UPI NewsTrack articles from September 2008

UPI NewsTrack archives from September 2008

Jimmie Johnson wins latest Sprint Cup race.
September 1, 2008... FONTANA, Calif., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Jimmie Johnson grabbed the checkered flag Sunday night to win the Sprint Cup Pepsi 500 auto race at Fontana, Calif. The El Cajon, Calif., native ran a dominant race from the pole position, leading 227 of...

India's flood situation may ease.
September 1, 2008... NEW DELHI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Flooding that has affected up to 3 million people in India's Bihar state was expected to ease with the slowing of the flow from Kosi River in Nepal. Up to 16 districts in the densely populated eastern state have...

Hua Guofeng cremated.
September 1, 2008... BEIJING, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Former Chinese Communist Party leader and Premier Hua Guofeng, who died Aug. 20 at age 87, was cremated Sunday at Beijing's Babaoshan cemetery. Chinese President Hu Jintao and his predecessor Jiang Zemin and other...

Risk of transmitting mad cow by blood high.
September 1, 2008... EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The risk of transmitting bovine spongiform encephalopathy, known as mad cow disease, through blood transfusion is surprisingly high, Scottish researchers said. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE,...

California jobless fund headed for deficit.
September 1, 2008... SACRAMENTO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- California's fund for paying jobless benefits is running out of money, even as joblessness is at a 12-year high and rising, the Los Angeles Times reports. The fund is largely financed by taxes paid by employers....

China quake toll: 32 dead, 400 injured.
September 1, 2008... BEIJING, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The death toll from Saturday's earthquake in China's Sichuan province, barely recovered from the May 12 quake, and in nearby Yunnan, has risen to 32. The 6.1-magnitude earthquake that hit the two provinces Saturday...

China says it will make fastest train.
September 1, 2008... BEIJING, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- China says it is ready to make the world's fastest bullet train with speeds of 236 mph (380 kilometers mph) to run on the Beijing-Shanghai sector. Zhang Shuguang, deputy chief engineer at the Chinese railway...

Watercooler Stories.
September 1, 2008... Calif. city mulls restricting home colors LA PALMA, Calif., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A small Southern California town is considering limiting the palette from which homeowners can chose repainting their homes. A controversy erupted after Adnan...

Jockstrip: The world as we know it.
September 1, 2008... Bass angler finally lands big gator NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Casting for alligator was unusual for bass fisherman Ron Settino but the New York man says he finally captured an elusive 3-foot specimen. The 63-year-old Franklin Square...

Omega 3 reduces mortality in heart failure.
September 1, 2008... FLORENCE, Italy, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A daily capsule of omega-3 fish body oil can reduce mortality and admission to the hospital in patients with heart failure, Italian researchers said. Luigi Tavazzi and Gianni Tognoni of the ANMCO Research...

Hurricane Gustav nears Louisiana coast.
September 1, 2008... MIAMI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Powerful Hurricane Gustav was 100 miles from near-deserted New Orleans early Monday, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The city was advised at 4 a.m. Gustav was a Category 3 hurricane with...

Bomb explodes in bus in Philippines.
September 1, 2008... MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- An explosion tore through a passenger bus Monday in the southern Philippines, killing at least four passengers, police said. The bomb attack occurred as passengers were getting off the vehicle after it...

Military says several rebels killed.
September 1, 2008... COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The Sri Lankan military says 42 Tamil Tiger rebels and five of its soldiers died in heavy fighting in the island nation's troubled northern region. Military spokesman, Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said...

Louisiana delegates worry about home.
September 1, 2008... ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Louisiana delegates at the Republican National Convention say they can't stop thinking of home and their families as Hurricane Gustav raced toward land. "I keep calling home every two hours," said delegate...

Shortened RNC first session adjourns.
September 1, 2008... ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The first day of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., ended the way it began Monday -- with a prayer for Hurricane Gustav victims. "As we gather on the banks of the Mississippi (River),"...

Tropical Storm Hanna stalls near Bahamas.
September 1, 2008... MIAMI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A tropical storm warning was in effect for the central and southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands Monday for Tropical Storm Hanna. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 5 a.m. the center...

Biden heads to childhood home.
September 1, 2008... TOLEDO, Ohio, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden was in Pennsylvania Monday for a Labor Day parade and to connect with voters in his hometown of Scranton. Biden was to march in a parade in Pittsburgh then head...

More small U.S. businesses face evictions.
September 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- More small U.S. businesses are facing evictions as insolvencies soared by 44 percent last year, a number experts say will likely keep rising in 2008. The quick rise is being fueled largely by the home mortgage...

UPI NewsTrack TopNews.
September 1, 2008... Hurricane Gustav nears Louisiana coast MIAMI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Powerful Hurricane Gustav was 85 miles south of near-deserted New Orleans early Monday, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The city was advised at...

U.S. Army to hand off Anbar province.
September 1, 2008... BAGHDAD, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Security was tighter than usual Monday as the U.S. military prepared to hand off responsibility for Anbar Province to Iraqi officials. Anbar was to become the 11th province transferred to Iraqi security, the...

U.S., critics battle over air congestion.
September 1, 2008... NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Bush administration and local officials are locked in an ideological struggle over how best to relieve airport congestion in New York, observers say. With the three New York City-area airports -- Kennedy,...

Poll: U.S. presidential race tied.
September 1, 2008... ATLANTA, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Results of a CNN poll indicate the U.S. presidential race is a virtual tie. The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Sunday night had the Democratic Barack Obama-Joe Biden campaign leading the John McCain-Sarah...

Canadian military plane helps Gustav evac.
September 1, 2008... NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Scores of New Orleans hospital patients were airlifted to safety from Monday's landfall of Hurricane Gustav by a Canadian military team. Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay told the Toronto Star the huge...

Mexicans fear kidnapping epidemic.
September 1, 2008... MEXICO CITY, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The Mexican public is increasingly worried about kidnappings and fear they have gotten out of control in the country, local experts say. A nationwide series of anti-crime protest marches staged Saturday...

Two drown, one missing off Florida beaches.
September 1, 2008... FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Police say a North Dakota couple drowned and a teenager was missing as Hurricane Gustav roughed up the water off South Florida. Bradley Perleberg, 41, and Terry Ann Perleberg, 45, drowned Sunday...

Toronto imposes new tax on cars.
September 1, 2008... TORONTO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Vehicle owners in Toronto awoke Labor Day Monday to a new $60 city surtax for their annual license plate renewals. Self-described socialist Mayor David Miller pushed the controversial measure through the city...

Audit: Qantas safe but needs maintenance.
September 1, 2008... SYDNEY, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Airplanes flown by Australia's Qantas Airlines are safe, but the carrier needs to shape up its maintenance performance, authorities say. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority, CASA, audited Qantas after one...

Third body found in burned mansion.
September 1, 2008... SHROPSHIRE, England, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Police say a third body found in a burned mansion in Shropshire, England, may be that of a teenager whose parents' bodies have been recovered. Kirstie Foster, 15, has been missing since Osbaston House...

Palin making use of hated 'earmarks'.
September 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the likely Republican U.S. vice presidential nominee, has requested earmarks worth nearly $198 million for her state, records show. Earmarks are a legislative technique used to slip...

GOP future may be in young U.S. Reps.
September 1, 2008... ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A younger generation of Republican U.S. Congress members say they hope to lead the party out of the wilderness in coming years, Politico reported Monday. The Washington news Web site said many party members...

Demographics shrinking Canadian schools.
September 1, 2008... TORONTO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Shifting demographics have led to the closure of at least 53 schools this year in all 10 provinces of Canada, the Globe and Mail reported Monday. The report was published a day before students across the country...

Kremlin critic killed by police.
September 1, 2008... MOSCOW, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Colleagues of a critic of Kremlin politics Monday called for a massive protest of his killing by police in southern Russia's Ingushetia Province. Magomed Yevloyev, who ran a Web site on government corruption and...

'Pineapple Express' edited for UK run.
September 1, 2008... LONDON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Actor and writer Seth Rogen says a scene in his drug-themed Hollywood comedy "Pineapple Express" is being changed before its British release. The film, which was a hit in the United States this summer, is to open...

GOP denies Obama 'enthusiasm gap'.
September 1, 2008... ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Campaigners for likely Republican U.S. presidential nominee John McCain deny there is an "enthusiasm gap" among his supporters. The grassroots campaign machinery assembled by Democratic opponent Sen....

'Hot' Monroe footage to be auctioned off.
September 1, 2008... MELBOURNE, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Candid film footage featuring Marilyn Monroe on the set of the classic movie "Some Like It Hot" is going up for sale, Australia's Leski Auctions said Monday. The 2 1/2 minute-long, amateur 8mm film was shot in...

Police: Tests show toddler likely dead.
September 1, 2008... ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Florida police searching for Caylee Marie Anthony say evidence from her mother's car indicates it likely held the body of the missing 3-year-old. "We clearly have evidence that indicates that there was a dead...

Bad British economy may spur more crime.
September 1, 2008... LONDON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Britain's economic downturn could result in more violent crime and right-wing extremism, the country's Home Office warns. In a government report leaked to The Times of London, British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith...

Affleck: New dad Damon doing 'great'.
September 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Ben Affleck says he was text messaging his friend Matt Damon while at the Democratic National Convention in Denver to get updates about Damon's new baby. Damon's wife Luciana gave birth to their youngest...

Obama courts unions on Labor Day.
September 1, 2008... DETROIT, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was in Detroit Monday courting support from unions during their traditional Labor Day rally. Sen. Obama, of Illinois, and Republican rival Sen. John McCain, of Arizona,...

Nimrod accident survivors sue military.
September 1, 2008... LONDON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Two British families whose sons were killed in an explosion of a Royal Air Force Nimrod aircraft say they're suing to force the military to make changes. All 14 people aboard the surveillance plane were killed two...

Helicopter crash kills three in Indiana.
September 1, 2008... GREENSBURG, Ind., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Authorities worked Monday to determine what caused a medical helicopter to crash near Greensburg, Ind., killing the pilot, a flight nurse and a medic. Pilot Roger Warren, nurse Sandra Pearson and medic...

Minghella-Pollack pic set for Oscar race.
September 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The Weinstein Co. reportedly plans to release its Kate Winslet-Ralph Fiennes film "The Reader" in December, the heart of Hollywood's Oscar season. Variety.com said the studio decided to gather its marketing...

Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda resigns.
September 1, 2008... TOKYO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda resigned from office Monday saying he wanted to keep a political stalemate from dragging down the country. "It is necessary to try to implement measures under a new framework,"...

Reporter proposes to Theron at film fest.
September 1, 2008... VENICE, Italy, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A journalist reportedly proposed to screen star Charlize Theron while she was promoting her new movie "The Burning Plain" at the Venice Film Festival. "I would like to ask you something Charlize Theron,"...

Light, moderate exercise can improve mood.
September 1, 2008... BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Light to moderate aerobic exercise can improve mood for two to four hours following the activity, a researcher at Indiana University said. "These same positive benefits apply to children," psychologist...

Study: Asthma linked to child abuse.
September 1, 2008... BOSTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Researchers at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston say they have found a potential cause-and-effect link between asthma sufferers and child abuse. By studying the health and life histories of children in...

Canada gets first Green Party MP.
September 1, 2008... VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Canada's Parliament in Ottawa had its first Green Party member Monday after an independent told reporters he had signed on to the fringe environmental group. MP Blair Wilson, who represents an...

Fears raised by bovine TB cases in Britain.
September 1, 2008... TRURO, England, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Concern in Britain is high after a woman and her dog tested positive for bovine tuberculosis in Cornwall county, experts say. An Environment Food and Rural Affairs Department official confirmed the...

Doctor: Sextuplets thriving since birth.
September 1, 2008... DADE CITY, Fla., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The sextuplets born to a Florida couple have "accomplished a lot" since being born a year ago, their doctor says. Dr. Frank Demery of the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics of Tampa Bay medical group said...

The WB finds new home on Web.
September 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Full-length episodes of shows that first aired on the U.S. television network, The WB, reportedly can now be viewed at www.thewb.com. In addition to "Angel," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Everwood," "Gilmore...

Animal safety a priority during Gustav.
September 1, 2008... NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Emergency officials say they are taking improved precautions to protect the pets of residents of southern U.S. states from Hurricane Gustav. Sandy Cochran, United Animal Nations coordinator in South Carolina,...

Report: Rove raising money for attack ads.
September 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The former campaign architect for U.S. President George Bush is urging Republicans to fund political attack ads, The Washington Times reported Monday. One-time White House adviser Karl Rove has been asking top...

First Drew Peterson-inspired book released.
September 1, 2008... JOLIET, Ill., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- An Illinois writer, in the first released book about former police Sgt. Drew Peterson, details mysteries surrounding the deaths of two of his four wives. The Chicago Sun-Times reported Joliet journalist Joseph...

UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News.
September 1, 2008... Lewis telethon to help Gustav victims LAS VEGAS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The annual Muscular Dystrophy fundraising telethon will ask viewers to help victims of Hurricane Gustav, host Jerry Lewis said Sunday in Las Vegas. Lewis, the Muscular...

Mountain lion sightings prompt study.
September 1, 2008... DENVER, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Increased mountain lion sightings in Colorado have prompted a study intended to minimize risks when humans impinge on the big cats' turf, state officials say. State Department of Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer...

Mirren admits using cocaine in the past.
September 1, 2008... LONDON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- British actress Helen Mirren admits she used cocaine socially until the early 1980s, but gave it up when she learned who profited from the sale of the drug. Mirren, 63, won an Oscar for playing England's current...

Experts: Computer phishing on the rise.
September 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The Internet practice of phishing in which people are enticed to give away personal information in response to e-mails is on the rise, U.S. experts say. Security experts say during the last eight months, the...

Harsh EU stance on Russia called unlikely.
September 1, 2008... BRUSSELS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Divisions among leaders of the 27 European Union countries mean it is unlikely they will produce harsh sanctions against Russia, an analysis suggested Monday. The summit, being held Monday in Brussels, is meant to...

UPI NewsTrack TopNews.
September 1, 2008... Gustav flooding New Orleans ward MIAMI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Flooding of New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward began Monday morning as Hurricane Gustav walloped the southeastern coast of Louisiana. Video from CNN showed waves blowing over the...

1 in 12 admit they have driven while drunk.
September 1, 2008... EAGAN, Minn., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The number of U.S. drunken-driving fatalities has fallen, but 1 in 12 adults admit they may have driven while drunk within the last year, a survey indicates. A survey by legal Web site FindLaw.com says 7...

Calif. sports crowd stops shooting suspect.
September 1, 2008... SACRAMENTO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Members of the crowd at a Sikh sports festival near Sacramento whacked a man suspected in a deadly shooting with sticks to stop him from fleeing, police say. Sacramento County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran...

Many PBS stations boot 'Mister Rogers'.
September 1, 2008... CHICAGO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Reruns of the classic U.S. children's program "Mister Rogers' Neighbohood" reportedly won't be seen on many PBS stations this season. Although the show's star, Fred Rogers, died five years ago and new installments...

Rape victim pushing for cruise safety laws.
September 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A 37-year-old California woman raped while on a cruise says she is intent on getting federal officials to issue tougher cruise safety regulations. Food services manager Laurie Dishman said there are "no laws"...

Some migrant day laborers leaving U.S.
September 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The downturn in the California construction industry is so bad it's persuading some immigrant day laborers to return home, economists say. The state has lost 84,000 construction jobs since last year and its...

Sources: Daughter suspect in mom's death.
September 1, 2008... NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A 76-year-old former mayoral candidate in North Haven, N.Y., is a suspect in the shooting death of her 100-year-old mother, sources say. Unidentified sources said police are questioning former corrections officer...

Eatery chain founder Danner dead at 83.
September 1, 2008... NASHVILLE, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Raymond L. Danner Sr., known for founding the U.S. eatery chains Shoney's and Captain D's, has died at the age of 83 in Nashville, friends say. Friends remembered Danner as a man who rose from birth to a poor...

Firefighters battle blaze near Lake Tahoe.
September 1, 2008... HOPE VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- California firefighting crews said Monday they were being helped by cooling temperatures in their efforts to extinguish a wildfire south of Lake Tahoe. The 125-acre blaze in Hope Valley, Calif., about...

U.S. gas prices rise on Gustav fears.
September 1, 2008... NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. gasoline prices are rising this Labor Day weekend, especially in Gulf Coast states in Hurricane Gustav's path, the motorist group AAA said Monday. AAA, based in New York, reported the average nationwide price...

Arrest near Obama event sparks protest.
September 1, 2008... ALIQUIPPA, Pa., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The arrest of a gun-carrying man near a Pennsylvania event for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was unfair, a gun rights group alleges. Members of OpenCarry.org contend the arrest of John...

Inquiry to probe 1941 Aussie ship sinking.
September 1, 2008... SYDNEY, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- An Australian commission says it will get to the bottom of one of the country's most enduring wartime mysteries -- why the cruiser HMAS Sydney sank in 1941. The incident was Australia's worst naval disaster,...

More temp workers have pro degrees.
September 1, 2008... MIAMI, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The nature of temporary work in the United States has changed, with most temps now holding professional degrees, industry analysts say. The professionals, who include accountants, computer programmers and engineers,...

Back-to-school signals asthma season.
September 1, 2008... NEW YORK , Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Asthma hospitalization rates can more than triple between August and September, a New York City health department expert says. "Children with asthma can encounter more asthma triggers in the fall," Lorna...

Detroit mayor seeks jail time arbitration.
September 1, 2008... DETROIT, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is ready to plead guilty and resign, but wants prosecutors to submit the issue of jail time to arbitration, sources say. A refusal by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy to drop her...

McCain seeking more Hispanic support.
September 1, 2008... AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Campaigners for likely Republican U.S. presidential nominee John McCain say they're reaching out to Hispanic voters, a group polls indicate he's missing. August polls released by the Gallup Organization and...

Chemical spill deaths report called wrong.
September 1, 2008... EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Contradicting earlier reports, authorities now say no workers died in a toxic powder spill Saturday at an East St. Louis, Ill., chemical plant. Eight workers were hospitalized from the incident...

Bush: Response better than during Katrina.
September 1, 2008... AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Governmental response to Hurricane Gustav is better than during Hurricane Katrina because of the Gulf states' governors, U.S. President George Bush said Monday. "There was clearly a spirit of sharing assets,...

Man arrested in royal photo flap.
September 1, 2008... LONDON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A man was arrested in England after allegedly attempting to sell The Sun illegally obtained pictures of Prince William on vacation, the newspaper said. The Sun said the suspect and a yet-to-be-apprehended accomplice...

Knowles thrilled about sister's success.
September 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. recording artist Beyonce Knowles said on "The Early Show" she is incredibly proud of her sister Solange's success in the music industry. Solange Knowles recently released her second album, "Sol-Angel and...

Black leaders urge Chicago school boycott.
September 1, 2008... CHICAGO, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Black leaders in Chicago say city residents should join a four-day boycott of public schools to protest what they say is unequal funding. The Rev. Larry Trotter, an influential South Side pastor, joined the effort...

Microsoft readies new Internet Explorer.
September 1, 2008... REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. software maker Microsoft says it has released a test version of its latest Internet Explorer Web browser, which incorporates several new features. The beta version of Internet Explorer 8 includes a tool...

Magicians battle over dueling conventions.
September 1, 2008... BLACKPOOL, England, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Two British magicians who contend the country's main magic convention is too old-fashioned have angered organizers by setting up an alternative event. Collin Richardson and Geoff Pescud said they started...

Police hunt possible lion in N. Ireland.
September 1, 2008... BELFAST, Northern Ireland, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Police in Belfast, Northern Ireland, say the lion several people reported seeing in a city park likely was a big dog. "Police can confirm that there's no stray lion wandering about in north...

Analyst: Iran likely to get air defenses.
September 1, 2008... MOSCOW, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A Russian defense analyst says it's likely Moscow will now go through with the planned delivery of an advanced air defense system to Iran. Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and...

Wrestler, mayor spar over canceled show.
September 1, 2008... MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- An outspoken pro wrestler whose cable access show in Marlborough, Mass., was pulled from the airwaves by local officials says he is "livid" about the decision. Chris "The Skunk" Antal, known for...