Newser Story Index from June, 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.
Dutch Hope US Model Will Integrate Schools
Christian Science Monitor
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Jun 19, 2008 1:29 PM CDT
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Dutch leaders believe an integration program honed during the American civil rights movement can curb the racial and class divisions rampant in Amsterdam’s classrooms. Waves of immigrants have swept into the Netherlands, but they haven’t always mixed successfully with native Dutch, reports the Christian Science Monitor. “Segregation...
China Jacks Up Energy Prices
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 19, 2008 1:13 PM CDT
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China will raise domestic energy prices starting tomorrow, the Wall Street Journal reports, with gas and diesel costs jumping 18%. China’s heavily subsidized fuel is still cheaper than international rates, and the move may be an attempt to appease foreign governments, who blame Beijing's intervention for letting demand rise unchecked in the...
McCain Blasts Obama for Declining Funds
Politico
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Jun 19, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
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Following fast on Barack Obama’s decision to abandon public financing, a McCain rep said the Dem has failed “the true test of a candidate”—whether he'll stick to his word, Time reports. But Politico notes that an Obama rep blamed McCain: “Our campaign counsels met, and it was immediately clear that McCain’s campaign...
Bush Tours Flood-Damaged Iowa
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 12:45 PM CDT
(AP) -
With the painful lessons of Hurricane Katrina still in mind, President Bush today opened an inspection tour of Midwest flooding that has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes across six states. First stops were Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, which has endured its worst flooding ever. The president is accompanied by two Democratic lawmakers from...
Yang's First Year Leaves Many 'Disillusioned'
CNN
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Jun 19, 2008 12:32 PM CDT
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Yahoo’s stock has slipped 16.5%, the company might as well be wearing a sign that says “take me over,” and there’s a line of shareholders waiting to sue for what they say was a mishandled non-deal with suitor Microsoft, Fortune reports—not quite the scenario Jerry Yang likely envisioned when he took over as CEO a year...
Inside Pam's Wacko World
Radar
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Jun 19, 2008 12:15 PM CDT
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Is Pamela Anderson playing us all? Andrew Goldman can’t seem to make up his mind, as he reports on a wacky road trip with the silicone diva for Radar . Goldman does manage to tease a few salient facts out of the actress, who is producing a new “docu-series” about herself. This, for instance, about her mom: "Lately my mother's...
Pigs Survive Floods, Still Buy the Farm
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 12:00 PM CDT
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They managed to survive torrential rains and swam mightily through rising water, but a clutch of feisty midwestern pigs couldn't dodge a sheriff's bullet. At least a dozen porkers were shot dead this week as they scrambled on Iowa levees. "My gosh, it happens every day," snapped a town official who said the pigs were killed to protect the...
French Protect Brangelina With Trickery
Reuters
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Jun 19, 2008 11:50 AM CDT
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As the quiet French town where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have relocated has transformed into a paparazzi feeding frenzy, villagers are supplying the bait. Bemused by the hoopla, the mischievous Correns natives are feeding the media bogus stories—or so they tell Reuters—with a prize for anyone whose scoop makes it into print.
'Sweeping' House Deal Would Expand Spy Powers
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 19, 2008 11:40 AM CDT
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House leaders brokered a long-awaited compromise on spy powers today, bringing much of the post-9/11 NSA activities—illegal at the time—under law and granting a qualified immunity to telecom companies that participated in the extra-FISA program, the Wall Street Journal reports. The “most sweeping rewrite” of spy law in 30...
City Rebuilds Flooded Gym for Gymnast
Houston Chronicle
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Jun 19, 2008 11:31 AM CDT
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When storms inundated Shawn Johnson's hometown of West Des Moines, they also left a foot of water in her gym. But the 16-year-old couldn't use that as an excuse to take a break from workouts: The reigning world champion gymnast was preparing for this week’s Olympic trials, the Houston Chronicle reports .
Cindy McCain Wraps Vietnam Charity Stop
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 11:28 AM CDT
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While her rival would-be first lady made a high-profile appearance on "The View" yesterday, Cindy McCain today highlighted her charitable work with a trip to Vietnam to visit a group of children awaiting surgery for facial deformities. The children, born with cleft palates and lips, will receive free corrective surgery from a charity McCain...
Oregon Teen in Faith-Healing Family Dies of Bladder Infection
ABC News
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Jun 19, 2008 11:23 AM CDT
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A 16-year-old Oregon boy whose family believed that faith can heal has died after refusing medical treatment for pain and shortness of breath, reports ABC News. The state medical examiner said the boy's bladder infection would have been easily treatable and his death was "absolutely a horrible way to die." No charges are likely to be filed....
S. Africa Reclassifies Chinese as 'Black'
Times (UK)
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Jun 19, 2008 11:15 AM CDT
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South Africa's high court has decided Chinese people should be reclassified as black, the London Times reports. The country's 20,000 citizens of Chinese origin had complained that they were left out of programs aimed at reversing inequalities created under apartheid, despite having been discriminated against under white rule. A controversial policy...
It's a Girl—Jamie Lynn Gives Birth
National Enquirer
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Jun 19, 2008 11:10 AM CDT
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Jamie Lynn Spears gave birth via C-section this morning in Mississippi, the National Enquirer reports. The 17-year-old’s baby, Maddie Briann, weighs 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Sister Britney arrived in Louisiana yesterday to await the delivery. An ultrasound last week showed that there were possible complications with the baby's position.
Floods May be Linked to Development
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 19, 2008 10:52 AM CDT
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Major development along the Mississippi since the last big flood in 1993 may have exacerbated the current crisis, the Wall Street Journal reports. Nearly 30,000 homes have been built around St. Louis on land that was underwater then, forcing the river into a channel half the size it was 100 years ago, making it run higher and faster. With the...
Sixth Foot Washes Ashore in Canada
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 10:48 AM CDT
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Yet another severed foot—the sixth in a year and second this week—washed ashore yesterday in Canada on an island near Vancouver. Like all but one of the others, it was a sneaker-clad right foot. "It's very unusual," said a police spokeswoman. "To my knowledge, we have not encountered anything like this." So far, investigators...
Hirst Goes Straight to Auction
Time
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Jun 19, 2008 10:36 AM CDT
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In recent years, art collectors and auction houses have been reaping the profits of soaring contemporary art prices, while living artists watched with chagrin. Now Damien Hirst has stepped into the fray, bypassing the gallery system and bringing his latest works straight to auction. "It’s a very democratic way to sell art," says Hirst,...
Tiger's Absence Sure to Cripple Broadcasters
Golf.com
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Jun 19, 2008 10:21 AM CDT
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It will be a brave new world for televised golf with Tiger Woods out of commission for the summer and fall, and it's not a future networks want to be living in, Golf.com notes. "Let's be realistic here: This news is a punch in the gut," says CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz. Other players get their chance at glory—but audiences will be limited.
Banks Play Hide-and-Seek With Bum Loans
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 19, 2008 10:19 AM CDT
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Banks are increasingly finding creative ways to lessen the impact of shaky loans on their bottom lines, shifting them to subsidiaries or changing their definition of non-performing, the Wall Street Journal reports—a legal, if not exactly confidence-inducing, strategy. "Spending all the time gaming the system rather than addressing the...
Email May Toast Arrested Bear Fund Managers
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 19, 2008 10:16 AM CDT
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A pair of former Bear Stearns hedge-fund managers arrested today on federal fraud charges could be done in by an email in which one described their market position as "toast"—days before telling investors it was "quite comfortable." Matthew Tannin and Ralph Cioffi will be indicted later today in a collapse that cost investors...
Reality Lineup May Induce Vomiting
ABC News
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Jun 19, 2008 10:00 AM CDT
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Has reality television reached rock bottom? ABC News takes a look at this summer’s lineup landscape, which includes competitions centered on vomiting, mud-drenched obstacle courses, and the most talented dogs. Celebrity-for-no-reason Nicole Richie is even shopping a show that would have talentless nobodies compete to become the next celebrity-for-no-reason....
4 Men Charged in Murder of Politkovskaya
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 19, 2008 9:50 AM CDT
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Four men have been charged in Moscow in connection with the killing of Anna Politkovskaya, the investigative journalist shot dead outside her apartment in 2006. Authorities believe that her murder was linked to her exposés on human rights abuses in Chechnya. Two of the accused are Chechens, the Guardian reports—both brothers of the suspected...
Obama Opts Out of Public Financing
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 9:24 AM CDT
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Barack Obama has opted out of public financing in the general election, the AP reports, reversing a joint pledge made last year with John McCain to spend only the $84 million in taxpayer cash between the party conventions and Election Day. While McCain appears set to accept public financing, Obama has since proved a fundraising juggernaut—and...
Only Black Is Beautiful in Italian Vogue
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 9:03 AM CDT
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Black women spend $20 billion a year on clothes, but the fashion world still harbors a racial prejudice that keeps women of color out of the big glossies. Now noted photographer Steven Meisel has teamed with Italian Vogue to produce a special issue, in which all the models are black and all the articles address black women in the arts. The New York...
Why Everyone in Berkeley Owns a Prius
Economist
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Jun 19, 2008 8:55 AM CDT
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Nowhere in California is the power of green consumerism more apparent than the Prius-packed city of Berkley. The Economist takes a look at a "greenery by zip code" study that, somewhat unsurprisingly, places Palo Alto near the top and Bakersfield near the bottom of locales packed with certified green buildings and hybrids. But why?
For Obama the Nominee, Even More Discipline
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 8:37 AM CDT
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As Barack Obama's campaign transitions from Democratic frontrunner to nominee, his team is ratcheting down control over the candidate's public image and media access to him. But yesterday's revelation that Obama campaign volunteers prohibited two Muslim women wearing headscarves from sitting behind him at a rally underscores the challenges facing the...
Reds Hot for MLB's Next Big Thing
Sports Illustrated
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Jun 19, 2008 8:19 AM CDT
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Forget Ken Griffey Jr. The Reds outfielder to keep an eye on is rookie Jay Bruce, the 21-year-old whose shirt sold out within 24 hours at the Great American Ball Park store. In his debut week, Bruce reached base in 22 of 33 tries, with 15 hits and 12 runs scored, SI reports. And he's a nice guy, too.
At Last, US Gas Consumption Starts to Fall
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 8:07 AM CDT
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The price of gasoline quadrupled over the last decade, but Americans responded by driving more and more in ever-larger gas guzzlers as if nothing had changed. But $4 gas combined with an economic black hole may have finally gotten the message across, reports the New York Times, as American gasoline consumption is set for its first annual decline...
Gaza Truce Takes Hold
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 8:00 AM CDT
(AP) -
Guns went quiet as a six-month truce between Israel and Gaza Strip militants took effect early today, despite widespread skepticism about its longevity. If the quiet holds, Israel will ease its blockade on Sunday to allow larger shipments of some supplies. A week later Israel is to further ease restrictions at cargo crossings, which in recent months...
US Firm Calls for Islamic Law in Lawsuit
News & Observer (Raleigh)
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Jun 19, 2008 7:51 AM CDT
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An American firm blamed for the death of three US soldiers in a plane crash has asked a federal court to apply Islamic law to a lawsuit brought by their widows, the Raleigh News & Observer reports. Presidential Airways, Blackwater's sister company, argues that since its plane crashed in Afghanistan, the case should be heard under Sharia law—which...
How to Curb Rental Car Costs
Travel Leisure
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Jun 19, 2008 7:46 AM CDT
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With $4 gas, shrinking competition, and airport fees, finding an affordable road-trip rental can be challenging. Travel and Leisure offers these tips to curb costs. Avoid airport rentals: Rent your car from downtown and avoid airport fees that add 25% to 45% to your bill. Ditch the rental specifics in favor of Hotwire or Priceline’s...
When Good Pandering Goes Bad
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 7:32 AM CDT
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The offshore drilling ban has been in place since 1981, but George W. Bush—who is still the president, Gail Collins reminds us in the New York Times —wants it overturned in two weeks. Watching his speech in the Rose Garden, where he said Democrats would be to blame for high gas prices if drilling in heretofore verboten places was not immediately...
Taliban Said Routed Near Kandahar
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 7:21 AM CDT
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Yesterday's swift offensive by Afghan and NATO forces drove Taliban militants from a strategic group of villages outside southern Afghanistan's largest city and killed 56 insurgents, Afghan officials said today. The Afghan National Army has taken control of the villages, a defense ministry spokesman said, but militants had planted hundreds of land...
Obama Wants Nuremberg Trial for bin Laden
Boston Globe
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Jun 19, 2008 7:10 AM CDT
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Barack Obama would use the post-war Nazi war crime trials at Nuremberg as a model for bringing Osama bin Laden to justice, to avoid making him into a martyr, the Boston Globe reports. Obama described the plan at a news conference after meetings with his freshly formed group of national security advisers, which includes three members of Bill Clinton's...
New Taiwan President Makes China Overtures
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 6:53 AM CDT
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Since his election as Taiwan's president last March, Ma Ying-jeou has already begun negotiations with Beijing and moved to bring mainland Chinese tourists to the island. In an English-language interview with the New York Times , Ma sets out an ambitious plan for new cross-strait relations: direct links via air and sea, new market reforms, and an end...
Paulson Seeks Expanded Fed Powers
Washington Post
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Jun 19, 2008 6:39 AM CDT
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Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson today will urge Congress to broaden the Federal Reserve’s oversight role on Wall Street, giving it the authority to demand data from financial institutions to help prevent incidents like the Bear Stearns collapse. Any major change in regulatory authority would have to be approved by Congress, reports the Washington...
Melanoma Cured by Cloning Patient's Own Immune Cells
Scientific American
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Jun 19, 2008 6:11 AM CDT
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Scientists eliminated a man's late-stage melanoma by giving the body's own defenses a massive boost, Scientific American reports. They removed infection-fighting white blood cells from the patient's body, cloned them in the lab until they numbered in the billions, and injected them back into the patient. He was tumor-free 2 months later and remained...
Bush to Visit Flood-Battered Midwest
Reuters
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Jun 19, 2008 5:51 AM CDT
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President Bush will visit flood-hit Iowa today to inspect the damage and consult with officials, Reuters reports. The state, along with much of the Midwest, has suffered the worst flooding in at least 15 years. Millions of acres of farmland have been flooded. Pressure on politicians to provide relief is growing. John McCain also plans to pay struggling...
McCain Calls For 45 New Nuke Plants by 2030
Reuters
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Jun 19, 2008 5:05 AM CDT
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John McCain continued his energy campaign theme last night by calling for 45 nuclear power plants to be built by 2030, Reuters reports. He said he would eventually like to see 100 new plants to combat global warming and make the US energy independent. The nation's 104 reactors provide about 20% of US electric power, but no new plants have been built...
Oil Giants to Return to Iraq
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 4:20 AM CDT
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Four big oil companies chucked out of Iraq by Saddam Hussein 36 years ago are ready to return, the New York Time s reports. BP, Exxon Mobil, Shell and Total are about to announced winning coveted no-bid contracts to service Iraqi oil fields. The contracts are short-term, but the firms hope to significantly boost the country's oil production and win...
Steaming Coldplay Denies Stealing Song
Independent (UK)
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Jun 19, 2008 3:59 AM CDT
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Coldplay is hotly denying allegations of plagiarism from a Brooklyn-based indie band, the Independent reports. Members of the Creaky Boards say the melody of the British band's new album's title track Viva la Vida was lifted from a tune of theirs called The Songs I Didn't Write. Coldplay members insist they were in the studio the night the Yanks...
Burger King Serves Up $190 Burger
ABC News
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Jun 19, 2008 3:43 AM CDT
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Burger King has concocted a luxury burger with a whopping $190 price tag, reports ABC News. "The Burger" features Wagyu beef garnished with truffles and onion straws fried in Cristal champagne in a saffron-dusted bun. The bold, limited edition tantalizer is being offered once a week at a single Burger King in London. The fast food chain is...
Ship Shortage Stalls Offshore Oil Drilling
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 3:22 AM CDT
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A severe shortage of deep-sea drilling rigs will hold up exploitation of offshore oil for years, the New York Times reports. Existing rigs are booked solid for five years, and shipbuilders around the world are scrambling to fill dozens of new orders. Oil companies are frustrated by their inability to get at huge, newly discovered offshore fields.
'Fake' Rembrandt a Real $40M Self-Portrait
Associated Press
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Jun 19, 2008 3:05 AM CDT
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A self-portrait formerly considered a Rembrandt knockoff has been deemed a genuine early work of the Dutch master—and valued at $40 million. Rembrandt Laughing , executed on a small copper plate, was examined by Holland's leading Rembrandt experts. A British art collector purchased the work late last year for $4.5 million from an auction house...
Fierce Military Lawyers Take On Gitmo Fight
New York Times
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Jun 19, 2008 2:43 AM CDT
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Military lawyers appointed to represent Guantanamo prisoners have been fighting in their clients' corner with unexpected fierceness, the New York Times reports. The lawyers have infuriated prosecutors by challenging the administration's war crimes system and demanding rights for their clients. One of them describes the task as a "historic opportunity...
Court Limits Bosses' Access to Staff Emails
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 19, 2008 2:10 AM CDT
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A federal court has ruled that emails and text messages on work accounts—routinely monitored by some employers—are protected by constitutional safeguards against unreasonable search and seizure. The ruling only applies to electronic communications supplied through outside servers, not internal systems. The ruling forbids service providers...
Party Leaders in House Reach Deal on War Funds
New York Times
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Jun 18, 2008 9:58 PM CDT
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A two-year fight between the White House and Democrats over war funding has been resolved, the New York Times reports. House leaders reached a deal to allocate $163 billion for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through early next year. The measure, expected to be approved by the full House as early as tomorrow, also includes new education...
Gay Sports Leagues Net Straight Players
Village Voice
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Jun 18, 2008 9:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Gay and straight men in New York are teaming up, literally: The city’s many gay-sports leagues feature scores of heterosexuals looking for competition and friendship. “I was reticent,” admitted one straight footballer. “I was used to a high level of play.” But he and others have since sidelined their hesitance, saying...
Michelin Guide Goes Interactive
BusinessWeek
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Jun 18, 2008 8:45 PM CDT
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Before it was the last word in gastronomy, the Michelin Guide was a free book designed to spur travel, and hence sell tires. Now, it’ll be free once more, thanks to a revamped Web strategy, BusinessWeek reports. Michelin’s redesigned site will not only give away more content, it’ll also include web 2.0 features to let amateur gourmets...
$16B Deficit May Help Keep Gay Marriage Legal in Calif.
The Advocate
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Jun 18, 2008 8:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that could dam the just-unleashed tide of same-sex marriage in the state, proponents believe California's $16 billion budget deficit could be the deciding factor for voters, Julie Bolcer writes in the Advocate . "I think this is a huge opportunity for businesses and the community as a whole,"...
