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.
Obama Proposes More Powerful Fed
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 17, 2009 1:21 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama today proposed broad new powers for the Federal Reserve and the creation of new national regulator to ensure against another financial crisis, the Wall Street Journal reports. Under the new plan, the Fed would oversee all components of any banking concern, even its foreign affiliates, and Treasury would have the power to take over...
Broken Bones Suggest Flight 447 Broke Up in Midair
Associated Press
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Jun 17, 2009 1:17 PM CDT
(AP) -
Bodies recovered in the Air France disaster show multiple fractures in the legs, hips, and arms, a Brazilian official said today. Experts said such injuries suggest the plane broke up in the air, and a spokesman for Brazilian medical examiners said autopsies on some of the 50 bodies recovered so far showed the fractures.
Iran: Foreign Media Speaks for 'Hooligans'
CNN
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Jun 17, 2009 1:02 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Iran has slammed foreign journalists for sparking unrest in the country as the “mouthpieces” of “hooligans,” CNN reports. The foreign ministry said “hundreds” of foreigners had been allowed into Iran in “a sign of the total transparency in the trends of the elections,” but “certain countries have...
Dad Calls Mom Then Shoots the Kids: Police
Houston Chronicle
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Jun 17, 2009 12:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Houston man fatally shot his two children yesterday, after calling his wife and telling her he’d do it, police tell the Houston Chronicle. The 34-year-old woman called police yesterday saying her estranged husband, Pedro Enrique Rosabal, 33, told her he had picked up their children from school and intended to kill them. “They apparently...
Ensign Quits Senate GOP Leadership Post
Associated Press
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Jun 17, 2009 12:20 PM CDT
(AP) -
Sen. John Ensign has stepped down from his leadership post a day after admitting an affair with a woman who was on his campaign staff. He conveyed his decision in a phone call with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said he had accepted the resignation. Ensign was chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, the fourth-ranking spot in the...
I Did Not Get a Lap-Dance From That Woman: Clinton
Washington Post
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Jun 17, 2009 12:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Bill Clinton may or may not have gotten a private dance from a “well-endowed” dancer during his recent fundraising trip to Buenos Aires, reports the Washington Post , citing Brazilian news weekly Perfil . But, wonders Alex Pareene on Gawker, “does anyone really seriously care if Bill Clinton was gyrated on by some lady?” A...
Iran Soccer Team Quietly Backs Mousavi
CNN
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Jun 17, 2009 12:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Iranian national soccer team players donned green wristbands and armbands on the field in Seoul today, a move many back home took as a sign of solidarity with Mir Hossein Mousavi, CNN reports. Green is the opposition candidate’s campaign color. Spectators at the match waved signs that said "Where is my vote?" and a banner reading "Go...
Rihanna, Drake Heat Up
New York Post
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Jun 17, 2009 11:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
She’s been linked to numerous men in the wake of her alleged assault by Chris Brown, but Rihanna seems to have settled on hip-hop artist Drake. “She and Drake were attached at the hip” at a recent party, a source tells the New York Post . “They are definitely together, but really trying to be discreet.” More from the...
Obama Offers Gays Too Little, Too Late
Politico
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Jun 17, 2009 11:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama’s memorandum giving gay federal workers some of the benefits straight ones enjoy has gone over like a lead balloon in the gay community, Politico reports. Advocates say it’s a weak gesture because the Defense of Marriage Act—which the administration recently defended—prevents it from including health or retirement...
Jimmy Choo Steps Into H&M
Associated Press
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Jun 17, 2009 11:27 AM CDT
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Christmas has come early for recessionistas: Jimmy Choo is teaming up with the budget-conscious retail chain H&M, the AP reports. The shoemaker, adored by Sex and the City ’s Carrie, will also include bags, accessories, and clothing in its collection, to launch Nov. 14. “We adore Jimmy Choo’s shoes and bags,” said an H&M...
Obama Clashes With Rural Democrats
Politico
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Jun 17, 2009 11:15 AM CDT
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Democrats from rural areas aren’t pleased with President Obama, and they’re threatening to show it by revolting against key parts of his domestic agenda, Politico reports. The tension boiled to the surface last week when rural and moderate Democrats decried plans to close 3,400 General Motors and Chrysler dealerships, but many are also...
Why Marriage Is Obsolete (at Least for Women)
The Atlantic
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Jun 17, 2009 11:03 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Marriage is fraught with “emotional pain, humiliation, and logistical difficulty.” And for women—expected to work, parent, tend to the house, and on top of all that, keep the romance alive—it’s a “bum deal,” writes Sandra Tsing Loh, herself ending a 20-year union, in the Atlantic . In this era of “white-collar...
With Friends Like These...
Washington Post
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Jun 17, 2009 10:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
What do you say when you’re defending William Jefferson, on trial for allegedly taking $100,000 in bribe money and hiding it in his freezer? Pretty much whatever the heck you can think of, writes Dana Milbank of the Washington Post . The lawyer for the then-Congressman opened his defense yesterday with a crack about “frozen assets”...
Levi Goes Hollywood ... Sort Of
Daily Beast
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Jun 17, 2009 10:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Now that he’s free of the Palins, Levi Johnston is going Hollywood, trying to turn his fame into fortune with acting gigs or a reality show, reports Renata Espinosa of the Daily Beast. She caught up with Johnston and Tank Jones, the giant style-conscious black lawyer who’s acting as his manager, on a shopping trip in LA. “They don’t...
Schwarzenegger Seeks Switch to E-Textbooks
San Jose Mercury News
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Jun 17, 2009 10:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Arnold Schwarzenegger wants kids—and California’s budget—to stop lugging around paper textbooks, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The governator is advocating a switch to digital textbooks, in an effort to cut the $350 million the state spends on old-fashioned hardbound tomes each year. But critics worry that the cost of buying...
Why This Affair Won't Be the End of Ensign
FiveThirtyEight
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Jun 17, 2009 10:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
News of his affair with a campaign staffer won't force Nevada's GOP Sen. John Ensign out of office, predicts Nate Silver in FiveThirtyEight.com, even though he has frequently preached about the ethical lapses of others. A resignation by Ensign would prompt a special election in 2010, and Ensign's party is still struggling to find a good Republican...
Mousavi's Iran Might Not Be Much Different
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 17, 2009 9:44 AM CDT
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Observers have heralded the candidacy of Mir Hossein Mousavi as a step toward a more moderate Iran—but in fact, Mousavi’s record shows support for some "controversial policies" in Iran, the Wall Street Journal reports. As prime minister in the 1980s, Mousavi was a social conservative, and he backs the ideals of the 1979 Islamic...
I Can't Tell Galpals Apart: Hef
Fox News
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Jun 17, 2009 9:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
When you’re 83 years old and dating three women simultaneously, telling them apart can be tough. Especially when two of them are twins, as is the case with Hugh Hefner's arm candy. The Playboy mogul tells Fox News that with 19-year-old girlfriends Karissa and Kristina Shannon, “I have one little trick, one has a little mark” on...
Russia Bans Gambling as Mega-Casinos Crap Out
Independent (UK)
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Jun 17, 2009 9:23 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Gambling has played a major role in Russian life since 1989, with high-rolling casinos—more than 30 in Moscow alone—echoing the cowboy capitalism of the post-Soviet years. But July 1, Russia is shutting down all gaming and slot machine halls, confining gambling to four Vegas-style zones across the country. Trouble is, as the Independent...
Penn Puts Career on Pause
Hollywood Reporter
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Jun 17, 2009 9:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sean Penn is taking a timeout from acting to focus on his family, according to the Hollywood Reporter . The actor dropped out of The Three Stooges and the crime thriller Cartel , and sources say his sabbatical from Tinseltown could last up to a year. His part in Cartel will be recast, but the Farrelly brothers have not revealed plans for the...
Bruno Goes Naked for GQ
GQ
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Jun 17, 2009 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as gay fashionista Bruno, took on the role of advice columnist—and, more importantly, nude model—for July’s GQ . Among his tips: Times are tough, but “it is still possible to look good on a clothing budget of about $20,000 a veek.” “Manscaping ist important, but not as...
Gay Animals Key to Species' Survival: Study
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 17, 2009 8:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Homosexual behavior is almost everywhere among animals—penguins, dolphins, even fruit flies. And same-sex bonds may be a key adaptation that helps species survive, the Daily Telegraph reports. One-third of a Hawaiian albatross population is raised by two moms because there are so few males, researchers observed. That adaptation has helped a...
$134B Suitcase Could Be Huge Smuggling Scam
Bloomberg
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Jun 17, 2009 8:40 AM CDT
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Last week, Italian authorities detained two Japanese men attempting to cross the border into Switzerland carrying a suitcase stuffed with $134 billion in US bonds. The men are either massive counterfeiters or—even scarier—the fourth-largest creditors of the US Treasury, with enough cash to buy three or four countries. If the bonds...
Kissing Priest Marries Galpal
Associated Press
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Jun 17, 2009 8:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In scarcely more than a month, Alberto Cutié has gone from celebrity priest to sex scandal poster boy to Episcopalian—now he can add boring old married guy to his resume, reports the AP. The Miami priest who left the Catholic Church amid a racy photo scandal married his secret girlfriend of 2 years yesterday. A judge performed the ceremony....
PBS Bans New Religious Programming
Washington Post
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Jun 17, 2009 8:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
PBS has voted to enforce its longstanding prohibition on sectarian broadcasts and ban its stations from carrying any new religious programming, the Washington Post reports. As a compromise, the few stations that already air church services and religious lectures will be allowed to continue to do so. Religious discussions that don't favor a particular...
As Netbooks Fade, Successors Await
Wired
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Jun 17, 2009 8:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
You may not be able to buy a "netbook" in the not-too-distant future, but a new generation of low-power, low-priced laptops descended from the netbook are poised to conquer much of the PC market, experts tell Wired . Sales of the netbook—one of last year's hottest gadgets—haven't met expectations so far this year, but manufacturers...
Obama Should Support Iran's Reformers
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 17, 2009 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Whether or not Iran’s protests coalesce into a full-scale revolt, it seems clear that the Iranian people would like to change their totalitarian government. Barack Obama should help them do it, Bush administration officials Dan Senor and Christian Whiton write in the Wall Street Journal . He could start by calling Mir Hossein Mousavi and expressing...
How MySpace Lost Its Crown
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 17, 2009 7:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
MySpace was overtaken by Facebook for the first time last month and without some serious innovation, Rupert Murdoch's big buy may end up joining Friendster in the ranks of the also-rans, Dawn Chmielewski and David Sarno write in the Los Angeles Times . The world of social networking moves at an unforgiving pace, the two note, and MySpace has been...
CIA to Prez: Don't Release Full Interrogation Report
Washington Post
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Jun 17, 2009 7:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The CIA is pressing the Obama administration not to release the entirety of a 2004 report on the interrogation program, intelligence officials tell the Washington Post . The agency says that publicizing the information would expose current intelligence-gathering methods. The administration pledged to review the report—called the “most...
Racist Attacks Target Romanians in Belfast
BBC
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Jun 17, 2009 7:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
More than 100 Romanian immigrants in the Northern Ireland capital of Belfast have been moved into a shelter after a series of racist attacks on their homes. A Protestant paramilitary group is suspected of orchestrating the violence, which has included bricks thrown through windows and death threats against a baby. "The whole thing has escalated...
Those Greasy Burgers Don't Fool Us, Barack
New York Times
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Jun 17, 2009 7:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
He might take his veep out for a burger once in a while, but Barack Obama is a health nut—so much so, notes Maureen Dowd, that when he and Michelle had dinner in New York "he managed the impossible feat of nibbling only one French fry." For the New York Times columnist, the president is mistaken to keep plumping for fried food and...
Owner Gets Clones of Hero 9/11 Dog
TMZ
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Jun 17, 2009 6:36 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The owner of hero 9/11 sniffer dog Trakr has been presented with four new bouncing baby ... Trakrs, reports TMZ. The four black puppies with piercing blue eyes are all clones of their hero pop. Just in time, too—the original Trakr died in April at the age of 15. He was picked as "super clone worthy" by the California company BioArts...
Obama Vows 'Light Touch' in Bank Regulation
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 17, 2009 6:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Today Barack Obama will announce a major financial reform package that will give the Fed, Treasury, and FDIC new powers of regulation and oversight. It's the most substantial shift in financial regulations since the 1930s—but stops short of some of the most radical proposals, including tough limits on derivatives trading. In an interview with...
Wanna Fight Cancer? Don't Chop Your Carrots
Independent (UK)
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Jun 17, 2009 6:02 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Carrots preserve 25% more of their cancer-fighting properties if they're not chopped up before cooking, according to a new study. Researchers found that the amount of falcarinol—proven to reduce the risk of tumors by a third in rats—was higher in carrots that had been boiled whole. Carrots that were cooked whole also scored far higher...
Sarko Jeered at African Leader's Funeral
BBC
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Jun 17, 2009 5:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Crowds in the African nation of Gabon booed Nicolas Sarkozy at the funeral of the country's long-serving strongman president, Omar Bongo. Dozens of onlookers shouted "We don't want you, leave!" at the French leader and his predecessor, Jacques Chirac. France ruled Gabon in the colonial era and kept close ties to the oil-rich nation after...
Some Male, Mom Baboons 'Just Friends'
BBC
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Jun 17, 2009 5:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Scientists are trying to figure out why many male baboons enter into platonic friendships with single moms, the BBC reports. Researchers probing relationships within baboon tribes found that the friendships, which did not appear to involve sex in about half the instances, helped mother and offspring dodge the unwanted attentions of other male baboons—but...
Jon Skips Anniversary as Ratings Tank
People
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Jun 17, 2009 5:11 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Jon Gosselin skipped his 10th wedding anniversary with wife Kate and their prodigious brood, as ratings for their TV program continued to dive. Kate played with the kids on the lawn of the couple's Pennsylvania estate while Jon ate out with a male friend—150 miles away, reports People . Jon & Kate Plus 8 shed another million viewers for...
Iran Blocks Foreign Press as Thousands Protest
CNN
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Jun 17, 2009 4:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are planning more rallies today, despite an appeal for calm by the country's supreme religious leader. Iran has banned international journalists from the protests after Monday's violence at a Mousavi demonstration, where seven people died. But state television, which showed rallies in Ahmadinejad's...
British Airways Asks Staff to Work for Free
CNN
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Jun 17, 2009 4:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Thousands of British Airways staff have been asked to help boost the airline's battered bottom line by working for free for up to a month, CNN reports. Chief executive Willie Walsh emailed workers urging them to help the company survive by taking several weeks of unpaid leave and considering doing some work during the time off. Walsh promised to lead...
Mexican Cocaine Hidden in Sharks
BBC
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Jun 17, 2009 3:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Mexican Navy seized more than a ton of cocaine packed inside the bodies of frozen sharks on a freighter off the Yucatan coast headed for America, reports the BBC. The booty was pinpointed using dogs and x-ray machines, officials said. Drug fighters warned that powerful cartels are using increasingly innovative methods to disguise operations as...
China Frees Waitress Who Killed Bigwig in Sex Attack
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 17, 2009 3:28 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Chinese court has freed a waitress who fatally stabbed a Communist Party bigwig as he sexually assaulted her, the Telegraph reports. Deng Yujiao, 21, slashed the official with a pocket knife after he forced her onto a couch, demanded sex, and slapped her with wads of money. The case sparked widespread anger in China and a huge online campaign to...
Super Fly No Match for Obama Death Slap
Christian Science Monitor
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Jun 17, 2009 2:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A fly that invaded a CNBC White House interview yesterday was no match for the leader of the free world, the Christian Science Monitor reports. After repeatedly warning the fly to get out of there and let him discuss financial regulation in peace, President Obama delivered a surgical strike, dispatching the pest in midair before calmly resuming...
Blackmail Triggered Senator's Affair Confession: Aides
Politico
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Jun 17, 2009 2:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sen. John Ensign went public with the news of his extramarital affair after the woman's husband tried to blackmail him, insiders tell Politico. The Nevada Republican had the affair with a staffer while he was separated from his wife, according to current and former aides. He gave her a severance package after reconciling with his wife, and her husband...
NASA Scrubs Shuttle Launch
Associated Press
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Jun 17, 2009 2:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A hydrogen gas leak has forced NASA to call off the launch of the space shuttle for the second time in less than a week, AP reports. The glitch, discovered just hours before blastoff, means Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station will now be delayed until July 11 because of unfavorable sun angles.
Moose on the Loose Hits Saratoga Race Course
Times Union (Albany)
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Jun 17, 2009 1:43 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Fans spotted a different kind of four-legged visitor yesterday at the Saratoga Race Course when a wayward moose wandered onto the grounds, reports the Albany Times-Union reports. Dozens of surprised onlookers—most of whom had never seen a wild moose before, let alone one on a racetrack—gathered to see the young 500-pound female before...
OMG! Wrld's Bst Txtr Wins $50K
CNN
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Jun 17, 2009 1:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A 15-year-old Iowa girl took home $50,000 and a new phone after thumbing her way to first place in the National Texting Championships yesterday, CNN reports. Kate Moore, who has developed a 500 text-per-day habit since getting her first phone last year, aced speed and dexterity tests as well as rounds texting blindfolded and texting while navigating...
House Dems Clear $106B War Funding Bill
Associated Press
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Jun 16, 2009 9:53 PM CDT
(AP) -
War-funding legislation survived a fierce partisan battle in the House today, a major step in providing commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan the money they would need for the coming months. Democratic leaders pushing the $106 billion measure had to overcome an unusual alliance. Anti-war Democrats opposed continued war spending, and Republicans condemned...
'Fire Dave!,' Chant Protesters
New York Daily News
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Jun 16, 2009 9:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
It wasn't exactly a throng, but a group of protesters showed up outside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York today to urge CBS to dump David Letterman, reports the Daily News . "Fire Dave! Fire Dave!," chanted the group, which numbered about 50 at its max. Letterman, who has apologized to the Palins for his now infamous line, joked about...
Obama Extending Federal Benefits to Gay Partners
Washington Post
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Jun 16, 2009 9:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama plans to announce tomorrow that he's extending benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, the Washington Post reports. The move, a victory for gay rights activists, will give the partners access to health care and other benefits. Obama's been under steady criticism from the gay community for not embracing same-sex marriage...
Death of Mia Farrow's Brother 'Suspicious'
WPTZ (Vermont)
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Jun 16, 2009 8:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Mia Farrow's 66-year-old brother has died under "suspicious" circumstances, say Vermont police. Cops found Patrick Farrow, a sculptor of note, at his home yesterday after receiving a call from his wife. Details are murky beyond that. Police say they don't suspect foul play, but they also contend, without elaboration, that the scene appeared...
