Newser Story Index from January, 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.
Bushes Wave Last Goodbye
Associated Press
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Jan 20, 2009 1:08 PM CST
(Newser) -
George W. Bush resumed life as a private citizen today, boarding a chopper for Andrews Air Force Base after a final hug and handshake with President Obama, the AP reports. The unpopularity of the Bush administration was no secret, as some in the inauguration crowd booed the Bushes and cheered when they heard a TV announcer say, “George Bush is...
Obama Rebukes Bush, Assures World in Speech
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 20, 2009 12:44 PM CST
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Barack Obama offered a clear rebuke of George Bush's policies and signaled a sharp break with his predecessor's strategy abroad in his inaugural address today. “We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals,” the new president said, referring obviously to torture of detainees and violation of Americans' civil rights in...
Celebs Mix It Up With the Masses
Hollyscoop
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Jan 20, 2009 12:39 PM CST
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Hollywood stars rubbed shoulders with everybody else as celebs like Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Denzel Washington, and Dustin Hoffman waited in the cold to watch Barack Obama take office. Oprah Winfrey, seated next to Samuel L. Jackson, told Hollywood Scoop: “It’s behind the dream…amazing grace personified.” Also spotted: Steven...
Roberts' Oath Flub Trips Up Obama
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 20, 2009 12:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
Chief Justice John Roberts' first attempt at administering the presidential oath of office didn't go as swimmingly as the chief justice might have liked, reports the Wall Street Journal. Roberts left out "faithfully" where the Founding Fathers wrote it—“that I will faithfully execute the office of president to the United...
Obama Steps Into History
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 12:16 PM CST
(Newser) -
"All are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness," declared the 44th president of the United States in his first inaugural address. Invoking the memories of slaves, soldiers and the generations of Americans who toiled before him, the nation's first black president delivered the most anticipated...
Obama Headlines Worldwide
Newseum
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Jan 20, 2009 12:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
The world was watching as Barack Obama took the oath of office. A sampling of headlines from around the globe: National Post (Canada): The Ascension of Obama Guardian (UK): Magical Spell That Will Open a New Obama Era La Repubblica (Italy): America Celebrates Obama's Oath Der Tagesspiegel (Germany): The World Looks...
Michelle Obama Sparkles in Isabel Toledo
Associated Press
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Jan 20, 2009 11:58 AM CST
(Newser) -
The fashion world has been breathlessly waiting to see what Michelle Obama would wear to the inauguration, and the new first lady didn’t disappoint, donning a sparkling lemongrass sheath dress (no traditional suit here) from Isabel Toledo. To ward off cold, parts of the coat and sleeves were pashmina lined, reports the Los Angeles Times, and...
Obama: 'We Are Ready to Lead'
CNN
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Jan 20, 2009 11:40 AM CST
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Barack Obama wowed crowds in Washington today with a moving inaugural address calling the US to a new sense of shared responsibility and service, CNN reports. “We must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America,” Obama said. “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real …...
President Obama Takes Office
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 11:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States. In front of record crowds and with his hand on the Bible used by Abraham Lincoln, Obama took the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts. The new president swore: “I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve,...
Biden Is 47th Vice President
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 10:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
Joe Biden has assumed the office of vice president of the United States, the Washington Post reports. On the steps of the Capitol, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens swore in the longtime Delaware senator, who vowed to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Biden becomes...
Rev. Warren References MLK in Invocation
New York Times
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Jan 20, 2009 10:58 AM CST
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Offering the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration, Rev. Rick Warren called the moment “a hinge-point in history: the first inauguration of an African American as the 44th president.” The controversial pastor added, “We know that today Dr King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.” Following his speech,...
What Today Means
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 10:52 AM CST
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Barack Obama is the story today for editorial pages across the country. Here’s what the professional pundits are saying: The excitement is feverish in Washington, writes Jonathan Freedland in the Guardian , a sense that this inauguration is special, that Obama will be magically transformed into “the embodiment of the most...
Witness to a Century, 105-Year-Old Goes to Capitol
NPR
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Jan 20, 2009 10:49 AM CST
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Today’s inauguration of Barack Obama marks an important milestone in an African-American struggle that lasted more than 200 years—and Ella Mae Johnson isn’t going to miss it, NPR reports. After all, she’s been around for nearly half of that struggle. The 105-year-old Cleveland resident will brave hours of cold to see the first...
Obamas Arrive at Capitol
CNN
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Jan 20, 2009 10:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Obamas arrived at the Capitol after coffee with George and Laura Bush, CNN reports. The crowd broke out in cheers as images of the president-elect flashed on giant TV screens in the National Mall. Among the crowd are Aretha Franklin, Dustin Hoffman, Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Samuel L. Jackson and Steve Spielberg, as well as Former Presidents...
Youth, Ambition Will Meet Over Lincoln's Bible
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 10:24 AM CST
(Newser) -
The first person to call Barack Obama “Mr President” will be John Roberts, appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court in 2005. Today marks the first inauguration for Roberts, who invited Obama to visit the Court last week; both are Harvard Law grads, ambitious men who attained the highest offices while still relatively young, the Washington...
400K Churn Through DC Transit
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 10:19 AM CST
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Passengers swarmed Washington’s subway and bus system today, with Metro reporting more than 409,000 entries into the system as of 9am, pushing the public transit system to its limits, the Washington Post reports. At one point, service on the Red Line was disrupted when a 68-year-old woman fell to the tracks and had to be treated for arm injuries.
Best Liveblogs Covering the Inauguration
Politico
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Jan 20, 2009 10:15 AM CST
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In the 4 years since the last inauguration, news organizations have embraced live-blogging to offer running commentary on big events. Some of the most interesting inaugural liveblogs: Politico Live, the Washington news source's live feed, is covering the politics and the spectacle of the day. It reports that Rep. James Clyburn sees today as...
Unprecedented Security Watches Over DC
Times (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 10:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
It is an almost unimaginably difficult job: as Washington floods with millions of visitors, the Secret Service has to comb through and pick out all potential sources of danger to the new president. This means, as the London Times reports, a record five tons of bulletproof glass, tens of thousands of security forces, and near-invincible vehicles....
What Obama Must Do in His Inaugural Address
Newsday
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Jan 20, 2009 9:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama has a reputation as a great orator, so most are expecting a soaring and eloquent inaugural address today. But Obama’s speech can’t just be pretty, writes Tom Brune in Newsday . “He has work to do.” Obama must: Define the moment: Specifically, define it as the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression....
'Mom-in-Chief' Readies Her Bully Pulpit
New York Times
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Jan 20, 2009 9:56 AM CST
(Newser) -
Being first lady has always been a balancing act: trailblazer Hillary Clinton pushed harder on policy issues than the public wanted; mild Laura Bush hardly pushed at all. Michelle Obama is seeking an agenda related to her experiences. A friend tells the New York Times : “She understands the needs of low-income communities. She understands the...
Obamas Visit Bushes While Huge Crowd Waits
CNN
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Jan 20, 2009 9:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
A tell-your-grandchildren moment is happening in DC right now, reports CNN. Barack and Michelle Obama went from church to the White House to meet George and Laura Bush; then they’re on to the Capitol. Hundreds of thousands are gathered, with up to 2 million expected. One local says Washington’s typical cynicism is evaporating: “People...
Transition Gives Peek at Obama Leadership Style
New York Times
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Jan 20, 2009 9:40 AM CST
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Barack Obama’s transition into the presidency has provided a window onto how he’ll operate as president, writes Peter Baker in the New York Times . Despite major challenges ahead, he has been “a font of cool confidence” throughout. But he’s “hard to label”—while he’s shown a bipartisan style, he’s...
Cornyn May Delay Clinton Confirmation
Politico
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Jan 20, 2009 9:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Easy confirmation is supposed to be a perk of appointing a senator well-liked by her peers. But John Cornyn of Texas is threatening to hold up a unanimous-consent agreement on confirming Clinton as secretary of State, Politico reports. Cornyn isn’t satisfied with Clinton’s proposal for oversight of her husband’s charitable foundation...
Bill, Gore, Rubin Guide Obama in Spirit
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 20, 2009 9:30 AM CST
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Three of Barack Obama’s most important advisers will accompany him to the Oval Office only in spirit, Gerald Seib writes in the Wall Street Journal : Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and Robert Rubin. In leaving behind a healthy record as Democratic building blocks, the Clinton years left Obama “what we didn’t have, which is a usable past,”...
Obama Gives Lawmakers on Both Sides More Say
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 20, 2009 9:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
So far, Barack Obama’s line about disagreeing without being disagreeable isn’t just lip service. The Wall Street Journal reports that the president-elect and his team have been talking in good faith with members of Congress—including Republicans—about economic policy. Says one senator whom they unsuccessfully lobbied to support...
Stocks Fall as Bank Woes Trump Obama Hope
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 20, 2009 9:03 AM CST
(Newser) -
Any excitement on Wall Street about Barack Obama’s inauguration was drowned out this morning by worries over Europe’s banking sector, the Journal reports. The Dow dropped more than 110 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P dropped 2% and 2.2% respectively. Those tumbles track drops in Europe after the Royal Bank of Scotland warned of huge...
First 100 Days? Too Slow for O
Politico
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Jan 20, 2009 8:57 AM CST
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At minute one, everything changes. The inaugural passing of the baton will happen at lightning speed today, Politico reports, as the new team hits the ground running, amid an economic crisis that makes the traditional timetable obsolete. Through the morning, White House staff will work furiously to get the building ready and move in the new first family's...
World Celebrates With America
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 8:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Obamania has swept the world with mock inauguration ceremonies celebrated all over the globe. From the Japanese city of Obama, to Kisumu, Kenya, hundreds of thousands turned out in temples, shrines, museums, galleries, and local squares with painted faces and Obama Tshirts to mark the 44th president's inauguration.
Obama Could Be Most Powerful President Ever
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 8:42 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama enters office today with a realistic shot of becoming one of the most powerful presidents in history, writes Barton Gellman in the Washington Post . Historians and officials in the outgoing and incoming administrations agree the presidency is already at or near an apex of power, and Obama’s popularity, combined with the many crises...
Inaugural Crowds Strain DC Transport
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 8:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
Washington’s public-transportation system is stretched to breaking today as crowds arriving on the Metro and commuter trains choke the exits at L’Enfant Plaza, the main disembarkation point for the National Mall. At 8:15am, a medical emergency forced officials to slow crowds leaving the station, and packed platforms have left commuters...
Aretha: World Will Be Dancing in the Streets
Times (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 8:38 AM CST
(Newser) -
Aretha Franklin is psyched to sing to the biggest audience of her life in Washington today, she tells the Times of London. When she thinks of Obama she thinks of "jubilation all over the world," the Queen of Soul says. "Dancing in Africa, dancing in London, dancing in Japan—people are so happy about this inauguration." Aretha...
Gaza Faces Years of Reconstruction
Independent (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 8:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
Now that the guns have fallen silent in Gaza, the Palestinian enclave faces what might be the most difficult reconstruction project in recent history, writes Patrick Cockburn in the Independent . Rebuilding in the densely populated zone will face two major obstacles: the economic blockade by Israel and Egypt, and the destruction of tunnels that supplied...
Bush Leaves Customary Oval Office Note for Obama
Associated Press
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Jan 20, 2009 8:28 AM CST
(AP) -
Continuing a White House ritual begun by Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush left a note in the Oval Office for President-elect Barack Obama, wishing him well as he takes the reins of the executive branch. The White House declined to provide specific details of the message, saying only that Bush wrote it yesterday and left it in the top drawer of his desk.
Obamas Head to Church
Associated Press
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Jan 20, 2009 8:24 AM CST
(AP) -
As massive crowds swarmed the National Mall to witness Barack Obama's inauguration as president, the man at the center of the maelstrom began the day with his wife at a private service at St. John’s Episcopal Church across the street from the White House, a tradition for those about to become president. The family of Joe Biden also attended....
America Is Now Truly the Land of Lincoln: Durbin
The Hill
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Jan 20, 2009 8:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
Abraham Lincoln's dream of extending the liberty set out by the Founding Fathers to all Americans comes one step closer to reality with Barack Obama's inauguration today, Sen. Dick Durbin writes in the Hill . Obama's election represents a “new summit” in America's long struggle to be "one nation, one people, undivided,” writes...
Judge: Cheney Won't Dump Records
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 8:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
A federal judge yesterday rejected historians’ and nonprofits’ complaint that Vice President Dick Cheney planned to illegally dump some of his papers, the Washington Post reports. The judge instead took the word of a White House aide that the documents would go to the National Archives as required. The ruling follows a long tussle over...
Protestants Hold Inauguration Monopoly
Time
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Jan 20, 2009 7:42 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama's swearing-in will be the sixth straight inauguration where rabbis and Catholic priests will be absent from the dais, reports Time . For decades it was traditional to have Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish representatives at the ceremony, but Billy Graham’s invocation (and benediction) at George Bush’s 1989 inauguration ushered...
Women Hard-Wired to Eat More
Independent (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 7:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Women may be hard-wired to overeat, according to a new study of why men diet more successfully than women. A little-understood mechanism in the brain appears to give women less self control when it comes to dieting. Researchers speculate that women have evolved to crave food for pregnancy and lactation. Study volunteers first had to fast and then were...
Fiat to Take 35% Stake in Chrysler, Enter US Market
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 20, 2009 7:16 AM CST
(Newser) -
Fiat arranged a no-cash deal with Chrysler today that could put the Italian automaker behind the wheel of Chrysler’s operations, the Wall Street Journal reports. Fiat will take a 35% stake in Chrysler with an option for 20% more. Fiat will receive a foothold in the US market, retooling a Chrysler plant to produce its smaller, fuel-efficient...
Eager Crowds Swarm Before Dawn
Washington Post
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Jan 20, 2009 7:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
As late night became early morning in Washington, eager crowds were already forming outside Metro stops, the Washington Post reports. By 4:30am, some trains were reminiscent of rush hour; by 5:30, the line outside one station was 2 miles long. Meanwhile, thousands poured into the Mall, bundled into sleeping bags in the 20-degree chill.
Slim Loans NYT Co. $250M
New York Times
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Jan 20, 2009 6:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
The New York Times Company announced last night that it had cut a deal with Mexico's Carlos Slim, the world's second-richest man, for a $250 million loan. Slim will receive common shares over six years, at the end of which he will own 17% of the corporation. But he will not gain any representation on the company's board or any of the special voting...
Former Rivals Cozy Up on Inaugural Eve
Reuters
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Jan 20, 2009 6:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama and John McCain buried the hatchet last night at a dinner honoring the Arizona senator, whom Obama called an "American hero." The president-elect praised McCain's bipartisan record and added, "John is not known to bite his tongue and if I'm screwing up, he's going to let me know." McCain vowed to cooperate...
Poppy Bush Bids WH Adieu, Hopes Jeb Will Make His Run
Politico
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Jan 20, 2009 6:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Bush family may be saying goodbye to the presidency yet again, but the family patriarch isn't letting go of his hopes to see another of his sons ensconced at the White House someday, Politico reports. “Maybe Jeb’ll do something," said President George HW Bush, during an impromptu Inauguration Eve visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave...
Houseguests Descend for DC Slumber Party
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 20, 2009 6:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
Thousands of homes across the nation’s capital are jam-packed with out-of-town guests who've arrived to witness history, the Los Angeles Times reports. Guest bedrooms, sofas, and dorm room floors have been turned over to friends and family. "Every surface space, every comforter, every drop of hot water is being utilized," said one...
Cheney Hurts Back, Will Cruise Inaugural in Wheelchair
Associated Press
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Jan 20, 2009 5:58 AM CST
(AP) -
Dick Cheney pulled a muscle in his back while moving boxes and will be in a wheelchair for today's inauguration ceremony. The White House said that the outgoing vice president was helping move into his new home in McLean, Va., when he injured himself. Said Dana Perino, on her last day as White House press secretary: "The vice president is looking...
Black Death Wipes Out al-Qaeda Camp in Algeria
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 5:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
Bubonic plague is believed to have wiped out dozens of al-Qaeda recruits at a terror training camp in Algeria, the Daily Mail reports. The epidemic came to light when security forces found a militant's diseased body dumped on a roadside. Security sources say the plague forced the group to turn its hideout into a mass grave and flee, possibly infecting...
Nationalization Looms for Royal Bank of Scotland
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 4:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
One of Britain's biggest banks is on the verge of nationalization, reports the Daily Telegraph . The Royal Bank of Scotland's shares plummeted more than 65% yesterday after it revealed massive losses of $56 billion for 2008—the highest in British history. The government has upped its stake in the bank to 70% and experts believe it will...
Celebs Take Prez Service Pledge
Us Weekly
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Jan 20, 2009 4:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
An army of celebrity Barack Obama supporters have joined a MySpace video vowing to serve the new president in a way inspired by his campaign. The video, launched by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, includes A-listers such as Cameron Diaz, Dakota Fanning, Nicole Richie, Eva Longoria Parker, and Courteney Cox, who promises to "battle hunger in America."...
Chavez Cronies Hit Vatican HQ With Tear Gas
CNN
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Jan 20, 2009 3:56 AM CST
(Newser) -
Supporters of Hugo Chavez have claimed responsibility for a tear gas attack on the Vatican's headquarters in Caracas, reports CNN. Three canisters landed deep inside the building, which has been sheltering an anti-Chavez student leader wanted by police since June. Several people were overcome by fumes. Gas attacks elsewhere in the city targeted students,...
Sarkozy Trainer Focuses on 'Sex Muscles'
Times (UK)
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Jan 20, 2009 3:32 AM CST
(Newser) -
French President Nicholas Sarkozy has shaved nine pounds off his already-trimish frame and strengthened his "sex muscles," his personal trainer boasts to the Times of London. Sarkozy sweats each day for his 26-year-old female trainer, who focuses on beefing up the perineal muscles at the bottom of the pelvis. “Sexual relations are...
