Newser Story Index from August, 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.
Pakistan Rivals Agree to Debate Fate of Judges
Reuters
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Aug 22, 2008 12:31 PM CDT
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Pakistan's rival parties will debate next week whether to reinstate judges fired by ousted President Musharraf, a sign of compromise on an issue that has threatened to dissolve the ruling coalition, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, the nation's biggest party, the PPP, has nominated Benazir Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, to replace Musharraf. That makes...
Caroline: UK Ambassador?
Telegraph (UK)
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Aug 22, 2008 12:20 PM CDT
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Should Barack Obama win the presidency, he will reward Caroline Kennedy’s efforts by appointing her ambassador to Great Britain, predicts the Mandrake gossip column in London's Daily Telegraph . The payback would place JFK’s only surviving child in the position once held by her grandfather, patriarch Joe. He shot himself in the foot politically...
McCain's a Mystery Even to Himself
Washington Post
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Aug 22, 2008 12:10 PM CDT
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A mystery called John McCain lurks at the heart of the presidential race, Eugene Robinson writes in the Washington Post . The candidate remains "undefined" and "full of contradictions," Robinson writes. In fact, with McCain's bizarre admission that he isn't sure how many houses he has, "there are some basic things about McCain...
Brooks: Please Pick Biden
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 12:01 PM CDT
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Barack Obama's VP announcement is imminent, and the buzz about Joe Biden seems to be getting louder. David Brooks, for one, hopes it's true. The Times columnist writes that Biden's blue-collar Democratic roots, along with his honesty, loyalty, and experience put him far above the other rumored short-listers.
2 Chinese 'Songbirds' May Close Games Together
The Standard
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Aug 22, 2008 11:50 AM CDT
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Yang Peiyi, the 7-year-old songstress whom Chinese officials deemed better heard than seen during the Olympic opening ceremonies, may appear alongside her lip-syncing counterpart during Sunday’s closing ceremonies, the Hong Kong Standard reports. Organizers who claimed that the decision to replace Yang with a cuter girl was “in the national...
Bolt Claims 3rd Gold, Record
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 11:40 AM CDT
(AP) -
Usain Bolt earned a triple-triple of sprint gold medals and world records today, an unprecedented Olympic feat. With his giant strides, he ran a lighting final bend that set anchor Asafa Powell on the way to a record 37.10 seconds in the 4x100 meters, chopping a massive .30 off the mark the United States had held for 16 years.
Man Steals Identity to Fund Heart Surgery
Chicago Tribune
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Aug 22, 2008 11:30 AM CDT
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A Chicago man allegedly nicked the identity of a mentally disabled friend to fund a $350,000 heart bypass operation, say police. John Parsons, 57, was sure he would die without the surgery, said a relative; the alleged scam was uncovered after a caregiver began receiving copies of expenses billed to the man's Medicaid account. Mental-health advocates...
Phelps Lands Book Deal, Condo, Girl
New York Post
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Aug 22, 2008 11:15 AM CDT
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Michael Phelps hasn't exactly rested since his eighth medal triumph Saturday night: The swimming sensation not only signed a $1-million deal to pen a behind-the-scenes book on his training regimen and bought a $1.7 million Baltimore condo, he was caught in a steamy make-out session with Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice, reports the New York Post...
Texas Rep. Emerges as Darkhorse VP Finalist
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 11:06 AM CDT
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As the political world waits with bated breath for Barack Obama to name his running mate, a new name has entered the mix, and it's one no one has been talking about: Chet Edwards. The little-known Texas congressman is part of a tiny group of contenders who provided background documents to the campaign, the AP reports. Obama plans to appear with his...
Last Spice Mama: Sporty's Preggo
Daily Mail (UK)
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Aug 22, 2008 10:50 AM CDT
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Melanie Chisholm, a.k.a Sporty Spice, is the last of the Spice Girls to become pregnant, the Daily Mail reports. “I will need to take some time off to be a mum but, before you know it, we'll be back,” said Mel C, who was the sole Spice Girl without a tot in tow during a reunion tour last year. The 34-year-old's partner of 6 years is Thomas...
Kremlin Foe Denied Bid for Parole
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 10:40 AM CDT
(AP) -
A Russian court has rejected Mikhail Khodorkovsky's request for parole on Friday, ordering the jailed oil tycoon to serve out the remainder of his sentence in a ruling his lawyer called politically motivated. Khodorkovsky, the former head of Yukos oil company and once Russia's richest man, was sentenced to 8 years in a Siberian prison in 2005 for tax...
Maturing Iraqi Army Enabled US Troop Deal
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 22, 2008 10:40 AM CDT
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The US's preliminary agreement with Iraq to withdraw most combat troops by 2011 would have been unthinkable even a few months ago. Declining levels of violence, a ceasefire with the Mahdi Army, and the about-face of Sunni leaders have all helped, the Wall Street Journal reports, but for the administration, one factor trumps all others: the strengthening...
Russian Troops Leave Gori
Telegraph (UK)
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Aug 22, 2008 10:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Russian troops are finally leaving Gori, Georgian officials said today, with Russia promising that by tomorrow all Russian ground forces would be confined to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia intends to keep more than 2,000 troops stationed in the breakaway regions, which Georgia decries as unlawful “annexation.” A US general, meanwhile,...
Inflation Hurts US Workers; Europeans Keep Pace
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 22, 2008 10:20 AM CDT
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Workers in the US are falling behind inflation while their counterparts in the 15-nation Eurozone are keeping pace, in part because of more powerful unions, the Wall Street Journal reports. But rising wages may damage the European economies, as they deter companies from hiring and in turn boost inflation. When wages are indexed to prices, an inflationary...
Stefani Rocks With Second Son
People
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Aug 22, 2008 10:10 AM CDT
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The newest release from powerhouse couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale is brand-new baby boy Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale. Zuma, who weighed in yesterday at a strapping 8.5 pounds, joins Kingston, 2, who apparently gains more than just a little brother. "When the baby comes home, you've got to bring a really good present for Kingston," Rossdale...
Upshaw Hit Foes Hard, On Field and Off
ESPN
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Aug 22, 2008 10:00 AM CDT
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Gene Upshaw brought the same intensity to his position as head of the NFL players' union as he did to his role as an offensive guard for the Raiders, writes John Clayton for ESPN. "He talked tough and conceded little," says Clayton, crediting Upshaw and his unforgettable "We are the game" speeches of the 1980s for getting a revenue...
Stars Come Out for Obama
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 9:58 AM CDT
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With $2,300 checks, celebrities including Jamie Foxx, Lucy Liu, and Isaiah Washington showed their support for Barack Obama last night at a swanky Beverly Hills shindig, the AP reports. The Black and White Gala raised $200,000 for the Obama campaign from the deep pocketbooks of the likes of non-voting Brit Melanie Brown and former Hillary Clinton supporters...
Al Qaeda Claims Algeria Bombings
Reuters
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Aug 22, 2008 9:50 AM CDT
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The North African branch of al-Qaeda has claimed it was behind a pair of car bombs in Algeria that killed 12 this week, al-Jazeera reports. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb issued an audio recording of an official announcing responsibility for the attacks. The bombings were the latest in a series of attacks by the group, including a car bomb Tuesday...
UK Moves Near Recession as Growth Hits Zero
Financial Times (UK)
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Aug 22, 2008 9:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The British economy has ground to a halt, according to official figures, ending the longest period of growth in over a century. The nation's statistics office revised its estimate for first-quarter growth from 0.2 percent to zero—the first time it's been flat since 1992—sending the pound falling against the dollar and the euro. "Even...
Harvard Bumps Princeton in Top Colleges List
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 9:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Harvard has reclaimed sole possession of the top spot in the ever-controversial US News and World Report rankings for the first time in 12 years. Princeton slipped to second, with Yale in third and Stanford and MIT tied for fourth spot. The magazine rates the halls of learning based on factors like SAT scores, reputation, and selectivity .
Obama Flips 'Elitist' Tag Onto McCain
Washington Post
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Aug 22, 2008 9:22 AM CDT
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John McCain's inability to recall how many homes he owns could throw a wrench in his attempt to paint Obama as an elitist, the Washington Post reports. The furious back and forth between camps—the Obama team pounced and mocked, while McCain's charged hypocrisy and pulled out the Rezko card—ratcheted up the recent nasty tone and demonstrated...
US Men Take Gold in Beach Volleyball
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 9:12 AM CDT
(AP) -
The weather was more like California than China, and Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser played like they were right at home today in the Olympic beach volleyball final. In blazing sunshine at the Beijing Games venue nowhere near a real beach, Rogers and Dalhausser won the gold medal by beating Fabio and Marcio of Brazil 23-21, 17-21, 15-4.
Clinton Fans Say Her Support for Obama Tepid
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 9:06 AM CDT
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Yesterday Hillary Clinton gave a speech in Florida, site of her uncontested primary victory, and urged Democrats to vote for Barack Obama in November. But as the New York Times reports, many at the rally found her support for the presumptive nominee lukewarm at best. In a room full of her supporters, the sentiment prevailed that Clinton's performance...
At 840M Viewers, China TV Wins Global Attention
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 9:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
This year's Olympic opening ceremonies, perhaps the most watched television event in history, were a huge programming coup for CCTV, one of the main propaganda conduits for the Chinese government. CCTV has a larger audience than every major TV station in the US and Europe combined, writes the New York Times . And global companies seeking Chinese customers...
The Longshots Scores
Rotten Tomatoes
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Aug 22, 2008 8:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Longshots , a movie based on the true story of a girl who becomes a local football star, is “not nearly a touchdown—but not a fumble either,” writes Gary Goldstein in the Los Angeles Times . The film “is a likable enough Cinderella story, one whose heart is clearly in the right place, even if it winds up on its sleeve...
China Detains Americans Protesting Over Tibet
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 8:35 AM CDT
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Six Americans protesting China's rule over Tibet have been given 10-day detentions, in a rare instance of such punishments being meted out to visitors, the New York Times reports. Such extrajudicial detentions are common for Chinese dissidents, but foreigners at the Olympics have until now been quietly and instantly deported. Another four foreigners...
Noonan: Why McCain Is Rising
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 22, 2008 8:21 AM CDT
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The race for the White House has just become a “real” one, with John McCain climbing in the polls and Barack Obama sinking. Why? Because people are finally “paying attention,” writes Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal . In McCain, Americans are seeing a familiar face: the “POW senator” with a “prickly”...
Maddow Helps MSNBC Make Left Turn
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 8:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Rachel Maddow's promotion to prime-time at MSNBC more clearly draws the partisan lines among the cable networks, writes Brian Stelter of the New York Times : MSNBC on the left, Fox on the right, and CNN claiming middle ground. Now the big question: Will the Maddow move translate into more ads? It seems likely. Viewers seems drawn to outspoken views,...
Russia Roars, NATO Purrs
Washington Post
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Aug 22, 2008 7:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Russia had better watch its back. NATO has proven that if it goes around invading its neighbors, the world’s mightiest alliance will take action and…er… cancel the next NATO-Russia Council meeting. That’s the lone consequence NATO put forth in its statement on the “situation in Georgia,” a document that Charles...
Hallmark Introduces Gay-Marriage Cards
gayWired.com
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Aug 22, 2008 7:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hallmark has developed a line of four greeting cards themed for same-sex marriages, civil unions, and commitment ceremonies. The designs, in stores this summer, include two overlapping tuxedos, a cascade of rainbow-hued hearts, and a message, "Two hearts. One promise," reports Gaywire.com. "It's our goal to be inclusive rather than exclusive...
US Grabs BMX Silver, Bronze
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 6:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mike Day and Donny Robinson secured America's first medals in the men's BMX competition, placing second and third behind Latvia's Maris Strombergs. Injured teammate Kyle Bennett failed to make the finals, AP reports. In the women's race, Jill Kintner took advantage of crashes to move up into bronze position behind France's Anne-Caroline Chausson and...
Iraq Cracks Down on US-Allied Sunni Fighters
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 6:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq's Shiite-dominated government has begun a crackdown on groups of US-backed Sunni fighters, the New York Times reports. The government fears the fighters, part of what is called the Awakening movement, could be waiting to turn their guns on Shiites. In several parts of the country senior members have been arrested in recent weeks, and hundreds...
End of Tale for Baby Whale
The Australian
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Aug 22, 2008 5:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A lost baby humpback whale who broke the world's heart when it nuzzled ships near Sydney was put down today with an overdose of anesthetic, reports the Australian . Experts say the calf, dubbed Colin, had no chance of surviving. The whale had been attacked by sharks and needed several months of nursing, which Australian marine facilities could not...
Bush Rule Shields Docs Who Deny Women Abortions, Pill
Washington Post
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Aug 22, 2008 5:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care workers would have the right to refuse to provide abortion services, contraception or even information on preventing or ending pregnancies under a controversial new regulation issued by the Bush administration. The proposed rule would force hospitals, clinics and other health care providers to accommodate...
Toll Hits 70 in Pakistan Bombings
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 5:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The death toll in yesterday's twin suicide blasts in Pakistan has risen to 70 people as the tragedy continues to rattle the civilian government just days after the ouster of President Pervez Musharraf, the New York Times reports. Pakistan's Taliban has claimed responsibility for the bombings at the gates of the country's main weapons complex, and...
Boeing Threatens to Ditch Air Force Tanker Bid
Wall Street Journal
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Aug 22, 2008 4:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Boeing has warned the Pentagon it will pull out of the new bidding to build a fleet of air tankers unless it gets an extra four months to prepare a bid, the Wall Street Journal reports. A Boeing pullout would leave the Air Force with no competition for a $35 billion contract to replace 179 aging refueling planes.
IOC to Probe Chinese Gymnast's Age
Times (UK)
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Aug 22, 2008 3:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The International Olympic Committee has launched an investigation to determine if Chinese gymnastics gold medalist He Kexin is under the minimum age of 16, after a computer security expert turned up a document indicating that she's 14. Mike Walker yesterday posted an account of his search, in which he found official records listing her date of birth...
NY Sushi Sleuths Uncover Fishy Tricks
New York Times
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Aug 22, 2008 3:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two New York City high school students used DNA testing to uncover a bait-and-switch scam in local restaurants and fish markets, the New York Times reports. Fish being sold as prized white tuna turned out to be the much more common—and cheaper—Mozambique tilapia, while red snapper proved to be anything from cod to endangered Acadian redfish....
US Men Sweep 400
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 2:57 AM CDT
(Newser) -
LaShawn Merritt stunned teammate and rival Jeremy Wariner in the men's 400-meter race today, eclipsing the favorite by nearly a full second to take gold in the US medals sweep. Wariner, the defending champion, turned the final corner to find Merritt far in front of him, reports the Los Angeles Times . David Neville had to dive to secure bronze.
3 More Wall Street Firms Agree to Buy Back Securities
Financial Times (UK)
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Aug 22, 2008 2:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank have agreed to a settlement with New York's attorney general and other state regulators to buy back $14.5 billion of now worthless auction-rate securities. The brokerages will also pay $162 million in fines to settle charges that they misled investors into thinking the securities were as liquid as cash,...
Scientists Spot Crack at Top of the World
Associated Press
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Aug 22, 2008 1:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A huge crack—seven miles long and a half-mile wide—has opened in a northern Greenland glacier as an 11-square-mile chunk of ice appears to be breaking off. The phenomenon is occurring in the Northern Hemisphere's largest floating glacier, once thought largely immune to the effects of global warming, reports the AP. Scientists now predict...
Barr May Bring Libertarians Into Big Leagues
Reason Magazine
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Aug 21, 2008 9:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Though still far on the periphery of the American political scene, the Libertarian Party stands to reach unprecedented visibility with its nomination of former Republican congressman Bob Barr, writes David Weigel in Reason . By picking its "most well-known and politically astute" candidate—and one who doesn’t compromise its radical...
How the Decathlon Got Stuck in the Mud
Slate
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Aug 21, 2008 8:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Once upon a time, the decathlon was it : The king of Sweden called 1912 Olympic champ Jim Thorpe “the world’s greatest athlete, and gold medalists such as Bruce Jenner became superstars. So what happened? Drugs, Robert Weintraub writes in Slate: Track events occupy the same space as the Tour de France, "forever sullied, carrying a...
Obama Picks His VP— But He's Still Not Telling
USA Today
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Aug 21, 2008 7:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama says he's made his pick for vice president, but that all he's saying, USA Today reports. He won't even divulge whether his prospective running mate knows, or when the big announcement will come. "That's all you're going to get out of me," said Obama. Talking heads, meanwhile, continue to point to the top candidates as Joe Biden,...
Fay Brings Floods—and Gators
Associated Press
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Aug 21, 2008 7:03 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Florida residents bailing out amid four days of relentless rain from Tropical Storm Fay now have a more hair-raising worry: alligators and snakes. The storm has dumped about 30 inches of rain on the state this week, sending gators and others critters into flooded streets and neighborhoods in search of dry ground, the AP reports.
Mailed Threats Shut Down Two McCain Offices
Associated Press
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Aug 21, 2008 6:40 PM CDT
(AP) -
Two campaign offices of John McCain—one in a Denver suburb, the other in New Hampshire—were shut down today after they received threatening letters with an unidentified white powder, authorities say. No injuries have been reported, and staffers underwent medical checkups as a precaution. A government official said investigators suspect...
A Scrappy Scent Success Story
New York Times
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Aug 21, 2008 6:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
New fragrances are typically carefully managed, big-budget affairs. But 32-year-old Jessica Dunne has created old-fashioned hit perfumes with old-fashioned determination and hard work, the New York Times reports. A smart call to an iconic New York perfume shop, $100,000 of her savings, and a little help from friends helped Dunne corner a nostalgic...
Trouble the Water Vividly Mixes Katrina, Race
Salon
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Aug 21, 2008 5:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Trouble the Water , a new documentary, is ostensibly about Hurricane Katrina, centered around home-video footage shot during the disaster by a resident of New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. But the film, which frames Kimberly Roberts’ footage within a larger context, transcends that one event to put forth a peerless discussion of race in America,...
Iran Aims to Put a Man in Space
CBC (Canada)
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Aug 21, 2008 5:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Iran plans to send a manned mission into orbit within the next 10 years, the CBC reports. The news comes on the heels of a recent, and disputed, rocket launch the Iranians claim put a satellite, its first, into space. The country says its space presence would monitor weather and improve communications, but the international community is wary of military...
China Blocks iTunes Over Pro-Tibet Album
Telegraph (UK)
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Aug 21, 2008 5:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Chinese government has blocked access to Apple’s iTunes music store for providing free downloads of a pro-Tibet compilation to Olympic athletes, the Telegraph reports. Users reported a blackout Monday, shortly after the Campaign for Tibet notes that 40 Olympians had downloaded the record. Only the Chinese iTunes store is blocked, however—people...
