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.
Red Herrings Abound on Campaign Trail
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 3:38 PM CDT
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Maybe Geraldine Ferraro and BET founder Bob Johnson are right about Barack Obama’s success, Colson Whitehead sarcastically posits in the New York Times. " The Guy Who’s Where He Is Only Because He’s Black" runs down his busy schedule and puzzles over the fact that "the higher up you go in an organization, the less...
Hamas Truce 'Not Serious': Israel
AFP
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Apr 25, 2008 3:27 PM CDT
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Israel said a Hamas truce proposal yesterday was not genuine, and the Islamist organization would only regroup and strengthen itself during the 6-month ceasefire, AFP reports. "Unfortunately, this appears not to be serious at all," an Israeli spokesman said today, although officials said a prolonged halt in the near-daily rocket attacks launched...
Top Model Argument Leads to Stabbing
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Apr 25, 2008 3:15 PM CDT
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A Seattle woman allegedly attacked an acquaintance who refused to stop talking loudly over an airing of America's Next Top Model , the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. The ensuing scuffle got bloody when the upset attacker pulled a paring knife from an apple and stabbed the 42-year-old victim in the chest and neck, police say. The suspect remains...
Harvard Gets $100M From Rockefeller
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 3:02 PM CDT
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Harvard fund managers rejoice! The university will get to stock its coffers, already $35 billion strong, with a $100 million gift from David Rockefeller, the largest ever by an alumnus, the New York Times reports. The money will be used to expand the university's arts program and help more students study abroad. “I was a student, class of 1936,"...
LASIK Patients Urge Better Oversight
Reuters
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Apr 25, 2008 2:52 PM CDT
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Patients experiencing painful and sometimes debilitating side-effects of LASIK eye surgery urged regulators today to keep a closer watch on the procedure, Reuters reports. A surgeon speaking to an FDA panel—soliticing advice for possible warnings after receiving 140 complaints—did not discount the allegations but said “the great majority...
US Preparing Iran War Plans
Washington Post
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Apr 25, 2008 2:40 PM CDT
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The US is preparing for a potential military action against Iran, the nation’s top military official said today. Such an attack would be “extremely stressing” on the military, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, but it is on the table if a diplomatic solution can’t stop Iran’s alleged hunt for nuclear weapons...
Clinton Strategist Blasts 'Unfair' Obama Camp
Washington Post
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Apr 25, 2008 2:26 PM CDT
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Hillary Clinton's campaign isn't the rough one, top aide Geoff Garin writes in the Washington Post, railing against what he calls "the direct, personal character attacks that the Obama campaign has leveled against Clinton from the beginning of this race." In addition, he charges, the candidate "has joined the character assault from...
Reid, Pelosi Talk Tough to Superdelegates
CQPolitics
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Apr 25, 2008 2:17 PM CDT
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Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Howard Dean plan to coordinate demands that uncommitted Democratic superdelegates endorse a candidate—and well before August's convention. Senate Majority Leader Reid said yesterday that “this matter will be over no later than July 1,” Congressional Quarterly reports. House Speaker Pelosi added that...
Bus Bomb Kills 24 in Sri Lanka
BBC
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Apr 25, 2008 2:14 PM CDT
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A bomb blast on a public bus killed 24 and injured 52 people today in Sri Lanka, the BBC reports. The device exploded in a vehicle full of rush-hour commuters; government officials blamed the separatist Tamil Tigers for the attack.
Dead Soldiers Beef Up Iraqis' Troop Count
Military Times
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Apr 25, 2008 2:08 PM CDT
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The number of men in Iraq's security forces is estimated to be a healthy 530,000. Trouble is, a "substantial number" of them are injured, dead, or AWOL, a new government audit says. The review casts doubt on Pentagon reports about Iraqi capabilities and questions Baghdad's ability to train its own forces, the Military Times reports.
Spitzer Tell-All On Market for $350K
New York Daily News
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Apr 25, 2008 1:55 PM CDT
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The bidding for a tell-all on former New York governor Eliot Spitzer begins at $350,000, the Daily News reports, though publishers don't appear certain of a big market for such a book. An agent for Peter Elkind, a Fortune writer and co-author of an Enron tome, said she expects a deal to be done today.
Japanese Automakers See Bumpy Road Ahead
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 25, 2008 1:47 PM CDT
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A strong yen is hurting Japan's automakers, the Wall Street Journal reports, with Honda and Mitsubishi announcing big declines in profits today and forecasting tough times ahead. Honda saw an 86% decline in profits for the quarter ended March 31; Mitsubishi's were down 37%. Mazda bucked the trend, with a 48% increase—but all three forecast...
Road to NFL Often Starts at High School Bowl Game
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 25, 2008 1:35 PM CDT
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For many of the top prospects in this year’s NFL draft, the path to stardom didn’t begin in college. Instead, it started at the US Army All-American Bowl, an annual high-school all-star game that’s been remarkably good at spotting future NFL talent. Since 2005, 69 participants have reached the pros; this year, 28 are expected to go,...
Economic Blues Take Toll on State Budgets
Bloomberg
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Apr 25, 2008 1:21 PM CDT
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The slumping economy will pummel state budgets in the next fiscal year, leaving them at least $26 billion short, according to a survey from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Payrolls fell drastically in March and consumer confidence is low, a double whammy for state tax revenue. "With a few exceptions, state finances are deteriorating,...
Few Surprises in Deception
Rotten Tomatoes
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Apr 25, 2008 1:04 PM CDT
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Deception is a twist-filled thriller, but critics say the cloak of deceit will be paper-thin to anybody familiar with the genre. Ewan McGregor stars as a dull accountant whose life gets spicier after an attorney, played by Hugh Jackman, introduces him to a secret sex club. Soon after, the thriller cliches roll out, and "it's genre time,"...
Scientists Work on New 'Green Revolution'
LiveScience
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Apr 25, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
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Food scientists are plotting a new "green revolution" to solve a growing food crisis, LiveScience reports. Facing what a World Food Program official called a “silent tsunami” of world hunger, researchers are working on a sequel to the first "green revolution" of the mid-20th century, whose innovations included the fertilizers,...
Two Trains Leave a Station Going 30mph...
Reuters
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Apr 25, 2008 12:54 PM CDT
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All those sacks of different-colored marbles and word problems about pizza slices may not actually teach kids effectively, Reuters reports. Though meant to offer a real-world grounding, story problems just add extra distractions, a new study says, suggesting that students might be better off learning abstract concepts than figuring out which speeding...
End Malaria Deaths by 2010: UN
BBC
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Apr 25, 2008 12:43 PM CDT
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The world must take action now to end malaria deaths—currently at 1 million per year—by 2010, UN chief Ban Ki Moon said today. "We have the resources and the know-how, but we have less than 1,000 days" to meet the goal, said Ban on the first World Malaria Day. The main push will be to provide bed nets and sprays to all of Africa,...
Chicago Hit With Early Crime Wave
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 25, 2008 12:26 PM CDT
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An explosion of violence in Chicago last weekend—three dozen shootings that resulted in seven deaths—and a quintuple homicide on Wednesday have local police struggling for an explanation, as well as a response. Crime usually jumps later in the year, the Chicago Tribune notes, when both the weather and gang activity heat up.
UK Airports to Scan Faces
Guardian (UK)
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Apr 25, 2008 12:18 PM CDT
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New facial recognition technology in which computers scan faces and match them to information encoded in biometric passports will be used at UK airports for the first time this summer, the Guardian reports. Authorities say the machines will outperform humans and improve security, but critics fear the technology will cause flight disruptions by generating...
Arby's Purchase of Wendy's 'Sad Day' for Thomas Family
Columbus Dispatch
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Apr 25, 2008 12:08 PM CDT
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After years of haggling, Arby’s owner Nelson Peltz reached a deal to acquire Wendy’s yesterday, ending the involvement of the Thomas family that founded it. Wendy Thomas herself called the sale a “huge, huge disappointment,” the Columbus Dispatch reports. The family had hoped local franchisee J. David Karam would acquire the...
Slumping Microsoft Needs Yahoo
BusinessWeek
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Apr 25, 2008 11:52 AM CDT
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Microsoft's first quarter saw flat sales and dipping profits, all the more reason to make nice with Yahoo, Aaron Ricadela writes in BusinessWeek. Steve Ballmer has said he is ready to walk away from the attempted takeover, but with most of Microsoft's revenue coming from smaller divisions and overseas interests, his company sorely needs a big shot...
More GOP Ads Take Direct Aim at Obama
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 25, 2008 11:43 AM CDT
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More Republicans are taking advantage of Barack Obama's newfound vulnerability by giving him a starring role in their political ads, the Los Angeles Times reports. One New Mexico spot says Obama disrespects “the American way of life,” and another in Louisiana that mentions his “radical” healthcare plan prompted the Democrat...
Paris Runs Over Paparazzo, Keeps Going
TMZ
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Apr 25, 2008 11:33 AM CDT
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Paris Hilton and her latest boyfriend, Benji Madden, ran over a photographer’s foot last night as paparazzi mobbed their vehicle, TMZ reports. Madden must have heard the man’s scream, because he peered out the window at the scene before driving off. The photographer has since filed a hit and run report with the LA Sheriff’s Department.
Beckhams Go for No. 4
Sun (UK)
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Apr 25, 2008 11:28 AM CDT
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David and Victoria Beckham want to have a fourth child, the soccer star revealed yesterday on Ellen Degeneres’ talk show, the Sun reports. LA Galaxy heartthrob Becks, 32, told Degeneres he and his “Posh Spice” wife, 34, who already have three sons, “were working on it” now that the Spice Girls tour had finished.
Turkmenistan Dumps Months Named After Heroes, Poets, Dictator's Mom
Guardian (UK)
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Apr 25, 2008 11:25 AM CDT
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In a step away from the legacy of its late dictator, who renamed each month after heroes, poets, and himself, Turkmenistan’s president urged a return to traditional month names, the Guardian reports. April had been named after Saparmurat Niyazov’s mother, while September was a reference to Niyazov’s spiritual book—but the...
Jacko Jacked to Cut Jackpot Album
New York Post
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Apr 25, 2008 11:10 AM CDT
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Michael Jackson is depending on his next album to stave off encroaching financial ruin. That’s why, 2 days ago, he banned his kids from his Las Vegas studio, swore off women (did he ever like them?) and recruited music masterminds RedOne and Akon to produce a money machine, the New York Post reports.
Consumer Confidence Hits 26-year Low
Reuters
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Apr 25, 2008 10:59 AM CDT
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Consumer confidence fell to a 26-year low in April, as the public fretted over inflation and housing, Reuters reports. The index fell to 62.6, surpassing the 63.2 analysts had predicted. Nearly 90% said the economy is in recession. Respondents also said they were unlikely to spend their stimulus or tax-rebate checks, planning instead to save them or...
Harold and Kumar Slacks Off
Rotten Tomatoes
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Apr 25, 2008 10:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sometimes it's hard not to laugh at the slacker/stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay , writes James Berardinelli in ReelViews. At other times, it's hard not to cringe at the film, a sequel to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle . That's because the humor in Escape , about the anti-heroes being mistaken for terrorists, "is...
Man's Best Friend Buried in Style
Chicago Tribune
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Apr 25, 2008 10:29 AM CDT
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The family files into the chapel, signs the registry, and pays its respects before the coffin. It looks much like a normal funeral parlor, and it is—just not for humans. Instead Oak Rest Pet Gardens in Georgia buries beloved pets, charging $2,000 or more for the service. “Most people couldn't care less about the money when they come in,”...
Not Again! Cruise Back to Oprah
MSNBC
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Apr 25, 2008 10:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
What hopping mad announcement does he have now? Tom Cruise will return to the Oprah Winfrey Show for the first time since his notorious couch-jumping, Katie-Holmes-crazed fiasco in 2005, MSNBC reports. In addition to a studio interview, the two-part show, planned for May sweeps, will tour his Telluride mountain getaway, People notes. Read: possible...
Shutoffs Loom as Heating Costs Spiral
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 10:02 AM CDT
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As heating-fuel costs climb, millions of Americans are behind on electric and gas bills—and a record number will face a shutoff over the next 2 months, the New York Times reports. A federal grant program to help beleaguered consumers keep the heat on covers just 35% of a winter's fuel costs, and states must decide whether to spread meager aid...
Clinton Not Giving Up on NC
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 25, 2008 9:50 AM CDT
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Barack Obama is widely expected to walk away with North Carolina's Democratic primary, but Hillary Clinton—buoyed by her Pennsylvania success—isn't giving up on the state, reports the Wall Street Journal. Clinton is spending millions on ads and staging dozens of rallies, hoping that her momentum will translate into a strong performance...
US Charges Marine With Okinawa Rape
CNN
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Apr 25, 2008 9:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The US military has charged a Marine with rape of a child, adultery, and kidnapping after an assault on a 14-year-old girl in Okinawa, CNN reports. Japanese officials had released the Marine earlier this year after the girl, apparently not wanting to be in the public eye, dropped the allegations. But US officials investigated for violations of the...
No Tears in Soulless Cry-Baby
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 9:16 AM CDT
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Cry-Baby, the latest broadway musical based on a John Waters movie, is tasteless—and not in the good way, writes Ben Brantley in the New York Times . It’s not offensive, it just has no flavor. Its 1950s bad-boy-meets-good-girl premise is tired, and James Snyder can’t match Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the Elvis-esque title...
Another Teen Nabbed in Columbine-Like Plot
Associated Press
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Apr 25, 2008 9:04 AM CDT
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An Indiana 16-year-old plotted a Columbine-style mass killing on September 11 and even sought the same pistol used in that attack, the AP reports. The high school student faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder when he appears in court today. Police found 100 knives in his home and say he discussed how to make explosives and obtain weapons online...
Cops Acquitted in NYC Groom Shooting
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 8:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A judge today acquitted three detectives who killed an unarmed New York City man in a hail of 50 bullets hours before his wedding in November 2006, the New York Times reports. The judge cited problems with witnesses' testimony in the killing of Sean Bell and a lack of sufficient evidence. Roughly 150 Bell supporters had gathered inside and outside...
Air Safety Experts Most Worried About Runways
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 8:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
FAA-mandated wiring fixes have grounded thousands of flights lately, but the runway is no safe place for planes, New York Times reports. Serious runway incidents nearly doubled to 15 over the past six months, compared with the same period a year ago. “Where we are most vulnerable at this moment is on the ground,” said the chairman of...
Starbucks Quits the Music Biz
Variety
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Apr 25, 2008 8:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Starbucks is handing control of its record label to Concord Music Group barely a year after it got into the music business, Variety reports. The move is part of a shakeup as the coffee chain refocuses on its core business to jolt itself out of a slump. Starbucks' label Hear Music released albums by Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, and James Taylor...
US Finds New Iran-Made Weapons In Iraq
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 25, 2008 8:06 AM CDT
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The US military has discovered several caches of newly made Iranian weapons inside Iraq, reports the Wall Street Journal . The collection of mortars, rockets, and explosives had time stamps indicating that they were manufactured within the last 60 days, leading Washington officials to conclude that Tehran is still funneling armaments to Shiite extremist...
Baby Mama No Bundle of Joy
Rotten Tomatoes
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Apr 25, 2008 7:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Critics don't seem thrilled about the arrival of Baby Mama , which tells the story of an overachieving, infertile career woman (Tina Fey) who hires a rough-around-the-edges high school dropout (Amy Poehler) to bear her a child. The movie's not "laugh-out-loud funny," writes Ann Hornaday in the Washington Post . "It's more quiet-chuckle...
Obama Relents, Will Appear on Fox News
Associated Press
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Apr 25, 2008 7:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama will appear on "Fox News Sunday" this weekend, ending a two-year disagreement between the candidate and the right-wing channel. Obama had promised to appear on the program in 2006, but his campaign has repeatedly cited scheduling conflicts to avoid an appearance. Fox News is crediting its "Obama Watch," which will hit...
Sarkozy: 'I Made Some Mistakes'
BBC
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Apr 25, 2008 7:22 AM CDT
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy defended his first year in office in a TV interview but admitted he made mistakes, reports the BBC. It's been a rough debut. His controversial policies—met by fierce opposition in certain sectors— have failed to reverse an economic downturn, and his flashy courtship of model Carla Bruni sparked complaints...
Traffic On the Rise at AOL's Content Sites
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 25, 2008 7:14 AM CDT
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It's been a while since AOL was associated with rising numbers, but a jump in traffic to its content sites shows the company's transition to an ad-supported business is on track, the Wall Street Journal reports. The company redesigned its news, sports, and health sites and created some new ones after its 2006 decision to make its service free.
Penguin Takes the Plunge in a Wetsuit
Associated Press
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Apr 25, 2008 7:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A wetsuit for a penguin might sound as useful as a fur coat for a bear, but it was just the thing for an elderly penguin at San Francisco's Academy of Sciences who was losing his feathers, reports AP. A suit designed by dive experts made it possible for Pierre, 25, to stop shivering and return to the chilly water. His penguin pals accepted...
Dollar Rallies at Last
Bloomberg
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Apr 25, 2008 6:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The dollar rose to a three-week high against the euro today and looked set to post its biggest weekly advance since March. The dollar advanced to $1.55 per euro this morning in London, after falling below the $1.60 barrier on Tuesday. The dollar also gained against the yen, and investors are betting on another strong showing next week, reports Bloomberg.
Police Raid Zimbabwe Opposition HQ
CNN
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Apr 25, 2008 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Zimbabwean police raided the headquarters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in Harare today. The MDC claims that around 100 party members were arrested, and a journalist on the site saw people "limping and in pain" being dragged away. Several of the arrested were recovering from earlier injuries sustained in attacks by pro-Mugabe...
NBC Sacks OJ for Apprentice
OK!
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Apr 25, 2008 6:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Donald Trump won't have the chance to hire—or fire—OJ Simpson on the upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice , E! Online reports. The ex-footballer, awaiting trial on kidnap and robbery charges, had approached Trump about a spot in the show, but he never got to the 10-yard line, said an NBC rep. Trump was big on the idea "for a few...
Clyburn Blasts Bill's 'Bizarre' Obama Attacks
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 6:01 AM CDT
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South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn slammed Bill Clinton’s “bizarre” campaign-trail conduct in an interview yesterday with the New York Times , saying that “black people are incensed” over Clinton’s remarks about Barack Obama. Clinton earlier compared Obama’s win in South Carolina to Jesse Jackson’s 1988...
Pakistan Nears Peace Deal With Militants
New York Times
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Apr 25, 2008 5:37 AM CDT
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The new government of Pakistan is close to brokering a deal that will end hostilities with the most militant tribes in the country's dangerous northwest. A draft of the peace agreement calls for an end to violence, a prisoner exchange, and a gradual withdrawal of the Pakistani military from part of South Waziristan, reports the New York Times . It...
