Newser Story Index from March, 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.
GM Plummets; Dow Down 254
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 30, 2009 3:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Carmakers led stocks down today, after GM and Chrysler' reconstruction plans were rejected by the Obama administration, the Wall Street Journal reports. GM closed down 25%; parts and materials makers like Goodyear and Alcoa were also sharply lower, as were financials on continued uncertainty in that sector. The Dow fell 254.08 points to close at...
North Korea to Try Detained US Journalists
Associated Press
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Mar 30, 2009 3:04 PM CDT
(AP) -
North Korea's state-run news agency says two American reporters detained earlier this month will be tried for illegal entry and "hostile acts." The Korean Central News Agency said in a report today that an initial investigation confirmed suspicions about the two women and preparations for indictments and trial are under way.
How the US Became a Banana Republic
The Atlantic
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Mar 30, 2009 2:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, MIT professor Simon Johnson saw a pattern in bankrupted countries from Argentina to Indonesia: "The powerful elites within them overreached in good times and took too many risks." The current US crisis, Johnson writes in the Atlantic , is "shockingly reminiscent" of an...
US Soldier Pleads Guilty to Iraqi Murders
Washington Post
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Mar 30, 2009 2:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
US Army Sgt. Joseph Mayo pleaded guilty today to the murder of four Iraqi prisoners, the Washington Post reports. The 27-year-old was sentenced to 35 years for participating in the execution-style slaying of four men his infantry unit thought had attacked US military patrols in Baghdad. The prisoners had been captured with rifles and ammunition,...
Group Cracks Down on McDonald's Eggs
Gourmet
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Mar 30, 2009 2:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
McDonald's will soon be faced with an epic decision: Which comes first, the cage-free chicken or the profit margin? The Humane Society plans to press the fast-food behemoth at a shareholder meeting in May to use cage-free eggs, but the fast food giant’s response is anything but certain, Gourmet reports. Caged hens are “arguably...
Mysterious Fireball Reported Along Atlantic Coast
Virginian-Pilot
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Mar 30, 2009 2:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Residents along the mid-Atlantic coast spotted a huge fireball last night—likely a meteor—followed by an explosion and a loud noise minutes later, the Virginian-Pilot reports. “This brilliant green meteor was probably two or three times brighter than the moon,” says one amateur astronomer who spotted the flash. “Then...
NC Gunman's Wife Worked at Rampage Scene
New York Times
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Mar 30, 2009 2:23 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The wife of the man charged with killing 8 yesterday worked at the North Carolina nursing home he chose for his murderous rampage, the New York Times reports. Local police said gunman Robert Stewart was likely separated from Wanda Luck, but declined to say if she was in the building at the time of the shooting, or if she was part of a motive. Stewart...
ShamWow Guy's Other Claim to Fame: Ex-Scientologist
Gawker
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Mar 30, 2009 1:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Vince Offer Shlomi, the ShamWow pitchman who gained infamy after being arrested for badly beating a prostitute last month, is also a renegade ex-Scientologist, Gawker reports. Shlomi joined group in 1982, made connections with Scientology’s many entertainment-industry adherents, and found financing to start filming The Underground Comedy Movie...
Wagoner: Optimist, Survivor, Martyr?
New York Times
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Mar 30, 2009 1:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
During Rick Wagoner’s 9-year stint at the wheel, GM lost its place as the world’s top automaker, cut tens of thousands of jobs, and saw shares fall from $70 to less than $3. But through it all Wagoner fended off all challengers—including the likes of Kirk Kerkorian—and remained unflaggingly optimistic, the New York Times observes....
Moats to Traffic-Stop Cop: Apology Accepted
ABC News
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Mar 30, 2009 1:39 PM CDT
(Newser) -
NFL player Ryan Moats said today he accepted the apology of the cop who stopped and detained him with a drawn gun in a hospital parking lot, preventing him from seeing his mother-in-law before she died, though his wife was allowed to go to her bedside. Moats told Good Morning America he hoped the apology was sincere, and added that he had feared...
Gisele: Tom's Son Feels 100% Like My Own
Vanity Fair
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Mar 30, 2009 1:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Days before marrying Tom Brady last month in a secret ceremony, Gisele Bündchen opened up to Vanity Fair about her relationship. "I knew right way—the first time I saw him," she says of meeting the star QB in 2006. "From the first day we met, we’ve never spent one day without speaking to each other.” But there...
Senate Dems Are Tanking the Party... Again
New Republic
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Mar 30, 2009 1:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Congressional Democrats killed Bill Clinton’s agenda, and Jimmy Carter’s agenda, and it looks like they’re gunning for Barack Obama’s, too, writes Jonathan Chait in the New Republic. George Bush didn’t win the popular vote and had just 50 GOP Senators, but was still able to enact a sweeping far-right agenda, thanks to...
Chrysler, Fiat to Form 'Global Alliance'
MSNBC
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Mar 30, 2009 12:52 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Chrysler and Fiat have agreed to form a “global alliance” just hours after President Obama exhorted the two automakers to partner, MSNBC reports. Obama had promised $6 billion in loans to help Chrysler link with Fiat, and set a 1-month deadline for doing so. "We are pleased that Chrysler, Fiat, and Cerberus have reached agreement on...
To Dodge Recession, Move to Huntsville
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 30, 2009 12:42 PM CDT
(Newser) -
While big cities and rural areas have taken a beating as the financial crisis unfolds, many mid-size cities have seen consumer lending increase, indicating an economic resilience that other areas lack, the Wall Street Journal reports. In cities with populations around 400,000—like Huntsville, Ala.; McAllen, Texas; and Provo, Utah—banks...
Madonna's Adoption Delayed
Associated Press
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Mar 30, 2009 12:35 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Madonna’s second Malawian adoption case moved forward today, only to have a ruling delayed until Friday, the AP reports. Today’s closed-door hearing came amidst more controversy. “We feel Madonna is behaving like a bully,” said the chairman of a human rights group, who accused her of trying to fast-track the process. Adopted...
Ousted GM Boss Gets $20M Retirement Payout
ABC News
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Mar 30, 2009 12:33 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If Rick Wagoner is upset about being forced out of his job as GM’s CEO, his $20 million retirement package should provide some consolation, ABC News reports. Though Treasury rules prevent Wagoner from collecting severance pay, the ousted exec is still eligible for an “Executive Retirement Plan” and a “Salaried Retirement Plan,”...
Bruno Slapped With NC-17 Rating
The Wrap
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Mar 30, 2009 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Sacha Baron Cohen’s next risqué turn—this time as a gay Austrian fashionista—is turning out to be a little too raunchy for some: Bruno has been slapped with an NC-17 rating, the Wrap reports. Among the potential reasons: Anal sex and a nude camping scene. The film, which intends to challenge homophobia and racism, “offends...
GOP Vows to Fight WWIII if Dems Try to Seat Franken
Politico
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Mar 30, 2009 12:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With the Minnesota court ruling on the Senate race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman just days away, GOP honchos are warning that if they lose this round, they plan to go all the way to the highest court, even if it leaves the state's voters without a senator for years. In the meantime, if Dems dare to try to seat Al Franken, says Texas Sen. John...
Glenn Beck: Fox News' Rising 'Rodeo Clown'
New York Times
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Mar 30, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Fox News host Glenn Beck is a moralizing, sometimes tearful, usually outraged revivalist, often reminding conservatives that they “are not alone”—and his "mad as hell" approach seems to be working. After just 2 months on the job, Beck draws 2.3 million cable viewers, behind only Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, the...
Fargo Braces for Snow as Floods Ease
Associated Press
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Mar 30, 2009 11:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Just as the Red River began retreating from Fargo's hastily fortified levees, the city's tired residents stared down a winter storm today that's expected to bring up to 14 inches of snow and wind-whipped waves that could worsen the flooding, the AP reports. Engineers aren't worried about the snowfall, but fear waves could crash against the sandbag...
Cholesterol Drugs Cut Clot Risk
New York Times
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Mar 30, 2009 11:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Cholesterol-lowering drugs showed sizable effects on patients in a new study, but not only in the realm of lowering heart attack and stroke risk. The statins, which are sold under the brand name Crestor, also dramatically cut the occurrence of potentially deadly blood clots in healthy people, reports the New York Times. Some doctors viewed the findings...
HuffPo Starts Investigative Journo Venture
Associated Press
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Mar 30, 2009 11:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Laid-off journalists, take heart: The Huffington Post, aiming to take up the slack as daily newspapers shrink staffs, is about to fund an investigative team that will begin by casting critical eyes on the economy. Ten staff journalists, coordinating with freelancers, will provide work to other sites at the same time as the HuffPo, says Arianna Huffington....
Obama: No Auto Bailout Without More Concessions
MSNBC
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Mar 30, 2009 11:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
GM and Chrysler got tough love from Barack Obama today, with the president declaring that they haven't made substantial enough changes to justify another federal bailout, and decrying the “failure of leadership” to come up with viable restructuring plans. Obama said the companies would have to regroup radically to survive on their own,...
Angelina May Help Octu-Mom
Star
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Mar 30, 2009 11:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nadya Suleman may finally be getting some love from Angelina Jolie. The actress is considering donating “thousands of dollars” to her lookalike because she “knows how chaotic and costly raising a big family can be,” a source told Star . The only problem? Jolie “doesn't necessarily approve of Nadya, and she doesn't want...
Lawyer Blows Off Alleged Ashley Biden Coke Video
New York Daily News
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Mar 30, 2009 10:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The DC lawyer hawking a video that purportedly showed Joe Biden’s daughter snorting coke has suddenly dropped the client—a supposed friend of Ashley Biden—who provided the tape, the New York Daily News reports. Thomas Dunlap refused to identify the provider of the film, which was being shopped to the media for up to $2 million....
In Iraq, Hummer's the Hottest Ride
New York Times
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Mar 30, 2009 10:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An American military icon has become all the rage in war-weary Baghdad: the Hummer. With at least 20,000 military Humvees on the road, the civilian version seems an unlikely symbol for auto-elitism, but a dealership run by two brothers indicates otherwise. They estimate they've sold 20 H3s in the past 7 months, providing Iraqis with a massive ride...
Khmer Rouge Hearings Begin
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 30, 2009 10:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One of the most feared figures of Pol Pot's fanatical regime in Cambodia has begun to tell his story on the witness stand as hearings begin in his trial, reports the Los Angeles Times . The former head of a Khmer Rough prison, Kaing Khev Iev—known as Duch—is charged with crimes against humanity, torture, murder, and war crimes.
Senate Eyes Lifting All Travel Bans to Cuba
Washington Post
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Mar 30, 2009 10:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A bipartisan group of senators is set to introduce a new bill on US-Cuban relations tomorrow that would remove all legal barriers to traveling to the island, reports the Washington Post . The bill goes far beyond earlier efforts to relax travel restrictions and enjoys support from committee leaders, top Republicans, and the White House. But it has...
Cartoons Could Help Diagnose Autism in Kids
BBC
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Mar 30, 2009 10:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The way in which toddlers are drawn to animated movement may help facilitate the diagnosis of autism-spectrum disorders, reports the BBC. In the study, children who were developing normally focused on the half of a split-screen that featured an upright animation; children with signs of autism showed no preference between that and an upside-down version,...
Barack Who? Europe Really Hearts Michelle
Politico
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Mar 30, 2009 10:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Europe's a huge fan of Obama—Michelle Obama, that is. Though hubby has thousands of fervent supporters, it's the first lady whose every move and outfit is lovingly scrutinized by adoring fans, Politico reports. The press is also swooning. "Why doesn't the UK have a Michelle Obama?" asked one paper. But it's still unclear how Michelle...
In Iraq, US Allies Fight Each Other for Control
Washington Post
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Mar 30, 2009 9:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A showdown this weekend between Iraqi security forces and Sunni fighters known as the Awakening, both US allies, could signal challenges facing Iraq as the US prepares to leave, the Washington Post reports. After Iraqi and US forces arrested an Awakening leader Saturday, Sunni fighters swarmed a Baghdad neighborhood. "No Awakening member would...
4 Kids Killed in Calif. Murder-Suicide
San Jose Mercury News
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Mar 30, 2009 9:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Six people, including at least three children and one teenager or young adult, were killed in a shooting last night in an upscale neighborhood in Northern California, the San Jose Mercury News reports. A seventh person is in critical condition. Police don’t think anyone is at large. “It could be a homicide-suicide,” one policeman...
On Environment, White House Quick to Undo Bush Policies
Washington Post
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Mar 30, 2009 9:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
More than a dozen environmental initiatives that stagnated under former President Bush are moving forward under Obama, the Washington Post reports. In most of those cases, the decisions were based on reports drafted over several years that, in the face of opposition, were placed on the back burner to await new bosses. “It is kind of how government...
Goody Gets Statue; Hubby $500K House
Daily Mirror (UK)
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Mar 30, 2009 9:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Jade Goody, the British reality star who died of cervical cancer last week, will be honored with a statue or a plaque near her childhood home, the Mirror reports. Meanwhile, the Sun reports grieving husband Jack Tweed bought a $495,000 private estate four days after his wife died. Goody reportedly left Tweed nothing in her will, but he earned nearly...
AIG's Woes Point to Larger Insurance Crisis
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 30, 2009 9:13 AM CDT
(Newser) -
AIG’s troubles were quickly blamed on a single, obscure wing of the company, but its problems extend to its core life-insurance division—underscoring dangerous weaknesses across the entire industry and pointing to the possibility of a second financial crisis, the Los Angeles Times reports. What's more, by offering AIG a federal lifeline,...
Sad Neeson Back at Work
New York Post
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Mar 30, 2009 9:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Natasha Richardson’s family is returning to work in the wake of her sudden death, the New York Post reports. A rep confirmed husband Liam Neeson returned to the set of Chloe and “completed the movie,” and a source spotted him alone at a Toronto hotel bar. “It was so sad. He looked like he was in an Edward Hopper print,”...
Dow Drops Nearly 300 on Auto Bailout News
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 30, 2009 8:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks hit the brakes hard this morning, after the Obama administration’s auto task force panned GM and Chrysler’s proposed reconstruction plans. The Dow was down 298 points by late morning, while the S&P and Nasdaq had tumbled 59 and 31 points respectively. GM plummeted 25%, falling below $3. Financials, meanwhile, were falling, in...
Obama, DC Elite Are NCAA Washouts
The Hill
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Mar 30, 2009 8:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama may be a gifted politician, but a gifted bracketologist he is not. NCAA brackets across the nation’s capital were shredded this weekend, the Hill reports, as a slew of upsets took down all but one of the tournament’s top seeds. Just one member of the president’s final four is still standing, and John McCain, Mitch McConnell,...
Sorry, Recession Won't Get You Into Harvard
New York Times
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Mar 30, 2009 8:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sure, a lot of people are cash-strapped, but don’t get your hopes up that the recession will boost your shot at an Ivy League school. Harvard got a record number of applications this year—29,112, a 6% jump from last year. And pricey universities like Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, and Stanford all saw application numbers soar, the New...
Obamas Will Pick Up Tab for White House Renovations
New York
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Mar 30, 2009 7:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack and Michelle Obama won’t be using the $100,000 in taxpayer cash the first family is allotted for White House renovations, New York magazine reports. Instead, they’ll fund their fix-up out of their own pockets. Which may be a good political investment, since they’ve hired Michael S. Smith, a Hollywood decorator who's worked...
Auto Team: Chrysler Needs Bankruptcy, Fiat Deal
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 30, 2009 7:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Chrysler cannot become viable on its own, says the White House's auto task force, recommending “quick and surgical” bankruptcy restructuring and the proposed Fiat partnership as the automaker's best shot at survival. The administration will provide Chrysler 30 days’ more working capital to finalize a deal, but the federal lifeline...
Merkel Emerges as Obama's Main Rival
New York Times
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Mar 30, 2009 7:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Angela Merkel stresses that she is a friend of the United States and wants Washington to play "a strong role in the world"—but ahead of the G20 summit this week, the German chancellor has emerged as the strongest and most unwavering opponent of Barack Obama's call for a global stimulus. In an interview with the New York Times , she...
Obama: G20 Will Prepare World for Recovery
Financial Times (UK)
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Mar 30, 2009 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama voiced optimism for a global deal at this week's G20 summit in London and downplayed talk of a split between the US and Europe, in his first interview with a foreign publication, the Financial Times. Saying that "we need stimulus and we need regulation," the president told the FT the G20 countries should commit to further...
Auto Task Force: GM Plan Not Viable
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 30, 2009 6:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
GM’s current restructuring plan isn’t going to cut the mustard, President Obama’s auto task force declared in its stinging assessment for the White House. The memo accuses GM of relying on rosy, unrealistic projections for sales, burning through too much cash, expecting too much from the rollout of the electric Chevy Volt, and giving...
Chew on This: Biodegradable Gum Hits Stores
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 30, 2009 6:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The first widely available biodegradable chewing gum hits British stores today. Chicza Rainforest Gum is manufactured in Mexico from the sap of the chicle tree collected by a cooperative network of chicleros, or gum farmers. Unlike regular gum, Chicza uses no petrochemicals, isn't sticky, and dries up and crumbles to nothingness in about six weeks...
Pakistan Retakes Police School From Gunmen
Associated Press
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Mar 30, 2009 5:52 AM CDT
(AP) -
Pakistani security forces overpowered a group of gunmen who staged a deadly, highly coordinated assault on a police academy today, capturing six of the militants while eight others died during an hours-long battle in the country's east. Apart from the militants, the assault left eight police and three civilians dead, Pakistani officials reported.
Automakers Lead Sharp Selloff Worldwide
Wall Street Journal
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Mar 30, 2009 5:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Stocks in Asia and Europe plummeted today amid global fears for the auto industry and hesitation that this week's G20 summit in London might not deliver on ambitious goals. In Tokyo the Nikkei dropped 4.5%, with Toyota, Honda and Nissan all posting substantial falls. At midmorning stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt were all down, with automakers...
Hubby of Top UK Minister Billed Taxpayers for Porn
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 30, 2009 5:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Jacqui Smith, the British home secretary, was fighting for her political future today after revelations that her husband had billed the taxpayer to watch pornography at their house. The $15 rental fees for two adult movies were bundled into the minister's Internet bill, which he expensed to parliament. Smith has said she will pay back the money, but...
Merde! French Rapper Sparks Feminist Fury
Guardian (UK)
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Mar 30, 2009 5:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A French musician's rap about beating his girlfriend has so enraged activists that they're lobbying to have him banned from an upcoming rock festival, the Guardian reports. OrelSan sings about a broken arm, broken legs, and a wished-for miscarriage and "slow death" for his lover in his song Sale Pute , or Dirty Slut . Women's...
Islamists Lose Ground in Turkish Election
Los Angeles Times
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Mar 30, 2009 4:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Turkey's Islamist-leaning AK Party won local elections yesterday, but fell short of the overwhelming victory leaders had hoped for, reports the Los Angeles Times . With most of the votes counted, the party of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan won 39% of the vote, but lost ground to secularists in Istanbul and other big cities. "This is a message...
