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.
McCain Decries Supreme Court Gitmo Decision
Time
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Jun 13, 2008 4:00 PM CDT
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John McCain waited a day to react to the Supreme Court's decision on Guantanamo prisoners and came out swinging, calling yesterday’s ruling “one of the worst decisions in the history of the country.” His strong language makes it clear that this will be an election issue, Time reports.
Prison of Cuban Baseball Ensnares US Agent, Too
Vanity Fair
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Jun 13, 2008 3:17 PM CDT
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Politics is keeping "at least half a billion dollars of baseball players in Cuba right now," one agent tells Michael Lewis as he investigates, for Vanity Fair , the case of an American sports agent now in jail for smuggling athletes. Gus Dominguez appears to be a victim of politics on the US side—though that web isn't half as tangled...
Stocks Rally on Dollar's Strength
MarketWatch
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Jun 13, 2008 3:14 PM CDT
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The markets rallied today, pushing the Dow into positive territory for the week, off a strong dollar and a drop in oil prices. The Dow gained 165.77 to close at 12,307.35, a weekly gain of 0.8%. The Nasdaq climbed 50.15 to 2,454.50 but posted a weekly loss of 0.8%. The S&P 500 gained 20.16, settling at 1,360.03, flat for the week.
Even As Neb. Honors Fallen Scouts, Floods Pound Iowa
Texas Civil Rights Project
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Jun 13, 2008 2:40 PM CDT
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“We have to make sure people remember," said a 13-year-old who pulled a dead fellow Boy Scout out of the rubble left by Wednesday's fatal tornado. Last night's vigil in Omaha, Neb., was among several for the four teens killed in the Iowa maelstrom; “This is probably the worst day of my life,” the leader of the group’s Mid-America...
Gay Daughter No Problem for Mass. Governor
Boston Globe
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Jun 13, 2008 2:23 PM CDT
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For some politicians—Dick Cheney, say, or Alan Keyes—a gay daughter might be a major inconvenience. But the public coming-out yesterday of Katherine Patrick, daughter of supportive Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, is being praised as a "very powerful statement" by gay-rights groups, and the low-key nature of how Katherine Patrick's...
MySpace Takes Aim at Yahoo
BusinessWeek
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Jun 13, 2008 2:08 PM CDT
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Myspace is retooling itself to become a more direct competitor to web portals, specifically Yahoo, BusinessWeek reports. Starting Wednesday, the popular social networking site will unveil changes to its homepage such as news headlines, local weather apps, and entertainment links.
Senate Seats Most Likely to Flip (Only 1 to GOP)
Washington Post
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Jun 13, 2008 1:51 PM CDT
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The GOP's best case-scenario sees the party losing only three Senate seats this fall. Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza runs down the races most likely to flip a vote: Mississippi: Trent Lott replacement Roger Wicker has never been elected statewide, and Barack Obama's coattails should draw in the large black population. Minnesota:...
Medicare Fraud Runs Rampant
Washington Post
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Jun 13, 2008 1:34 PM CDT
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Health care fraud is rampant, especially in South Florida and the LA area, and surprisingly easy to pull off, reports the Washington Post. The 11-digit annual price tag could be smaller if investigators focused more on the fact that Medicare, for example, is "highly vulnerable" to scam artists and less on billing irregularities and unorthodox...
Book Reawakens Doubts About Polish Hero Walesa
Economist
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Jun 13, 2008 1:14 PM CDT
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A new book is stirring up an old debate in Poland: Did democratic hero Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity union and former president, collaborate with the secret police? Walesa has successfully defended himself against the claim for 15 years, in and out of court. But historians working with police files say they have new evidence of his involvement...
Happening Is No Big Event
Rotten Tomatoes
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Jun 13, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
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M. Night Shyamalan’s apocalyptic thriller The Happening is slow-paced and funny at times, leaving critics mixed in their reactions. It’s “too thoughtful for the summer action season, but I appreciate the quietly realistic way Shyamalan” tells his story, writes Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times . “It will be described...
Countrywide Scandal Extends to Senate
Portfolio
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Jun 13, 2008 12:45 PM CDT
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Countrywide Financial made sweetheart deals for lawmakers and other high-profile pols who received mortgages from the disgraced lender, a Portfolio exposé reveals. The deals, which appear to violate both company rules and federal law, benefited "Friends of Angelo"—as in CEO Angelo Mozilo—including at least two US senators,...
Siegfried, Roy Adopt Tiger Cubs
Associated Press
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Jun 13, 2008 12:30 PM CDT
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Siegfried and Roy welcomed five new tiger cubs to their exotic habitat on the Las Vegas Strip yesterday. Siegfried Fischbacher said the new arrivals would be therapeutic for Roy Horn, who was partially paralyzed when a 380-pound white Bengal tiger sank his teeth into Horn's neck five years ago and crushed his windpipe. The two illusionists plan a one-night-only...
'The Time Has Come' for Sam Nunn as VP
New Republic
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Jun 13, 2008 12:18 PM CDT
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The timing is finally right for Sam Nunn to be installed on a Democratic presidential ticket, Michael Crowley asserts in the New Republic . The former senator from Georgia—bandied about as a potential VP in ’88, ’92, 2000 and 2004—is “tailor-made for the veepstakes,” Crowley writes, because he's got...
Electorate Number-Crunching Gives Edge to Obama
Washington Post
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Jun 13, 2008 11:55 AM CDT
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With a smaller piece of a bigger pie, Barack Obama holds a 6-point lead over John McCain even though he enjoys less support in his own party than John Kerry did in 2004. A “sharp shift in partisan loyalties” is coming into focus and "could prove the defining fact in November," E. J. Dionne Jr. writes in the Washington Post.
Wine Reviews: Taste the Pretension
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 13, 2008 11:46 AM CDT
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When wine lovers say they taste notes of cherries or hints of tobacco, “usually all I can detect is a whole lot of jackass,” Joel Stein writes in the LA Times . Wine dialogue has devolved into a meaningless string of obscure scents, Stein says. It’s boring—too boring even to make fun of—and it says virtually nothing...
Elizabeth Smart: 'Don't Worry, I'll Be Here in the Morning'
People
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Jun 13, 2008 11:43 AM CDT
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The night Elizabeth Smart was rescued from her 9-month captivity in 2003, she asked to sleep in the same bed she was kidnapped from, her father tells People . "She said...'Don't worry, I'll be here in the morning,' " Ed Smart recalled. “I don’t think anything can ever match the joy I felt after returning,” the now-20-year-old...
Oil Price Spike Brings Jobs Back to US
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 13, 2008 11:30 AM CDT
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As costs for overseas production and shipping soar, US companies are growing reluctant to outsource manufacturing—and some are even bringing their plants back to America, the Wall Street Journal reports. “In a world of triple-digit oil prices, distance costs money," said an economist. But it’s not just the transport: Raw materials...
Cruise's Lawyer Rips Dr. Drew
Radar
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Jun 13, 2008 11:20 AM CDT
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Celebrity psychiatrist Dr. Drew Pinksy's armchair diagnosis of Tom Cruise in Playboy has riled up Cruise’s lawyer, who compares the doc to a Nazi, Radar reports. The host of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew said Cruise’s attraction to the “cultish kind of environment” of Scientology is “a function of a very deep emptiness...
Strange Object Baffles Astronauts
Houston Chronicle
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Jun 13, 2008 11:10 AM CDT
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The Discovery’s crew was perplexed today when it spotted a mysterious object floating past the right wing, the Houston Chronicle reports. The astronauts sent videos and photos of the light-colored, rectangular object to NASA. They also noticed an unusual protrusion on the tail rudder. “We’re in data assessment mode at this point,”...
Obama Shifts DNC Power to Chicago
Politico
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Jun 13, 2008 11:01 AM CDT
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The Democratic National Committee is moving its field operations to Chicago as part of Barack Obama's strategy to centralize the party and streamline efforts for the general election. The move has been welcomed publicly by the DNC, even though it clearly shifts power from Washington to Obama's unassuming headquarters in the Windy City, Politico notes....
Other Vick Charged With DUI
Virginian-Pilot
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Jun 13, 2008 10:55 AM CDT
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Marcus Vick was arrested today and charged with DUI, the Virginian-Pilot reports. An officer said he approached the former Dolphins quarterback’s car when he heard two people arguing, prompting Vick to speed off. Another officer stopped Vick’s car and administered a sobriety test, which he and his companion failed. Marcus is the brother...
After Decline, Congress' Earmarking is Back
Washington Post
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Jun 13, 2008 10:46 AM CDT
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Though Congress vowed last year to reduce earmarking—the process of directing funds to projects at home with little scrutiny—recently there’s been a jump in such spending, the Washington Post reports. A House defense bill’s earmarked funds rose 29% last month, and the Senate bill looks as though it will follow the trend. “Parties...
Together Again: Tommy Lee and Pam
Rolling Stone
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Jun 13, 2008 10:40 AM CDT
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From the horse's mouth to God’s ears. Infamous on-again, off-again couple (and sex tape co-stars) Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson are back together—at least for the sake of their sons Brandon and Dylan, the Motley Crue drummer tells Rolling Stone . “Pamela and the kids have moved in with me,” said a beaming Lee.
PETA Targets Fur-Wearing Olsen Twins
Sydney Morning Herald
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Jun 13, 2008 10:30 AM CDT
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PETA is trying to make life hairy for the Olsen twins, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The animal rights group, noting that the sisters are still fond of fur, is urging activists to cut off their own locks and send them to the twins for their 22nd birthday today, "since they seem to be in such dire need of extra hair on their bodies."
Iraq Could Win the Election —for McCain
Washington Post
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Jun 13, 2008 10:19 AM CDT
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Conventional wisdom has it that supporting the Iraq war is a major weakness for John McCain, but conventional wisdom is wrong, writes Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post. In his victory speech, Barack Obama said it was “time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future,” but as the Basra and Mosul offenses proved, that’s...
Yahoo and Google: It's All Up to Yang
CNET
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Jun 13, 2008 10:08 AM CDT
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As Yahoo and Google prepare for a new search-ad deal, it’s all up to CEO Jerry Yang, writes Charles Cooper for CNET. Will Yang be the next Steve Jobs, pulling a struggling company back to the spotlight—or will he fade like his Yahoo predecessors? The afreement "may turn out to be a clever move if it fosters the two companies' respective...
Aniston to Face Jolie This Fall
Associated Press
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Jun 13, 2008 9:55 AM CDT
(AP) -
Finally , Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston will have their day to duke it out—in theaters, that is. Brad Pitt's current partner and ex-wife will go head-to-head on Oct. 24, when both have a movie coming out: Jolie in Clint Eastwood's missing-child drama Changeling and Aniston in the romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You .
A Simple Fix for Flying Bats: Better Maple
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 9:45 AM CDT
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After steroids, shattering maple bats may be baseball's top-priority issue right now, one that promises to be a sticky problem, writes the New York Times . But Sam Holman, the founder of the first company to supply maple bats to the majors, thinks the answer may be a simple one: crack down on makers who cut corners.
Foreclosures Surge 48% in May
Associated Press
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Jun 13, 2008 9:35 AM CDT
(AP) -
The number of US homeowners swept up in the housing crisis rose further last month, with foreclosure filings up 48% over a year earlier. Nationwide, 261,255 homes received at least one foreclosure-related filing in May, up 7% from April and the second straight monthly record. That's one in every 483 US households, the highest number since the...
My Veterans Are Anxious to Fight, Mugabe Says
BBC
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Jun 13, 2008 9:32 AM CDT
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Veterans of Zimbabwe’s war of independence are eager to fight in support of the ruling party, says President Robert Mugabe. “They came to my office after the election and asked me, ‘Can we take up arms?’” Mugabe told the state-run newspaper. “They said this country was won by the barrel of the gun and should we let...
Gitmo Will Be Transformed, Not Closed
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 9:17 AM CDT
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The Supreme Court's ruling yesterday against the Bush administration will not shut down the Guantanamo Bay detention center. But by concluding that detainees can appeal their detention in US civilian courts, the high court stripped away its reason for being, erasing the government's claim that an offshore prison was beyond US law. The New York Times...
Security Talks Hit 'Dead End,' Iraqi PM Says
Associated Press
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Jun 13, 2008 9:14 AM CDT
(AP) -
Talks with the US on a longterm security deal have hit an impasse over fears the US will infringe on Iraqi sovereignty, the nation's prime minister said. "The first drafts presented left us at a dead end," said Nouri al-Maliki. "So, we left these first drafts, and the negotiations will continue with new ideas until the sides reach a...
Do Feds Suspect Another Ref?
ESPN
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Jun 13, 2008 9:00 AM CDT
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While questioning former NBA referees about Tim Donaghy, federal investigators also asked lots of questions about another ref named Dick Bavetta, ESPN reports. Commissioner David Stern, however, insisted the league has no concerns about the veteran official, who worked Game 1 of this year's finals. Stern again suggested that Donaghy's allegations stemmed...
Investors Throw Dice on Jacko's Vegas Comeback
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 13, 2008 8:46 AM CDT
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A Las Vegas comeback could be in the cards for Michael Jackson if a private equity firm has its way, the Wall Street Journal reports. A firm that owns the Las Vegas Hilton and a big stake in a casino company bought $23 million of Jackson's debt last month and is now in talks with the singer about an Elvis- or Celine-style residency on the Strip.
As Prices Soar, Congress Aims at Speculators
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 8:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Congress is blaming rampant commodity speculation for rocketing gas and food prices, and berating regulators for letting it happen, the New York Times reports. Unless watchdog groups like the Commodities Futures Trading Commision crack down, Carl Levin says, "we don’t have a cop on the beat.." Joe Lieberman has even introduced a...
Study: Video Game Addicts Aren't Nerds
Reuters
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Jun 13, 2008 8:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The stereotype of the hard-core gamer as a friendless geek may be as outdated as Pac-Man, Reuters reports. An Australian study looked at "problem gamers" who spent more than 50 hours a week playing and discovered that less than 1% had poor social skills. The findings contradict statements from the American Medical Association suggesting people...
Calif.'s First Couple Girds for Campaign
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 8:10 AM CDT
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Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver have worked different sides of the political aisle for decades, but the California first couple's agreement to disagree is getting its most high-profile workout this year, the New York Times reports, as Arnold backs McCain and Maria champions Obama. Signs for the rival candidates compete for space outside the...
Hulk Packs a Fun Punch
Rotten Tomatoes
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Jun 13, 2008 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
It’s no Iron Man , but The Incredible Hulk is a crowd-pleaser that comic book devotees and action fans will appreciate, critics say. The second adaptation of the Marvel comic in five years avoids the missteps of Ang Lee’s 2003 moody bust ( Hulk ) and “embraces its identity as a sci-fi-summer-action-blockbuster extravaganza,”...
2 Candidates, 2 Americas: Old Values vs. New
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 13, 2008 7:50 AM CDT
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It's not just youth vs. age, Peggy Noonan writes of the general election contest that began in earnest this week, it's a battle of the Old America vs. the New America—"between the thing we were, and the thing we have been becoming for 40 years or so." The Old America McCain represents values patriotism, tradition, honor, character,...
EU Reform in Peril As Ireland Votes No
Irish Times (Ireland)
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Jun 13, 2008 7:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Ireland has rejected the Treaty of Lisbon, dashing years of effort to reform the European Union. The Irish Times cites preliminary reports that the "no" vote has prevailed with about 52%, won mainly among rural and urban working class areas. The ruling and opposition parties both supported the treaty, but some voters felt it surrendered...
Murdoch Set to Finance Editor in UK Election
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 13, 2008 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With the personal backing of Rupert Murdoch, the former editor of Britain's biggest-selling tabloid is set to run in a special election triggered by yesterday's surprise resignation of a top Tory. Kelvin MacKenzie, who edited Murdoch's Sun for more than a decade, is preparing to contest the seat vacated by David Davis. Davis quit Parliament in protest...
Sexism? Media Disagree With Clinton Backers
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 7:16 AM CDT
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Now that Hillary Clinton has suspended her presidential campaign, her most ardent supporters are hitting out at television news, proposing boycotts and setting up websites in response to allegedly sexist coverage. But as the New York Times reports, many in the media see little evidence of sexism. Rather, they accuse the ex-candidate of having used...
Floodwaters Engulf Iowa's 'Flood-Proof' City
Des Moines Register
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Jun 13, 2008 7:05 AM CDT
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The Cedar River has burst its banks and deluged Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Des Moines Register reports. About 9,000 people have been evacuated—including more than 170 from a hospital—and most of the city's downtown is under water. The river is still rising and is expected to crest today at 31.8 feet, about 12 feet higher than the previous...
Budweiser to Buy Corona to Stave Off Stella?
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 13, 2008 6:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Anhueser-Busch has approached Mexian brewer Grupo Modelo about a possible merger, the Wall Street Journal reports, in an attempt to thwart an unwanted $46.35 billion takeover bid from Belgium’s InBev NV. Anhueser already owns 50% of Modelo, which is best known for its Corona brand. By buying the other 50%, it hopes to move out of InBev’s...
Japan Wages War on Waists
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 6:48 AM CDT
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Japan has launched an unprecedented national campaign to help its residents lose their love handles. The nation now requires local governments and corporations to annually measure the waistline of everyone age 40 to 74, the New York Times reports. Women over 35.4 inches and men over 33.5 inches—rather slender by US standards—will...
Shell Strike Threatens UK Motorists
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 13, 2008 6:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Truck drivers for Shell have begun a four-day strike in Britain that threatens to hike already sky-high gas prices. Although the government has warned motorists not to panic-buy, gas stations were reporting a 30% spike in sales in the hours before the action; union leaders, meanwhile, have threatened that gasoline would run out "almost immediately,"...
Fox Looks Clueless with 'Obama's Baby Mama' Quip
New York
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Jun 13, 2008 6:25 AM CDT
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Fox is catching flak for calling Michelle Obama "Obama's baby mama" and it deserves all it gets, Noelle Hancock writes on New York 's news blog. The network, which has conceded that a producer "exercised poor judgment" by posting the graphic, has made itself look "sexist, racist, and out of touch, all at the same time!"...
Calif. County Clerk Vows: 'No Marriages'
New York Times
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Jun 13, 2008 6:10 AM CDT
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Same-sex California couples will be able to tie the knot on Monday, but at least one county won't be performing any weddings, gay or straight. Kern County's clerk has announced that she will not solemnize any more vows, the Times reports. She cites budget constraints, but many think the decision is based on her rightward leanings.
Zoo Rarity: Male Sea Dragon Pregnant
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jun 13, 2008 5:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A weedy sea dragon at a Georgia aquarium is giving its handlers a rare Father's Day surprise, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The small critter—one of only a handful of species in which the male carries the eggs—is pregnant. It's just the third time a weedy sea dragon, whose native habitat in Australia is shrinking, has gotten...
Dollar Soars to Biggest Weekly Gain in 3 Years
Bloomberg
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Jun 13, 2008 5:21 AM CDT
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The dollar posted its biggest gain in almost 3 years this week, soaring 2.5% against the euro and 2.8% against the yen. This morning in London the dollar was trading at $1.54 against the euro, with analysts predicting a rise as high as $1.45 by year's end. European politicians are delighted with the greenback's resurgence; Christine Lagarde, France's...
