Newser Story Index from June, 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.
Why Health Reform Will Happen—And Why It Won't
Time
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Jun 18, 2009 6:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
With the Obama administration stepping up its push for health-care reform, Mark Halperin, in Time , lists five reasons why it will, and won't, get done. The pros: The industry is "still on board." "Barack Obama doesn't fail too often." It's a must-win for the entire White House agenda. Congressional Democrats...
As Probiotics Expand, Confusion Sets In
Chicago Tribune
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Jun 18, 2009 5:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Probiotics are branching out of the dairy aisle and into all types of food—from pizza to cereal—as marketers try to sell the health benefits. Seems like good news. The so-called friendly bacteria is supposed to help with digestion and boost the immune system, among other things. The problem is that scientists say the jury's still out on...
NASA's Moon Probes Lift Off
Associated Press
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Jun 18, 2009 5:10 PM CDT
(AP) -
NASA launched its first moon shot in a decade today, with an unmanned rocket blasting off from Cape Canaveral. It carried a pair of science probes that will scout out potential landing spots for astronauts. It's a first step in NASA's effort to return humans to the moon by 2020.
Senate OKs $106B for Wars
The Hill
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Jun 18, 2009 5:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Senate today overwhelmingly passed a bill authorizing $106 billion to fund the nation’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Hill reports. It now goes to President Obama for his expected signature. The vote had been delayed by wrangling over how to keep detainee abuse photos under wraps. Yesterday, the Senate passed a stand-alone law on the...
Rio's Olympic Bid Picks Up Steam
Associated Press
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Jun 18, 2009 4:52 PM CDT
(AP) -
With 3½ months to go, Rio de Janeiro has picked up significant momentum in the race for the 2016 Olympics. The Brazilian city emerged with the most buzz among the four competing cities during presentations yesterday in Switzerland to International Olympic Committee members. Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo are the other cities vying to host the Summer...
New Kids Scrap Aussie Tour, Blaming Recession
Reuters
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Jun 18, 2009 4:50 PM CDT
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The New Kids on the Block have canceled a planned tour of Australia because of weak ticket sales amid the recession, Reuters reports. “We are, in fact, in the middle of a worldwide recession and we just cannot make it work,” said Donnie Wahlberg. He said the group was “saddened” because Australia is “one of our favorite...
Cronkite 'Gravely Ill'
Mediabistro
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Jun 18, 2009 4:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Walter Cronkite, the legendary CBS News anchor and reporter, is “gravely ill,” sources tell Mediabistro columnist Gail Shister. The network began updating its obituary package for the 92-year-old last week, one added. Newsday ’s Verne Gay writes that he, too, has heard the rumors: “Walter could be with us for years, but the...
Help Wanted: Pillownauts for NASA
Wired
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Jun 18, 2009 4:43 PM CDT
(Newser) -
If astronaut school seems too daunting, this might be the next best thing. NASA is offering $160 per day for human testers to lie down at a slight downward angle—a position that simulates the moon's gravitational pull—for months at a stretch. It may sound easy, but bodies aren't built for it. (Catheters are involved.) Being a "pillownaut"...
New Images May Show Ancient Martian Lake
Associated Press
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Jun 18, 2009 4:39 PM CDT
(AP) -
New images suggest Mars had a sizable lake on its surface billions of years ago, further evidence that the planet had a watery past. Images snapped by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reveal a 30-mile-long canyon where water once flowed and beach remnants surrounding a basin. Dubbed the Shalbatana lake for the valley it's located in, scientists believe...
Shaq Challenges MMA Fighters
BallerStatus
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Jun 18, 2009 4:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Shaquille O’Neal may be headed into the fighting ring after retirement. The 7-foot-1 NBA star posted a video challenging Mixed Martial Arts star Chuck Liddell and Korean kickboxer Hong Man Choi to matches. Choi—who’s an inch taller than Shaq—recently crushed retired baseball player Jose Conseco within two minutes, BallerStatus...
DNA Shows Mich. Man Is Not Long-Missing NY Boy
Associated Press
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Jun 18, 2009 4:16 PM CDT
(AP) -
The FBI says DNA testing confirms that a 54-year-old Michigan man is not a toddler kidnapped in Long Island in 1955. John Barnes is not Stephen Damman, who disappeared at age 2 from outside an East Meadow bakery while his mother shopped. Barnes says he has long suspected the couple who raised him are not his biological parents, and the FBI took his...
Rain Suspends US Open
Golf.com
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Jun 18, 2009 4:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The first round of the US Open lasted just three hours today before rain made Bethpage Black unplayable, Golf.com reports. Play was suspended until 7:30am tomorrow, though more wet weather is forecast for Long Island. Four players shared the lead at 1 under par, but none had played more than 11 holes.
FBI Finds Child Porn on Museum Shooter's Computer
Washington Post
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Jun 18, 2009 3:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Police discovered child pornography on a computer during a search of the home of suspected Holocaust Museum gunman James von Brunn, the Washington Post reports. FBI agents would not detail the amount or type of material discovered in the 88-year-old's Annapolis apartment. They also found a rifle, a handwritten will, and what seems to be a painting...
US Fortifies Hawaii Against N. Korea Threat
Associated Press
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Jun 18, 2009 3:28 PM CDT
(AP) -
Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he is positioning defenses near Hawaii just in case North Korea fires a missile across the Pacific toward the island state. Gates says he has sent the military's ground-based mobile missile system to Hawaii and positioned a radar system nearby. Together the systems theoretically could detect and shoot down a North...
MacLachlan May Revive Twin Peaks Online
IMDB
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Jun 18, 2009 3:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Agent Dale Cooper may be returning to Twin Peaks , at least on the Internet. Kyle MacLachlan—now on the slightly different Desperate Housewives —says he hopes to launch 5-minute webisodes that pick up where the quirky '90s show left off, reports the WENN blog on iMDB. Creator David Lynch won't be involved, however. "David's focus...
Health Care Nudges Dow Up 58
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 18, 2009 3:11 PM CDT
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Markets were up today on a strong performance from the volatile financial sector and continued gains for health-care stocks, the Wall Street Journal reports. Investors are confident that President Obama's health reform will be whittled down, leaving room for industry profits. The Dow was up 58.42, to 8,555.60. The S&P rose 7.66 to end at 918.37,...
Mexicans Eager to Cast Votes for No One
Time
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Jun 18, 2009 2:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Plenty of politicians are battling for votes ahead of Mexico’s July 5 congressional election, but the campaign getting the most buzz isn’t for a candidate—it’s for no candidate. The vote en blanco movement is urging disillusioned Mexicans to turn in their ballots with a giant “X” over them to protest what they...
Black Music Month Still Matters
The Root
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Jun 18, 2009 2:29 PM CDT
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Black Music Month, also known as June, used to celebrate visionaries like Duke Ellington and Billie Holliday. “In an age in which Auto-Tune and ringtone hits dominate, should we even be celebrating Black Music Month?” asks Erin Evans in The Root. “The answer, of course, is yes.” Evans argues that the month is more important...
Dusty Rhodes, NY Giants Series Hero, Dead at 82
New York Daily News
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Jun 18, 2009 2:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Dusty Rhodes, the free-spirited outfielder whose pinch-hitting heroics helped the New York Giants to the 1954 World Series title, died yesterday at 82, the Daily News reports. Called “the worst fielder who ever played in a big league game” by one manager, Rhodes had a reputation for enjoying the nightlife; he died after battling illnesses...
HealthSouth Boss on Hook for $2.9B Fraud
Bloomberg
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Jun 18, 2009 1:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Four years after Richard Scrushy was acquitted of directing accounting fraud at HealthSouth, a judge has held him accountable for $2.876 billion, Bloomberg reports. “Scrushy was the CEO of the fraud,” said the judge, who ruled without a jury. The decision “is a shot across the bow for those who engage in corporate greed and fraud...
Senate Apologizes for Slavery
CNN
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Jun 18, 2009 1:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Senate today apologized for slavery and civil rights abuses against African-Americans, CNN reports. The unanimous gesture—it comes on the eve of Juneteenth, which marks the end of the Civil War—carries a disclaimer that it's not meant to authorize reparations, notes the Chicago Tribune . The House will vote on its own measure, but...
Crew Asked for Doc But Kept Pilot's Death a Secret
Star-Ledger
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Jun 18, 2009 1:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
They didn't explain why, but the crew of Continental Flight 61 asked passengers about halfway through their flight whether there was a doctor on board. It was only when the plane landed that passengers learned their 60-year-old captain had died somewhere between Brussels and New Jersey, the Star-Ledger reports. The pilot, an airline veteran of 32...
Campgrounds Add Perks, Redefine 'Roughing It'
New York Times
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Jun 18, 2009 1:11 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The purer pleasures of the outdoors don’t seem to be enough for some campers anymore, the New York Times reports. Increasingly, campgrounds are offering amenities like pizza delivery, air-conditioning, kiddie rides, and valet service to the delight of families and owners’ balance sheets. “The objective is to maximize dollars,”...
Gun Used to Kill Dillinger Up for Auction
Chicago Sun-Times
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Jun 18, 2009 12:59 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The Colt revolver that killed John Dillinger is being auctioned next month in Chicago, reports the Sun-Times . Gangster aficionados should be ready to fork over between $8,000 and $12,000 for the gun fired by Indiana cop Timothy A. O'Neil in front of a Chicago theater 75 years ago. Meanwhile, the new Johnny Depp flick about the outlaw, Public Enemies...
Twitter's Iran Role Is All Hype
Slate
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Jun 18, 2009 12:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Tech-loving journalists need to chill out about Twitter’s supposed role in Iran’s unrest, writes Jack Shafer of Slate. “I’ve found it more noise than signal,” he writes. Twitter’s already produced a lot of erroneous stories—like the 3 million people tweeters claimed were at one demonstration, or the house arrest...
Bush Knocks Obama Policies
Washington Times
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Jun 18, 2009 12:38 PM CDT
(Newser) -
George W. Bush is apparently done holding his tongue. He criticized several of President Obama's major policy issues in a speech yesterday, defending his administration on interrogation, assailing nationalized health care, and saying the private sector, not the government, was key to fixing the economy, the Washington Times reports. “You can...
Mousavi Joins Rally to Mourn Protest Deaths
Financial Times (UK)
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Jun 18, 2009 12:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Opposition presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi joined tens of thousands of Iranians in Tehran today to mourn those killed during post-election protests. Mousavi also vowed not to compromise on his demand for a fresh election when he and two others meet with Iran’s Guardian Council on Saturday to address the vote dispute, the Financial...
Courting Obama, Pols Harbor Hoop Hopes
ESPN
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Jun 18, 2009 12:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In Washington, everyone wants to be on the inside. How do you know you’re in? “A pickup game with Obama,” says a former Clinton press secretary. “That's the inner, inner, inner sanctum.” So aspiring members of the inner, inner circle are hitting the court, working on their moves, and hoping someday to play—and play...
On Financial Reforms, Obama Is No FDR
New York Times
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Jun 18, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama is hardly living up to the hype on fiscal regulatory reform, and he's not matching Franklin Roosevelt, either. When FDR reformed financial regulation, he transformed the industry, cheerfully making enemies in the process. Obama has been timid by comparison, writes Joe Nocera of the New York Times : “The Obama plan is little more...
Blame Portman for Penn Hiatus
New York Post
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Jun 18, 2009 11:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Tinseltown is abuzz with speculation about what caused Sean Penn’s acting hiatus, the New York Post reports. Some say Natalie Portman, who was seen with Penn in the middle of his separation drama, broke his heart. Elsewhere: Jon and Kate Gosselin were actually spotted together—imagine that! The drama-ridden reality couple played...
Cancer Fears Drive Fitness Buffs Indoors
Boston Globe
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Jun 18, 2009 11:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Health experts warn us to keep fit while also pestering us to beware of the sun's damaging rays. The solution, for many: indoor workouts. “I refuse to exercise outdoors,” one avid stationary cyclist tells the Boston Globe . She said she considers the sun a harbinger of cancer, not outdoor fun. “Once you start thinking about all the...
Bloomberg Obsessed With Golf...
New York Times
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Jun 18, 2009 11:30 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Bloomberg doesn’t like most sports, but he’s become consumed with that most clichéd of pursuits for rich 70-year-olds: golf. And he approaches the sport with the same success-at-all-costs doggedness with which he got himself elected mayor of New York, the New York Times reports. He hired professional golfers to train him,...
Fashion Designers See Signs: Curves Ahead
New York Times
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Jun 18, 2009 11:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Full-figured women and girls once had fewer fashion options than their size-0 counterparts, but that’s changing as more designers cater to shoppers who want to flaunt their curves, the New York Times reports. Options for the plus-size fashionista range from pink leggings to—gasp!—horizontal stripes. “Some of those girls feel...
Plane Lands at Newark After Pilot Dies Midflight
WCBS-TV
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Jun 18, 2009 11:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Continental Airlines flight has landed safely at Newark after its captain died during the flight, CBS 2 TV in New York reports. "The crew on this flight included an additional relief pilot who took the place of the deceased pilot," the carrier said in a statement. “The flight continued safely with two pilots at the controls.”...
Brit Princes Yearn to See Front Lines
People
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Jun 18, 2009 11:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Prince William is older, but Prince Harry went to war first—and, he says, “if Harry can do it then I can.” Harry, joining his brother at the media event yesterday, said his helicopter training is the “easiest way of getting to the front lines,” People reports. William, who is undergoing search-and-rescue pilot training,...
Questions About Blackmail, Earlier Affair Shadow Ensign
Las Vegas Sun
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Jun 18, 2009 10:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
John Ensign says he revealed his affair with a former staffer earlier this week because of an extortion attempt by the woman and her husband, but no blackmail investigation is under way, law-enforcement officials tell the Las Vegas Sun. The conservative senator's surprise confession also revives earlier speculation that his disappearance from public...
Madonna's Adoption Only Hurts Malawi
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jun 18, 2009 10:38 AM CDT
(Newser) -
By adopting Mercy James, Madonna has actually endangered other Malawian orphans, writes Anna Feuchtwang in the Daily Mail . “Corrupt adoption agencies and child traffickers, newly alerted to the ease with which Malawian laws can be circumvented, are even now planning to target the country,” writes Feuchtwang, chief executive of a charity...
Democrats Dodge Obama's Lobbyist Ban
Politico
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Jun 18, 2009 10:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Congressional Democrats have found a way around President Obama’s refusal to appear at events where lobbyists can make campaign contributions, Politico reports. Lobbyists won’t be able to donate at tonight’s fundraiser with Obama, but they’ll be more than welcome to do so tomorrow morning, at a specially convened “Issues...
Berlusconi Faces Prostitution Probe
Times (UK)
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Jun 18, 2009 10:19 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Already in hot water for connections to an 18-year-old model, a “mock marriage,” and a party with topless women, Silvio Berlusconi is now facing a probe into allegations over whether he paid showgirls to attend parties at the Italian PM's residences, the Times of London reports. An inquiry will look at whether the women were "induced...
4 Possible Outcomes for Iran
Time
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Jun 18, 2009 10:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iran’s election aftermath seems to have come as a surprise to its key figures. With protesters showing no sign of relenting, Tony Karon of Time offers four possible conclusions: A repeat of the 1979 revolution. But that’s unlikely, because “an unarmed popular movement can only topple an authoritarian regime if the security...
Convicts Don't Have Right to Test DNA: Supreme Court
Associated Press
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Jun 18, 2009 9:54 AM CDT
(AP) -
The Supreme Court said today that convicts have no constitutional right to test DNA evidence in hopes of proving their innocence long after they were found guilty of a crime. The court ruled 5-4, with the conservative justices in the majority, against William Osborne, an Alaska man convicted in a brutal attack on a prostitute 16 years ago. But the...
Climate Change, Not Humans, Killed Mammoths
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 18, 2009 9:46 AM CDT
(Newser) -
British scientists believe climate change did more than spear-wielding humans to wipe out the woolly mammoth in Europe, the Guardian reports. New tests have revealed that the mammoths roamed northern Europe until 14,000 years ago, much later than had been thought. Researchers believe the animals died out as the warming post-Ice Age climate slowly...
Senate Hits Brakes on Health Care
Politico
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Jun 18, 2009 9:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Would-be health care reformers had a bad day yesterday, hitting a series of obstacles that makes hitting President Obama’s August deadline increasingly unlikely, Politico reports. The Senate Finance Committee said it wouldn’t have a package before the July 4 recess, and the Congressional Budget Office slapped a $1.3 trillion price tag on...
Disputed Letter Reports Victory by Mousavi
Independent (UK)
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Jun 18, 2009 9:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Among the propaganda coming from all sides in the Iranian election dispute, one letter stands out: a note from the interior minister to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving the "true" result of last Friday's vote. The letter acknowledges the Supreme Leader's "order" for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to win but shows Mir Hossein Mousavi winning,...
Gordon Brown Is Gay: Bruno
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 18, 2009 9:12 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s gay fashionista alter ego, continued his string of outrageous appearances at the London premiere of his film, the Telegraph reports. This time, he had some advice for Prime Minister Gordon Brown: “The guy needs a total makeover. He needs a fake tan, he needs to wear some tight slacks. He is the gayest guy I...
PETA to Obama: Flies Have Feelings, Too
ABC News
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Jun 18, 2009 9:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
At least one group isn’t impressed with the president’s killer reflexes: PETA. The animal-rights group sent Obama a no-kill trap after he nailed a fly, midair, during a CNBC interview Tuesday. The bug-battling tool captures insects alive. “We support compassion for even the smallest animals,” says a spokesman, noting that PETA...
Daschle, Dole Team Up for Outside Health Care Push
Washington Post
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Jun 18, 2009 8:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When the Clintons were trying to pass their health care reform bill in the early '90s, Tom Daschle tried desperately to enlist Bob Dole. Now, 15 years later, he finally has. Daschle and Dole, along with former Republican leader Howard Banker, are leading an outside push for a bipartisan health bill, reports David Broder in the Washington Post. And...
One in 4 South African Men Admit to Rape
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 18, 2009 8:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
One in four men in South Africa admitted to rape in an anonymous study, and many say they’ve attacked multiple times, the Guardian reports. Three-quarters of rapists first did so as teenagers and half are repeat offenders; 5% of the men surveyed said they’d raped a woman or girl in the past year, the study by South Africa’s Medical...
LiLo, Paris Jealous of Jon and Kate
New York Post
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Jun 18, 2009 8:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With Jon and Kate Gosselin dominating the tabloids, party girls like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton are doing anything they can to get back in the spotlight. “Lindsay and Paris hate not being on the covers of weeklies,” a source tells the New York Post . “That's why Lindsay has been causing so much havoc and pulling these antics....
$134B in Bonds Seized in Italy 'Clearly Fake'
Bloomberg
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Jun 18, 2009 8:16 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Conspiracy theorists, take note: The US bonds seized near the Swiss border with a face value of $134 billion "are clearly fakes," a Washington spokesman tells Bloomberg. Most securities are now issued electronically, only about $105 billion in bonds have yet to be surrendered, and the "Kennedy bonds" found on the two detained Japanese...
