Newser Story Index from July, 2012
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.
Signs Found of Mysterious Neanderthal 'Sister Species'
Washington Post
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Jul 27, 2012 3:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Newly discovered bits of "foreign DNA" in modern Africans indicate that a mysterious "sister species" may have walked the earth with Neanderthals and humans, according to scientists. The DNA doesn't resemble DNA from any modern-day humans, nor from Neanderthals, whose DNA sometimes shows up in modern-day Europeans. "We're...
Huge Storm Kills Power in Northeast, Plains
CNN
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Jul 27, 2012 3:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hundreds of thousands lost power yesterday, compliments of a massive storm system that battered the Plains and Northeast. At one point yesterday the National Weather Service had severe thunderstorm watches in effect across a swath stretching from Oklahoma all the way to New Jersey, CNN reports. There were reports of possible tornadoes in both Pennsylvania...
Romney, Take 2: Olympics Will Be 'Terrific'
Daily Telegraph
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Jul 27, 2012 3:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
After a day of gaffes in London—questioning the city's readiness for the Olympics, blabbing about his secret MI6 meeting , calling the opposition leader Ed Miliband "Mr. Leader"—Mitt Romney put on a brave face and accentuated the positive, predicting the Games would be "terrific,” enjoy "great weather,"...
Madoff Trustee Ready to Repay $2.4B
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 27, 2012 2:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
It's been more than three years since Bernie Madoff's giant Ponzi scheme was discovered, resulting in $17 billion in lost principle for his investors. But now the trustee in charge of Madoff's bankruptcy says he's ready to give the stolen funds back to the duped investors—well, give back $2.4 billion of the money owed, reports...
China Busts 10K in Internet Crackdown
USA Today
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Jul 27, 2012 2:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pornographers, gun dealers, counterfeiters, and information thieves—those are just some of the cybercriminals Chinese authorities say they've caught in a four-month crackdown on Internet crimes, reports USA Today . All told, an incredible 10,000 people were arrested and 600 gangs broken up. Oh, and 3.2 million messages were deleted for...
Beach Volleyball Players Get to Cover Up
Washington Post
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Jul 27, 2012 12:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As the top athletes of the world go head-to-head with rivals, what are people talking about? What the female athletes are wearing. Some are removing clothing, while others are adding coverage, and still others are smoldering about battles over skirts. A female judo competitor from Saudi Arabia—which is sending female athletes to the Games...
Jackson Family Feud Spills Into Twitter
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 27, 2012 12:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Jacksons' drama has spilled over into Twitter, with Paris and Prince tweeting their extreme displeasure with the family feud, reports the Los Angeles Times . Both kids seem well aware they are mostly pawns in a bigger battle over their late father's money, and are upset at how the conflict is unfolding. "As long as I can remember...
Sex Probe Balloons to 38 Victims at Air Force Base
Associated Press
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Jul 27, 2012 12:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A sex assault and harassment probe at a Texas Air Force base has been expanded to 15 instructors, and the number of possible victims is now up to 38. "There may be others as we continue the investigation" at the Lackland base in San Antonio, said an Air Force spokesman. "We’ve always known this is just the tip of the iceberg,”...
Rob Pattinson Packs His Bags
People
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Jul 27, 2012 12:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The apology didn't work. Hunky Robert Pattinson has packed his bags and left the Los Angeles "love nest" he shared with Kristen Stewart, reports People . "I'm not sure they'll be able to recover from this," says a source, referring to Stewart's fling with Snow White director Rupert Sanders. Pattinson, 26,...
Twitter Crashes, World Reels
CNN
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Jul 27, 2012 12:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Twitterverse came to an unexpected halt for more than an hour yesterday, and tweeters around the globe nearly panicked. Twitter apologized for the worldwide outage, and blamed it on a technical glitch— not on overwhelming traffic triggered by the Olympics, as tweeters later speculated, reports CNN . "We are sorry," Twitter's...
Japan Loses Top Spot in Life Expectancy
Associated Press
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Jul 26, 2012 7:01 PM CDT
(AP) -
Japanese women are no longer the world's longest living, their longevity pushed down in part by last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami, according to a government report today. The top of the global life expectancy rankings now belongs to Hong Kong women. The annual report by Japan's health ministry said the expected lifespan for...
County Candidate Quits Race After Dead Friend Votes
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Jul 26, 2012 6:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With a politician for a close friend, it's no surprise Sheila Nassar was a regular voter; trouble is, she kept exercising her civic duty even after she died. The revelation prompted Republican John Enright, who calls himself Nassar's "lifelong companion," to drop out of a race for county supervisor in Arizona. Nassar was living with...
Muddled GOP Demands '6% Employment'
theatlanticwire.com
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Jul 26, 2012 6:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
House Republicans won't stand for any new regulations until the employment rate drops to 6%, thus putting unemployment at 94%. At least that's what a typo in a new bill suggested—they meant un employment, the Hill reports. Democrats spotted the error, and the bill's sponsors rushed to correct it. And of course, in the process,...
Feds Bust 90 in Fake Pot, Bath Salt Raids
CNN
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Jul 26, 2012 6:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Federal agents arrested more than 90 people across 30 states today, in a nationwide crackdown on designer drugs. The DEA seized nearly 5 million packets of artificial pot and almost 167,000 packages of "bath salts," CNN reports. They also confiscated $36 million. "This enforcement action has disrupted the entire illegal industry, from...
Now Brooklyn Is Protesting a New Mosque
Salon
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Jul 26, 2012 5:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Controversy is raging over a mosque under construction in New York City—no, not that one. A Muslim developer in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn has been trying to build a mosque in a vacant lot for five years, but an organization known as Bay People, Inc. has been fighting it all the way, and now state and national politicians are getting involved,...
London Mayor Bashes Romney
Huffington Post
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Jul 26, 2012 5:36 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Britain isn't getting over Mitt Romney's comments questioning its handling of the 2012 Olympics. London Mayor Boris Johnson, for instance, mocked the presidential candidate in front of a 60,000-strong rally today, the Huffington Post reports. "There are some people who are coming from around the world who don't yet know about all...
Ford Recalls Escape for Sticking Accelerator
ABC News
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Jul 26, 2012 5:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
At long last someone will feel Toyota's pain. Ford today announced a recall on 484,600 Ford Escapes over a potentially deadly sticking accelerator defect. The recall will affect all 2001 to 2004 models with 3-liter, V-6 engines, ABC News reports. It comes following a local TV investigation into an Escape crash that killed a 17-year-old Arizona...
Protesters Spoil Chick-fil-A Opening
NBC San Diego
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Jul 26, 2012 4:53 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Fast food lovers had camped out all night for the grand opening of a Chick-fil-A in Laguna Hills, California, but their plans were foiled this morning as gay rights protesters descended on the restaurant, and company management made everyone disperse, NBC San Diego reports. The chicken chain has suddenly become America's most controversial eatery...
New Threat to Ozone Layer: Summer Storms
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 4:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
New research links two major environmental concerns: ozone depletion and climate change. Soaring water vapor from summer storms can damage the ozone layer right over the US, researchers find, and global warming can increase the frequency of such storms. Once the vapor reaches the stratosphere, it can interact with chemicals leftover from when CFC refrigerants...
Facebook Beats Estimates in First Earnings
Bloomberg
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Jul 26, 2012 3:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Facebook reported its first quarterly earnings since going public today, and though the company lost $157 million, or 8 cents per share, it performed better than analysts were expecting, Bloomberg reports. Facebook's total revenues rose to $1.18 billion on strong advertising sales, meaning that if not for "certain costs" profit would...
Police Get Tip in Teen's 1989 Disappearance
Fox News
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Jul 26, 2012 3:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Investigators think they may be on the verge of a breakthrough in a 23-year-old mystery. A team of 9-13 cadaver dogs will search a Massachusetts State Park on Saturday in search of the remains of Melanie Melanson, a local girl who went missing in 1989, just five days before her 15 th birthday. Police got an anonymous tip from a New Hampshire man telling...
Sandusky's 'Shower Victim' Comes Forward, Sues Penn State
Express-Times
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Jul 26, 2012 2:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The alleged Jerry Sandusky victim at the center of Mike McQueary's testimony has at last revealed himself—so he can sue. Sandusky reportedly assaulted "Victim 2" in university showers when the victim was a child. Now, as an adult, the victim intends to sue Penn State "and others," his lawyers say. "Penn State has...
eBay's New Plan: Let Kids Go Shopping
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 26, 2012 2:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Bad news, parents: eBay wants your kids to start shopping on its site. Of course, some minors are already using their parents’ accounts or simply lying about their ages—you technically need to be 18 years old to sign up. Within the next nine months, eBay wants to change that, an exec tells the Wall Street Journal . Needless to say, there...
Watchdog Slams Justice Dept. 'Nepotism'
NPR
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Jul 26, 2012 2:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Workers at a division of the Justice department have been hiring based on nepotism, the department's inspector general says. In a new report, eight employees—career workers, not political appointees—are cited for seeking jobs for their kids and other relatives, according to NPR . The Justice Management Division, the inspector says,...
Saudi Woman Competing at Olympics Without Hijab
Reuters
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Jul 26, 2012 1:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Saudi Arabia is sending women to the Olympics for the first time—and at least one of them, a judo competitor, won’t be wearing a traditional Islamic headscarf while competing. Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani "will fight according to the principle and spirit of judo, so without a hijab," says the president of the International...
Harry Reid: We Don't Have Time for Gun Control
Associated Press
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Jul 26, 2012 1:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Don't expect Congress to tackle gun control in the wake of the Aurora shooting; Harry Reid told reporters today that the Senate's schedule was simply too packed to take on the issue, according to the AP . Reid said he agreed with President Obama's remarks last night, but just couldn’t squeeze such in a debate. Asked if the Senate...
Corzine-MF Global Debacle Reeks of Cronyism
Washington Times
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Jul 26, 2012 1:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If there's one issue that seems to unite people of all political persuasions, it's "the Justice Department's unwillingness or inability to charge, prosecute, and seek conviction of a single Wall Street executive in the wake of the largest financial collapse in US history," writes Peter Schweizer of the Washington Times . And...
Bloomberg Endorses Scott Brown
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 12:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Bloomberg holds a number of left-leaning views, but technically the New York City mayor is a political independent—and he’s definitely leaning to the right when it comes to the Massachusetts Senate race. Politico reports that Bloomberg is hosting an Aug. 15 fundraiser for incumbent Scott Brown, who is fighting Harvard law professor...
Coming to Cities: Mini Target, Petite Walmart
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 12:31 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Major chains are starting to think outside the big-box, at least where cities are involved. Stores like Walmart, Target, and Office Depot are willing to do what it takes to follow young adults who grew up in the 'burbs to their new urban homes, even if that means shrinking floor plans, paying high rents, and rethinking the items they carry, reports...
Mondays: Not Any Worse Than Other Weekdays
Washington Post
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Jul 26, 2012 11:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The idea of the dreaded Monday is quite a popular one—but it may not actually be true. A new study in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that people reported feeling basically the same on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Psychologists analyzed Gallup data from 340,000 Americans who were asked to recall their moods the day...
JCPenney: OK, We'll Bring Back the Word 'Clearance'
Associated Press
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Jul 26, 2012 11:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
JCPenney has apparently realized the whole no-more-sales move was a bad one. With its stock down almost 40% this year, the store is backtracking on its six-month-old pricing strategy by introducing yet another pricing strategy. In February, the department store canned its hundreds of yearly sales in favor of a three-tier pricing approach; now, it...
Scientists Find New Obesity Clue in Tanzania
BBC
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Jul 26, 2012 11:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists have long thought our hunter-gatherer ancestors burned through many more calories than the TV-watching, desk-sitting people of today, but a new study suggests that may not be the case—and the finding could inform our very modern-day battle against obesity. Researchers studied 30 members of the still-hunter-gatherer Hadza tribe of Tanzania,...
Drought Reveals City Submerged Under Reservoir
Indianapolis Star
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Jul 26, 2012 11:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Indiana's Monument City was submerged half a century ago, when the Salamonie Lake reservoir was built. But severe drought has brought water levels down by so much—more than 12 feet—that the hidden city has been revealed. Though there’s not much to see (dirt roads, building foundations, bricks—and you have to know where to...
6 Other Scandalous On-Set Affairs
Huffington Post
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Jul 26, 2012 10:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Wondering how Robert Pattinson is feeling after learning Kristen Stewart cheated on him with her Snow White director? The Twilight hunk hasn’t said anything publicly, but a witness tells the Sun he and Stewart were arguing backstage at the Teen Choice Awards and he appeared “miserable, heartbroken, and humiliated” while...
Mitt's Olympics Comments Rub Brits the Wrong Way
Politico
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Jul 26, 2012 10:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney kicked off his international tour with an appearance in Parliament today, where he tried to downplay London officials' North Korea flag mix-up by saying that "my experience with regards to the Olympics is it is impossible for absolutely no mistakes to occur," reports Politico . But if he was hoping to win Brits over...
Carrying Guns Everywhere Won't Protect Us
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 10:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Andrew Jensen joined the military after students from nearby Columbine High transferred to his Littleton, Colo., school after the 1999 massacre. At the time, he wanted to help protect his family and friends. Yet he wasn’t in Aurora, Colo.—where his dad and brother now live—when James Holmes opened fire in a movie theater less than...
Pregnant Over 30? There's a Cancer Benefit
LiveScience
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Jul 26, 2012 10:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One upside to having a baby later in life: Pregnant women in their 30s and 40s may have a lower risk of developing endometrial cancer, LiveScience reports. Scientists looked at data from 17 separate studies involving women with and without the cancer, which develops in the uterus' lining. They found women whose last pregnancy happened over age...
SF Library Offers 'Privacy Screens' to Block Porn
KTVU
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Jul 26, 2012 10:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Apparently, running down to the public library to stream a little porn is a lot of people's idea of a rockin' good time, so San Francisco is responding by installing plastic "privacy screens" over computers, reports KTVU . The screens are meant to shield images from passing patrons who use the library for less nefarious reasons....
What Was Up With Kristen Stewart's Crazy Apology?
Huffington Post
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Jul 26, 2012 9:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Even if you really, really did not want to care about the Twilight cheating scandal, admit it: You were a bit floored by Kristen Stewart’s surprisingly emotional, candid apology to Robert Pattinson for cheating on him with Rupert Sanders (read it in full here ). Particularly notable is the fact that this is the first time Stewart has...
USDA Plugs Meatless Mondays, Outrage Ensues
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 9:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Who knew an interoffice newsletter could create such drama? The USDA gave "Meatless Monday" a shout-out in its newsletter this week, encouraging its employees to help the planet out by joining the effort to go vegetarian on Monday "while dining at our cafeterias." This did not go over well. The USDA is tasked with promoting all...
Favorite to Win Archery Gold Is Legally Blind
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 26, 2012 9:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Katniss Everdeen has nothing on this archer: South Korea's Im Dong-Hyun already has two Olympic golds under his belt, and he's been tapped as a favorite to win another in London, despite the fact that he's legally blind, reports the Telegraph . The 26-year-old has 20/200 vision in his right eye, meaning he needs to be 10 times closer...
Lady Gaga Wins Round 1 in Bratz War
New York Daily News
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Jul 26, 2012 8:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bad news, parents: This Christmas, you will probably not be able to put a Lady Gaga Bratz doll under the tree for your little one. A judge sided with Gaga in a dispute with MGA Entertainment, which makes the popular dolls , the New York Daily News reports. MGA says it dreamed up a Lady Gaga doll and paid Universal Music Group’s merchandising...
Medicaid Expansion Could Save Lives
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 8:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As states decide whether to expand Medicaid by 2014 under ObamaCare, a new study could give them a compelling reason to do so: Harvard researchers found that fewer people died in states that expanded their programs. The study looked at data from New York, Maine, and Arizona, all of which recently began offering Medicaid to more low-income adults,...
Bishop: US Nuns Making Up New Theology
NPR
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Jul 26, 2012 8:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Church doctrine is for obeying, not so much debating, says the bishop who oversaw the report that condemned the Leadership Conference of Women Religious , a group that includes some 80% of American nuns. By promoting positions contrary to Vatican teachings, the LCWR is creating "a new kind of theology, that is not in accordance with the faith...
Obama: AK-47s Are for Soldiers, Not Crooks
Washington Post
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Jul 26, 2012 7:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In the wake of the Aurora shootings , President Obama yesterday went further into the issue of gun control than he ever has, Politico reports. Speaking in New Orleans, Obama promised there would be a national conversation on the issue. Specifically, he declared support for background checks on gun buyers and better enforcement of gun laws, and said...
Syria Showdown: Regime Descends on Aleppo, Damascus
Reuters
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Jul 26, 2012 7:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Heavy shelling was reported today in Aleppo and Damascus, as government forces and rebels both gear up for a major showdown, reports Reuters . The Syrian military is sending convoys of tanks, troop carriers, and other hardware to the vital central cities, leaving rebels in control of much of the countryside. Activists claimed that rebels controlled...
Zynga Plummets, Points Finger at Facebook
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Yet another disappointing set of second-quarter financial results—this time from Zynga. The maker of social games, whose 2011 IPO was one of the Internet’s biggest ever , lost $22.8 million during the quarter, reported less-than-expected revenue of $332 million, and issued a very weak forecast for the rest of the year, the New York...
Kim Jong Un Shows Off Wife
Associated Press
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Jul 26, 2012 6:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Kim Jong Un is off the market and on the scene. The North Korean leader emerged with wife Ri Sol Ju yesterday, and whisked her off to that most-important of government duties: touring a newly opened amusement park (the amusingly named Rungna People's Pleasure Ground). The AP describes it as a "carefully choreographed appearance" designed...
Heat, Drought Savaging US Infrastructure
New York Times
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Jul 26, 2012 6:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Farming isn't the only thing being devastated by the country's ongoing drought—much of the US' infrastructure is getting pounded, too, as the record-setting heat takes its toll on concrete, steel, and pavement, reports the New York Times . In Washington, DC, 100-degree temperatures caused a subway to derail and softened asphalt...
Bo Xilai's Wife Charged With Murder
Associated Press
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Jul 26, 2012 6:48 AM CDT
(AP) -
The wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai and a family aide have been charged with the murder of a British businessman, the government said today. The official Xinhua News Agency reports that the prosecutor's indictment said Bo's wife, Gu Kailai , had a falling out with Brit Neil Heywood over money and worried that it would threaten...
