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.
Iraq Athletes Back in Beijing Games
BBC
|
Jul 29, 2008 9:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq can send athletes to the Olympics after all, but only two will be able to make the trip. The International Olympic Committee reversed its decision today to ban Iraq from the Games after Baghdad vowed to ensure the independence of its Olympics panel. Iraq will send a discus thrower and a sprinter to Beijing. Five other hopefuls in other sports...
Extreme Makeover Home Goes Into Foreclosure
Washington Post
|
Jul 29, 2008 8:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A house constructed for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is up for auction after the owners lost the building to foreclosure. The Atlanta home, the biggest built on the show, was collateral for a now-overdue $450,000 loan. The foreclosure represents a comeuppance not only for its owners but for the country as a whole, writes Hank Stuever in...
LA Escapes Big Quake Damage
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 8:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Residents of LA are letting out a collective 'Phew!" in the wake of today's 5.4 magnitude quake that rattled buildings and nerves but appeared to cause relatively little damage. Reports of minor injuries were surfacing, but no major structural problems—of the sort to compromise buildings and roads—have arisen. By late afternoon, a...
Send Blue Dogs to Pound, Elect Real Democrats
Salon
|
Jul 29, 2008 7:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Democratic Congress has bowed to President Bush on Iraq, waterboarding and FISA, and Glenn Greenwald of Salon says enough is enough. With the help of progressive bloggers, he’s campaigning against so-called “Blue Dog” Dems, hoping to teach the party’s conservatives that they will “lose seats … the more they accommodate...
Smoking Makes Obama Human ... If a Bad Role Model
Minneapolis Star Tribune
|
Jul 29, 2008 6:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If Barack Obama—an on-again, off-again smoker who says he's off again—fails in his attempt to quit, he could be the first president to enjoy a regular puff since FDR, who lit up long before the anti-smoking movement swept America. One watcher tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune the habit could make Obama “more human”—as...
House Measure Apologizes for US Slavery
Associated Press
|
Jul 29, 2008 6:15 PM CDT
(AP) -
The House has apologized to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws. Today's resolution marks the first time Congress has ever formally apologized for America's past history of enslaving and discriminating against blacks.
Angels Land Slugger Teixeira
Associated Press
|
Jul 29, 2008 5:40 PM CDT
(AP) -
The Los Angeles Angels acquired slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira from the Atlanta Braves today, a trade that further bolsters the team with the best record in the major leagues. The Angels—who entered tonight's games with a whopping 11½-game lead in the American League West and are clearly aimed at making a World Series run—sent...
Accomplice Helping Cops in Kidnap Case
Boston Globe
|
Jul 29, 2008 5:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As more details emerge about the man thought to have kidnapped his 7-year-old daughter in Boston on Sunday, police said today the driver of the SUV used in the abduction is cooperating with the investigation, the Globe reports. Police believe Clark Rockefeller—one of several names the man uses—and Reigh Storrow Boss could be aboard his...
Seattle Slaps 20¢ Fee on All Grocery Bags
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
|
Jul 29, 2008 5:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Seattle has staked out its spot atop the greener-than-thou pecking order by approving a 20-cent-per-bag fee that applies to both paper and plastic, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. The move is expected to cut disposable-bag use in half. "The best way to reduce waste is not to create it, and today, we have made that a little easier in...
Ex-Pentagon Official Eying Iraq Oil Deal
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 29, 2008 4:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Former Pentagon official Richard Perle is on board with a consortium seeking to drill for oil in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, the Wall Street Journal reports—though both Baghdad and Washington want a national oil law passed before regional business is done. The Iraq war backer denies that he’s involved with that outfit, said to include...
New Drug Twice as Effective Against Alzheimer's: Study
Chicago Tribune
|
Jul 29, 2008 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A new treatment could slow Alzheimer’s patients’ mental decline twice as fast as current drugs, the Chicago Tribune reports. A recent study found that the treatment—a chemical known commercially as “rember” that has been previously used to treat other conditions, and in blue dye—significantly reduces the rate of...
In Alaska, GOP Algebra Is Now Calculus
Washington Post
|
Jul 29, 2008 4:29 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ted Stevens’ indictment radically changes the landscape in Alaska’s US Senate race, Chris Cillizza writes in the Washington Post . The octogenarian is one of six candidates in the Aug. 26 GOP primary, and it's too late to remove him from the running. The party's best-case scenario would be for Stevens to win and then step aside.
Court Overturns Whole Foods' '07 Merger
Austin American-Statesman
|
Jul 29, 2008 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A federal appeals court today overturned a ruling that allowed Whole Foods to buy out rival grocer Wild Oats, the Austin-American Statesman reports. The merger was completed last summer, and Whole Foods has since closed 12 Wild Oats stores, sold off 35 others, and is renovating the rest—making unclear how a reversal of the deal would be executed.
Step Away From the Green Lobster Goop
Boston Globe
|
Jul 29, 2008 4:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Many people consider tomalley, the green substance inside lobsters, a delicacy—but the FDA doesn't. The agency is warning tomalley fans that the crustaceans' internal organs can contain dangerous levels of a specific toxin, the Boston Globe reports. Eating tomalley from Atlantic lobsters can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, which can lead...
Mysteries of Glass Still Unbreakable
New York Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 3:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Although it’s all around us, scientists have fairly little idea why, exactly, glass behaves the way it does, the New York Times reports in an examination of the ongoing debate over the curious properties of the commonplace substance. The mystery hinges on why the molecular arrangement of glass is similar to a liquid, despite obviously possessing...
Natural Gas Fuels La. 'Gold Rush'
New York Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 3:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The energy crunch is a positive in at least one area, which lies above what may be the largest natural gas supply in the Lower 48. As energy companies buy up real estate, some residents of the south-central US find themselves suddenly flush with money, and some are even becoming millionaires, the New York Times reports from De Soto Parish, La.
AIDS Infection Rate Steady, But Deaths Decline
Bloomberg
|
Jul 29, 2008 3:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Although global AIDS infection rates have remained constant, deaths from the disease dropped by 10% last year as more patients got access to drugs, the United Nations finds. The UN attributes the drop in deaths—from 2.7 million to 2 million—to better help for HIV-positive mothers, increased condom use, and fewer teens having sex before...
Financials Key Big Turnaround
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 29, 2008 3:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Investors, cheered by Merrill Lynch’s attempt to regain its financial footing, plowed ahead today despite ugly news on housing prices and consumer confidence, the Wall Street Journal reports. The rally helping the major indices recoup yesterday’s losses—and then some. The Dow was up 266.48 to 11,397.56; the Nasdaq rose 55.40 to...
Crouching Tiger Star Stumped by China Protests
Associated Press
|
Jul 29, 2008 3:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actress Zhang Ziyi is perplexed by the pre-Olympic protests over China's human rights record, the AP reports. She told a Vogue interviewer she doesn't understand why people were being "so negative" ahead of the Beijing Games. "The Games are about friendship," Zhang said. "I'm Chinese and I'm...
Japan Cools Down with Fizzy Eel Energy Drink
Associated Press
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A new fizzy, yellow-colored canned drink is hitting shelves in Japan this month, and it contains an unusual ingredient—eel. Unagi Nobori , or "Surging Eel," is made from the extracts from the head and bones of eel and five vitamins. "It's mainly for men who are exhausted by the summer's heat," a company spokesman tells the...
America Tops Wish List for Foreign Tourists
Reuters
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The plummeting dollar has tourists punching their tickets for the US, according to Lonely Planet’ s latest rankings. America came out ahead in voting for the country travelers were most likely to visit next, Reuters reports, knocking Australia—tops since 2004—from its perch.
Bankruptcy Shutters Bennigan's, Steak & Ale
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a move that has hundreds of restaurants closed and thousands of workers laid off, casual-dining chains Bennigan’s and Steak & Ale filed for bankruptcy today, the Wall Street Journal reports. Sources say the restaurants’ parent company—which violated a lending agreement this year—had put off declaring bankruptcy for...
Leonardo Lifted from Chinese, Historian Claims
Reuters
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Leonardo da Vinci’s renowned mechanical drawings were derived from Chinese originals brought to Europe decades before he was born, a British amateur historian contends in a new book. “This was the spark that really ignited the Renaissance,” Gavin Menzies tells Reuters, a claim that could force “agonizing reappraisal of the Eurocentric...
Ted Stevens Indicted on 7 Felony Counts
Anchorage Daily News
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A federal grand jury in Washington has indicted Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens on 7 felony counts of making false statements in connection with a 4-year-long corruption probe, the Anchorage Daily News reports. The 84-year-old Republican is charged with failing to report on Senate financial disclosure forms gifts of more than $250,000 from Veco Corp., an...
Insiders' Pick as McCain Running Mate: Portman
Washington Post
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ex-Congressman and ex-OMB director Rob Portman has much to offer John McCain as a running mate, writes Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza. "If Washington-based political operatives picked the vice president, Portman would have it hands down" because he's "that rare breed of politician who is equally conversant—and skilled—at...
Quake Rattles Southern Calif.
Associated Press
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:08 PM CDT
(AP) -
A moderate earthquake shook Southern California at 11:42am local time today. The quake was felt from Los Angeles to San Diego, and slightly in Las Vegas, the AP reports. Preliminary information from the US Geological Survey estimated the quake at magnitude 5.8, centered 29 miles east-southeast of downtown Los Angeles, near Chino Hills.
Pols Try to Curb Enthusiasm for Ped-Texting
Chicago Tribune
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:07 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Though walking and texting is commonplace for many Americas, experts and politicians are considering whether the increased risk of walking into a mailbox—or oncoming traffic—is worth the convenience. A bill to make the practice illegal is working through the Illinois legislature, the Chicago Tribune reports, with advocates citing a growing...
The Weirdest Sporting Events
Times (UK)
|
Jul 29, 2008 2:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If curling strikes you as a strange sport, you've obviously never heard of wife carrying or bottle kicking. The London Times explores the weirdest pastimes from across the globe: Wife-carrying, Maine, USA: Wives hang on for dear life as husbands tote them through an obstacle course, upside-down. Winners receive the wife's weight in beer. ...
Candidates Shift Focus to Economy, Center Ground
ABC News
|
Jul 29, 2008 1:48 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The presidential hopefuls are turning their focus to the home front—and the economy in particular—in the wake of Barack Obama's foreign trip, ABC News reports. John McCain criticized America's dependence on foreign oil yesterday while speaking in front of an oil derrick in California, while Obama hosted a forum of economic heavyweights...
Houston Too Ornery to Recycle
New York Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 1:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
While other Texas cities are working hard to separate their garbage, Houston still considers recycling to be sissy stuff, earning the oil town the worst recycling rate of 30 top US cities. Houston recycles just 2.6% of its trash, the New York Times reports, while San Francisco is at 69%, and New York 34%, by comparison. Environmental advocates are...
Evangelicals to McCain: No Romney
Washington Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 1:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Evangelicals do not want John McCain to pick Mitt Romney as his running mate, and they’re not being quiet about it, the Washington Times reports, with Mike Huckabee fans particularly in oppostion. “McCain and Romney would be like oil and water,” one says, citing the former Massachusetts governor’s flip-flops on issues like...
Congress Moves to Ban Toxin Found in Toys
Washington Post
|
Jul 29, 2008 1:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Congressional negotiators have agreed to ban a group of toxins common in children’s toys, part of a consumer-protection bill, the Washington Post reports. The ban mirrors tougher standards at big retailers like Wal-Mart and Toys R Us, and, like those bans, wouldn’t take effect until after the holiday season. President Bush opposes the...
Pre-Olympics Eclipse May Give Chinese Jitters
AFP
|
Jul 29, 2008 12:58 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Eager to shake its reputation for being superstitious, China will be downplaying a total solar eclipse—once seen as a portent of disaster—Aug. 1, a week before the Beijing Olympics, AFP reports. Feng shui and astrology experts are predicting that the eclipse, visible in China but not Beijing, will bring market turbulence, and maybe small-scale...
Flickr Users Help ID Archival Photos
USA Today
|
Jul 29, 2008 12:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Flickr users are helping the Library of Congress identify photos in its historical archives, reports USA Today . So far, users have supplied information on 500 photos featured in Flickr's "The Commons" project, which drew 8.2 million views in just 6 months. Both partners are "stunned by the level of knowledge and also the generosity"...
Donaghy Gets 15 Months in Gambling Rap
Sporting News
|
Jul 29, 2008 12:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tim Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in prison today for his role in the NBA gambling scandal, the Sporting News reports, a step down from the 27-33 months recommended by federal guidelines. Donaghy’s lawyers argued that the disgraced referee—who admitted to betting on games he officiated in pleading guilty to wire fraud and other charges—couldn’t...
In Politicizing Justice, 'Appalling' Betrayal
Washington Post
|
Jul 29, 2008 12:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
New confirmation that the Justice Department used political criteria in hiring for career positions shouldn’t just outrage the maybe-liberals they discriminated against, derailing careers because they were gay, say, or had a wife who was a Democrat, a former Clinton administration official writes in the Washington Post . It’s a major blow...
Pelosi: 'I Am Not Giving the Gavel Away to Anyone'
Politico
|
Jul 29, 2008 12:18 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Newly minted author Nancy Pelosi launched her book tour this week, and one of the first stops is a sit-down with Politico. Of her hard-nosed blockade of GOP attempts to authorize offshore drilling, she says, “I’m trying to save the planet. I will not have this debate trivialized by their excuse for their failed policy.”
Va. Gov. Kaine Rises to Top of Obama VP Pool
Washington Post
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is in “very serious” talks about a spot on the Democratic ticket, sources tell the Washington Post . The 50-year-old has joined Sens. Evan Bayh, Joe Biden and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Barack Obama’s shortlist, bringing outsider credentials though no experience in foreign affairs, which is perceived...
Cops Name Model in Brothel Bust
New York Daily News
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
NYPD vice unit cops have busted 23-year-old model Sabrina Johansson for allegedly helping run a brothel out of an upscale Manhattan strip club, the New York Daily News reports. Police claim Johansson, who has appeared in an Avril Lavigne music video as well as on the Tyra Banks Show , was collecting nightly fees from the club’s dancers.
'68 Olympics Salute Shouldn't Be Glorified
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Last week ESPN honored athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos, famous for their ‘black power’ salute at the ’68 Olympic games, with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the network’s ESPYs award ceremony. LA Times commentator Jonah Goldberg outlines what he considers the highly dubious implications of the award, which he...
EPA Staffers Told to Keep Quiet in Memo
CNN
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In what some officials fear is a sign of secrecy and political meddling, an email to Environmental Protection Agency staff asked that they not answer questions from journalists, the Government Accountability Office, or its own inspector general, CNN reports. In the email, which an environmental workers’ group called a “gag order,”...
Lopez Lands Extra Anchor Slot
Variety
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mario Lopez will become the solo anchor for Extra when the entertainment news show’s 15th season kicks off in September, Variety reports. The former weekend co-host, best known for his stints on Dancing With the Stars and the teen sitcom Saved By the Bell , replaces Dayna Devon and Mark McGrath, the Sugar Ray frontman who’s returning...
Amnesty: China Broke Promises of Free Speech
Bloomberg
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Ten days ahead of the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony, Amnesty International charged that China hasn’t welched on promises of freedom for activists and journalists it made when it was awarded the Games. “The Chinese authorities are tarnishing the legacy of the Games,” said a rep who called for the release of “imprisoned...
US, Iraqi Forces Launch Major Offensive
Associated Press
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:05 AM CDT
(Newser) -
US and Iraqi forces have launched a major operation in Diyala province, which they consider the last major refuge for insurgents near Baghdad, the AP reports. Authorities have set up new checkpoints and banned all but official traffic as troops zero in on the capital city of Baquba, hoping to replicate their successes in Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra.
Home Prices Fall Again; Rate of Decline Sets Record
New York Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 11:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Home prices continued to nosedive in May, a signal that the housing crisis may be worsening and a red flag for the credit markets and Wall Street, reports the New York Times. Every region covered by the S&P/Case-Schiller home-price index showed a drop compared to May 2007, with the rate of decline setting a record for the 21-year-old metric.
Facebook Y-A-N-K-S Scrabulous
PC Magazine
|
Jul 29, 2008 10:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Facebook took down the wildly popular ‘Scrabulous’ this morning, PC Magazine reports, following a legal attack against the game's creators by the rights holders of Scrabble. The site finally folded to pressure after receiving a takedown notice from Hasbro, as well as Mattel, which owns international rights to the original Scrabble.
US Attorney: I Was Fired Over Gay Rumors
Los Angeles Times
|
Jul 29, 2008 10:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One of the US attorneys fired in the 2006 sweep by Alberto Gonzales' Justice Department says she believes rumors of a lesbian relationship with a top prosecutor cost her the job and derailed the prosecutor’s career. “I am persuaded with deep regret that this is what was the basis,” Margaret Chiara told the Los Angeles Times after...
Oprah School Matron Pleads Not Guilty
Reuters
|
Jul 29, 2008 10:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The former dorm matron at Oprah Winfrey’s $40 million Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa pleaded not guilty to abuse charges today, Reuters reports. Virginia Mokgoba, 27, was charged in November with assault, harassment, soliciting a minor to perform indecent acts, and verbal abuse. Testimony from six teenage victims is expected Friday...
Obama Will Plunge US Into Recession
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 29, 2008 10:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s campaign promises on the economy—particularly on taxes and trade—would be a disaster for Americans at all income levels, an adviser to the first President Bush writes in the Wall Street Journal . On “tax, spending, energy, regulatory, and trade policy, if the proposals espoused by candidate Obama ever became...
Ambitious Director Revives the Louvre
BusinessWeek
|
Jul 29, 2008 10:04 AM CDT
(Newser) -
France's publicly funded museums once eschewed the big-money efforts that are common in American art institutions. Not anymore. BusinessWeek profiles Henri Loyrette, the ambitious director of the Louvre in Paris, who has coaxed major corporations to pony up cash, rented out its galleries for the filming of The Da Vinci Code , and reaped millions...
