Newser Story Index from May, 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.
Anti-Abortion 'Extremists' Got Nothing on Prez
Salon
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May 17, 2009 11:34 AM CDT
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Randall Terry and other “Catholic extremists” will lead protests against President Obama’s speech at Notre Dame today—but their anti-abortion zealotry will only continue to hurt their cause, writes Frances Kissling in Salon. “The idea that anything goes in fighting abortion died” in the ‘90s when providers...
Brit Mum-to-Be 'Younger at Heart' Than 66, She Tells Critics
Daily Mirror (UK)
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May 17, 2009 11:20 AM CDT
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A pregnant 66-year-old woman on track to become Britain's oldest mother is unapologetic about her decision, and insists she feels like a 39-year-old woman—some days, reports the Mirror. The successful factory owner claims that she's in better shape than many of her younger employees. "It’s not my physical age that is important—it’s...
Steele Dodges Torture Question
Politico
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May 17, 2009 11:13 AM CDT
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Michael Steele has “a personal opinion” on whether the CIA’s interrogation techniques amounted to torture, but he refused to share it with David Gregory on Meet the Press today. “That’s not appropriate,” the RNC chairman said. But Steele did defend Dick Cheney and said Nancy Pelosi “stepped in it big time”...
Michelle to California Grads: We Need You
San Francisco Chronicle
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May 17, 2009 10:34 AM CDT
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While her husband’s commencement speeches were plagued by controversy, Michelle Obama received adoration from graduates at the University of California, Merced, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. During a 29-minute address on a 100-degree day, the first lady encouraged graduates to pursue public service careers. “We are going to need...
Lefties: Obama's Becoming Dubya
Politico
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May 17, 2009 9:53 AM CDT
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Sorry, ladies: Hell has no fury like a political base scorned, and tensions are simmering among liberals, who feel spurned by President Obama, Josh Gerstein writes for Politico. With his reversals on military tribunals and releasing photos of abused detainees, and reluctance to tackle gay rights and immigration reform, some are accusing Obama of turning...
'Healthy' Fast Food Eaters Mull the Salad, Buy the Fried
Washington Post
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May 17, 2009 9:20 AM CDT
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KFC's grilled chicken giveaway may have been a bust, but the company actually got what it wanted—luring health-conscious eaters back to the franchise, argues Steve Almond in the Washington Post. The chicken chain's CEO appeared on Oprah to apologize for pulling the plug on the offer, yet "his 'apology' was more celebratory than contrite,"...
Buffalo Crash Puts Pilot Fatigue Under Microscope
New York Times
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May 17, 2009 9:00 AM CDT
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You want to be a flashy, high-flying pilot? Get ready for poverty-level wages, grueling commutes, and near-constant exhaustion, the New York Times reports. The inquiry into the crash of Flight 3407 near Buffalo has thrust regional airlines into the spotlight, and with that attention comes concerns about pilots’ challenging lives. One pilot...
Celebs Lead Ping-Pong Renaissance
Independent (UK)
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May 17, 2009 8:52 AM CDT
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Forget dusty suburban basements: Ping-pong, once the sport of nerds and misfits, is enjoying an unlikely image makeover at the hands (and paddles) of A-list devotees flocking to trendy ping-pong clubs, reports the Independent. At the star-studded opening of exclusive new ping-pong hall SPiN, in New York, Susan Sarandon cut the ropes.
Redmond Bids Farewell to Dying Farrah
New York Daily News
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May 17, 2009 8:22 AM CDT
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Farrah Fawcett's incarcerated son, Redmond O'Neal, was allowed out of prison to say farewell to his dying mother, reports the New York Daily News . O'Neal, serving time on drug charges, was allowed to visit his mother at her home the evening a documentary about her battle with cancer, Farrah's Story , aired on NBC. Last Friday's program was viewed...
Thugs in Cop Uniforms Free 59 Mexican Drug Prisoners
BBC
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May 17, 2009 7:42 AM CDT
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Some 15 vehicles packed with criminals wearing police uniforms arrived at a Mexico prison yesterday to free as many as 59 inmates linked to a drug cartel, reports the BBC. The men convinced guards they were members of the federal police there to conduct an inspection. Once inside, they overpowered the guards and fled with the prisoners. The army and...
China Plans Sexy Theme Park
BBC
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May 17, 2009 7:17 AM CDT
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China is about to topple taboos big time with giant plastic genitalia and sexual technique workshops at a new sex theme park, reports the BBC. "Love Land" is slated to open in Chongqing in October. "Sex is a taboo subject in China but people really need to have more access to information about it," said the park's manager. "But...
Tamil Tigers: 'Battle Has Reached Its End'
BBC
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May 17, 2009 6:52 AM CDT
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Sri Lanka's rebel Tamil Tigers have declared a ceasefire after a 26-year war in a statement lamenting thousands of deaths in the past 24 hours, the BBC reports. “This battle has reached its bitter end,” said a Tamil Tigers spokesman on the group’s website. The statement later appeared slightly altered, saying the force was “prepared...
Gay Marriage Is New GOP Litmus Test for Supremes
Washington Post
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May 17, 2009 6:21 AM CDT
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Abortion has long been the hot-button issue at Supreme Court confirmations—but this year, gay marriage is taking over, conservatives say. Senate Republicans believe that questioning over the matter could be the new litmus test to help reveal a candidate's overall philosophy, reports the Washington Post . “It may reflect the degree...
Maddy's Parents to Sue Ex Police Boss
Telegraph (UK)
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May 17, 2009 5:50 AM CDT
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The parents of missing toddler Madeleine McCann are preparing to sue the former Portuguese police chief who has continued to accuse them of playing a role in their daughter's disappearance, reports the Telegraph. "We're taking legal action over his entirely unfounded and grossly defamatory claims that Madeleine is not only dead, but that...
Kuwait Elects First Women to Parliament
BBC
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May 17, 2009 5:30 AM CDT
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Kuwaitis have elected the first women ever to become members of Parliament, reports the BBC. US-educated Aseel al-Awadhi and Rola Dashti won seats in regional votes. Former Health Minister Massouma al-Mubarak, who was the first Kuwaiti woman to be appointed to a ministerial post, and Salwa al-Jassar also secured seats. "It's a victory for Kuwaiti...
D'oh! Danger Looms Over Simpsons Licensing Deals
USA Today
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May 17, 2009 5:08 AM CDT
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If Fox executives play their cards right, Bart Simpson may finally be able to tell Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny to eat his shorts. The team behind America’s favorite animated family is in a race to further capitalize on The Simpsons ' international popularity through merchandising, USA Today reports. But “if the ratings go down, then...
How Did Neanderthals Die? We Ate Them
Guardian (UK)
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May 17, 2009 4:45 AM CDT
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Anthropologists may have solved the mystery of how the Neanderthals died out. A new study suggests they were hunted and eaten by modern human beings, reports the Guardian . The controversial theory argues that a Neanderthal jaw bone shows signs of butchering similar to the techniques humans used on deer in the Stone Age. "Neanderthals met a violent...
Obama Speaks at Notre Dame Today Amid Protests, Vigils
CNN
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May 16, 2009 11:28 PM CDT
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Students at Notre Dame upset that President Obama will deliver today's commencement address began an all-night prayer vigil Saturday night, reports AP. Earlier, campus police arrested 19 anti-abortion protesters—none of them students—and charged them with trespassing, notes CNN. The invitation to pro-choice Obama has raised a ruckus at...
Phelps Finally Loses
Reuters
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May 16, 2009 10:49 PM CDT
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Michael Phelps has proven he can be all too human outside the pool, and now there's proof he can be human inside it as well. The Olympic star lost his first race in a year tonight when Aaron Peirsol of California beat him in the backstroke at the Charlotte Grand Prix, reports Reuters. It's actually not a huge shock: Phelps didn't compete in the backstroke...
Abducted SoCal Boy Reunited With Mom
Associated Press
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May 16, 2009 8:14 PM CDT
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A 3-year-old boy abducted from his family home in San Bernardino nearly 2 weeks ago by two armed men was reunited with his mother today after police found him wandering a Mexican border town's streets, sheriff's officials said. The reunion took place in the California border city of Calexico, a day after detectives and FBI agents received a call from...
Maestro Wages May Sink US Orchestras
Chicago Tribune
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May 16, 2009 7:54 PM CDT
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Overpaid maestros had better accept slimmer paychecks before America's great orchestras sink into silence, John von Rhein writes in the Chicago Tribune . With the Great Recession raging and musicians accepting pay cuts, big-name conductors like Lorin Maazel and James Levine still rake in millions. Welcome to "the dirty little secret in the classical...
Untapped Oil Could Lube US-Cuba Ties
Washington Post
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May 16, 2009 7:25 PM CDT
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Oil trapped deep in the Gulf of Mexico could help ease the US-Cuba trade ban and decades of strained relations, the Washington Post reports. With 5 billion to 20 billion barrels of crude lying untapped in Cuba's territorial waters, some experts argue it's time for US companies to help drill it. But Washington's JFK-era trade ban stands in the way....
Credit Crisis Traps NYT Economics Scribe
New York Times
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May 16, 2009 6:55 PM CDT
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New York Times economics reporter Edmund Andrews was smart enough to avoid a financial disaster like the mortgage crisis. But “I had two utterly compelling reasons for taking the plunge,” he writes: “The money was there and I was in love.” With a new fiancée—and back-breaking alimony payments to his first wife—he...
Moscow Cops Smash Gay Protest
BBC
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May 16, 2009 6:20 PM CDT
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Moscow police broke up a gay rights demonstration today and arrested at least 20 protesters, the BBC reports. The activists, marching to draw attention to what they describe as deep prejudice, timed the protest to coincide with a European song contest popular in the gay community. "This shows the Russian people are not free," said...
They Don't Call Him Fido for Nothing
Denver Post
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May 16, 2009 5:58 PM CDT
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Science is finally catching up to what dog owners have known all along: Canines are ethical. After thousands of hours studying dogs—once dismissed as "furry automatons," an author said—animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff concluded that they possess the capacity for empathy and compassion, the hallmarks of morality. Humans aren’t...
Rachel Alexandra Blows by Boys at Preakness
Associated Press
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May 16, 2009 5:38 PM CDT
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Filly Rachel Alexandra held off Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird to win the 134th Preakness Stakes today and become the first female horse to win the race since 1924. Calvin Borel, who rode Mine that Bird to victory 2 weeks ago at Churchill Downs, had the filly in first from early on in the race and held on down the stretch. Borel also rode Rachel...
Transsexuals Dazzle in Thai Pageant
Huffington Post
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May 16, 2009 5:17 PM CDT
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While Americans took a breather from Miss California beauty pageant drama, Thailand held its 12th annual Miss Tiffany Universe contest today, featuring only transsexuals or transvestites, Huffington Post reports. The contest seeks to advance human rights causes for the country’s transgender population, whose “third gender” status...
Smile! Astronauts Fix Broken Hubble Cam
Associated Press
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May 16, 2009 4:53 PM CDT
(AP) -
Spacewalking astronauts gave the Hubble Space Telescope a more commanding view of the cosmos by installing a new high-tech instrument today, then pulled off their toughest job yet: fixing a broken camera. It was the third spacewalk in as many days for the shuttle Atlantis crew, and it was the most intricate ever performed because of the unprecedented...
Cops Can't ID Boy Buried in NM Park
KOB.com
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May 16, 2009 4:36 PM CDT
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An autopsy was performed today on a boy found buried in a public playground in Albuquerque, NM, but he remains unidentified, KOB.com reports. About 50 investigators are canvassing the area around Alvarado Park to identify the 3- to 5-year-old or a suspect. A mother taking her own kids to the park yesterday noticed a shoe poking out of the sand and...
'Gay Tax' Hurts Couples Tying the Knot
NPR
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May 16, 2009 4:13 PM CDT
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First comes love, then comes marriage, then the taxman, who penalizes same-sex couples with the “gay tax,” Nancy Goldstein writes on NPR. The media’s morality play about gay marriage has overshadowed the economic costs of inequality, argues Goldstein, who calculates her annual tax at $1,820 for coverage on her wife’s health...
Bishops Scorn Obama, but Pope Is a Fan
Time
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May 16, 2009 3:50 PM CDT
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While conservative Catholics rage over President Obama's upcoming commencement speech at Notre Dame, one man has remained silent: the Holy Father. Indeed, American Catholic leaders and the Pope have staked out dramatically different positions from the Obama administration's, Amy Sullivan observes in Time . Yet the Vatican’s response to the pro-choice...
Dad's Death Made Diaz 'Stronger'
Vogue
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May 16, 2009 3:27 PM CDT
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Her father's recent death "definitely took its toll,” Cameron Diaz admits on a drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs. “Things are given to us, and things are taken away." But Diaz's big, bright laugh is never far away. She talks happily about her new film— My Sister's Keeper —her green ideals, and her love for New...
Bless You, Dick Cheney
Weekly Standard
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May 16, 2009 3:05 PM CDT
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Republicans should be shouting Dick Cheney’s name from the rafters, writes William Kristol in the Weekly Standard . While the rest of the party sat passively by as Obama attacked them on torture, “Dick Cheney—Darth Vader himself, Mr. Unpopularity … stepped onto the field.” Thanks to his nettling, Obama is actually on...
GOP Takes Aim at Obama High Court Noms
New York Times
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May 16, 2009 2:41 PM CDT
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Republican groups have already prepared dossiers and attack strategies on a host of possible Obama Supreme Court nominees, the New York Times reports. Ten memos obtained by the Times —all about female judges and scholars—focus on records of abortion rights, gay rights, and the citing of foreign laws. Weakened conservative groups don't...
Thrift Is Expensive in the Hamptons
New York Times
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May 16, 2009 2:30 PM CDT
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Keeping up with the Joneses means downplaying wealth in the Hamptons this summer, Allen Salkin writes in the New York Times . Conspicuous consumption is out, conspicuous thrift is in as Hamptonites try very hard to match the economic malaise in the rest of the country. “Low-key” and “beachy” are the buzzwords, but make no mistake:...
Canada Gets Creative on Arctic Sovereignty
Globe and Mail
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May 16, 2009 2:09 PM CDT
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Canada has a message for Europe: Keep your mitts off our Arctic. The government has begun a multi-pronged strategy that combines tough diplomatic talk with a flurry of cultural events across the continent that stress the nation's long ties to the region, the Globe and Mail reports. Canada knows it will have to deal with Russia and the US on territory;...
Los Angeles May Privatize Parking
Los Angeles Times
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May 16, 2009 1:46 PM CDT
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The mayor of Los Angeles wants the city to follow Chicago’s lead and privatize parking meters and garages to stem the city's budget crisis, the LA Times reports. Antonio Villaraigosa says LA can pull in at least $80 million by leasing meters and six city garages to private companies. Critics, noting a backlash in Chicago after rates were...
Guatemalan Jailed for Tweeting Dissent
Guardian (UK)
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May 16, 2009 1:23 PM CDT
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Guatemalan authorities have arrested an IT worker who urged others on Twitter to withdraw their money from a state-run bank at the center of a murder controversy, the Guardian reports. “First concrete action should be (to) remove cash from Banrural and bankrupt the bank of the corrupt,” read the offending Tweet. The man is being...
'Youth Magnet' Cities Swarming With Unemployed
Wall Street Journal
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May 16, 2009 1:00 PM CDT
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The recession hasn’t done anything to stem the tide of young people pouring into places like Portland, Austin, and Seattle, the Wall Street Journal reports, and that’s straining those cities’ job markets. If anything, hipsters who’ve lost jobs elsewhere are more likely to set out for these reputedly cool locales. “A...
Lynch Unveils 121-Part Web Interview Project
The Wrap
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May 16, 2009 12:30 PM CDT
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Director David Lynch will debut his multipart documentary Interview Project on his website June 1, the Wrap reports. The project consists of 121 three- to five-minute interviews with regular folks across America. A new one will be rolled out every few days over the course of a year. Lynch sent a team of filmmakers on a “road trip” to...
Torture Tools For Sale to Nicest Bidder
Los Angeles Times
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May 16, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
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A huge collection of medieval tongue tearers, thumbscrews, and assorted flesh-rippers is hitting the auction block soon, but ghouls and dictators won't be welcome bidders, the Los Angeles Times reports. The owner—moved to sell the inherited collection by the debate on Bush-era harsh interrogation—is keen to ensure it goes to a responsible...
Sri Lanka Declares Victory Over Tigers
Associated Press
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May 16, 2009 11:36 AM CDT
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Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today that his country had defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels on the battlefield and emerged victorious from its quarter-century civil war. "My government, with the total commitment of our armed forces, has in an unprecedented humanitarian operation finally defeated the LTTE militarily," he said, referring...
Rodent Rights Activists Face Uphill Climb
Wall Street Journal
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May 16, 2009 11:24 AM CDT
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Activists have managed to improve the lives of many animals in recent years, but they've met indifference when it comes to getting a better deal for rodents, the Wall Street Journal reports. Rats and mice make up 90% of the animals used in research in the US, say advocates, but privately funded labs aren't required to follow even basic animal...
Bloomberg Drops $18.7M on Campaign
New York Daily News
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May 16, 2009 11:08 AM CDT
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New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has already spent $18.7 million in his bid for a third term, outpacing his own 2005 campaign by 55%, the New York Daily News reports. The billionaire's three main competitors have spent a combined total of about $2.5 million, with controller William Thompson leading the way at $1.4 million. The election is 6 months...
Putin's Gas Strategy Backfires as Prices Fall
New York Times
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May 16, 2009 10:43 AM CDT
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The very strategies that made Gazprom an international force are now causing the energy giant—and consequently, Moscow—unaccustomed financial stress, the New York Times reports. Vladimir Putin built Gazprom into a goliath by aggressively dominating natural gas supplies, but to do it, he entered into long-term contracts to buy gas from...
Yanks' $1.5B Park a Big Strikeout So Far
Wall Street Journal
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May 16, 2009 10:12 AM CDT
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With its $1.5 billion price tag, you’d think the new Yankee Stadium would be pretty much perfect, right? But even the most loyal fans are griping as the “Taj Mahal” isn’t turning out to be everything it promised. From outrageous ticket prices to questionable outfield dimensions, the park is in danger of striking out, writes...
Mine That Bird's Ex-Jockey Says Filly Will Smoke Him
New York Daily News
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May 16, 2009 9:40 AM CDT
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Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird has no chance of beating the Preakness favorite, filly Rachel Alexandra, says her jockey Calvin Borel. Borel ought to know; he’s the one who rode Bird to victory, before jumping ship to Alexandra, the Daily News reports. “I don’t think he can run with my filly, but he’ll run a big race,"...
Another UK Lawmaker Suspended Over Expenses
Telegraph (UK)
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May 16, 2009 9:17 AM CDT
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Britain’s Labour Party has suspended David Chaytor, the latest lawmaker caught up in a widening expense account scandal, the Daily Telegraph reports. Chaytor reportedly claimed $20,000 in interest on a mortgage that was already paid off. Chaytor has said he made an “unforgivable error in my accounting procedures for which I apologize...
Reality TV Gig Goes to Mrs. Blagojevich
Chicago Sun-Times
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May 16, 2009 8:52 AM CDT
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Patti Blagojevich may take the spot originally offered to her husband on NBC’s I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The couple's lawyers don’t like the idea, but sources say the deal is likely, with Patti headed to LA to hash out the details. Said one lawyer in the case, “Frankly, they...
Suu Kyi Lawyer Banned
Reuters
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May 16, 2009 8:35 AM CDT
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Burma has disbarred a high-profile activist lawyer who was meant to be part of Aung San Suu Kyi’s defense team, Reuters reports. Aung Thein said he visited the prison yesterday where the Noble Peace laureate is being held ahead of a Monday trial on charges she violated her house arrest, and today received a notice revoking his law license.
