Newser Story Index from July, 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.
My Meeting With the Monster of the Balkans
Washington Post
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Jul 23, 2008 7:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When Richard Holbrooke led the process that resulted in the Dayton Accords and the end of the war in Bosnia, he knew that sending Radovan Karadzic to the Hague was necessary to bring peace to the Balkans. Now, after 12 "inexcusable" years on the run, he has been arrested, and the former ambassador writes in the Washington Post of his only...
Mortgage Rates Surge to 5-Year High
New York Times
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Jul 23, 2008 7:40 AM CDT
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Mortgage rates rose yesterday to a 5-year high of 6.71% as investors worried that—even with government intervention—Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac wouldn’t play as big a role in the $12 trillion US mortgage market as in the past, reports the New York Times . The rising rates threaten to further depress the struggling housing market.
Drug Addiction Shoots Up in Mexico
USA Today
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Jul 23, 2008 7:28 AM CDT
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Drug addiction is skyrocketing in Mexico, which used to be simply a transit point for illegal drugs rather than a major consumer market, reports USA Today . As increased border security foils smugglers along the American border, the drugs end up being sold to Mexicans. Crack cocaine use has risen sharply, and heroin and crystal meth are becoming a...
Obama Meets With Israeli Leaders
New York Times
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Jul 23, 2008 7:10 AM CDT
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Barack Obama got an early start in Israel today, breakfasting with Ehud Barack and meeting Shimon Peres and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu before a stop at Yad Vashem, to lay a wreath at the Holocaust memorial, the New York Times reports. Peres greeted him warmly, saying he hoped for a “great president of the United States. That is the...
Cops Fear Mom Killed Missing Florida Toddler
Associated Press
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Jul 23, 2008 6:51 AM CDT
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A Florida woman has been charged with child neglect and lying to investigators over the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter, reports AP. Prosecutors say the child has been missing for more than a month, but her mom only reported her missing last week. Investigators have found evidence of decomposition in the mother's car and back yard.
Hunt Shifts to Butcher 'Serb God'
Associated Press
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Jul 23, 2008 6:22 AM CDT
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Former Bosnian leader Radovan Karadzic is finally behind bars, but his alleged partner in genocide, Gen. Ratko Mladic, remains at large. Mladic is an even more ruthless figure who until a few years ago brazenly appeared in downtown Belgrade, attending soccer games and eating at gourmet restaurants, despite a $5 million reward for his capture, AP reports.
Could-Have-Been-Worse News Now Cheers Wall Street
New York Times
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Jul 23, 2008 5:56 AM CDT
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Yesterday's announcements of multibillion-dollar losses at Wachovia and Washington Mutual were only the latest poundings since the credit crisis took hold a year ago. Yet Wall Street, its expectations at rock bottom, cheered the reports because they could have been worse. Shares in WaMu, which posted a $3.3 billion quarterly fall, soared 6.2%. "We...
Cambodia, Thailand on Brink of War
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 23, 2008 5:17 AM CDT
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Cambodia has appealed to the UN to help defuse an "imminent state of war" with Thailand, the Daily Telegraph reports. Some 1,500 troops armed with heavy artillery are in a standoff at an ancient temple in a disputed frontier area. Cambodian officials are accusing Thailand of aggression and say thousands of Thai troops are massing at the...
Judge Orders Rosenberg Evidence Kept Secret
Reuters
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Jul 23, 2008 4:41 AM CDT
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Evidence that could clear the name of Ethel Rosenberg must stay under wraps to protect grand jury secrecy, a judge ruled yesterday. Ethel and husband Julius were executed in 1953 for passing atomic secrets to the Soviets. Her brother David Greenglass, who testified against her, has since said he lied about Ethel's role to protect his own wife from...
Did McCain Dupe Novak on VP Pick?
Associated Press
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Jul 23, 2008 4:13 AM CDT
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Conservative columnist Robert Novak triggered a frenzy of speculation that John McCain was about to announce his choice for runningmate just as Barack Obama was grabbing favorable headlines on his trip to Iraq. Novak now believes he may have been manipulated in a tactic to steal attention by the McCain campaign, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Cautious Mukasey Disappoints Former Backers
New York Times
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Jul 23, 2008 3:52 AM CDT
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Attorney General Michael Mukasey's cautious approach has disappointed one-time backers who hoped for a new direction at the Justice Department, reports the New York Times . He has been reluctant to probe the US attorney firings that triggered predecessor Alberto Gonzales' downfall, and has moved at a snail's pace on issues from torture to mortgage...
Critics Make Sport of Olympic Mascots
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 23, 2008 3:30 AM CDT
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The troubled run-up to the Beijing Games hasn't spared the cartoon mascots, the Wall Street Journal reports. China's critics have already created mock characters for the five—like "GenGen Genocide"—and superstitious Chinese fear a link between the "witch dolls" and the disasters the country has suffered this year....
Chavez: I'd Welcome Russian Troops in Venezuela
BBC
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Jul 23, 2008 3:10 AM CDT
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Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is on a two-day trip to Moscow seeking closer military and economic ties —and raising the possibility that Russian troops may be stationed in Venezuela. Chavez and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev have already agreed to extend an energy partnership and are negotiating an arms deal and military co-operation, reports...
Lesbian Islanders Lose Lesbian Lawsuit
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 23, 2008 2:51 AM CDT
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Residents of the Greek island of Lesbos have lost a legal battle to block the use of the word lesbian to describe a sexual preference. An Athens court threw out a lawsuit an islander filed against a Greek gay rights group with lesbian in its name, arguing that they have exclusive rights to the term. The court ruled use of the word does not impinge...
Corn-Hungry Texas Calls for Cuts in Biofuel Mandates
New York Times
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Jul 23, 2008 2:32 AM CDT
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The EPA is considering a proposal from the governor of Texas to slash the amount of ethanol that oil companies are required to blend into gasoline to meet quotas, the New York Times reports. Gov. Rick Perry is calling for the EPA to cut the ethanol mandate in half, from 9 billion to 4.5 billion gallons, arguing that billions of bushels of corn should...
LeBron Sprain Rattles Team USA
Associated Press
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Jul 23, 2008 2:12 AM CDT
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Team USA got a shock last night when LeBron James sprained his right ankle in a practice scrimmage in a high school gym, reports the Los Angeles Times . Team officials said it was a minor injury, but the star will be carefully evaluated today. His Beijing-bound teammates were optimistic James would bounce back in time for Team USA's Olympic opener...
Jeffs, Sect Members Face Sex Charges
Houston Chronicle
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Jul 22, 2008 9:27 PM CDT
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Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs and four members of the Texas ranch raided by authorities in April now face charges of sexually abusing girls under the age of 17, the Houston Chronicle reports. One of those indicted also is charged with bigamy, and a sixth person is accused of failure to report child abuse. A Texas grand jury handed down the...
Tips for Frequent Fliers
Travel Leisure
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Jul 22, 2008 8:45 PM CDT
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You sat in plenty of stuffy cabins to earn those frequent-flier miles: make sure you get a good trip out of them. Travel and Leisure runs down the best ways to earn miles and use them efficiently. Stick with one airline: The more you commit to a single airline, the better you'll be treated and the more miles you'll accumulate....
Ruling Party's Win Paves Way for Nuclear Deal in India
Washington Post
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Jul 22, 2008 8:15 PM CDT
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The Indian government's survival of a confidence vote today should clear the way for approval of a landmark nuclear energy deal with the US, the Washington Post reports. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government survived by 19 votes, despite allegations of bribery and back-room shenanigans. Under the US-brokered deal, India will get access to the...
Ledger May Not Be Dark Knight 's Only Oscar Nod
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2008 7:46 PM CDT
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Buzz about a possible Oscar nod for Heath Ledger's Joker has been circulating since long before last week's release of The Dark Knight , but could others behind the film be honored, too? In the Los Angeles Times , Tom O'Neil looks at past honorees involved in the film's creation. Lee Smith was nominated for an editing Oscar for Master and...
McCain Video Mocks Media Coverage of Obama
ABC News
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Jul 22, 2008 7:14 PM CDT
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The McCain campaign debuted an Internet video today it says documents the press corps’ one-sided swoon over Barack Obama, ABC News reports. Set to music, the video features on-air personalities—MSNBC's Chris Matthews is among those featured prominently—offering adoring sentiments about Obama. It also airs Democratic-primary complaints...
Bush, in Unguarded Moment: 'Wall Street Got Drunk'
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2008 6:45 PM CDT
(AP) -
President Bush has a new analogy about the nation's financial meltdown. "There is no question about it. Wall Street got drunk," the president said at a Houston fundraiser after asking audience members to turn off their video cameras. "That's one reason I asked you to turn off your TV cameras. It got drunk and now it's got a hangover....
Johnny's Still Rotten, Says Foe
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 22, 2008 6:21 PM CDT
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The lead singer of British band Bloc Party says he was the victim of a racist attack by the frontman of punk legends the Sex Pistols and his cronies. Kele Okereke, of Nigerian descent, was left with a split lip and bruises after the incident Saturday in Barcelona with John Lydon—aka Johnny Rotten—and an entourage one witness told the Guardian...
USA Track Official Urges Bush: Don't Pardon Jones
New York Daily News
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Jul 22, 2008 6:00 PM CDT
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The head of the US track and field program urged President Bush today not to pardon disgraced sprinter Marion Jones, the Daily News reports. Doing so would send a "horrible message" to young fans and to the international community getting ready to watch the Olympics, said Douglas Logan in an open letter to Bush. Jones is serving a 6-month...
Tobacco May Help Cure Cancer
Newsweek
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Jul 22, 2008 5:39 PM CDT
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Scientists are trying to use the tobacco plant to produce a cancer vaccine, Newsweek reports. Ironic though it may be, the plant could someday offer fast and cheap production of antibodies personalized for individual’s tumor cells. In the first study of its kind, scientists found that the plant-based vaccine triggered the immune systems of...
Obama, in Israel, Vows to Work for Peace as President
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2008 5:16 PM CDT
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Barack Obama touched down in Israel late today, promising work on peace negotiations “starting from the minute I’m sworn into office.” He said that while the “historic and special relationship” between the US and Israel “is not going to change,” an American president could be more concerned with “the...
Dolly Becomes a Hurricane
Galveston County Daily News
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Jul 22, 2008 5:06 PM CDT
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Tropical Storm Dolly got a promotion this afternoon, becoming the second named hurricane of the season, the Galveston County Daily News reports. The new hurricane is moving northwest over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico at 10mph and is expected to make landfall sometime tomorrow. If current models prevail, the storm will collide with the Texas-Mexico...
Piglets-for-Girls Bargain Saves Thousands
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jul 22, 2008 4:53 PM CDT
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An American’s plan to keep poor Nepalese families from selling daughters into slavery by offering them pigs has saved thousands of girls in the Himalayan country, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The non-profit founded by Olga Murray gives pigs (which, grown, fetch the same $35-75 buyers would pay for a girl) in exchange for promises the...
One Day, the World Will Hate Him
Times (UK)
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Jul 22, 2008 4:40 PM CDT
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Should he win the White House, the rest of the world will one day see Barack Obama as a villain, David Aaronovitch writes in the London Times. The spectacle of empire and popularity drives the country's allies to both anger and envy, he argues, and every American president has come to be depicted “as a cowboy astride a phallic missile.”
Mass. Courses Mull Alcohol on the Links
Boston Globe
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Jul 22, 2008 4:27 PM CDT
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Massachusetts, one of two states in the US that ban serving alcohol on golf courses, is contemplating loosening the law, the Boston Globe reports. Proponents of the ban argue that dry links keep the grounds relaxing and family-friendly, as well as free from course-clogging drink stops. But thirsty duffers and clubs that are already flouting the law...
A-List Potential, F-Grade Agents
The Playlist
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Jul 22, 2008 4:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
James Caviezel has gone from playing Jesus in Passion of the Christ to “a dragon hunter from another planet” in next year’s Outlander , Spencer Martin notes on the Playlist. Who else should have fire their agents for such moves? Heather Graham. Success: Drugstore Cowboy, Boogie Nights, Austin Powers. Failure: Committed,...
Sleep Apnea May Cause Heart Attack at Night: Study
Reuters
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Jul 22, 2008 4:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sleep apnea could cause heart attacks to occur at night, Reuters reports. The disorder, in which breathing is temporarily blocked during sleep, causes changes in blood pressure and hormone levels that might increase arterial blockage, a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds.
Don't Expect Dora at Your Kid's Party
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 22, 2008 3:48 PM CDT
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Want to book Elmo for your kid’s birthday party? Better expect “Big Red Tickle Monster” instead, the Wall Street Journal reports. Corporations that control the use of children’s entertainment characters are targeting costume-rental services that offer unauthorized versions of their cash cows, resulting in lawsuits, grotesque...
McCain's Long-Shot Status Slips Into No-Shot Territory
Time
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Jul 22, 2008 3:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The presidential race has broken so hard in Barack Obama’s direction that Michael Grunwald asks “the question the horse-race-loving media are never supposed to ask” in Time : “Is McCain a no-shot?” The Republican is in dire straits, having lost advantage on Iran (Bush is moving toward negotiation), the economy (voters...
Stocks Rise as Oil Drops
MarketWatch
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Jul 22, 2008 3:22 PM CDT
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Stocks climbed to robust gains by the end of today’s session as a drop in oil helped offset a spread of mixed earning reports, MarketWatch reports. The Dow gained 135.16 points to close at 11,602.50, the Nasdaq rose 24.43 to 2,303.9, and the S&P 500 climbed 17.01 points to 1,277.01.
Gitmo Trial Describes al-Qaeda Inner Circle
Miami Herald
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Jul 22, 2008 3:02 PM CDT
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Arguments in the trial of Salim Hamdan gave a view of al-Qaeda's inner circle today, as prosecutors opened by painting Osama bin Laden's driver as a key member of the organization, the Miami Herald reports. The lead prosecutor depicted Hamdan as a constant presence in high-level al-Qaeda operations and argued that he knew the destination of the fourth...
Baltimore Opts Against Plastic Bag Ban
Baltimore Sun
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Jul 22, 2008 2:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A law that would have made Baltimore America’s second plastic-bag-free city got a resounding thumbs down from the city council last night, the Baltimore Sun reports. The council ixnayed the bill, 11-3, citing concerns over the cost and environmental impact of paper bags. “I know there has been a lot of pressure on this bill," said...
Candidates Failing to Reach Florida's Hispanic Voters
St. Petersburg Times (Russia)
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Jul 22, 2008 2:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Hispanics could swing the presidential election in November, especially in crucial Florida, but the presumptive nominees aren’t reaching them, the St. Petersburg Times reports. Hispanics tend to vote on issues rather than along strictly party lines, but the media and candidates are pushing immigration reform though polls show the economy and...
Flap Over Cop's Job Ensnares Alaska Gov.
Anchorage Daily News
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Jul 22, 2008 2:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Alaska's governor, a longshot possibility as John McCain's running mate, is under scrutiny in the wake of allegations she had the state's public-safety commissioner fired as part of a personal vendetta, the Anchorage Daily News reports. Walt Monegan says Sarah Palin pressured him to fire her sister’s state trooper ex-husband, and thinks his...
Key Olympic Drug Test Could Be Unreliable
BBC
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Jul 22, 2008 2:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Labs that test athletes for evidence of doping could be letting cheaters slip through, the BBC reports. Negative results for samples an anti-doping scientist deems suspicious have raised doubts about the fairness of the field at next month's Olympic Games. With some versions of a blood-boosting drug available cheaply and nearly undetectable, experts...
B-Schools Use Palm Scans to Catch Cheats
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 22, 2008 1:58 PM CDT
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In an effort to foil cheaters, top American business schools will require a high-tech identity check of applicants taking the standardized admissions test, reports the Wall Street Journal . The crackdown on the use of paid impostors will require GMAT takers to undergo a "palm vein" scan, which is unique to each individual.
Burning Fans Revolt as Yanks Ban Sunscreen
New York Post
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Jul 22, 2008 1:49 PM CDT
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Yankee Stadium’s upper deck has been burning with resentment, the New York Post reports, over a newly expanded ban on sunscreen. Stadium security has taken to confiscating bottles of all shapes and sizes recently, a crackdown that came into focus during the weekend heat wave. “I need my sunblock,” one fan complained. “After...
'Sophia' of Golden Girls Dead at 84
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2008 1:37 PM CDT
(AP) -
Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress who spent 40 years struggling for success before landing a role of a lifetime in 1985 as the sarcastic octogenarian Sophia on TV's The Golden Girls, has died. She was 84. The two-time Emmy winner, who suffered from advanced dementia, died this morning at home, her son told the AP.
Next, Thicket of Arab-Israeli Conflict Awaits Obama
New York Times
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Jul 22, 2008 1:27 PM CDT
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With the war leg of his foreign tour behind him, Barack Obama must next navigate the Middle East peace process. He’ll meet with top Israeli and Palestinian leaders tomorrow, the New York Times reports, and will visit the rocket-bombarded town of Sderot. US Jewish voters will be particularly attentive after the Democrat’s recent slip over...
10 Ways to Say 'I'm Not Gay'
Radar
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Jul 22, 2008 1:23 PM CDT
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Star Jones' ex, Al Reynolds, used YouTube to make it official—he is not gay, just "kind of soft." His coming-in announcement prompts Radar to list the 10 best moments in defensive heterosexuality. Oprah Winfrey on rumors about her and Gayle King: ''Oh, please.'' Jake Gyllenhaal: "I can honestly say I've never been...
Jews Like Obama Far Better Than Lieberman, McCain
Huffington Post
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Jul 22, 2008 1:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Despite Barack Obama’s much debated Jewish problems—and Joe Lieberman’s place of pride as unofficial Jewish spokesman—the Dem is viewed favorably by 60% of American Jews and unfavorably by only 34%, while the Independent scores 37% and 48% (McCain comes in at 34% and 57%). The numbers are part of a poll by new progressive Jewish...
Bale Makes Bail, Denies Mom Assault
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jul 22, 2008 1:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Batman star Christian Bale was arrested today in London after his mother and sister accused him of assaulting them in his hotel suite over the weekend, the Daily Mail reports. The women lodged their complaints yesterday, but police waited until after last night’s London premiere of The Dark Knight to question him.
Move Over Jesse, This Is Obama's House
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 22, 2008 1:01 PM CDT
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If threats of castration are any indication, Barack Obama has gotten under Jesse Jackson's skin, writes Shelby Steele in the Wall Street Journal . The Illinois senator has eclipsed the reverend by effectively becoming the anti-Jackson—rather than playing off moral leverage created out of white guilt, Obama "became the first viable black...
More Women Remove Tattoos Than Men
Washington Post
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Jul 22, 2008 12:46 PM CDT
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About 6% of tattoo recipients will eventually remove their ink, and the great majority of those are women, a new survey shows. Although women make up about half of the body art market, 69% of those undergoing laser removal are female, reports the Washington Post . That may be due to the social stigma of tattoos for women or negative comments directed...
Tab for Fannie, Freddie Bailout Pegged at $25B
MarketWatch
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Jul 22, 2008 12:39 PM CDT
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A federal bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will cost $25 billion, the Congressional Budget Office said today, but there’s a better than 50% chance no rescue will be needed. The plan sought by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson would extend an unlimited line of credit to the government-sponsored enterprises for the next 18 months, MarketWatch...
