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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.

OJ's Kid Decks Him in Brawl Over Girl
New York Daily News | Aug 28, 2008 8:40 AM CDT
(Newser) - OJ Simpson's eldest daughter Arnelle knocked her dad to the ground during a family squabble at his Florida home, reports the New York Daily News . Arnelle, 39, was furious at Simpson for dishing out money to boozy girlfriend Christie Prody and shoved him down, according to sources. She called 911 after the fight. Her 61-year-old pop suffered a minor...
EU Threatens Sanctions on Russia
Guardian (UK) | Aug 28, 2008 8:21 AM CDT
(Newser) - The European Union is considering sanctions against the Great Bear over its incursion into Georgia, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said today, as EU leaders head to an emergency summit. And a Russian plea for support from the East was strongly rebuffed by members of an Asian alliance that includes China, the Guardian reports. 
Rove to Lieberman: Drop the VP Run
Politico | Aug 28, 2008 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Preaching to the GOP from his Fox News seat isn't enough for Karl Rove, Politico reports. The ex-Bush strategist called Joe Lieberman last week to convince him to withdraw his name from VP consideration; Lieberman laughed off the call and hasn't called it quits just yet. Rove's guy is Mitt Romney. “Rove is pushing Romney so aggressively some...
China Makes $3B Deal to Develop Iraqi Oil
Associated Press | Aug 28, 2008 7:45 AM CDT
(AP) - China and Iraq have dusted off an oil deal that was in the works before the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, giving China the rights to develop the Ahdab field, reports the AP. The agreement—which has grown from an estimated $1.2 billion to $3 billion—was originally struck by the Saddam Hussein government in 1997, to take effect once UN sanctions...
US, Pakistan Hold Secret Security Meet
New York Times | Aug 28, 2008 7:24 AM CDT
(Newser) - A group of top US and Pakistani military officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and David Petraeus, met in secret aboard an aircraft carrier Tuesday to discuss the deteriorating situation along the Afghan border, the New York Times reports. The US has been frustrated lately by the Taliban’s ever-growing capabilities—particularly...
From Rockies, Dems Can See Their Future
New Yorker | Aug 28, 2008 7:06 AM CDT
(Newser) - The past few years have shown a surprising trend toward a Democratic preference in the Mountain West, but that doesn’t mean voters are embracing the party line, Ryan Lizza writes in the New Yorker . Governors like Colorado’s Bill Ritter—who gained office on a coalition more of new industries and freethinkers than labor and minorities—have...
Phelps to Kick Off SNL Opener
E! Online | Aug 28, 2008 6:41 AM CDT
(Newser) - Super swimmer Michael Phelps will be trying his hand at making comedy gold as host of the season premier of Saturday Night Live , E! Online reports. The 23-year-old Olympic champ will be making his acting debut when the program's 34th season kicks off September 13. The swimmer will be joined by musical guest Lil' Wayne.
Former London Mayor Will Advise Chávez
BBC | Aug 28, 2008 6:08 AM CDT
(Newser) - Ken Livingstone, London's mayor from 2000 until his election defeat this May, has found a new job: consultant to Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez. "Red Ken," who has long been a supporter of the socialist president, will advise pro-government mayors on urban planning, reports the BBC. Last year Livingstone cut an oil deal with Chávez...
ABC Producer Busted Filming DNC Bigwigs
ABC News | Aug 28, 2008 5:37 AM CDT
(Newser) - An ABC News producer was busted in Denver while filming senators and big donors leaving a hotel meeting near the Democratic National Convention. He was manhandled into traffic by a sheriff's deputy, handcuffed and hauled away on charges of interference, trespass, and failure to obey a lawful order, reports ABC News.
Swiss Pardon Europe's Last Executed Witch
Independent (UK) | Aug 28, 2008 4:56 AM CDT
(Newser) - It's 226 years too late to restore her head to her body but the Swiss have decided to restore the good name of convicted witch Anna Goeldi, the Independent reports. Goeldi, the last person in Europe to be executed for witchcraft, was tortured and killed after being accused of casting spells to make a young girl convulse and spit pins.
Masterful Bill Gets Convention on Track
Wall Street Journal | Aug 28, 2008 4:36 AM CDT
(Newser) - Bill Clinton has made the case for Barack Obama better than anybody else at the Democratic Convention, Peggy Noonan writes in the Wall Street Journa l . "Crazy, red-faced Rageholic" Bill was absent and in his place was a masterful statesman, who delivered a "great tee-up" up for Obama's acceptance speech tonight, where the choice...
New Orleans Braces for Gustav With Still-Weak Shield
Times-Picayune (New Orleans) | Aug 28, 2008 4:08 AM CDT
(Newser) - A nervous New Orleans is bracing for Gustav, well aware that weak spots in the city's hurricane barrier could lead to catastrophic flooding if the storm strikes, reports the Times-Picayune . Some $13 billion in work remains to be done before the city can be considered relatively well-protected. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has already declared a state...
Rap Mogul Busted in Gal Pal Knife Fight
Las Vegas Sun | Aug 28, 2008 3:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - The rap king with a mile-long rap sheet has been busted again. Hip-hop mogul Suge Knight was arrested on domestic violence charges after cops found him threatening his girlfriend with a knife, authorities said. The Death Row Records co-founder spent the day behind bars before posting $19,000 bail, reports the Las Vegas Sun . Knight, who was also charged...
US Shipping Foreign Fighters to Home Prisons
New York Times | Aug 28, 2008 3:14 AM CDT
(Newser) - The US has stepped up efforts to return foreign fighters captured in Iraq and Afghanistan to their homelands, the New York Times reports. More than 200 detainees have been turned over to security services in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other countries as the military works to empty its controversial secret prisons—and dodge continuing problems...
Top Execs Booted at Fannie Mae
Bloomberg | Aug 28, 2008 2:48 AM CDT
(Newser) - Battered mortgage-finance provider Fannie Mae has ousted three top executives in a bid to boost investor confidence, Bloomberg reports. Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd is replacing his chief officers for finance, business and risk management as he struggles to prove that the company has enough capital to ride out the remainder of the mortgage crisis that...
Scientists Reprogram Adult Cells
Washington Post | Aug 28, 2008 2:20 AM CDT
(Newser) - In a stunning medical advance, scientists have found a way to transform an adult cell in a living animal into an entirely different type of cell. The development is another step toward freeing the field of regenerative medicine from the controversies of stem-cell research. Harvard biologists discovered three key molecular switches that converted common...
Lesbian Rights Pioneer Dies
San Francisco Chronicle | Aug 28, 2008 1:59 AM CDT
(Newser) - Veteran lesbian rights pioneer Del Martin has died in San Francisco at age 87. Martin, founder of one of the first gay rights organizations, Daughters of Bilitis, had been in declining health for years, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. She and her partner were among the first same sex couples in California to marry.
McCain Picks Running Mate, But He's Not Telling Yet
Politico | Aug 27, 2008 10:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain has picked his running mate, but he's not telling just yet, Politico reports. McCain will reportedly inform his vice-presidential pick tomorrow, then unveil his choice to the nation on Friday. The two are then expected to campaign in battleground states this weekend, ahead of the GOP convention on Monday. Speculation remains centered on...
Biden: McCain 'Doesn't Get It'
CNN | Aug 27, 2008 10:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - Joe Biden accepted his party's nomination to be vice president tonight, then took to the podium to pound the theme that John McCain will offer nothing more than a third Bush term, CNN reports. "John McCain doesn't seem to get it," said Biden, stressing his own humble roots and decrying the dire financial straits of blue-collar families. "Americans...
FAA Delays: Same Problem, No Solutions
Portfolio | Aug 27, 2008 8:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - A software glitch that left thousands of passengers delayed or stranded at US airports yesterday is becoming a familiar problem with the Federal Aviation Administration, Kevin Kelleher writes in Portfolio . Pretty much the same thing—a cascade of overloaded servers—happened last week, and last year. "With 20-20 hindsight, the FAA...
Bill Clinton: 'Obama Is Ready'
MSNBC | Aug 27, 2008 8:29 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bill Clinton tonight delivered a forceful endorsement of Barack Obama, saying that the newly anointed nominee is ready and able to undo the damage of the Bush administration. "Barack Obama is the man for this job," said Clinton, who had feuded with his wife's rival throughout the primaries. He echoed Hillary's speech of last night by calling...
Chefs Going Underground to Test Limits
New York Times | Aug 27, 2008 7:52 PM CDT
(Newser) - Across the country, stealthy foodies are dropping coin and risking, if not imprisonment, then a strong reprimand, to dine at so-called “underground restaurants,” the New York Times reports. Intrepid chefs are experimenting with creative recipes in communal settings, skipping from apartment to apartment, often just steps ahead of local...
BBC Denies Spouting Government's Qaeda Line
Guardian (UK) | Aug 27, 2008 7:26 PM CDT
(Newser) - Similarities between a leaked British government document and a recent BBC report on al-Qaeda’s waning support are just that, the broadcaster said today in denying its editorial independence had been dented. A report leaked to the Guardian talked of pushing material through UK media channels to suggest al-Qaeda is weakening; the BBC show suggested...
Army School Gets Dropouts Ready to Serve
Associated Press | Aug 27, 2008 6:50 PM CDT
(Newser) - The US Army today opened its first prep school to prepare high school dropouts for military service, the AP reports. With wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and not enough eligible recruits, the Army wants unqualified prospects to earn their GEDs. "Only three out of every 10 people of military age" qualify, says one Army rep. "We are going...
Historic First: Obama's the Nominee
Washington Post | Aug 27, 2008 6:38 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama today became the first black candidate to earn the presidential nomination of a major party. His main rival, Hillary Clinton, got him there with a flourish by personally suspending the official roll call and asking that he be nominated by acclamation. She said she did so "in the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory," the...
Nikon's New Camera May Exceed Hype
New York Times | Aug 27, 2008 6:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Nikon D90 isn’t just another shiny new camera: it’s a “mind-blowing, game-changing” hunk of high-tech equipment, David Pogue writes in the New York Times . Why? It’s incredibly fast, has an amazing range of lenses and comes with a ton of gizmos. But here’s the kicker: it’s the first-ever digital single-lens...
Mackenzie Phillips Busted for Drugs
E! Online | Aug 27, 2008 6:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - 1980s TV star Mackenzie Phillips, 48, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport this morning for allegedly trying to take small amounts of heroin and cocaine on a flight, E! News reports. The former One Day at a Time star—who lost her role because of drugs—has more recently appeared on ER , NYPD Blue , and Cold Case .
Jonas Brothers Fans See Red Over Green Posters
Chicago Tribune | Aug 27, 2008 5:59 PM CDT
(Newser) - Legions of young Jonas Brothers fans showed up for a concert as instructed with "thinking green" posters—only to see most of them summarily dumped in the trash, the Chicago Tribune reports. The teens had created the posters for a Chevy-sponsored contest in hopes of winning the top prize: meeting the trio in person. Chevy reps trolled...
Car Trunk of Caylee's Mom Held Decomposing Body
Orlando Sentinel | Aug 27, 2008 5:44 PM CDT
(Newser) - Tests on air samples from the trunk of Casey Anthony's car reveal that a dead body had been stored there, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Anthony's 3-year-old daughter, Caylee, has been missing since June, and Anthony is under house arrest in connection with the disappearance. Prosecutors have offered her partial immunity if she admits that Caylee...
Hackers Spread Coupon Scam
Seattle Times | Aug 27, 2008 5:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - An online coupon scam could cost manufacturers millions, and years, to clean up, the Seattle Times reports. A California company says coupons it created as part of a marketing pitch were hacked and distributed across the internet. The firm responded by canceling all coupons related to the scheme, embarrassing even those customers who had legitimate...
New Orleans Eyes Gustav, Readies Evacuation Plans
Shreveport Times | Aug 27, 2008 5:22 PM CDT
(Newser) - New Orleans has a wary eye on Tropical Storm Gustav and may begin evacuations as early as Friday—the third anniversary of Katrina. The storm's path could yet spare the city, but if it hits this weekend, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he wants to be ready, the Shreveport Times reports. He's put Louisiana's National Guard on alert and declared a state...
Clinton Releases Delegates as Obama's Moment Nears
CNN | Aug 27, 2008 5:06 PM CDT
(Newser) - Hillary Clinton formally released her delegates today to allow them to vote for Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee, CNN reports. The expected move cleared the way for this evening's nomination of Barack Obama. Before the official roll call began, the names of both Clinton and Obama were formally nominated.
Swimmer Torres Set for Shoulder Surgery
CNN | Aug 27, 2008 4:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Dara Torres will finally get some relief after swimming to three silver medals with a damaged shoulder, CNN reports. The 41-year-old is scheduled today for a surgery she put off before the Olympics. Torres went to Beijing armed with anti-inflammatories, but started having intense pain while there. She plans to be back in the pool within 10 days of...
SEC Wants US Firms to Switch to International Accounting
Wall Street Journal | Aug 27, 2008 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Securities and Exchange Commission is planning to require US companies to switch to international accounting rules, the Wall Street Journal reports. The body voted today to seek public comment on a plan for the transition, which would stagger requirements. Large multinational firms would be expected to voluntarily switch in 2010, prompting an...
'Misleading' iPhone Ad Banned
CNET | Aug 27, 2008 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - British advertising regulators have banned a commercial claiming iPhones have “access to all the parts of the internet,” citing technological limitations that prevent users from seeing some websites, CNET News reports. iPhones don’t have Flash or Java, and while Apple simply intended to contrast the product with its more restricted...
McCain Cleverly Made Race Factor: Emanuel
Politico | Aug 27, 2008 4:29 PM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain’s campaign managed to slip the issue of race into the presidential election, Democratic heavyweight Rahm Emanuel said today. “They got it through customs," Emanuel said at a Politico-hosted roundtable, characterizing the Republicans’ tactic of injecting race with reaction to a perceived offense by Barack Obama. "They...
Last Call for Chicago Bar Cars
Chicago Tribune | Aug 27, 2008 4:18 PM CDT
(Newser) - Chicago’s last commuter-train watering holes will grind to a halt this week, disappointing the tight-knit community of “bar car” regulars, the Tribune reports. The Metra system has been phasing out the traveling taverns in an effort to make more room for passengers, but for many the change feels like the end of a friendlier era,...
Explorer 8's Privacy Feature Boon to Users
Ars Technica | Aug 27, 2008 4:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - The privacy features available with the next version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer will appeal to users “paranoid or perverted,” Peter Bright writes on Ars Technica, but will “go some way to curtailing the power of large Internet companies to monitor how people are using the web.” Explorer 8’s InPrivate Browsing...
Arnold May Skip GOP Convention
Associated Press | Aug 27, 2008 3:53 PM CDT
(AP) - When the Republican convention opens Monday night, its prime-time lineup could be missing one of its biggest draws: Arnold Schwarzenegger. The governor is vowing to remain in California if lawmakers can’t strike a budget deal, now 2 months overdue. And agreement seems unlikely, potentially costing Schwarzenegger a national platform and John McCain...
TB Scare Unsettles Calif. Maternity Ward
San Francisco Chronicle | Aug 27, 2008 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - Nearly 1,000 babies born since March at a San Francisco hospital could have been exposed to tuberculosis, the Chronicle reports, by a maternity-ward worker with an active case. Kaiser Permanente says infection risk is very low, but testing and any treatment needed will be provided to 960 infants and their mothers, plus 115 staff members. The part-time...
Durable Goods Key Solid Gains
MarketWatch | Aug 27, 2008 3:28 PM CDT
(Newser) - Stocks gained today as the markets embraced a positive report on durable goods and discounted a rise in oil as merely a short-term threat posed by Tropical Storm Gustav, MarketWatch reports. The Dow climbed 89.64 to 11,502.51, the Nasdaq gained 20.49 to close at 2,382.46, and the S&P 500 rose 10.15 to 1,281.66.
Ex-Wife Hired PI to Trail 'Crockefeller' Before Kidnap
Boston Herald | Aug 27, 2008 3:18 PM CDT
(Newser) - Sarah Lynne Boss hired a private eye to follow her “Crockefeller” ex-husband before he kidnapped their daughter July 27, the Boston Herald reports. Court papers indicate the detective witnessed the abduction of 7-year-old Reigh Boss, who is now in London with her mother. “Sandra’s sole focus is on the health, well-being and...
Wine Drinkers Pick the Pink
Portfolio | Aug 27, 2008 3:04 PM CDT
(Newser) - Rosé wine has gone from tacky to trendy, with easy-to-swallow prices helping sales bubble up by nearly a third in the past year, compared to just a 5.1% boost for all wines. Both US and European consumers are hooked—in France, rosés are selling faster than whites, reports Portfolio . The blush boom has caught the attention of serious...
Bill-Barack Hostility Casts Pall on Party
Washington Post | Aug 27, 2008 2:58 PM CDT
(Newser) - Bill Clinton won’t be at Barack Obama’s acceptance speech tomorrow night, CNN reports, in the latest sign that relations between the former and would-be president are still frosty. “Obama does not like Clinton, and Clinton knows it,” one longtime Clinton adviser told the Washington Post. The enmity likely cuts both ways; Clinton...
High-Tech Suit Gives Hope to Paralyzed
BBC | Aug 27, 2008 2:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - A mechanical exoskeleton developed by an Israeli firm allows paraplegics to stand upright and walk, the BBC reports. The ReWalk device consists of a backpack, leg braces and a wrist controller. Once a mode is selected, such as climbing stairs, leaning forward activates motors in the braces. “It lets people live at the upright level and make eye...
Realistic NCAA Football Rosters Are Video-Game Gold
Ars Technica | Aug 27, 2008 2:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - College-sports video games offer players and teams carefully designed to mirror real-world counterparts, but NCAA regulations bar use of college athletes’ names in-game. But, Ars Technica finds, fans are willing to pay those who put in the time-consuming work of compiling rosters, with one company grossing $150,000 last year selling memory cards...
Cracked Tomb of Unknowns Draws Fire
CNN | Aug 27, 2008 2:35 PM CDT
(Newser) - Cracks marring the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery are driving a spirited debate on how to return the marble monument to its original glory, CNN reports. On one side stand cemetery officials, who would like to replace the sarcophagus with a replica; on the other, stand preservationists, obviously infuriated by the idea and wanting...
Mariotti Quits Sun-Times , Newspaper Biz
Chicago Tribune | Aug 27, 2008 2:19 PM CDT
(Newser) - Jay Mariotti has resigned from the Chicago Sun-Times , the controversial sports columnist tells the rival Tribune , after observing the toll the Internet has taken on newspapers. “I don't want to go down with it,” said the 47-year-old known for his contrarian opinions and run-ins with colleagues and athletes alike, adding that his stint...
Unrest Spikes in Kashmir
Times (UK) | Aug 27, 2008 1:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Militants who snuck into Indian-administered Kashmir from neighboring Pakistan were holding a family hostage today in after killing several people yesterday, the Times of London reports. Tensions are high in Jammu, some 300 miles northwest of New Delhi; Muslim groups in the area have long agitated for independence from Hindu-dominated India, or a...
Dalai Lama Cancels Trips Due to 'Exhaustion'
Associated Press | Aug 27, 2008 1:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - Citing "exhaustion," the Dalai Lama has canceled plans to travel, the AP reports. A spokesman said the Tibetan spiritual leader would not go to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and instead would rest and undergo medical tests for the next three weeks. The 73-year-old has had an intense few months since the Lhasa protests in March, and he...
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