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.
Obama Rakes in $52M in June
Reuters
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Jul 17, 2008 8:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama is back up in the fundraising stratosphere, pulling in $52 million in June, the campaign said today. The total is just shy of the record $55 million he drew in February, and it more than laps John McCain’s $22 million take in June. The total lays to rest speculation that Obama was in for another down month after raising “only”...
Murdered Girl's Stepdad Indicted for Child Porn
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2008 8:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The former stepfather of murdered Vermont teenager Brooke Bennett has been indicted for child pornography, and may face obstruction of justice charges for the girl’s death, the AP reports. Raymond Gagnon was charged yesterday with both transporting child porn and having it on his computer.
Sarkozy Puts France on Speed
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2008 8:05 AM CDT
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His love life may be distracting and his poll ratings may be low, but Nicolas Sarkozy is "a tonic to his country and the most important European leader of his time," writes New York Times columnist Roger Cohen. In just 14 months the French president has led a sea change in foreign policy with the US, Israel, NATO, and North Africa. And...
An Outsider Becomes Poet Laureate
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2008 7:54 AM CDT
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Kay Ryan, a poet from Fairfax, Calif., with a reputation as an individualist, has been chosen as the nation's new poet laureate. The 62-year-old writer is known for her sly, concise verse that incorporates plays on words and uses intricate rhyme structures. Despite receiving many of the field's highest accolades, Ryan remains something of an outsider,...
Freed Terrorists Enjoy Hero's Welcome
Times (UK)
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Jul 17, 2008 7:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Freed terrorist Samir Qantar, who bludgeoned a 4-year-old child to death with the butt of his rifle in a raid on an Israeli community, was given a red-carpet and rose-petals hero's welcome yesterday by Lebanese president Michel Suleiman and Hezbollah leaders , reports the Times of London. Qantar, who has been in prison nearly 30 years, and four...
8 Afghan Civilians Killed in US-Led Airstrike
Reuters
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Jul 17, 2008 7:22 AM CDT
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Eight civilians were killed in a coalition airstrike targeting suspected militants in Afghanistan's western province of Farah, Reuters reports. The deaths occurred after American-led forces called for air backup during a roadside firefight Tuesday. A military statement said that officials "deeply regret any occurrence such as this." There...
Where Did the Material Girl Go?
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2008 7:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Madge might finally be easing into a different Madonna role: that of the mother figure in flowing, buttoned-up dresses. As unlikely as this sounds to those who remember the tutus, fingerless gloves, and infamous cone-bra, the most shocking thing about the Material Girl's recent outfits has been their lack of daring, reports the New York Times.
Maddy 'Suspect' Wins Libel Damages
Associated Press
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Jul 17, 2008 6:47 AM CDT
(AP) -
A man named by police as a suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann will collect $1 million in libel damages from a number of British newspapers in a deal expected to be announced today. Brit Robert Murat, 34, lived near the Portuguese resort where Maddy disappeared during a family vacation last year. Maddy's parents, also named...
Merrill Quits Talks to Move to Ground Zero
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2008 6:33 AM CDT
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Years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget, the project to rebuild Ground Zero took another blow as struggling brokerage Merrill Lynch—projected as an anchor tenant for one of four planned office buildings—ended talks with the Port Authority and developer Larry Silverstein, reports the New York Times .
Casino Panel Snagged Aid Intended for Katrina Victims
CNN
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Jul 17, 2008 5:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Household goods donated to help Hurricane Katrina victims instead ended up in the hands of 11 state agencies, including a gaming commission, CNN reports. FEMA stored 121 truckloads of items two years before handing them over to agencies like the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Leaders of groups helping Katrina victims were amazed when shown what the...
Ronnie Wood Rolls Into Rehab
Independent (UK)
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Jul 17, 2008 5:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rapidly aging rocker Ronnie Wood has checked back into rehab—his seventh time—for help with his drinking problem, the Independent reports. The 61-year-old Rolling Stone returned to the UK to straighten out, apparently in a bid to save his marriage. He had fled to Ireland with a 19-year-old Russian cocktail waitress. Woods had been drinking...
Fox: Jackson Used N-Word in Off-Air Obama Comments
ABC News
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Jul 17, 2008 4:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Red-faced civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has again had to apologize to the nation's first black presidential candidate, this time over his use of a racial slur in off-air comments during the taping of a FOX show, reports AP. Fox News confirmed that Jackson said Obama is "talking down to black people, telling n—s how to behave" after...
Absent Tiger Leaves Gaping Hole at British Open
Washington Post
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Jul 17, 2008 4:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tiger Woods is sitting out the PGA Tour in Florida but his overwhelming reputation still looms large over the 137th British Open, reports the Washington Post. The golf superstar's image appears on banners in the streets leading to the course and talk of his absence dominated pre-tournament interviews.
Egypt's Spymaster the Next President?
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 17, 2008 4:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As the 26-year reign of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak comes to a close, his likely successor is looking less like son Gamal, head of the benighted National Democratic Party, reports the Los Angeles Times . Instead, the man at the head of the country's foreign intelligence service, Omar Suleiman—"a diplomat's diplomat," with strong...
Iraq Backs Barack, Despite Pullout Fears
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2008 3:41 AM CDT
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Barack Obama is widely popular in Iraq, despite deep concerns about his plans to withdraw American troops, reports the New York Times . Iraqis around the country expressed admiration for Obama and believe he would be a major improvement over President Bush—but also worry that his proposed 16-month withdrawal timetable could reverse hard-fought...
'Creative' Bush Order Shields Cheney from Plame Probe
Newsweek
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Jul 17, 2008 3:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush has invoked an unprecedented executive privilege claim to bar FBI interviews with Dick Cheney from a congressional committee probing the leak that exposed Valerie Plame as a CIA agent, Newsweek reports. The Bush order argues that turning over the records of Cheney's grilling concerning the scandal would violate the president's right...
Menthol Used to 'Hook' Young Smokers: Study
Reuters
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Jul 17, 2008 2:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tobacco companies use menthol to make the taste of cigarettes more acceptable to young first-time smokers until they become addicted, a new study charges. Researchers found that 44% of child smokers used menthol cigarettes, reports Reuters. "Menthol stimulates the cooling receptors in the lungs," said an expert from the Harvard School of...
Drivers Order Big Extras for Small Cars
New York Times
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Jul 17, 2008 2:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
American drivers are ditching their SUVs for smaller vehicles in droves—but they're cramming in all the extra comforts they can, reports the New York Times . Buyers are spending thousands on bonus features such as heated leather seats and top entertainment systems. The trend gives a rare glimmer of hope to Detroit, which has always struggled...
Gene Raises AIDS Risk in Africa
Times (UK)
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Jul 16, 2008 10:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A gene extremely common among Africans but almost unknown other ethnic groups may be rendering people of sub-Saharan Africa more susceptible to HIV and AIDS, the Times of London reports. The gene variant—common because it provides malaria protection—makes carriers 40% more likely to contract HIV and could be responsible for 11%, or...
New Doping Scandal Taints Tour de France
Associated Press
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Jul 16, 2008 9:40 PM CDT
(AP) -
Just when the race was getting interesting at the Tour de France, another doping scandal erupted. The 11th-stage victory today by Norwegian veteran Kurt-Asle Arvesen took a back seat to the arrest of Spain's Moises Duenas Nevado after he tested positive for the banned performance enhancer EPO in the second doping bust this Tour.
Batman Already Selling Out
New York Post
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Jul 16, 2008 9:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The new Batman flick doesn't open until midnight tomorrow, but strong buzz for the movie—especially the performance of the late Heath Ledger—is already causing theaters across the US to sell out, the New York Post reports. Sites such as Fandango and MovieTickets.com report heavier volume for the Dark Knight than for any recent blockbuster...
Digital Rules Stymie Library of Congress
Ars Technica
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Jul 16, 2008 8:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Anti-copyright laws are irritating not only casual music listeners or movie watchers who want to back up their digital media—even the Library of Congress is butting heads with the rules that forbid the duplication of copyrighted works, Ars Technica finds. And though the library has pushed for changes in the law, the calls have met deaf ears on...
10 Computers That Changed Everything
LiveScience
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Jul 16, 2008 8:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Convenience is a given when it comes to today's PCs, but the machine you're reading this on has come a long way. Major transformations date as far back as the early 19th century. Live Science gives the back-story on 10 revolutionary computers. The Difference Engine, 1822: Designed by Charles Babbage but not built until decades later, today's...
No More Navel-Gazing; Go After McCain
Guardian (UK)
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Jul 16, 2008 8:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
There are two races for president this year, Michael Tomasky writes in the Guardian , “a race about Barack Obama and a race about what the GOP has done to the country.” And Obama would be well served to turn the focus to John McCain, whose recent gaffes have gone unanswered as the Democrat tries to make people vote for him—and not...
Putting Helms' Name on AIDS Bill the Ultimate Insult
Pandagon
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Jul 16, 2008 7:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A move by Sen. Elizabeth Dole to honor former Republican colleague Jesse Helms by adding his name to a bill that would combat AIDS has Pandagon blogger Pam Spaulding seeing red. "Dole spits in the face" of gay activists, Spaulding writes, by attaching the stridently anti-homosexual Helms to a measure that could save thousands of lives.
FBI Begins Fraud Probe of IndyMac Mortgages
Bloomberg
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Jul 16, 2008 7:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The FBI is investigating failed bank IndyMac for possible fraud related to its mortgage-lending business, Bloomberg reports. The agency is looking into whether the bank gave improper loans to people with shaky credit. It is working closely with the FDIC, which seized the bank's assets last week. IndyMac specialized in so-called Alt-A mortgages that...
Vacation Too Pricey? Try the Staycation
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 16, 2008 7:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Some Americans aren’t letting high fuel prices and a weak dollar get in the way of travel plans, the Wall Street Journa l finds. Wannabe wayfarers are taking the “staycation”—a holiday spent at home—to new heights of creativity, with one Bronx woman swapping a trip to Japan for a week in NYC complete with a tea ceremony,...
Europe Can't Wait for Obama
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 16, 2008 6:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Europe is brimming with excitement for the arrival of Barack Obama next week, but his supporters are hoping not to hurt him with too tight an embrace, the Los Angeles Times reports. British, French and German polls show strong support for Obama, but as the Guardian warned, “To be seen as Europe’s pet is the last thing a presidential...
Brown-Bag Boom Makes for Stinky Office Fridges
Chicago Tribune
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Jul 16, 2008 6:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A rise in brown-bag lunches is turning office fridges nationwide from a munchies Mecca into an oversized Petri dish—and workers are crying foul, the Chicago Tribune reports. Booming food prices and health concerns are increasing bring-your-own numbers, but the good stuff doesn't always get eaten. "I've found things like liquefied carrots,"...
McCain Camp Likens Obama —to Bush?
Huffington Post
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Jul 16, 2008 6:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The McCain camp borrowed a page from its rivals today with a new tack on Barack Obama: He looks a whole lot like George W. Bush. McCain's national security adviser took Obama to task for the rigidity of his Iraq strategy, the Huffington Post reports. "I think the American people have had enough of stubbornness and inflexibility in national security...
Amputee Racer Fails to Qualify for Olympics
Associated Press
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Jul 16, 2008 6:11 PM CDT
(AP) -
Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius fell short of the 400-meter qualifying time for the Olympics today, though his lifetime best run could yet get him to Beijing in the relay. The 21-year-old South African shrugged off the pre-race distraction of threatening legal action against the IAAF and finished third in his heat in 46.25 seconds. Though shy...
Andy Dick Faces Sex, Drug Charges
MTV
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Jul 16, 2008 5:56 PM CDT
(Newser) -
An "extremely intoxicated" Andy Dick pulled down the tank top and bra of a teenage girl outside a California restaurant, police say. The 42-year-old comedian faces a slew of charges, including sexual battery and public intoxication. Police found marijuana and the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in his pockets, MTV reports.
McCain's Elite Fundraisers Trump Obama's
USA Today
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Jul 16, 2008 5:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain appears to be more reliant on funds bundled by elite supporters than Barack Obama, USA Today reports. More than half of the Republican candidate’s receipts, or more than $75 million, came from donations assembled by about 500 top supporters. In contrast, Obama’s top 500 pulled in about $50 million, about 17% of his total.
Cybercrime Getting Organized
Ars Technica
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Jul 16, 2008 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
There’s serious money to be made in cybercrime, and its perpetrators are beginning to reflect that fact, Ars Technica reports. Lone hackers have been replaced with hierarchical organizations that divide the criminal risks inherent in stealing and reselling (usually financial) information. The cybercrime "firms" are growing steadily...
At $68 Per Day, London Parking Obscures Gas Prices
Economist
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Jul 16, 2008 5:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Besides skyrocketing gas prices, there's another reason to ditch your car: the steep cost of parking. The Economist breaks down the cities with the most expensive spots: London—$1,167 a month, $68 a day Sydney—$774.76 a month, $54.50 a day Hong Kong—$742.40 a month, $28.20 a day New York—$585 a month,...
'Foolish Consistency' Mars Obama Iraq Plan
Washington Post
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Jul 16, 2008 4:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The editors of the Washington Post are rankled that Barack Obama has the same position on exiting Iraq now—“with bloodshed at its lowest level since the war began”—as he did a year ago, “at the war’s peak.” His "iron timetable" of a 16-month withdrawal, seemingly "indifferent to the war's...
Senate Targets Ban on HIV- Positive Visitors
Associated Press
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Jul 16, 2008 4:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Senate moved today to repeal a ban on allowing immigrants and vistors who are HIV-positive to enter the country, the AP reports. The measure was part of a $50 billion bill to combat AIDS worldwide. The US is one of only a dozen countries—including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Libya—that forbids the entry of visitors with AIDS.
UK Immigration Rules Would Exclude This Man
Bloomberg
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Jul 16, 2008 4:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Strict new immigration rules aimed at attracting highly skilled workers to Britain would keep tech icons Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell from getting top-tier visas, Bloomberg notes, because they don't have college degrees. "It's a dumbing-down,'' one opponent says. "If you're a 20-something American with a bachelor's degree and you...
McCain's Foreign Policy Could Ignite Cold War II
New Republic
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Jul 16, 2008 4:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain’s foreign policy—“combustible” and “idealist”—could provoke a second Cold War, pitting the world’s democracies against its autocracies, John Judis writes in the New Republic —at best creating “gratuitous tensions” and at worst wholly “reproducing” the USSR-US...
Hatch Pens Ditty for Teddy
Boston Globe
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Jul 16, 2008 3:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Orrin Hatch is not only a veteran senator but also a songwriter, and he’s put pen to paper again—this time for longtime friend Ted Kennedy, who’s battling cancer. The Utah Republican was approached by several senior Democrats, and the resulting song, Headed Home, could be played at the Democratic convention next month as a symbol...
All 3 Network Anchors Will Travel Abroad With Obama
Washington Post
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Jul 16, 2008 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Charlie Gibson, Katie Couric and Brian Williams will all be part of Barack Obama’s foreign trip that begins later this week, Howard Kurtz reveals in the Washington Post —as the Dem’s campaign impressively “draws the anchors halfway around the world by offering access.” The ABC, CBS and NBC anchors will interview the candidate...
Markets Surge on Oil, Financials
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 16, 2008 3:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The markets rallied big today, as the price of oil fell for a second day and financials regained some of the ground lost in recent chaotic sessions, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow gained 276.74 to go back over the 11,000 mark, at 11,239.28. The Nasdaq rose 69.14, settling at 2,284.85, and the S&P 500 gained 30.45, closing at 1,245.36.
Microsoft Meets With AOL to Explore Possible Deal
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 16, 2008 3:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Microsoft will sit down today with executives from Time Warner's AOL to explore a joint venture between the two companies, reports the Wall Street Journal. The software giant is looking for alternatives to its failed Yahoo buyout. Microsoft and Time Warner have been considering a deal for months, though no specifics have been ironed out. Yahoo, meanwhile,...
'Ferocious Kind of Love' Behind Times -Bashing
Vanity Fair
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Jul 16, 2008 3:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It seems these days everyone’s got a beef with the New York Times these days, so Vanity Fair set out to find out why, asking a panel of experts their thoughts. Simple envy is the primary culprit, some say; others cite "a ferocious kind of love"; the paper's "holier-than-thou" stance, even as it's in decline, also proved...
NFL Looks for Gang Signs on Game Tapes
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 16, 2008 2:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The NFL is hiring experts to pore over game tapes looking for players flashing gang signs, the Los Angeles Times reports. “There have been some suspected things we've seen,” said a league security official; one former player's not so sure: "People have got signs for their kids, signs for their fraternities. How do you differentiate...
McCain Again Banking on Reform Rep
Politico
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Jul 16, 2008 2:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After shying away from the issue for some time, John McCain is returning to his credentials as a crusader for campaign-finance reform, Politico notes. In an attempt to woo independent voters, the Republican is underlining his reputation as a Washington reformer, while coping with flak from small-government conservatives within his party—comparing...
MillerCoors Taps Chicago for New Headquarters
Chicago Tribune
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Jul 16, 2008 2:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Chicago will be home to the new corporate headquarters of beer conglomerate MillerCoors, the Tribune reports. The Windy City edged out Dallas to serve as a neutral location for the nerve center of Denver-based Molson Coors and Milwaukee-based Miller. Chicago attracted MillerCoors because it has "access to an attractive base of talent, transportation...
US Smacked by the Invisible Hand
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 16, 2008 2:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Are we losing confidence in market mechanisms? Years of unfettered free markets contributed to the current gloomy economic situation, and even the market-championing White House has lurched into government regulation of the financial world, the Los Angeles Times reports. With housing prices falling and oil prices rising, “the message that Americans...
Official's Knock Irks Amputee Sprinter
New York Times
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Jul 16, 2008 2:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Lawyers for double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius responded aggressively after a track and field official recommended South Africa exclude him from its Olympic relay squad "for reasons of safety," the New York Times reports. Pistorius, 23, “reserves all rights and remedies” if track's governing body doesn't retract, noting...
Boy-Band Promoter to Repay $300M
Associated Press
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Jul 16, 2008 1:47 PM CDT
(AP) -
Lou Pearlman and federal authorities have finally agreed on how much the former boy band promoter swindled from banks and investors in a decades-long scam: a staggering $300 million. That's how much the creator of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync will have to pay, at a minimum, in restitution for the fraud conviction for which he's serving a 25-year...
