Newser Story Index from May, 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.
Whoops! Big Rally Falls Flat
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2008 3:34 PM CDT
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Stocks ended mixed today, as an early rally slipped away and oil prices hit yet another record. "There are still a lot of reasons you wouldn't want to touch the market with a 10-foot pole right now," one trader told the Wall Street Journal . The Dow ended up 41.36 at 13,028.16, the Nasdaq down 12.76 at 2,516.09, and the S&P 500 up 1.28...
Squatters, Scammers Move In on Foreclosed Homes
Reuters
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May 19, 2008 3:30 PM CDT
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Add a new twist to the housing crisis: Squatters are increasingly using homes that have been abandoned for months, and con artists are scamming banks in “cash for keys” deals or luring people into “leasing” homes that actually are foreclosures sitting empty, Reuters reports. Authorities can have a hard time proving the squatters...
Fritzl Daughter to Give Interview
Daily Mail (UK)
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May 19, 2008 3:18 PM CDT
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Elisabeth Fritzl, imprisoned by her father for 24 years, will discuss life in the Austrian dungeon in a televised interview, the Daily Mail reports; the appearance on Austria's ORF TV will be broadcast next Monday. It was unclear what, if any, payment was agreed upon for the interview; paparazzi have been pushing the boundaries of decorum in efforts...
For Some US Towns, Internet Access is DIY
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2008 3:07 PM CDT
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Around the world, firms and governments are ramping up the speed and availability of internet access. But in the US, telecoms are focusing mainly on big-city markets. To avoid professional brain drain, some smaller cities and towns are investing in more powerful infrastructure, the Wall Street Journal reports. But the risks, and burdens, are great,...
SNL Finale Promises Fall Yuks
Washington Post
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May 19, 2008 2:55 PM CDT
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It’s been a long, sometimes-bumpy road for Saturday Night Live , Tom Shales writes in the Washington Post , but the 33rd season finale showed the cast—and guest John McCain—in fine comic form, and was a ratings success to boot. SNL generally thrives in highly political times, and Shales feels the current cast is well-equipped...
Let's Hear It for Baseball's Best Batter
Houston Chronicle
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May 19, 2008 2:42 PM CDT
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The best player in baseball right now is hitting .399 on the season, and .586 over the past 15 games, but he's not getting the recognition he deserves, Richard Justice writes in the Houston Chronicle . In past seasons at least, Lance Berkman has been overshadowed by bigger names, but it's time for Astros fans to stand for the Big Puma.
Battle Brews Over Medical Marijuana, Organ Transplants
Los Angeles Times
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May 19, 2008 2:27 PM CDT
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Potential organ recipients who are using medically prescribed marijuana are being removed from transplant waiting lists, raising serious questions about transplant programs' screening processes, reports the LA Times . A Seattle man died last month after being denied a donor liver, and a critically ill man in Washington state has been bumped from two...
'Take Care of My Friend,' Bush Tells Ted's Wife
Boston Herald
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May 19, 2008 2:14 PM CDT
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President Bush called Ted Kennedy's wife, Victoria, this morning, asking her to “take care of my friend," the Boston Herald reports. Kennedy's wife is staying by the senator's bedside amid a stream of well-wishers. Kennedy had two seizures on Saturday, not one as originally reported, his father-in-law told WBZ-TV today.
Texas Boy, 7, Killed by Pit Bulls
Abilene Reporter-News
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May 19, 2008 2:10 PM CDT
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A 7-year-old Texas boy was apparently mauled to death yesterday by two pit bulls, writes the Abilene Reporter. Police responding to a 911 call discovered Tanner Joshua Monk’s body on the side of a road, with two dogs nearby. The deputies were forced to kill the dogs, which belonged to a neighbor of Monk’s family, when the animals attacked...
What Europe Can Teach Us About Gas
New York Times
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May 19, 2008 2:04 PM CDT
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Gas costs more than $8 a gallon in Germany—a sum that might cause riots in the US but hardly ruffles most Europeans. Their secret is simple, Paul Krugman writes in the New York Times : They drive fuel-efficient cars, and they don’t drive very often. America can easily imitate the first part, but the second part will be tough.
Clinton Narrows Ore. Deficit, Holds Ky. Lead
Boston Globe
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May 19, 2008 1:52 PM CDT
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On the eve of Democratic primaries in Oregon and Kentucky, polls show some movement in support for the candidates, the Boston Globe reports: Barack Obama once held a double-digit lead in Oregon, but two surveys today put him up only 4 points (45%-41%) and 5 points (50%-45%).
Zimbabwe Army Said to Plot Killing of Opposition Chief
Times (UK)
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May 19, 2008 1:50 PM CDT
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Zimbabwe’s military has a plan to assassinate opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, according to Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change. An MDC official said today that the armed forces been ruling Zimbabwe since the March 29 election, and would have had snipers gun down Tsvangirai had he returned to the country Friday as planned, the...
Philly Fires 4 Cops Involved in Taped Beating
Philadelphia Inquirer
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May 19, 2008 1:37 PM CDT
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The Philadelphia police fired four officers today, 2 weeks after they were videotaped taking part in the beating of three black suspects, the Inquirer reports. Nineteen cops were involved in apprehending the men, who were pulled from a car as a news helicopter filmed. A sergeant was demoted and three other officers may be suspended; the remaining...
Gay Marriage: Just What McCain Needs?
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2008 1:36 PM CDT
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John McCain might have had a stroke of luck with the recent California Supreme Court ruling that overturned a ban on gay marriage, pollster Peter Brown writes in the Wall Street Journa l. A discussion on gay marriage could energize social conservatives and help to draw attention away from Iraq and the economy— issues on which many voters agree...
Just How Big is Big Brown?
New York Times
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May 19, 2008 1:25 PM CDT
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With Big Brown on the brink of being the first to snag horse racing's Triple Crown in three decades, some are wondering if the colt is really untouchable—or whether he's just the best of a mediocre field. The Belmont Stakes, on June 7, might help answer that question, the New York Times reports, as Big Brown will face another undefeated powerhouse.
Obama Bristles at GOP: 'Lay Off My Wife'
Talking Points Memo
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May 19, 2008 1:12 PM CDT
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Barack Obama today responded with vigor to Tennessee Republicans' spotlighting wife Michelle’s “proud of my country” comments, saying, “these folks should lay off my wife.” Appearing on ABC, the Democratic front-runner tried to lay down some boundaries for the general election, Talking Points Memo reports, saying that...
ScarJo Snubs Woody Premiere
Daily Mail (UK)
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May 19, 2008 12:59 PM CDT
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Scarlett Johansson ditched the Cannes premiere of her Woody Allen-directed film Vicky Cristina Barcelona over the weekend after movie execs refused to comply with the 23-year-old actress's over-the-top travel demands, the Daily Mail reports. ScarJo demanded a personal $8,000-a-day make-up artist and a special hotel suite 30 miles from the public...
Days May Be Numbered For ESPN Classic
AOL Sports
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May 19, 2008 12:47 PM CDT
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ESPN has been hyping its coverage of Wednesday's European Champions League final, and the reason might be a soccer fan's dream come true, writes AOL Sports blogger David Warner. An ESPN columnist repeated rumors that the company might be planning to scrap its Classic channel in favor of a new ESPN3, which could revolve around English Premiere League.
In Heroin Video, Angie Talks of Killing Pets
Sun (UK)
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May 19, 2008 12:35 PM CDT
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A drug-filled home video from 1999 of then-23-year-old Angelina Jolie babbling about sadomasochistic sex and killing her pets has surfaced, the Sun reports. In the video, the noted humanitarian and mother of four describes how she killed her mouse when she dyed it blue and gave her hamster pneumonia when she brought it into the shower.
It's Time to Talk More About Toilets
New York Times
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May 19, 2008 12:25 PM CDT
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Modern squeamishness about discussing human feces can cost lives, Rose George writes in the New York Times . The recent disastrous cyclone in Burma highlights how important waste-containment (read: latrines) is to staving off disease, but if wealthy nations won't deign to discuss No. 2, it's hard for them to organize aid to help poorer countries with...
Court Upholds Child Porn Law
Los Angeles Times
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May 19, 2008 12:11 PM CDT
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The Supreme Court today upheld a tough federal child pornography law in a 7-2 decision, the Los Angeles Times reports. The law makes it illegal to offer or seek child porn online, even if there is no actual pornography, or if the images are computer-generated rather than of actual children. The decision overturns an appeals-court ruling that the...
Smith Puts His Money Where His Church Is (Maybe)
Guardian (UK)
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May 19, 2008 12:05 PM CDT
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Doing little to dispel widespread rumors that he's a new recruit to Scientology, Will Smith is funding a school that will use teaching methods devised by L. Ron Hubbard. Smith's own kids will attend the school, reports the Guardian . So-called "Study Technology" has been criticized for its ties to religious dogma and lack of data about its...
Trash Fires Blaze Across Naples
AFP
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May 19, 2008 11:53 AM CDT
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The prolonged garbage impasse in Naples has taken a new turn as angry residents began setting fire to thousands of tons of waste littering city streets. Firefighters were at work all night battling at least 90 burns across the city, AFP reports. “Every six to seven minutes, one of our emergency vehicles sets off with its sirens screaming,”...
Organic Formula Stirs Worries About Sugar
New York Times
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May 19, 2008 11:40 AM CDT
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Although it controls more than a third of the organic baby formula market, Similac Organic also carries a less coveted distinction: It is the only brand in the category that contains cane sugar, or sucrose. The company says its is FDA approved, but many parents and doctors worry about starting babies on the extra-sweet formula, the New York Times...
Obama Won't Declare Victory Tomorrow
Politico
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May 19, 2008 11:25 AM CDT
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Reversing earlier plans, Barack Obama will not declare the Democratic race over tomorrow night—in a move Carrie Budoff Brown, on Politico, sees as concern about “appearing presumptuous or antagonistic” toward Hillary Clinton. Hillary fans are sensitive about disrespect, so Obama will boast he’s won a majority of pledged delegates,...
O'Reilly Blasts at GE Coming From Upstairs
Washington Post
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May 19, 2008 11:12 AM CDT
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Bill O’Reilly’s campaign against General Electric—the Fox News host has called CEO Jeffrey Immelt a “despicable human being” for doing business with Iran—is part of a feud with NBC that extends far up corporate ladders, the Washington Post reports. Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes apparently loosed O’Reilly...
Timberlake Ready to Marry Biel?
Sun (UK)
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May 19, 2008 10:58 AM CDT
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Is American heartthrob Justin Timberlake ready to settle down? The former boy-bander is preparing to pop the question to actress Jessica Biel — and he's already scouting out private islands for their top secret nuptials, the Sun reports. The couple, who first hooked up in January 2007, has recently sparked pregnancy rumors: Biel hasn't been...
Clinton Run at Glass Ceiling Leaves Mixed Legacy
New York Times
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May 19, 2008 10:43 AM CDT
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While some observers look at the waning Hillary Clinton campaign and see a milestone in the march of gender equality—“a historic if incomplete triumph”—others, especially Clinton’s female supporters, see “a depressing reminder” of lingering sexism. The New York Times examines the mixed legacy of the first...
FedEx Chief: Exports Will Stave Off Recession
Financial Times (UK)
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May 19, 2008 10:25 AM CDT
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Strength in high-tech US manufacturing and the globalization of the market has helped the US avoid a recession, with its exports being driven by a weak dollar, FedEx CEO Fred Smith told the Financial Times today. And, he said, as emerging economies continue to grow, so will US exports, even if the dollar rebounds.
JPMorgan Leads Hunt to Place Bear Workers
Financial Times (UK)
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May 19, 2008 10:10 AM CDT
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JP Morgan hopes to find jobs for 5,000 Bear Stearns employees cut when it acquired the brokerage in March, the Financial Times reports. CEO Jamie Dimon is sending letters to rivals and clients, and the company has contacted 1,800 firms urging them to consider former Bear workers. The approach could be used across Wall Street, which has pared 65,000...
Warming Will Reduce Hurricanes: Study
Bloomberg
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May 19, 2008 9:55 AM CDT
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Climate change is likely to trigger fewer hurricanes and tropical storms off the Atlantic coast, not more, according to new research that contradicts an earlier study. But future hurricanes will probably be more powerful, according to the research published in Nature Geoscienc e. The number of tropical storms will likely decline by 27% and hurricanes...
Anti-Semitism Pushed Google Guru's Family From Russia
CNET
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May 19, 2008 9:41 AM CDT
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Anti-Semitism pushed Google co-founder Sergey Brin’s family to leave Russia, he told an Israeli website. “The great suffering put on my parents in Russia because of anti-Semitism was the primary reason that they left. And that has had a major influence on my life,” Brin told TheMarker.com, CNET reports. His family emigrated to the...
3 Pandas Missing in Quake
AFP
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May 19, 2008 9:25 AM CDT
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Three giant pandas are missing from the famed Wolong panda reserve that was hit by the magnitude 7.9 earthquake last week in China, AFP reports. Emergency supplies of bamboo—the panda's staple—and apples are being flown into the area to help save the endangered animals. More than 80 are safe—including two offered by Beijing to Taiwan...
McCain to Rely on RNC Money
New York Times
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May 19, 2008 9:10 AM CDT
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Lagging behind Barack Obama's fundraising juggernaut, John McCain is planning to rely heavily on the Republican National Committee for general-election cash, the New York Times reports. The RNC has $40 million in the bank, compared with McCain’s $21 million, and has big-gun fundraisers like President Bush lining its coffers. “We intend...
Hudson Cozies Up to Lance Armstrong
People
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May 19, 2008 8:52 AM CDT
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Owen Wilson-tease Kate Hudson has quickly turned her attentions to a different Texan, reports People. Serial-celeb dater Lance Armstrong, who seduced 21-year-old Ashley Olsen after dumping Sheryl Crow, took the bubbly actress out for dinner in Austin Friday and Saturday nights—even introducing her to his three kids. The duo also attended a party...
Burmese Buy Up Black-Market Cyclone Videos
Associated Press
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May 19, 2008 8:45 AM CDT
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Black-market videos of floating bodies, famished survivors, and cyclone-ravaged villages have become best-sellers in Burma, AP reports. The tapes are illegal because the nation's military junta wants to hide the extent of the devastation. "People buy them because they are interested in seeing what happened out there," said a street vendor...
Obama Rallies 75K in Portland
Oregonian (Portland)
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May 19, 2008 8:37 AM CDT
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Barack Obama drew an estimated 75,000 people to the Portland waterfront yesterday, in the largest political rally Oregon has ever seen. The gates were filled to capacity at 60,000, another 12,000 crowded outside the gates, and some even gathered on boats in the Willamette River and on jetties on the opposite bank. Obama’s speech focused primarily...
Drug Lords to Mexican Cops: Join Us or Die
Associated Press
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May 19, 2008 8:13 AM CDT
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Mexican drug cartels are running a campaign of warnings and death threats to police who won’t join them, the AP reports. Banners across roads, hit lists, and messages on cops' two-way radios work to intimidate “those who still don’t believe” in the cartels’ power. Four top Mexican police officials, including the acting...
Queen's Grandson Weds, Sells Pix for $1M
Hello!
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May 19, 2008 8:01 AM CDT
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Queen Elizabeth’s grandson Peter Phillips married Canadian Autumn Kelly this weekend, with the royal family smiling gamely for "official" photographers from Hello! magazine, which paid $1 million for exclusive rights to cover the nuptials. Other tabloids were not amused. “What a start to married life for Peter Phillips—cashing...
American Axle Deal Restarts GM Plants
Wall Street Journal
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May 19, 2008 7:52 AM CDT
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General Motors is poised to resume production at dozens of idled plants as workers at American Axle & Manufacturing, a key GM supplier, have reached a tentative deal in their 11-week-old strike. The UAW strike had all but stopped the production of GM's highly profitable SUVs, pickups, and vans, reports the Wall Street Journal, sinking the automaker's...
Burma Relents on Foreign Docs, Aid Workers
BBC
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May 19, 2008 7:21 AM CDT
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Two and a half weeks after cyclone Nargis hit, Burma finally agreed today to allow foreign medics and disaster experts into the battered country, reports the BBC—but only from ASEAN member nations. UN chief Ban Ki-Moon also plans to jet to Burma on Wednesday to bring additional pressure to bear to speed relief to save thousands of children from...
China Mourns; 200 Rescuers Buried by Mudslides
BBC
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May 19, 2008 6:45 AM CDT
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Millions across China bowed their heads and observed 3 minutes of silence today in the first of 3 official days of mourning for the 71,000 dead or missing in last week's earthquake. Flags flew at half mast, rescue workers paused in their efforts and trading was halted on stock exchanges. State news reported that 200 rescue workers repairing damaged...
Book: Dean Ordered Watergate Break-In
Reuters
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May 19, 2008 6:24 AM CDT
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White House counsel John Dean ordered the Watergate break-in that ended up bringing down his own president, according to a new book on the political bungle of the century. Author James Rosen, Fox News Washington correspondent, said he reached that conclusion after extensive research for his book, The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate...
Resting Kennedy Awaits Test Results
Boston Globe
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May 19, 2008 5:47 AM CDT
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Ted Kennedy rested in the hospital yesterday as he awaited test results—expected today at soonest—to shed light on his seizure Saturday, the Boston Globe reports. The Massachusetts senator watched the Red Sox game and movies and received visits from family, as well as a call from Barack Obama. “He sounded like the Ted Kennedy we...
James, Pierce Create Instant Classic
Boston Globe
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May 19, 2008 5:36 AM CDT
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It was one for the ages, writes Dan Shaughnessy in the Boston Globe about yesterday's Celtics vs. Cavaliers Game 7 in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals, thanks to a duel between Paul Pierce and LeBron James. Shaughnessy (and many other media observers) compares the duel to the storied 1988 matchup between Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins. Pierce...
Huge Polygamist Custody Case Divvied Up Today
Houston Chronicle
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May 19, 2008 5:02 AM CDT
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The mammoth custody case of more than 400 children seized from a polygamist ranch in Texas will be broken up into individual cases today, the Houston Chronicle reports. Each will examine whether parents can demonstrate that their children will be safe from abuse before they can win them back from state custody. The process is complicated by the fact...
12 Immigrants Killed in Johannesburg Riots
New York Times
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May 19, 2008 4:20 AM CDT
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At least 12 foreigners were shot, stabbed, beaten or burned to death over the weekend in anti-immigrant protests in and around Johannesburg. Thousands of terrified immigrants, many of them Zimbabweans fleeing problems in their own country, are now seeking refuge in churches or police stations, reports the New York Times. Immigrants have become the...
Lover's Heart Pierced in Rough Sex
Winnipeg Sun
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May 19, 2008 4:02 AM CDT
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A Canadian man nearly lost his life when his drunken lover accidentally pierced his heart as she carved a design into his chest during rough sex, reports the Winnepeg Sun. The female university student dodged a prison sentence last week when she and her beau, who has fully recovered, insisted the knife play was consensual. The couple left the courthouse...
How the Yankees Got So Rich
New York Daily News
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May 19, 2008 3:25 AM CDT
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The Yankees may not be that good on the field this season, but it’s not hurting franchise income. With estimates of the team's overall value pegged at $1.2 billion, documents obtained by the New York Daily News under a Freedom of Information request show just how much cash the team may be raking in to support that value. The Yankees haven’t...
Liberate Palestine, Bin Laden Demands on New Tape
CNN
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May 19, 2008 3:03 AM CDT
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A new audio message apparently from Osama bin Laden blames Arab leaders for “sacrificing” Palestinians and calls for followers to "liberate Palestine," CNN reports. “Each one of us is responsible for the death of our people in Gaza,” the tape says. The message, posted on Islamist web sites yesterday, also calls for...
