Newser Story Index from April, 2009
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.
Credit Crunch Saps Funding for Indie Films
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 2:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Independent film producers are losing a once-reliable source of funding, the sale of foreign-distribution rights. Traditionally, the demand for American movies has been so high that producers can sell the rights to distribute the film—in many cases, even before it’s finished—in order to cover costs. But the credit crunch, rampant...
Palin Talks of 'Choice' When She Would Take It Away
Washington Post
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Apr 20, 2009 1:36 PM CDT
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Sarah Palin continues to inadvertently make pro-choice arguments as she campaigns for a ban on abortion, Ruth Marcus writes in the Washington Post . After revealing that she twice considered aborting son Trig, Palin said “I do understand what these women, what these girls go through in that thought process.” Of course, “if it were...
LiLo In Talks to Go Topless
Fox News
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Apr 20, 2009 1:24 PM CDT
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Turning to stripping for fast cash? No, not some random college girl … that’s Lindsay Lohan’s new plan, Fox News reports. The star, hard up for employment, is in talks to join Sin City’s topless “Peepshow,” joining former Spice Girl Mel B. LiLo watched the show Saturday and reportedly loved it, saying, “If...
Steroids Didn't Kill 21 Polo Horses: Vet
Palm Beach Post
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Apr 20, 2009 1:20 PM CDT
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The death of 21 horses in Florida for the US Open Polo Championship yesterday remains a mystery, but a veterinarian for the Venezuelan team that owned the horses said it was unlikely they were killed by a bad reaction to steroids, the Palm Beach Post reports. "Almost certainly they don't use anabolic steroids," he said. “I’ve...
Slumdog Dad: I'm Not Selling My Kid
BBC
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Apr 20, 2009 1:03 PM CDT
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The father of Slumdog Millionaire child star Rubina Ali tells the BBC he’s not selling his daughter, contrary to a News of the World report he called a “dirty” scheme. The media “made fun of our poverty,” Rafiq Qureshi said. “They tricked us into this fakery but we came out unscathed.” He said he’d...
GOP Lacks Focus, Leaders on Health Care
Politico
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Apr 20, 2009 1:02 PM CDT
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While Democrats build up serious steam on health-care reform, the GOP has been left behind, with no firm message, no plan, little funding, and no clear leaders on the issue, writes Carrie Budoff Brown for Politico. Republicans fear the lag could make opposition to President Obama’s plans difficult. “If you wait to get started until there...
Happy 4/20, Hollywood's Highest
BuzzFeed
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Apr 20, 2009 12:55 PM CDT
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We all know that Seth Rogen and the rest of Team Apatow are probably celebrating “Pot Day.” But what other celebs are joining them? In honor of 4/20, BuzzFeed compiled a list of Hollywood’s highest: James Franco: “There's a reason he’s squinting in almost every picture you see.” Paris Hilton: Pictured...
Ethiopian Man, Kenyan Woman Win Boston Marathon
Associated Press
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Apr 20, 2009 12:49 PM CDT
(AP) -
Ethiopian Deriba Merga took the men's title and Kenya's Salina Kosgei won the women's race in today's Boston Marathon, with Americans finishing third in both divisions. Kosgei outkicked defending champion Dire Tune and American Kara Goucher on Boylston Street to win by less than a stride. American Ryan Hall took an early lead in the men's race before...
In Afghan Ambush, the War in Microcosm
New York Times
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Apr 20, 2009 12:42 PM CDT
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The Korangal riverbed had become a kill zone. The American soldiers had crossed after a friendly handshake with a local elder, only to have a bomb explode when the lead squad reached the opposite side. Taliban fighters rained bullets on a second squad exposed in the riverbed, while a third group of Americans on the slope behind returned fire.The New...
Ahmadinejad Speech Sparks UN Walkout
New York Times
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Apr 20, 2009 12:31 PM CDT
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Delegates stormed out of the United Nations conference on racism today in Geneva, protesting a speech by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the New York Times reports. The Iranian president used his speech to criticize Israel for leaving “an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering,” in an effort to “establish a totally racist...
College Football Great 'Doc' Blanchard Dies at 84
ESPN
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Apr 20, 2009 12:07 PM CDT
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Felix “Doc” Blanchard, who won the 1945 Heisman Trophy as part of Army’s famed “Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside” backfield tandem, died yesterday of pneumonia, ESPN reports. The legendary fullback, linebacker, placekicker, and punter was 84. In 1944-46, Blanchard— “Mr. Inside” to fellow Heisman winner Glenn...
Time to Stop Fighting the Civil War in History Class
Washington Post
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Apr 20, 2009 11:56 AM CDT
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Ask a Northerner what caused the Civil War and he'll say slavery, while Southerners are likely to say states’ rights, or economic differences. That self-justifying shorthand is reflected in what's taught in schools, too. But with the election of Barack Obama, historians say new ground has been broken in the discussion, the Washington Post reports....
Confession, in 140 Characters or Less
Guardian (UK)
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Apr 20, 2009 11:51 AM CDT
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What to do if a secret is eating you up inside? If you can phrase it concisely, digital absolution is close at hand via SecretTweet.com, writes the Guardian . Anonymous users twitter their hidden sadness and shame, for example: "My wife asks why I am moody. My secret mistress of 20 years just died of cancer. I feel so alone."
Why E-Books Are as Big as Gutenberg
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 11:38 AM CDT
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The e-book revolution won’t “be a simple matter of trading ink for pixels,” writes futurist Steven Johnson in the Wall Street Journal . Books have become “the dark matter of the information universe,” walled off from our new hyperlinked, Google-indexed frame of reference, but that’s about to change. Every word in...
Zimbabwe Central Bank Stole Cash to Stay Solvent
Associated Press
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Apr 20, 2009 11:26 AM CDT
(AP) -
Zimbabwe's central bank governor admits he took money from bank accounts of private businesses and foreign aid groups without permission to keep the country's cash-strapped ministries running. Gideon Gono said today he loaned money from the private hard-currency accounts to the government. He says the accounts will be reimbursed when the loans are...
Will Your Letter Reach Obama? This Guy Decides
New York Times
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Apr 20, 2009 11:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The White House Correspondence Office sorts through tens of thousands of messages daily, and it’s up to its director to select which 10 find President Obama’s desk. But how to choose? “We pick messages that are compelling, things people say that, when you read it, you get a chill,” Mike Kelleher tells the New York Times . ...
Congress Will Likely Pass Up Climate Change for Health Care
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 11:13 AM CDT
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Congress returns from recess today with both health care and climate change on its plate, and it’s looking increasingly likely that it will favor the former, the Wall Street Journal reports. “Health-care reform should be first among equals,” says one rep. Though he also expects to “make substantial progress” on climate...
Mandela Backs Zuma in S. African Election
Washington Post
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Apr 20, 2009 10:52 AM CDT
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Even at 90, Nelson Mandela can still fire up a crowd, which was exactly what South African presidential nominee Jacob Zuma was counting on. The white-haired former president rolled into a stadium of 100,000 African National Congress supporters yesterday and sat on stage during Zuma's rally. Despite corruption scandals, polls predict an easy win for...
Mathematician Hawking 'Very Ill'
Associated Press
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Apr 20, 2009 10:38 AM CDT
(AP) -
Cambridge University says famed mathematician Stephen Hawking was rushed to the hospital today and is "very ill." The university said Hawking had been fighting a chest infection for several weeks. Hawking, 67, gained fame for his work on black holes, and has remained active despite being stricken with motor neurone disease as a young man....
Men Hit With 80% of US Layoffs
Financial Times (UK)
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Apr 20, 2009 10:33 AM CDT
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Of the 5.1 million US jobs that have evaporated since the recession began, men have lost nearly 80% of them, the Financial Times reports, resulting in the widest gap between unemployment rates for men and women since recordkeeping began a half-century ago. Layoffs have nudged the male unemployment rate to 8.8% while the female rate sits at 7%,...
CIA Tactics Can Cause Mental Harm: Doctors
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 20, 2009 10:29 AM CDT
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Experts disagree with Bush-era rulings, made public in memos released last week, that interrogation techniques the CIA used on terror suspects don’t cause lasting psychological damage, the Los Angeles Times reports. “There’s absolutely no question they are going to lead to permanent mental harm,” one psychology professor says,...
Banks Seize Herds as Recession Hits Mongolia
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 10:05 AM CDT
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Proving the recession is truly global, banks in Mongolia are threatening to foreclose on herders’ goats, sheep, and camels, the Wall Street Journal reports. Mongolians call it a financial “zud,” a local term for unusually devastating winters. Falling cashmere prices stemming from the West’s recession—the high-end textile...
Right Can't Stand 'Cranky' TARP Overseer
Politico
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Apr 20, 2009 9:55 AM CDT
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Dr. Phil, Jon Stewart, and liberals everywhere may love her, but Elizabeth Warren is causing an uproar in Washington, Politico reports. Conservatives and financial service lobbyists say the Harvard professor is using her post atop the TARP oversight committee to push an anti-industry agenda, exploring liberal approaches like nationalization and bank...
Obamas Keep Celeb Media on Short Leash
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 20, 2009 9:48 AM CDT
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As the nation gets to know the first family, it may seem as if we're watching "a reality show set on the glorified soundstage at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.," the Los Angeles Times reports, but what we're seeing is in fact a meticulously crafted image. Information about the Obamas is being strictly managed to bolster the president's popularity...
Disney Schools Bring Mickey Into Chinese Classrooms
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 9:44 AM CDT
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Mickey Mouse and his cohorts are moving into China’s huge English-teaching market, reports the Wall Street Journal . Disney English centers teach kids as young as 2 the basics of the language with the help of Disney character-themed lessons and “magic tokens” that can be swapped for Disney merchandise often unavailable in the rest...
Hugo's Gift Keeps on Selling
BBC
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Apr 20, 2009 9:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hugo Chavez has done for a book on the exploitation of Latin America what Bo did for Portuguese water dogs, the BBC reports. Eduardo Galeano’s Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent has gone from 54,295th to second on Amazon’s sales charts since the Venezuelan leader presented it to President Obama on...
Wiretap Catches Rep Making Deal for Pro-Israel Lobby Group
CQPolitics
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Apr 20, 2009 9:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A wiretap by the National Security Agency caught California Rep. Jane Harman promising a suspected Israeli agent she’d intervene on behalf of two pro-Israeli lobbyists facing espionage charges, sources tell CQ Politics. In exchange, the agent promised to pressure then-minority leader Nancy Pelosi into making Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee....
Amish Finally Cotton to Unemployment Checks
Los Angeles Times
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Apr 20, 2009 9:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Some Amish have decided unemployment benefits are one modern invention they can’t afford to shun, reports the Los Angeles Times . The shrinking supply of affordable farmland has forced a growing number of Amish men into factory work in recent years, and church elders relented on restrictions on government aid as jobs dried up and it became apparent...
Somali Pirates Release Togo Ship, Score $100K Ransom
BBC
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Apr 20, 2009 8:54 AM CDT
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Somali pirates have released a Togo-flagged cargo ship that was to deliver food aid to their own country, the BBC reports, but only after securing a ransom rumored to be $100,000. “Somali traders were involved in the release,” a pirate source told Reuters. They paid “not more than $100,000.” The ship had been bound for Mumbai...
US May Avoid More Bailouts by Trading Loans for Equity
New York Times
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Apr 20, 2009 8:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama’s economic team has figured a way to keep the banks afloat without asking Congress for more money, by converting the government's existing bailout loans to common stock, the New York Times reports. The conversion plan could stretch Treasury’s fund by more than $100 billion, but it would expose taxpayers to increased risk...
Stocks Slump Despite Earnings
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 8:50 AM CDT
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Stocks plummeted this morning, despite what’s been a generally positive earnings season so far, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Dow sunk 178 points, while the S&P and Nasdaq were both off 2.4%. That’s in the wake of a better-than-expected quarter from Bank of America, which saw shares slide 11%, and a 23% earnings jump from Eli...
Tehran Judge Echoes Call for 'Fair' Saberi Trial
BBC
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Apr 20, 2009 8:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The head of Iran’s judiciary issued a statement today requesting that Roxana Saberi’s appeal “should be fairly, accurately, and quickly considered.” It’s not clear whether Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi means Saberi’s appeal will be successful, or if he merely wants to stress to international observers that Iran...
Debt Settlers Promise Relief, Provide Little
New York Times
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Apr 20, 2009 8:33 AM CDT
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State attorneys general are being overwhelmed with complaints about “debt settlement” companies that promise consumers relief from mounting bills but rarely deliver, the New York Times reports. The number of such companies, which often collect fees of 15% of the total debt to negotiate with creditors, has tripled in recent years as consumers...
Bank Lending Still Down 23% 4 Months After Bailout
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 8:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Banks that received taxpayer aid to restart lending are loaning less than they did before the bailout, a Wall Street Journal analysis finds. The most recent figures available, from February, show a 23% drop in new loans from the lending level in October, when the Treasury Department kicked off TARP, the Journal notes. The figures are a more...
Madonna Fell All By Herself: Photog
New York Daily News
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Apr 20, 2009 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A photographer Madonna blames for a weekend tumble off her horse in the Hamptons claims he had nothing to do with the accident—and local cops back his version, reports the New York Daily News . A spokeswoman claims Madonna was thrown when her horse was startled by a paparazzo, but he says he was shooting before she fell, then left because he...
Minnesota May Have Saved Your Innards
New York Times
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Apr 20, 2009 8:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When it comes to salmonella and other food-borne illnesses, federal agencies are rightly putting money into preventing future outbreaks, but few agencies are focused on detecting them. That task falls mostly to state and local officials, which means the ability to connect several sick citizens and call it a salmonella outbreak varies widely by state,...
Odd Duck Boyle Is Talk of Her Tiny Town
Washington Post
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Apr 20, 2009 7:57 AM CDT
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Everyone knows Susan Boyle in her Scottish village—she’s the odd loner who does killer karaoke at the local pub. Now, she’s the topic on everyone’s lips in the community of 5,000 where she’s lived in the same house all her life. And though the town has been subject to a media storm since Boyle became a YouTube hit, “Susan...
Israel Yanks Ambassador to Switzerland
Times (UK)
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Apr 20, 2009 7:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Israel has angrily called home its ambassador to Switzerland after that country's president met with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ahead of a politically charged UN meeting on racism that began today, the Times of London reports. On Israel's Holocaust Memorial Day, Switzerland’s “guest of honor is a racist and a Holocaust-denier...
Obama to Cabinet: Cut $100M From Budgets
Washington Post
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Apr 20, 2009 7:40 AM CDT
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Facing pressure over spending, President Obama will unite his Cabinet today for the first time and ask members to find $100 million worth of potential budget cuts over the next 90 days, the Washington Post reports. Though it’s a tiny sum compared to a $3.5 trillion budget outline, the move is meant to signal Obama’s commitment to reform,...
Oracle Buys Sun Microsystems
Wall Street Journal
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Apr 20, 2009 7:20 AM CDT
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Oracle Corp. has agreed to buy Sun Microsystems, swooping in after Sun’s talks with IBM fell apart. Oracle will pay $7.4 billion, or $9.50 a share for Sun, the Wall Street Journal reports, a 42% premium on Friday’s close. Though Sun has been losing money, Oracle expects the deal to tack $1.5 billion onto its profits in the first year,...
Democrats: $1 a Day Sends Norm Coleman Away
New York Times
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Apr 20, 2009 7:09 AM CDT
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A pair of Democratic groups think the best way to get rid of Norm Coleman is by pressuring his fellow Republicans. The newly formed Progressive Change Campaign Committee, together with Howard Dean’s Democracy for America, has sent an email to more than a million addresses asking supporters to donate $1 to help elect other Democrats for every...
Thousands Flee Sri Lanka Fighting
BBC
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Apr 20, 2009 6:59 AM CDT
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At least 25,000 civilians have fled the Tamil Tigers' last stronghold in Sri Lanka as the government prepares its final push to end the civil war, reports the BBC. Tens of thousands of civilians remain in the densely packed coastal strip, which was originally set up as a safe haven from the fighting. Government forces have smashed fortifications around...
Bank of America Profit Trounces Estimates
Bloomberg
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Apr 20, 2009 6:47 AM CDT
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Bank of America’s net income in the third quarter nearly tripled last year's, hitting $4.24 billion, or 44 cents a share, the company announced today, a figure that surpassed even the loftiest analyst expectations. The drastic turnaround will likely take pressure off embattled CEO Ken Lewis, who’s been raked over the coals for his big mergers...
Columbine Marks 10-Year Milestone
USA Today
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Apr 20, 2009 6:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Survivors of the Columbine High School massacre will gather today to mark 10 years since two seniors killed 12 classmates and a teacher in a bullet-fueled rampage that shook the country, USA Today reports. The anniversary is an opportunity for the community to come together for the survivors, Principal Frank DeAngelis said. "There are students...
Exxon Retakes Top Spot in Fortune 500
CNN
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Apr 20, 2009 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Exxon Mobil snagged a whopping $443 billion in revenue to unseat Wal-Mart from the top spot in this year's Fortune 500 list, CNN reports. The two behemoths thrived on jacked-up oil prices and the recession respectively, but the picture was a lot bleaker for most of the rest of the 500—overall earnings took a record 85% dive to $98.9 billion from...
Real Housewives' Kelly Hit With Bling Suit
New York Post
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Apr 20, 2009 5:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Headline-grabbing former model Kelly Bensimon has been slapped with a lawsuit claiming she stole a design for a jewelry line that she's been hawking on the hit show Real Housewives of New York City . A former colleague of Bensimon says she created the owl pendant that's the basis for the reality housewife's baubles. The news comes a month after Bensimon...
Prince Charles' Eco-Fund Whacked by Credit Crunch
Telegraph (UK)
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Apr 20, 2009 5:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Prince Charles' dreams of eco-friendly urban regeneration have been shattered by the credit crisis, the Daily Telegraph reports. A major Middle Eastern investor has pulled out of a $1 billion property fund the prince planned to use to replicate the sustainable eco-village Poundbury, which he launched in Dorset. Supporters are scrambling to find new...
Miss NC Grabs Miss USA Crown
Associated Press
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Apr 20, 2009 5:04 AM CDT
(AP) -
North Carolina's Kristen Dalton was crowned Miss USA 2009 in Las Vegas this weekend. The 21-year-old aspiring motivational speaker edged out runners-up from California and Arizona. Dalton will get a New York apartment for the year, a publicity team, a film school scholarship, and an undisclosed salary. In a rare moment of drama during the pageant,...
Emboldened Taliban Gear Up for Pakistan Takeover
Washington Post
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Apr 20, 2009 4:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pakistan's deal to allow the Taliban to impose Sharia law in the Swat valley in return for peace has inspired the extremists to seek further gains, the Washington Post reports. Taliban fighters are spreading deeper into the region—a mere 100 miles east of the capital—and leaders say they want to extend a "complete Islamic system" across...
'Ecstatic' Pompeo Expecting
People
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Apr 20, 2009 4:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tormented Dr. Meredith Grey of Grey's Anatomy will be heading to the hospital for real soon when actress Ellen Pompeo delivers her first baby, reports People . Pompeo, 39, and hubby Chris Ivery, 41, are said to be "ecstatic" about the pregnancy. "It's great news," said their spokeswoman. Chyler Leigh, who plays Pompeo's little...
