike Late, Send Avs Past Wild
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2008 11:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jose Theodore and the Colorado Avalanche sat back and waited. Then Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny pushed the Minnesota Wild to the edge of elimination. Wojtek and Stastny scored 79 seconds apart early in the third period to give Theodore and the patient Avs a 3-2 victory and a 3-2 series lead, after weathering a relentless effort by the Wild.
Flyers Edge Capitals in Double OT
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2008 11:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Danny Briere saved the game for the Flyers in regulation and Mike Knuble got them a win away from the second round in a thrilling double-overtime finish. Knuble poked in his second goal of the series 6:40 into the second OT to give Philadelphia a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals on tonight and a 3-1 series lead.
Rays Top Twins 7-3
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2008 11:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jason Hammel had his second straight strong outing as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Minnesota Twins 7-3 Thursday night to split the two-game series. In six innings, Hammel (1-1) allowed six hits and three runs while striking out five to help the Rays end a three-game losing streak. He allowed two earned runs in a career-best seven innings Saturday against...
Ramirez, Beckett Help Sox Top Yankees
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2008 11:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Manny Ramirez hit two more homers off an ineffective Mike Mussina, leading Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox past the perturbed New York Yankees, 7-5 in a game that nearly got testy Thursday night. With Ramirez enjoying his latest outburst against his favorite foe, Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth threw a 97 mph fastball behind the slugger's neck.
Barnes, Ott Lead Dallas Past Anaheim
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2008 11:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Stu Barnes and Steve Ott scored third-period goals and Marty Turco came within 7.6 seconds of a shutout, sending the Dallas Stars past the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 tonight. The loss puts the reigning Stanley Cup champions on the brink of elimination. Dallas leads the first-round series 3-1 going into Game 5 in Anaheim tomorrow night.
Carmona, Offense Key Indians Win
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2008 11:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Fausto Carmona allowed a run in 6 2/3 innings, Ryan Garko and Travis Hafner hit two-run homers, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 11-1. Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander remained winless in four starts, falling to 0-3. He allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings, with four walks and one strikeout.
Orioles Rally to Beat ChiSox
Associated Press
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Apr 17, 2008 11:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Adam Jones singled in the game-winning run in the 10th inning, capping a late comeback that gave the Baltimore Orioles a 6-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox tonight. Baltimore trailed 5-2 in the eighth before rallying to split the two-game series. Nick Markakis homered for the Orioles, while Carlos Quentin hit two for the Chi Sox and Joe Crede hit...
