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Newser Story Index from February, 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.

US Drone Kills 31 in Pakistan Strike
Reuters | Feb 16, 2009 5:44 AM CST
(Newser) - A US drone plane fired missiles at a building reportedly housing militants in northwest Pakistan, killing at least 31 people, reports the New York Times—the second time in three days such a strike has claimed upward of 30 lives. "Afghan Taliban were holding an important meeting there when the missiles were fired," an intelligence...
Obama Faces Costly Choice on $11B Marine One Fleet
New York Times | Feb 16, 2009 5:02 AM CST
(Newser) - President Obama has to decide whether to continue a Pentagon contract that pits wartime security against his principles of government accountability and frugality, the New York Times reports. The 2003 project to replace the decades-old Marine One fleet has nearly doubled in price to $11 billion, pushing the cost of each VH-71 helicopter to almost...
Simon, Garfunkel in Surprise Reunion
Reuters | Feb 16, 2009 4:36 AM CST
(Newser) - Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel appeared together in a surprise reunion at a Manhattan weekend concert, Reuters reports. It was only the third time the famous duo, now both 67, have performed together since a 2004 reunion tour. Garfunkel appeared on stage to sing The Sound of Silence, The Boxer and Old Friends during the encore of Simon's concert...
Mexican Gunmen Kill Elite Cop, 6 Kids
Los Angeles Times | Feb 16, 2009 4:08 AM CST
(Newser) - Mexican gunmen rained bullets on the home of an elite cop, killing him, six children in his extended family and five others. The officer was assigned to ferret out police corruption, reports the Los Angeles Times . The violence was unusual for oil-rich Tobasco, which has been largely immune from such attacks. In other weekend violence, a Michoacan...
Aussie Arson Suspect Was Volunteer Firefighter
Times (UK) | Feb 16, 2009 3:39 AM CST
(Newser) - The first suspect to be charged in one of the Australian blazes that killed as many as 300 people has been identified as a 39-year-old volunteer firefighter, reports the Times of London. He's accused of igniting a fire that killed 21 people 100 miles east of Melbourne. The suspect's identity had not been released earlier due to fears for his safety....
Calif. DMV Sued for Suspending Licenses of Med Marijuana Users
Los Angeles Times | Feb 16, 2009 3:21 AM CST
(Newser) - A medical marijuana advocacy group has sued California's Department of Motor Vehicles, demanding a written policy that treats doctor-approved pot like any other prescription drug, reports the Los Angeles Times . The DMV is accused of repeatedly suspending licenses, against state policy, from sober drivers caught with medical marijuana. "It happens...
British, French Nuclear Subs Collide
Telegraph (UK) | Feb 16, 2009 2:48 AM CST
(Newser) - A probe into possible nuclear contamination has been launched after British and French  submarines carrying nuke warheads collided in rough seas in the Atlantic, reports the Telegraph . Both subs were seriously damaged in the collision earlier this month that occurred despite state-of-the-art technology on both vessels dedicated to protect against...
PETA Protests McCruel Chicken Slaughter
Chicago Tribune | Feb 16, 2009 2:15 AM CST
(Newser) - After years of KFC boycotts, PETA will once again picket McDonald's in a bid to trigger a change in the way chickens are slaughtered in the US. American farms usually shock chickens before beheading them, a method the animal rights group calls inhumane. PETA prefers the European method, which involves gassing animals, reports the Chicago Tribune....
Obama Swaps Car Czar Plan With Panel
New York Times | Feb 16, 2009 1:48 AM CST
(Newser) - The Obama administration has ditched the "car czar" idea, and is divvying up the task of reviving Detroit among a panel of top economic advisers instead, an official tells the New York Times . The Treasury secretary and National Economic Council chair will oversee the presidential panel of experts, many of whom are already helping General...
Chavez Wins Referendum to Stay in Power
Reuters | Feb 15, 2009 8:49 PM CST
(Newser) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez won a key referendum today that will keep him in office for as long as he wins elections, Reuters reports. After years of debate, Chavez supporters voted to abolish term limits that would have ended his rule in 2013. The reported margin of victory, 54% to 46%, was bigger than expected after polls gave Chavez only a...
Kenseth Wins Rainy Daytona 500
Associated Press | Feb 15, 2009 8:20 PM CST
(AP) - Rain that had threatened today's season-opening race finally rolled in moments after Matt Kenseth slid past Elliott Sadler for the lead, the AP reports. Then the former NASCAR champion was forced to sit out a 20-minute delay before claiming victory in the Daytona 500 after 152 of 200 laps. It was just the fourth rain-shortened 500 in the race's...
Hospitals Scramble to Fend Off Nursing Shortage
Associated Press | Feb 15, 2009 7:55 PM CST
(Newser) - US hospitals are running short of nurses as the high-pressure work pushes many to walk out, the AP reports. With little on-the-job training, one in five are quitting in less than a year—forcing hospitals to invest in residency programs to try to keep them. "It really was, 'Throw them out there and let them learn,'" one nursing...
Junk We've Lost in Outer Space
Wired | Feb 15, 2009 7:30 PM CST
(Newser) - In the wake of two satellites colliding this week—and debris apparently falling on several states— Wired runs down a list of objects we've lost in outer space: A spatula: Used to apply heat-shield repair goo, the implement's loss was a blow to one astronaut. "That was my favorite spatch," he said. "Don’t tell...
Madonna's the Same Age as Boy Toy's Granny
New York Post | Feb 15, 2009 7:08 PM CST
(Newser) - Madonna is the same age as her latest lover’s grandmother, the New York Post reports. Brazilian model Jesus Pinto da Luz met Madge at a photo shoot, before spending the Christmas holidays with the 50-year-old pop star in the Maldives. The 22-year-old's family thinks Madonna has kidnapped him to New York, and Brazilian media reports say her...
Beta Blocker 'Erases' Bad Memories
Telegraph (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 6:44 PM CST
(Newser) - A drug usually prescribed for high blood pressure can relieve people of painful memories, the Telegraph reports. Taking the beta blocker drug propranolol, subjects in a Dutch study experienced less fear when reminded of a shocking memory. Researchers said millions of people suffering from emotional disorders or "self-perpetuating memories"...
Satellite Debris Rains Down on Southwest: FAA
Space.com | Feb 15, 2009 6:21 PM CST
(Newser) - Fireballs streaking across Kentucky, Texas, and New Mexico are likely debris from two satellites that collided last week, Space.com reports. Since Friday, residents have been calling police and weather offices reporting loud blasts that FAA officials are attributing to debris entering the atmosphere. The FAA also warned airplane pilots to watch for...
Bye, Bye, Petro-Czars
Newsweek | Feb 15, 2009 6:02 PM CST
(Newser) - There is one silver lining to the global recession: The economic and political fortunes of America’s oil-rich antagonists have been tarnished, Rana Foroohar writes in Newsweek. Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez have all been humbled by the falling price of oil, which has...
B-Ball Stars Say Obama's Got Game
Chicago Tribune | Feb 15, 2009 5:37 PM CST
(Newser) - Basketball stars of today and yesterday have dissected President Barack Obama’s game on CNN, the Swamp blog reports. "He's smart at the game," Magic Johnson said today, watching a clip of the president shooting hoops. “He sees the play before it develops. That is how he is running the country.” Bill Russell, Steve Nash,...
State Reps Tell Burris to Resign
Fox News | Feb 15, 2009 5:13 PM CST
(Newser) - Two Illinois Republicans are calling on Sen. Roland Burris to resign amid allegations he committed perjury during the Rod Blagojevich impeachment hearings, Fox News reports. State representatives Jim Durkin and Tom Cross are also demanding an outside investigation. "I think it would be in the best interest of the state if he resigned because I...
'Sorry, Saddened' Brown Seeks Counseling
Reuters | Feb 15, 2009 4:47 PM CST
(Newser) - Chris Brown has broken his silence, saying he is "sorry and saddened" for allegedly assaulting girlfriend and fellow star Rihanna last week, Reuters reports. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person,” the 19-year-old said in a statement....
Should We Allow Coffin Pics?
Newsweek | Feb 15, 2009 4:26 PM CST
(Newser) - President Obama is reviewing a media ban at Dover Air Force Base, where dead soldiers arrive in flag-draped coffins, but "in truth, it's not an easy issue," John Barry writes in Newsweek . There is widespread support for raising the ban "as a way of reminding the public of the cost of war." But with cameras present, families...
Pope to Visit Israel in May
New York Times | Feb 15, 2009 4:00 PM CST
(Newser) - Pope Benedict XVI will visit Israel this May amid diplomatic tensions between the Vatican and the Jewish state, the New York Times reports. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert confirmed the visit today after the pontiff hinted at a trip last week. “We very much hope that the visit will be held in an appropriate atmosphere,” Olmert said.
Friday Hacks Up Box Office
Entertainment Weekly | Feb 15, 2009 3:40 PM CST
(Newser) - Friday the 13th took an ax to Valentine's Day flicks by bagging the biggest opening weekend gross of the year, $42.2 million, Entertainment Weekly reports. He's Just Not That Into You fell to second with $19.6 million, followed by Taken ($19.3 million), Confessions of a Shopaholic ($15.4 million), and Coraline ($15.3 million). It was Hollywood's...
Kid UK Parents Might Be Just Fine, Thanks
Independent (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 3:08 PM CST
(Newser) - Don’t be so sure 13-year-old Alfie Patten and 15-year-old Chantelle Steadman will be bad parents for their newborn, Sarah Sands writes in the Independent . Sure, the young father “loves computer games and Manchester United,” but that “does not actually set Alfie apart from the adult male population.” The kids will have...
Lance's Custom Bike Ripped Off
Velo News | Feb 15, 2009 2:34 PM CST
(Newser) - Thieves made off with Lance Armstrong’s customized time trial bike and the bikes of three teammates last night, VeloNews reports. "There is only one like it in the world therefore hard to pawn it off,” Armstrong wrote on his Twitter account with a photo of the Trek bicycle. “Reward being offered." The Astana team bikes...
FEMA Is Also in the Prevention Business
NPR | Feb 15, 2009 2:03 PM CST
(Newser) - FEMA may be best known for its response in times of crisis, but it also tries to provide help before disaster strikes, NPR reports. In the tiny Missouri hamlet of Niangua, a tornado shelter mostly funded by the agency will soon be able to house the entire town—a relief for citizens who have seen eight natural disasters in just a couple...
NTSB: Buffalo Plane Was on Autopilot
Associated Press | Feb 15, 2009 1:25 PM CST
(AP) - A federal aviation official says the plane that crashed into a house near Buffalo, killing 50 people, was on autopilot when it went down, a possible violation of airline policy in icy weather. Steve Chealander of the National Transportation Safety Board says Colgan Air recommends pilots fly manually in icy conditions. Pilots are required to do so in...
Docs Alarmed after Mad Cow Linked to Plasma Transfusion
Telegraph (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 1:18 PM CST
(Newser) - Scientists have discovered the first case of mad cow caused by tainted blood plasma, the Telegraph reports. The elderly British man, who died from other causes, received blood transfusions years before doctors imposed restrictions to halt the spread of the fatal disease. Scientists had previously insisted the 4,000 people who received possibly contaminated...
UAE Denies Israeli Tennis Player Visa
CNN | Feb 15, 2009 1:05 PM CST
(Newser) - The United Arab Emirates denied an Israeli tennis player a visa to compete in a tour in Dubai, preventing her from becoming the first Israeli athlete to play professionally in the country, CNN reports. Dubai could lose its World Tennis Association membership over the incident, which violates WTA policy guaranteeing qualifying players a spot in competitions....
Obama Will Lift Stem Cell Ban Soon: Adviser
Reuters | Feb 15, 2009 12:44 PM CST
(Newser) - President Obama is currently considering overturning the limits on federal funding for stem cell research, senior adviser David Axelrod said today. The move would make good on a campaign promise, and be in keeping with Obama's inaugural message of bringing American science back to prominence. Scientists say unfettered research could lead to cures for...
Alien Life 'Inevitable': Astronomer
Telegraph (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 12:21 PM CST
(Newser) - Scientists now believe there could be as many habitable planets in the cosmos as there are stars, and that makes life’s existence elsewhere “inevitable” over billions of years, says one. “It is sort of like running an experiment in your refrigerator—turn it off and something will grow in there,” Alan Boss says. The...
Limits on Exec Bonuses May Backfire
Los Angeles Times | Feb 15, 2009 11:53 AM CST
(Newser) - An 11th-hour limit on Wall Street bonuses in the stimulus bill could ultimately hurt the economy, experts say. In a surprise move, they curb not only senior executives’ pay but also traders, investment bankers, and others, the Los Angeles Times reports. “This will make it difficult to attract and retain top salespeople, the lifeblood...
Amazon Yanks Video Rape Game
Telegraph (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 11:32 AM CST
(Newser) - Amazon will no longer offer a video rape game, following consumer complaints, reports the Daily Telegraph . The Japanese game Rapelay instructs virtual players to stalk and rape women, then force them to abort any resulting pregnancies. "We determined that we did not want to be selling this particular item," said an Amazon spokeswoman....
Stimulus Will Hit Fast: Axelrod
Politico | Feb 15, 2009 11:16 AM CST
(Newser) - Calling Tim Geithner’s economic rescue plan “a very thoughtful strategy,” David Axelrod said the economic stimulus will be felt soon and defended the treasury secretary today on NBC’s Meet the Press . President Obama’s senior adviser said Wall Street’s expectations were unrealistic and that the White House would...
GOP Whip Faces Newt's Task Magnified
New York Times | Feb 15, 2009 10:42 AM CST
(Newser) - House Minority Whip Eric Cantor's position resembles that of predecessor Newt Gingrich in 1993, and like Gingrich, Cantor has rallied Republicans in a divisive budget battle against reigning Democrats. But continuing in Gingrich's mold may be a tall order, writes Adam Nagourney in the New York Times —while Newt led a Republican resurgence...
Taliban Declares Ceasefire in Pakistan Valley
Associated Press | Feb 15, 2009 10:08 AM CST
(AP) - The Taliban declared a 10-day ceasefire in a Pakistani valley and freed a Chinese hostage today after it began peace talks with the government, but an abducted American remains missing. The militants called the move a goodwill gesture, as its sympathizers and government officials discuss introducing elements of Islamic law in Swat Valley and nearby...
Republicans Shell Out to Fight Franken
Politico | Feb 15, 2009 9:46 AM CST
(Newser) - After President Obama slipped a bill through Congress with just three Republicans’ support, the GOP is digging in to prevent a 59th Democrat from taking Minnesota's contested Senate seat. Al Franken currently leads the interminable race by 225 votes, but Republicans are pouring cash into Norm Coleman’s legal bid to prevent Franken from...
1 of 4 UK Liver Transplants Go to Alcoholics
Guardian (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 9:22 AM CST
(Newser) - Nearly one quarter of those receiving liver transplants in the UK are heavy drinkers, prompting a fiery debate over the allocation of organs to alcoholics, the Guardian reports. In the past decade, as waiting lists have lengthened, transplants for heavy drinkers have spiked 60%—a trend the mother of one deceased donor called “offensive,...
Winslet's Oscar Bid Battered by Nazi Furor
Telegraph (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 8:37 AM CST
(Newser) - Mounting criticism of The Reader as an apologia for the Nazis is seriously undermining Kate Winslet's chances for an Oscar, reports the Telegraph . Critics have blasted the film as "Nazi porn," and the author of a book on Hitler charged in a recent article in Slate that it " asks us to empathize with an unrepentant mass murderer."...
Mugabe Buys Secret $5.8M Hong Kong Getaway
Times (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 8:03 AM CST
(Newser) - While his country battles massive inflation, unemployment and cholera, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has secretly bought a $5.8 million residence in Hong Kong, the Times of London reports. His wife recently spent some $80,000 on Vietnamese statues and $12,500 on a bag. When she recently discussed a venture to have Zimbabwean diamonds cut in Hong...
Jacko's Neverland Treasures Up for Auction
Guardian (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 7:39 AM CST
(Newser) - A portrait of King of Odd Michael Jackson dressed as an Elizabethan monarch, a red velvet throne, and a fedora from the Billie Jean video are a few of the unique treasures from the singer's Neverland ranch being assembled for an upcoming auction in Los Angeles, reports the Guardian , which was granted a sneak peak at the goodies. The 4-day auction...
US Military Woos Recruits With Citizenship Offer
New York Times | Feb 15, 2009 7:02 AM CST
(Newser) - Aiming to swell its ranks as it fights two wars, the US military will offer skilled temporary immigrants who enlist a shot at becoming citizens in just six months, the New York Times reports. Immigrants with temporary visas who have been in the US at least two years will now be eligible to join up in a move military leaders hope will create better-educated,...
Octuplet Mom Swears Off Sex for 18 Years
Sun (UK) | Feb 15, 2009 6:33 AM CST
(Newser) - It's too late for the decision to limit the size of her family, but the octuplets mom has sworn off sex for 18 years, she tells the Sun . "I cannot maintain a social life and be a mother," said single mom Nadya Suleman, 33. "To even take one percent of every night and devote it to someone else would be wrong. I have to wait for that...
Recession Depression Setting In
NPR | Feb 15, 2009 6:11 AM CST
(Newser) - Some people can take losing a job in stride, but Silvia Martinez isn’t one of them. When she lost her $52,000-a-year human resources job, the Virginia woman was too ashamed to tell anyone and sank into a deep depression. “I apply for jobs and apply for jobs and no one calls,” she tells NPR. Eventually, she attempted suicide. ...
Mum Execs Suspected Madoff in 2005
New York Post | Feb 15, 2009 5:35 AM CST
(Newser) - A number of Wall Street executives were convinced Bernard Madoff's investment scheme was a scam as early as four years ago, but never reported their suspicions to anyone but friends and family, according to SEC documents. Concerns by executives from Citigroup and Goldman Sachs are revealed in an extensive dossier of emails and letters filed with the...
Wife Admits Exercising Husband, 73, to Death
Associated Press | Feb 15, 2009 5:01 AM CST
(AP) - An Ohio woman has pleaded guilty to reckless homicide after exercising her 73-year-old husband to death in a swimming pool and refusing to let him leave the water, reports AP. The husband rested his head on the side of the pool several times while gasping for breath when the wife prevented him from leaving the water 43 times, according to the local...
Inquiry Into Iraqi Graft Expands to Top US Officers
New York Times | Feb 15, 2009 12:30 AM CST
(Newser) - The United States' poor track record on rebuilding Iraq has long been chalked up to lousy planning by Pentagon brass. But an expanding investigation by federal authorities adds another element to the mix: possible corruption by the military commanders who oversaw reconstruction in the Wild West days after the invasion, the New York Times reports....
Octuplet Mom's Agents Quit Over Death Threats
Los Angeles Times | Feb 14, 2009 10:54 PM CST
(Newser) - The octuplets mom now has two fewer people in her life: The husband-and-wife publicity team who represented her has quit because of death threats, the Los Angeles Times reports. "They hope I die, they hope my business goes under, they want to rip her uterus out," said JoAnn Killeen, who had taken on Nadya Suleman as a client for free. "They...
MIA Has a Boy; Will She Make the Oscars?
Hitfix | Feb 14, 2009 10:14 PM CST
(Newser) - MIA is now an M-O-M, reports Hitfix. The 31-year-old Sri Lankan singer and hip-hop artist delivered a healthy baby boy on Wednesday, notes People . It's her first child, and there's no word on the name yet. Now the big question: Can MIA—who performed at the Grammys on her due date—make her scheduled Oscars appearance next Sunday? She’s...
Geithner Gets Warmer Reception at G-8 Summit
Associated Press | Feb 14, 2009 10:05 PM CST
(AP) - This was no Roman holiday for Timothy Geithner. But after crashing global markets with a botched rollout of a bank rescue plan, the new Treasury secretary earned better reviews from global finance officials meeting in Rome. Geithner appeared more assured at a news conference here following two days of G-8 talks. However, few new details emerged from...
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