Today's Top News
Lonely Canadian shocked to get $85,000 phone bill
12.14.07 -- 8:10 AM
A Canadian oil-field worker, stunned to get a C$85,000 ($83,700) cell phone bill, has had the charges reduced to C$3,400, but is still fighting them.
Piotr Staniaszek, a 22-year-old oil and gas well tester in rural northwest Alberta, became a figure of international media attention this week when his father went to the press to complain about the size of his son's bill.
Staniaszek's father, also named Piotr Staniaszek, said his son thought he could use his new phone as a modem for his computer as part of his C$10 unlimited browser plan from Bell Mobility, a division of Bell Canada.
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Romney: The Number of Pardons and Commutations I Gave as Governor Was Zero
12.13.07 -- 6:08 PM
After a town hall meeting here where Romney stressed his record of fiscal conservatism with an ever-evolving and graphically improving PowerPoint presentation on fiscal issues, he acknowledged that he is now an underdog in Iowa and called Huckabee the front-runner.
“In New Hampshire, I’m in a stronger position there -- it depends on the state, but in this state right here, based on what we’re seeing, yeah, he’s the guy in front,” he told reporters.
He also expanded his attacks on the former Arkansas governor to include Huckabee’s record on crime – new to the mix of issues for criticism in public appearances.
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Kucinich: Iraq War Funding Deal Is Immoral
12.13.07 -- 3:02 PM
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) released the following statement before Congress takes up yet another Iraq war funding bill this week:
“It is immoral for Congress to make a deal to keep this war going. It is immoral to keep a war going that is based on lies. And it is immoral to make a deal to claim legislative victories unrelated to the war while at the same time spending money to keep the war going,” Kucinich said.
The House is expected to bring up an omnibus spending package this week. The mechanism and timing for inclusion of Iraq war funding in the bill is not yet decided. One option is for the Senate to amend a House-passed version of the bill to reflect the back room deal on domestic spending. It would reportedly not include Iraq war funding. The Senate would add funding for the Iraq war and send it back to the House.
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Kucinich Garners $10 Million For Gulf War Veterans Illness Research
12.13.07 -- 5:19 AM
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) declared victory for veterans of the first Gulf War by garnering $10 million for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research in the Department of Defense Authorization bill that passed the House today.
This is the second victory for Gulf War veterans this year. Kucinich won the same amount of money in the Defense Appropriations bill on August 5, 2007. Together, the two victories lock in the research funds.
“This research will build on previous studies on Gulf War Illness, which have recently yielded promising results,” Kucinich said. “This funding will take giant steps forward in identifying a treatment or a cure for Gulf War Veteran’s illness.”
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Kucinich Putting Finishing Touches to Articles of Impeachment Against Bush
12.11.07 -- 7:49 AM
Touching on issues ranging from Yucca Mountain to the Patriot Act and the war in Iraq, presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich spoke to a crowd of several hundred people in Reno Saturday.
Despite a steady snowfall outside, a standing-room-only crowd packed into two meeting rooms at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to hear what the Ohio Congressman and Democrat had to say about issues he's most closely associated with: the environment and opposition to the war and the Bush administration in general. Those expecting Kucinich to deliver harsh words about the president weren't disappointed, as the half-hour campaign speech soon turned to talk of impeachment.
"On the way over here, I was reading a 50-page document that relates to Articles of Impeachment for the President of the United States," Kucinich said to a standing ovation. "And I want you to know that I'm actually preparing this document for submission to the House."
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Russia's Medvedev backs Putin to become PM
12.11.07 -- 5:46 AM
Dmitry Medvedev, named by President Vladimir Putin as his preferred successor, said on Tuesday he wanted Putin to become prime minister in a future government to guarantee stability and continuity.
Such a move would offer Putin a way to retain influence after he steps down as head of state if, as expected, his long-time ally becomes president in an election next March.
Medvedev, in his first public broadcast since being named by Putin, was quick to declare his loyalty to his mentor.
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Clinton Says Hillary Was Always the One
12.11.07 -- 5:42 AM
Campaigning for his wife, former President Clinton says that when they were starting out he was so struck by her intellect and ability he once suggested she should just dump him and jump into her own political career.
That didn't happen, of course, and on Monday he gave an Iowa crowd his version of why it didn't.
"I thought it would be wrong for me to rob her of the chance to be what I thought she should be," said Clinton. "She laughed and said, 'First I love you and, second, I'm not going to run for anything, I'm too hardheaded.'"
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Romney to Run Ad Against Huckabee
12.11.07 -- 5:34 AM
His shot at the Republican presidential nomination in jeopardy, Mitt Romney will begin running a TV ad against Iowa front-runner Mike Huckabee on illegal immigration starting Tuesday while weighing how much negative campaigning he can add to the methodical plan he's followed all year.
The ad says the former governors have a lot in common — but not on illegal immigration, an important issue in Iowa, which will lead off nomination voting with its caucuses on Jan. 3.
"Mitt Romney stood up, and vetoed in-state tuition for illegal aliens, opposed driver's licenses for illegals," the ad says. "Mike Huckabee? Supported in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants. Huckabee even supported taxpayer-funded college scholarships for illegal aliens."
"On immigration, the choice matters," the ad ends.
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Huckabee Sees More Attacks
12.11.07 -- 5:21 AM
Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said on Monday that his surging popularity was drawing attacks from opponents and money from supporters as new polls released on Monday showed him in a virtual tie nationally with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
The folksy former Arkansas governor has vaulted from single-digit figures just a few short weeks ago to the lead spot in opinion polls in the crucial state of Iowa.
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll put Huckabee nationally at second place. In it he had the backing of 22 percent of Republican voters, just behind Giuliani's 24 percent.
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Civil Rights Icon Calls Obama Too Young
12.11.07 -- 5:12 AM
Civil rights icon Andrew Young says Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is too young and lacks the support network to ascend to the White House.
In an interview posted online, Young also quipped that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton has her husband behind her, and that "Bill is every bit as black as Barack."
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