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.
Manhattan Jittery After Starbucks Bombing
New York Times
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May 26, 2009 6:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Police and FBI agents hunted for clues after a homemade bomb blew out windows in a Manhattan Starbucks and jolted awake residents on the Upper East Side before dawn yesterday, reports the New York Times . No one was injured in the blast caused by a makeshift bomb tucked under a street bench. Investigators were probing possible links to three other...
Fire Sale Sweeps Chrysler Dealerships
ABC News
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May 26, 2009 6:12 AM CDT
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Those well-worn "Rock-Bottom Price!" and "Must Go!" stickers are more than sales pitches at nearly 800 dealerships cut loose by Chrysler, which have to sell by June 9 or lose vehicles to auction. The bankrupt automaker refused to buy back some 44,000 cars, reports ABC News, so prices have bottomed out as the clock winds down.
Cue the Kid: Toddler Runs Pool Table
Associated Press
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May 26, 2009 6:08 AM CDT
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A New York toddler in diapers has become a YouTube hit as he runs a pool table with deftly delivered slices and bank shots, reports the AP. Keith O'Dell, 2, is the youngest member of the American Pool Association and recently staged an exhibition in Vegas. He started knocking around balls on a child-sized table but quickly moved on to regulation...
Chavez Hints at Ditching OAS to Form Cuba Partnership
Associated Press
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May 26, 2009 5:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Venezuela would jump at the chance to join Cuba as an Organization of American States outcast, reports the AP. The never-shy Hugo Chavez claims the OAS, which suspended Cuba in 1962, serves US interests and says the two countries could form an alternative regional group. Cuba's foreign minister agreed, calling for Latin America and Caribbean states...
Virgin Soars as BA Posts Record Loss
Times (UK)
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May 26, 2009 5:37 AM CDT
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Virgin Atlantic announced today that its annual profits had nearly doubled to $109 million, while its rival British Airways posted a record annual loss of $638 million. According to the Times of London, Richard Branson's airline increased its market share and drew substantial revenue from its premium services. Virgin, which is partially owned by...
Saucy Brits in Nun Garb Freed From Greek Jail
BBC
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May 26, 2009 5:15 AM CDT
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A Greek court has freed 17 British men arrested while carousing dressed in nun's habits with lacy lingerie beneath, the BBC reports. Charges of offensive behavior were dropped against the men—who spent a night in jail and appeared in court still in costume—after no one showed up to testify that they had been offended by the group's antics....
Cyclone Kills 90 in Bangladesh, India
Reuters
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May 26, 2009 4:54 AM CDT
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At least 90 people were killed when a cyclone ripped into Bangladesh and eastern India yesterday, Reuters reports. Tens of thousands of others lost their homes and crops as Cyclone Aila caused tidal waves and flooding. Troops in both countries are scrambling to rescue marooned people and deliver emergency supplies. Many people are still missing and...
African Lawmaker Calls for 'Branding' HIV Sufferers
Telegraph (UK)
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May 26, 2009 4:31 AM CDT
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A member of Swaziland's parliament has come under fire for suggesting making HIV tests compulsory and branding warning logos on the buttocks of those with the disease, the Telegraph reports. "Before having sex with anyone, people will have to check their partners' buttocks before proceeding," he explained. Health campaigners in the country—where...
Lame Dads Rule in Kids Books
Times (UK)
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May 26, 2009 4:09 AM CDT
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Despite major upheavals in gender roles, clueless dads unable to parent or set a table still rule in children's books—if they exist at all—laments one stay-at-home father. "I’m aware that there is plenty of good-natured humor to be had from lampooning fathers," writes columnist Damon Syson in the Times of London. But...
Suu Kyi Denies Breaking Law in Testimony
BBC
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May 26, 2009 3:48 AM CDT
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Democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi took the stand in her own defense today to deny she broke the terms of her house arrest when she allowed an American trespasser to stay overnight, reports the BBC. Some diplomats and local journalists were allowed to attend today's session amid signs the government wants to quickly wrap up the trial. Suu Kyi faces...
N. Korea Fires 2 New Missiles
Associated Press
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May 26, 2009 3:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
North Korea raised international tensions even higher today by test-firing two new missiles off its east coast, AP reports. The missiles—one ground-to-air and one ground-to-ship—had a range of some 80 miles, according to South Korean officials, who believe North Korea fired an additional three missiles after its nuclear test yesterday that...
Deadly Floods Drive 400K Brazilians From Home
BBC
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May 26, 2009 3:08 AM CDT
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Widespread flooding in northern Brazil has killed at least 49 people and forced nearly 408,000 from their homes, reports the BBC. More rain is expected in the area for another two weeks. The government has spent $435 million to help flood victims, but food supplies continue to dwindle. Flooding has wiped out many crops, and schools has been shut in...
Staring at Disfigured Faces Is 'Instinctive'
Wired
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May 26, 2009 2:42 AM CDT
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The stares people like face transplant patient Connie Culp deal with are likely the result of instinct rather than insensitivity, Wired reports. Scientists believe that disfigured faces flummox the screening system the brain has developed to judge whether a person poses a potential threat, causing people to become transfixed when they spot a disfigured...
Scammers Target Panicky Job Hunters
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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May 26, 2009 2:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Scammers are taking advantage of the recession to con people desperately seeking work out of what little cash they have left, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Watchdog groups warn that phony work-from-home offers promising quick cash in return for an initial outlay of money are proliferating, and that some fraudsters are also using job applications...
Strapped Rappers Don Bogus Bling
Wall Street Journal
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May 26, 2009 1:48 AM CDT
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Tough times in the hip-hop industry have taken the ka-ching out of bling, the Wall Street Journal reports. Record sales and concert attendance are falling, and jewelers say that more and more of the flashy pendants and chains favored by rappers trying to keep up appearances now contain lower-quality stones, cheaper alloys, or even cubic zirconia...
Depression Screening for All Teens Worries Parents
Washington Post
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May 26, 2009 1:24 AM CDT
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A federal task force recommendation that all adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 be screened for depression is causing controversy among parents and pediatricians, the Washington Post reports. Critics fear the amount of antidepressant drugs prescribed to teens will rise massively, although the Preventive Services Task Force stressed that screening...
Mike Tyson's Daughter Accidentally Strangled
Fox News
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May 25, 2009 9:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mike Tyson’s 4-year-old daughter is on life support at a Phoenix hospital after strangling herself with a treadmill cord this morning in what appears to have been a freak accident, Fox News reports. The girl’s 7-year-old brother discovered her hanging by the neck from an exercise machine in their Arizona home, and paramedics were immediately...
Canadian Auto Workers Approve GM Deal
Associated Press
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May 25, 2009 8:13 PM CDT
(AP) -
Canadian Auto Workers members voted 86% in favor of a cost-cutting deal with General Motors Canada as the automaker bids to qualify for more government loans and assure its future in Canada. Union leader Ken Lewenza said his members had no choice but to vote for the deal. "They understand the crisis in the auto industry," he said. "The...
Oxford Poetry Prof Resigns
Telegraph (UK)
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May 25, 2009 7:17 PM CDT
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The first woman to hold one of the UK’s top poetry posts has reversed direction and announced her resignation amid accusations that she ran a smear campaign against a rival, the Telegraph reports. Ruth Padel stepped down as the Oxford Professor of Poetry today but maintained she acted in “good faith” in telling reporters about a...
Security Council Condemns N. Korea
Associated Press
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May 25, 2009 4:48 PM CDT
(AP) -
The UN Security Council has condemned North Korea's nuclear test as a clear violation of its resolutions. The council said in a statement today that it will begin work immediately on a new legally binding resolution addressing North Korea's violations.
Minn. Cancer Fugitive, Mother Return Home
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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May 25, 2009 4:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Thirteen-year-old Daniel Hauser and his mother Colleen have returned to their home state of Minnesota after fleeing court-ordered chemotherapy, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Authorities have taken Daniel Hauser for a medical checkup; they wouldn’t say whether the return was the result of an arrest, deferring questions to a press conference...
Fugitive Execs: Good at Scams, Bad at Being on Lam
NPR
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May 25, 2009 3:55 PM CDT
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In the midst of a recession, so-called “executive fugitives” are driven to increasingly desperate efforts to flee as schemes implode and they face ruin—or prison time. NPR examines the tactics of these con artists—and how more often than not, say the law-enforcement authorities who chase them, their flight is just as doomed...
Songs You Can't Escape This Summer
Gawker
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May 25, 2009 3:35 PM CDT
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Just because everyone has an iPod these days doesn’t mean you can escape the inevitable “summer jams,” writes Maura Johnston on Gawker. She selects the “seven tracks you will likely be subjected to should you decide to spend headphone-free time” anywhere: No Boundaries , Kris Allen: “Sure, the American Idol...
German States Ban Red Bull Over Cocaine Traces
Telegraph (UK)
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May 25, 2009 3:02 PM CDT
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Regulators in the German states of Hesse and North-Rhine Westphalia banned the sale of Red Bull after finding traces of cocaine during tests, the Telegraph reports. Levels of the chemical were not high enough to pose a health risk, but require the drink to be reclassified as a narcotic under German law. A nationwide ban will likely follow.
Nuke Test Suggests Leadership Uncertainty
New York Times
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May 25, 2009 2:45 PM CDT
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North Korea’s nuclear test today has spurred speculation that the desperate regime is seeking to fortify itself in anticipation of a potentially problematic succession of leadership, the New York Times reports. Experts believe North Korea is hoping to shore up the confidence of its own people, rather than squeeze concessions from the West—the...
Soccer Mob Beats Catholic to Death in N. Ireland
Belfast Telegraph
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May 25, 2009 2:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A mob of Protestant soccer fans beat a Catholic man to death last night in Northern Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph reports. After a victory by Scotland’s Glasgow Rangers, as many as 70 fans drove to the Catholic section of the town of Coleraine, where they “literally attacked the first person they came across,” a witness tells the...
Ahmadinejad Challenges Obama to UN Debate
Associated Press
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May 25, 2009 1:53 PM CDT
(AP) -
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proposed a face-to-face debate with President Barack Obama at the United Nations if he is re-elected next month as Iran's president. But at a news conference today, Ahmadinejad balanced the offer with a sharp rebuke to Washington and its allies over Iran's nuclear program. He reiterated that Iran would never abandon its advances...
Little Left for Fiancée of Fallen Soldier
Washington Post
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May 25, 2009 1:32 PM CDT
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To the US Army bureaucracy, love means little without a marriage certificate—so the fiancée of a man killed in Iraq was left with nothing other than what his family was willing to part with. Now, the Washington Post reports, Kyle Harper, 27, is trying to forge a path very different from what she and Sgt. Michael Hullender had planned.
What Recession? SJP Plans $18K Nursery
Boston Globe
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May 25, 2009 1:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sarah Jessica Parker is going all Carrie Bradshaw on her twins’ nursery. Her purchases so far total more than $17,500, Bang Showbiz reports, and include a $5,800 day bed, a $6,300 armoire, a $4,700 double crib, and a $1,600 rocking horse. “Sarah Jessica and Matthew will spend whatever it takes to make the nursery perfect,” says a...
Obama, Tell W You're Sorry for Mocking His Policies
Financial Times (UK)
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May 25, 2009 12:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama’s national security policy has been surprisingly close to his predecessor’s—a policy he hammered on the campaign trail. For that, he “owes George W. Bush an apology,” writes Clive Crook in the Financial Times . But his supporters also deserve an apology. His election rhetoric “misled” them:...
Buzz Swirls, Awaits Jon & Kate Premiere
Chicago Tribune
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May 25, 2009 12:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ahead of tonight’s much-hyped Jon & Kate Plus 8 premiere, the Internet is swirling with rumors and commentary. A few selections: Will all the recent tabloid scandals actually help the show's ratings, wonders Maureen Ryan in the Chicago Tribune . Ryan predicts many will tune in tonight to get the story behind preview clips like...
Obama Salutes Fallen Troops
Associated Press
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May 25, 2009 12:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama marked Memorial Day with tributes to the military and fallen troops, the AP reports. He began the day with a breakfast for those who had lost loved ones in the military; afterward, he visited Arlington National Cemetery for the traditional laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, calling the troops “the best of America”...
Former Wilco Rocker Dead at 45
Chicago Sun-Times
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May 25, 2009 11:56 AM CDT
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Rock musician Jay Bennett, a former member of Wilco, died early yesterday in his sleep, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. An autopsy for the 45-year-old is pending. Elsewhere: NFL player Jeremy Shockey was rushed to the hospital yesterday after being found unconscious while partying at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. A rep for the New Orleans...
Twitter Coming Soon to a TV Near You
Variety
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May 25, 2009 11:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
It was only a matter of time before Web 2.0 phenom Twitter found a way to infiltrate television. The social networking site is partnering with a production company to develop an unscripted show described as “putting ordinary people on the trail of celebrities in a revolutionary competitive format,” Variety reports. “We’ve...
Got Talent Dancer, 73, Collects Disability
Daily Mail (UK)
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May 25, 2009 11:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 73-year-old breakdancing grandfather may have more skills than just the moves he's flashing on Britain's Got Talent, reports the Daily Mail. Fred Bowers also collects more than $100 a week in disability for a bum leg not evident on the British reality show. “I’ve no idea how he expected to get away with carrying on claiming while...
Next Year's Census Will Be Biggest, Most Costly Ever
Chicago Tribune
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May 25, 2009 11:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Next year’s US census will be the largest and costliest ever, requiring 140,000 workers and $15 billion, the Chicago Tribune reports. Thousands of employees have already hit the field to confirm addresses in an effort to ensure oft-underrepresented renters, minorities, and the homeless are accurately counted. Other census matters of note: ...
Remember the Meaning of Memorial Day
Chicago Tribune
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May 25, 2009 10:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
On a day of barbecues and baseball, “let's not forget the point of Memorial Day,” write William J. Bennett and John Cribb: to salute the sacrifices of the 1.3 million troops who have died for our country. “Through their sacrifice, the United States has liberated more people from tyranny than any other nation,” they note in the...
UN Scrambles to Meet as World Slams N. Korea
Reuters
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May 25, 2009 9:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
North Korea's surprise nuclear test this morning drew protests in the South and threats from world governments to punish the regime with further sanctions. Barack Obama and Gordon Brown both condemned the blasts, and France said it would discuss "strengthening sanctions" at today's emergency Security Council meeting. Even China, the key to...
Italy's $4M 'Michelangelo' Triggers Furor
BBC
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May 25, 2009 9:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Did Michelangelo actually create a small (16-inch) wooden carving of a crucified Jesus or did the Italian government get taken for a $4 million ride? Some experts believe passionately that the piece, now on exhibit in Naples, is the work of the master. But as the BBC reports, others blast the label as a deliberate ploy by the government to use...
As Threats Soar, Court Officials Pack Heat
Washington Post
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May 25, 2009 9:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Judges and prosecutors are facing a huge upswing in threats, driving many to carry guns or get 24-hour guard protection, the Washington Post reports. Threats against federal court officials have jumped from 592 to 1,278 in the past 6 years. “I live with a constant heightened sense of awareness,” said a federal judge who's taking firearm...
Fans Cheer TI at 'Bye Bash' Before Prison
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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May 25, 2009 9:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
TI returned to his native Atlanta to play a sold out "Goodbye Bash" last night, just two days before he reports to a federal prison for a weapons conviction. Many of his fans expressed support for the convicted rapper, whom they described as a role model, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . "Going to prison is like waking up...
Stolen RAF Files on Drug Use, Sex Spark Blackmail Fears
Daily Mail (UK)
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May 25, 2009 8:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Top British military officials are at risk of blackmail after three Royal Air Force hard drives containing revealing vetting details were stolen, the Daily Mail reports. Files on the drives told of “criminal investigations, drug abuse, use of prostitutes, and extra-marital affairs,” said a Ministry of Defense memo. “This data provides...
Nonstop Party Girl Rihanna Spotted at Kanye's
Sun (UK)
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May 25, 2009 8:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Who's the latest in a string of new guys rumored to be dating Rihanna? Kanye West. This weekend—days after the rapper reportedly split with girlfriend Amber Rose—Rihanna was spotted leaving his New York apartment in a particularly sexy outfit, the Sun reports. Meanwhile, friends are worrying about Rihanna’s excessive partying: “People...
Times Nearly Scooped Post on Watergate
New York Times
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May 25, 2009 7:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Watergate scandal made the careers of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who broke the story. But the Post nearly got scooped by the New York Times, according to ... the New York Times. Nearly 37 years after the fact, a reporter briefly at the Times says he sat in shock as FBI director L. Patrick Gray revealed...
Cops Probe Rape Complaint at NY Jet's Home
New York Post
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May 25, 2009 7:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
New Jersey police are investigating a complaint by a Canadian tourist who reported being raped at the home of New York Jet star defensive back Kerry Rhodes after she met him and a friend at a Manhattan night club, reports the New York Post . "I am not the subject of this allegation," said Rhodes, 26. A spokesman for the police department...
India Riots Bust Out After Austria Temple Killing
BBC
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May 25, 2009 7:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Riots have broken out in dozens of cities across the Indian state of Punjab after a Sikh guru was killed in a temple in Austria yesterday. Thousands of protesters have damaged public property and set trains on fire, and in one city four people were injured when police fired on angry demonstrators. The slain guru, who had traveled to Vienna to conduct...
France Tries Scientology for Fraud
BBC
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May 25, 2009 6:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The church of Scientology goes on trial for fraud today in a landmark case in France, reports the BBC. The American organization is widely regarded in the nation as a sect, and if Scientology is found guilty of a crime, it could be banned in the country. It's the first time the organization, rather than individual officials, will be on trial in France....
Pedestrians Drive Cars From Times Square
Newsday
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May 25, 2009 6:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Times Square was transformed yesterday from a crush of traffic into a pedestrian mall, as New York began a months-long experiment at the city's busiest intersection. Cars have been banned along Broadway from 42nd to 47th streets, as well as in Herald Square to the south. Tourists and locals were thrilled with the change, reports Newsday.
Haneke Wins at Cannes for His Finest Work
Guardian (UK)
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May 25, 2009 5:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Even in a vintage year for Cannes, Michael Haneke's new film The White Ribbon stood head and shoulders above the competition, writes Xan Brooks of the Guardian . The Austrian director has time and again missed out on the festival's top prize, but his "icy black-and-white" pastoral set in pre-WWI Germany wasn't just the best...
Diver Dies of Bends Filming for Natl. Geographic
Telegraph (UK)
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May 25, 2009 5:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An underwater photographer has died of the bends while filming for National Geographic, reports the Telegraph . Carl Spencer, 37, was part of team exploring the the British World War I hospital ship HMHS Britannic, the sister ship of the Titanic, off the coast of Greece. He collapsed and was airlifted to an Athens military base, where he was declared...
