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.
Wax Obama Tours Eiffel Tower
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 2:33 PM CDT
(AP) -
Complete with new gray hairs and two bodyguards, a wax version of President Barack Obama took a trip to the Eiffel Tower today. The hot summer sun threatened to melt the fake president's face, prompting helpers to shade him with an umbrella. The statue then traveled to Paris' Musée Grevin wax museum, where it will stand as part of a heads-of-state...
Intern in the Twilight Zone: Pattinson's Stalking Me!
BlackBook
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Jun 29, 2009 2:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When Robert Pattinson, heartthrob of the tween set, just happens to pop up everywhere a certain BlackBook intern goes, there’s only one conclusion: “There is nothing blasé about it, but Robert Pattinson is stalking me,” writes the unnamed intern, herself a Pattinson stalker. And with his latest movie filming in New York, her...
Good Wines That Come in a Jug
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 29, 2009 2:22 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Jug wine has a bad reputation, with many considering it cheap and low-quality—but it doesn’t have to be that way. Bring along a jug o’ wine to your Fourth of July picnic, and it’ll be gone before you know it. To help you accomplish that, the Wall Street Journal set out to find the best jug wines under $15:
Souter Says Goodbye to Supreme Court
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 2:13 PM CDT
(Newser) -
David Souter bid farewell to the Supreme Court today, but not before taking a moment to reflect on the rewarding bonds forged between him and his fellow justices, the AP reports. Though he will leave the court, Souter told his colleagues in an open letter that he would not “retire from our friendship, which has held us together despite the pull...
'We Were Just Pawns:' Lynndie England
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 2:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Lynndie England is trying to rebuild some semblance of a normal life, but her past continues to haunt her, she tells the AP. “It’s my face that's always recognized,” the former Army Reservist and poster child for Abu Ghraib abuse said of trying to get a job—or even just going to the store. “I can't really change that.”...
Mauer Has a Real Shot at .400
Sports Illustrated
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Jun 29, 2009 1:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Opponents don’t spend much time looking at the scouting report for Joe Mauer, because it shows that the Minnesota Twins catcher doesn’t strike out, doesn’t pop up, and has no holes in his swing—and that’s no misprint. That’s why Mauer, currently hitting .394, has a shot at being the first player to finish over .400...
Marriage Makes You Fat: Study
Time
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Jun 29, 2009 1:41 PM CDT
(Newser) -
As couples grow more committed to each other, their waistlines often grow as well, Time reports. During their first few years of matrimony, couples are twice as likely to become obese as their dating peers, according to a new study being published next month. If they merely move in with their boyfriends, women are 63% more likely than uncoupled peers...
Feds Showing More Love for Uglier Endangered Species
Washington Post
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Jun 29, 2009 1:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
When you’re an endangered species jockeying for federal funding, good looks are historically a plus. That may be changing, the Washington Post reports. In the past, researchers note, “there has been a very heavy bias toward ‘charismatic megafauna’—relatively large, well-known birds and mammals.” But in recent years,...
Michael, Kids Formed 'Jackson 4'
Sun (UK)
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Jun 29, 2009 1:19 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson had a dream that died with him: to become the “Jackson Four” with his three children and include the debut of their first song at his London concerts, the Sun reports. The song, “River Ripple,” includes the lyrics, “Ripples in my River; Flow on, Child, flow free; Love is King, we waded in; You three,...
Apple: Jobs Is Back, Part-Time
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 1:13 PM CDT
(AP) -
Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs is back at work after a five-and-a-half-month medical leave, during which he received a liver transplant. Jobs, 54, is working from Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters "a few days a week" and working from home the remaining days, an Apple spokesman said today.
Iran Council Confirms Ahmadinejad Win
BBC
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Jun 29, 2009 1:06 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After partially recounting ballots, Iran’s top legislators have confirmed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the victor in the country’s presidential election, the BBC reports. The decision by the 12-member, conservative-controlled Guardian Council was announced on state television and follows weeks of protests in which some 17 are believed to have...
After 24 Years, Kerry Comes Into His Own
Boston Globe
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Jun 29, 2009 1:01 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John Kerry is a changed man, his colleagues tell the Boston Globe . Gone is the seemingly aloof Kerry known for his solo speeches and patrician habits. These days Kerry is a consensus builder, holding weekly strategy sessions of the kind his state's senior senator is known for. Kerry’s also found a sudden interest in local issues, stepping into...
Britney, Ellen Alive but Hacked
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 12:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Never fear: Britney Spears is alive. A post from her Twitter account claiming she had died is false, the AP reports, a result of the hacking of her Twitpic account. Ellen DeGeneres’ account with Twitpic—a program not owned by Twitter—was also hacked. Elsewhere: Rumors continue to fly that Transformers co-stars Megan...
Ruth Madoff: 'Not a Day Goes By When I Don't Ache'
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 29, 2009 12:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ruth Madoff said in a statement today she’s “embarrassed and ashamed” of her husband’s crime, the Wall Street Journal reports—and anyone who believes she’s shown “indifference or lack of sympathy” in her silence has perceived “exactly the opposite of the truth.” “To say that I feel...
Wimbledon Roof Shut Mid-Match for First Time
Reuters
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Jun 29, 2009 12:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Wimbledon got a chance to use its new Center Court roof today when it was shut for the first time during a match, Reuters reports. The referee decided to close the lid—eight minutes to shut it, another 20-30 to get the air conditioning up to speed—as Dinara Safina faced Amelie Mauresmo amid a light rain.
Judge Gives Jacko's Mom Temporary Custody of Kids
CNN
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Jun 29, 2009 12:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A Los Angeles judge today gave Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, temporary custody of the late singer’s three children, the AP reports. Katherine Jackson was not, however, given guardianship of the children’s estate. A hearing is scheduled Aug. 3 to determine permanent arrangements. “We’re not trying to get custody,”...
Mays Autopsy Shows No Drugs, No Trauma
St. Petersburg Times
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Jun 29, 2009 12:12 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Initial autopsy results suggest that infomercial celebrity Billy Mays died of heart failure, the medical examiner announced today. The autopsy didn’t reveal any head trauma or drug abuse, both rumored causes of the 50-year-old's death, but did find hardening of his arteries, the St. Petersburg Times reports. He was also taking pain medication...
Impressionist Travalena Dead at 66
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 29, 2009 11:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Fred Travalena, a master impressionist whose catalog of voices ranged from US presidents to Frank Sinatra doing Boy George, has died at 66 of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the Los Angeles Times reports. The actor-singer-mimic, known as the "Man of a Thousand Faces," opened for the likes of Shirley Maclaine and Wayne Newton and was a frequent...
Tabloid's Jackson Autopsy Report Fake: TMZ
TMZ
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Jun 29, 2009 11:31 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Sources tell TMZ a story circulating on the Internet detailing Michael Jackson’s shocking autopsy results is not true. The supposed autopsy report, indicating that Jackson was bald and skeletal, had only pills in his stomach, and was riddled with needle wounds, among other things, was reported earlier today by UK tabloid the Sun .
Obama Picks a Church: Camp David's
Time
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Jun 29, 2009 11:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Though they were sought by most parishes inside the Beltway, the Obamas have chosen Camp David's nondenominational chapel for their place of worship, Time reports. The decision follows in the footsteps of President Obama's predecessor in opting for a more private churchgoing experience—especially after throngs arrived hours early to a Washington...
Japan's Latest Fad: Spouse-Hunting
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 29, 2009 10:59 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Some call it a passing fad, but in Japan, konkatsu—"marriage hunting"—has inspired events in venues ranging from bars to baseball stadiums, the Wall Street Journal reports. A book that uses the word, punning on the words for “marriage” and “activity,” has sold 170,000 copies in Japan, where marriage rates...
Sanford Scandal Divides SC Republicans
Politico
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Jun 29, 2009 10:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Term limits mean Mark Sanford must leave the South Carolina governor's office in 2010, and some state Republicans are hoping he doesn't go anywhere before then, Politico reports. They may be unhappy with his recent conduct, but should he resign, the office would go to a lieutenant governor who’s sparked his own share of controversy by speeding...
Team Romney Ready for 2012 Run
Politico
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Jun 29, 2009 10:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney says he’s not running for office, but his former aides don’t believe him, Politico reports. Romney’s campaign staff never really disbanded. Loyalists meet in Washington every month, hold fundraisers, brief Romney on current events, and strategically publicize his every move. It’s a turnkey political organization...
Blame Founding Fathers for Paralysis on Climate Change
Guardian (UK)
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Jun 29, 2009 10:27 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama's narrow victory last week, when the House passed the climate change bill by just 7 votes, raises the question of why it's so tough to get change enacted even when the president is popular and his party has majorities in both houses of Congress. The problem Democrats face is a structural flaw in Congress, writes Michael Tomasky in the...
Harry's New BFF: Justin Timberlake
New York Daily News
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Jun 29, 2009 10:08 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Prince Harry struck up a friendship with Justin Timberlake this weekend at a music festival in London, the New York Daily News reports. The boys connected during the Killers’ set, then hit the VIP tent together to further bond over burgers and beer. Singer Natalie Imbruglia joined them, the Sun adds, but no romance seemed to be afoot.
Madoff Gets the Max: 150 Years
New York Times
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Jun 29, 2009 9:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A federal judge threw the book at Bernie Madoff today, sentencing him to 150 years in prison, the maximum allowed by law in the $65 billion scam. He called Madoff’s crimes “staggering,” and chided him for not doing all he could to help investigators. He added that not one person had sent a letter asking for leniency for the Ponzi...
Opposing Climate Bill Is Treason Against Planet
New York Times
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Jun 29, 2009 9:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Passing the climate change bill was a major accomplishment for the House, even in its watered-down form—but as Paul Krugman listened to the 212 members of Congress who voted no, "I couldn’t help thinking that I was watching a form of treason—treason against the planet." Despite unassailable proof that the world is changing...
Whatever Happened to Jacko's Bubbles?
Detroit News
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Jun 29, 2009 9:49 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In the wake of Michael Jackson’s death, Neal Rubin of the Detroit News wondered: Whatever happened to Bubbles the chimpanzee? “For a while, Bubbles appeared to be Jackson’s best friend, which was sort of sad for both of them,” Rubin writes. The odd coupling lasted from 1985, when Jackson adopted 3-year-old Bubbles from a cancer...
High Court Rules for White Firefighters
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 9:31 AM CDT
(AP) -
The Supreme Court has ruled that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge. In a 5-4 ruling along ideological lines, the court said that New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African...
Meghan McCain: Leave Mark Sanford Alone
Daily Beast
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Jun 29, 2009 9:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Meghan McCain wants you to forgive Mark Sanford. “I don’t know if it’s the fact that I am younger,” she writes for the Daily Beast, “but it’s of very little concern to me who elected officials sleep with.” Assuming he didn’t do anything illegal, Sanford's infidelity should be between him and his wife....
Israel Willing to Freeze Settlements
New York Times
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Jun 29, 2009 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Israeli government approved the construction of 50 new West Bank homes today, seemingly defying President Obama’s call for a freeze on new settlements. But Defense Minister Ehud Barak plans to offer a temporarily halt on some construction, officials tell the New York Times , if Palestinians agree to negotiate an end to the conflict and other...
Stanford Ponzi Scheme Case Entangles Baseball Stars
Washington Times
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Jun 29, 2009 8:52 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The receiver in the R. Allen Stanford case wants seven current and former baseball stars to turn over millions they once invested in Stanford’s alleged Ponzi scheme, intending to divvy up the money among Stanford’s other victims, the Washington Times reports. He’s asking for a combined $9.5 million, an amount that mostly corresponds...
Dollar Headed for Biggest Gains Since '81: Bankers
Bloomberg
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Jun 29, 2009 8:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The dollar is poised for its biggest advances in 28 years, according to Deutsche Bank, which predicts a 17.1% gain against the euro by the end of the year. Other banks polled by Bloomberg are similarly bullish about the greenback, which has just endured its worst quarter since 2002. Currently trading at $1.40 per euro, it should strengthen to $1.20...
How Will Ruth Madoff Survive on Just $2.5M?
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 29, 2009 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With just $2.5 million at her disposal as her husband heads to jail, Ruth Madoff won't exactly be sentenced to penury, but she'll have to cut her annual expenses to the low six figures if she wants it to last her lifetime, reports Brett Arends of the Wall Street Journal. She should start by trading the two Mercedes in for a SmartCar, and finding...
GE Reaps Billions From Bailout Loophole
Washington Post
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Jun 29, 2009 8:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The biggest beneficiary of the federal government's debt guarantee program, one of Washington's key bank rescue efforts, isn't a bank or a financial services company—it's General Electric, which exploited a loophole it had lobbied aggressively to insert, and reaped billions in bailout money. A joint investigation by ProPublica and the Washington...
Thatcher Leaves Hospital After 2+ Weeks
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 29, 2009 7:53 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Margaret Thatcher was released from the hospital today after undergoing surgery for a broken arm, the Telegraph reports. Although the former British PM was originally expected to return home sooner, she spent 17 days recuperating after she fell in her house in London. Thatcher, now 83, has abandoned most public appearances after suffering a...
3 Dead in China Train Crash
Associated Press
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Jun 29, 2009 7:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Three people are dead and 60 injured after two trains collided in the central China province of Hunan early this morning, AP reports. Two of the dead were on the trains while the third was in one of the nearby houses damaged in the collision, according to Chinese state media. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Roberts Labors to Bring Divided Court Together
Los Angeles Times
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Jun 29, 2009 7:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
John Roberts told the Senate in 2005 that the Supreme Court was too polarized, and as chief justice he promised to encourage harmony between the court's left and right blocs. Last week he delivered, with two 8-1 decisions on the Voting Rights Act and the strip-search of a 13-year-old girl. But as the Los Angeles Times reports, those majorities are...
Jacko's 2 Eldest Kids Aren't His: Ex-Wife
New York Post
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Jun 29, 2009 7:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson isn’t the dad of his two oldest kids, their mother says: The father is an anonymous sperm donor, the New York Post reports. Jackson’s former wife Debbie Rowe doesn’t want custody of “Prince” Michael Joseph, 12, and Paris Michael Katherine, 11, she told the the News of the World in a piece that appears...
GM, Saturn Dealers Split on Playing Up Penske Name
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 29, 2009 7:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Saturn dealerships around the country have been using the brand’s planned acquisition by Roger Penske to attract customers, the Wall Street Journal reports. "People want to buy from someone they like," said the owner of a Saturn dealership in Wichita. But dealership owners nationwide have since received letters from GM asking them...
Boys Hardwired to Like Trucks
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jun 29, 2009 6:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The gender stereotypes found in the toy aisle may merely be a reinforcement of genetic preferences, the Daily Mail reports. In a recent study of infants aged 3 to 8 months, boys expressed more interest in a toy truck, whereas girls preferred a doll—leading researchers to believe the predilection for certain types of playthings may be hardwired...
Voters Pummel Argentina's Power Couple
New York Times
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Jun 29, 2009 6:26 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Voters in Argentina delivered a stinging verdict on President Cristina Kirchner last night, ousting the ruling Peronists from the lower house of Congress in mid-term elections. Her husband, former president Néstor Kirchner, suffered a humiliating defeat in his own bid for a seat. The result makes it unlikely the pair can continue their political...
Janet, Grim Joe Appear at BET's Jacko Tribute
CNN
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Jun 29, 2009 6:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The BET awards last night were turned into a star-studded tribute to Michael Jackson, with host Jamie Foxx donning a red leather "Billie Jean" jacket and Beyonce calling Jackson "my teacher and hero." Joe Jackson, wearing a hat and sunglasses, expressed anger about the singer's death. "I have a lot of concerns,"...
Iran Still 'Interrogating' 4 of 9 British Embassy Staffers
BBC
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Jun 29, 2009 5:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Four of the nine staff members arrested at the British embassy in Tehran are still "being interrogated," reports the BBC, for what Iranian media described as collusion with the protests. The Iranian regime has condemned Britain throughout the crisis for meddling in the country's affairs.
No-Compromise Jenny Sanford Is SC Hero
Washington Post
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Jun 29, 2009 5:10 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In the traditional narrative of the philandering politician, the wronged wife is forced to stand by her man and offer unconditional forgiveness. But Jenny Sanford is forging a new path. She has publicly flayed the South Carolina governor—"His career is not a concern of mine," she told reporters recently—and has won huge respect...
15% of Teens Expect to Die Young
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Jun 29, 2009 4:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Teenagers who engage in risky behavior may do so because they believe they’re going to die young anyway, and may create a self-fulfilling prophecy with that belief, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune . A study that tracked 20,000 kids in grades 7 through 12 found that 15% thought they would die before the age of 35. That group was seven times...
Where's the Money, Bernie?
Wall Street Journal
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Jun 29, 2009 4:21 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Investigators have only recovered $1.2 billion of the $13.2 billion bilked from investors by Bernard Madoff since 1995, reports the Wall Street Journal . Eligible victims may be compensated up to $500,000 by the Securities Investor Protection Corp., but the rest will have to come from whatever investigators can find. Trustees say Madoff hasn't provided...
BlackBerry Saves Skier From Death Plunge
Telegraph (UK)
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Jun 29, 2009 3:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A British skier who fell into a crevasse in the Swiss Alps was saved from plummeting 700 feet to his death when the BlackBerry in his breast pocket stopped his fall, the Telegraph reports. The extra width of the half-inch-thick gadget kept David Fitzherbert, 52, wedged firmly in place for two hours until he was rescued. The fall broke his jaw and...
Ravaged Jackson Weighed Just 112 Lbs.
Sun (UK)
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Jun 29, 2009 3:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Michael Jackson was so emaciated that he weighed just 112 pounds when he died, reports the Sun. The coroner found nothing in the singer's stomach but pills, and his body was riddled with needle marks, presumably from narcotics injections. The battered star also bared the scars of endless plastic surgeries and wore a wig over remaining "peach...
Honduran Coup an Opportunity for Obama
Reuters
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Jun 29, 2009 2:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The Honduran military coup overthrowing President Manuel Zelaya offers the Obama administration a chance to rehabilitate the battered reputation of the US in Latin America, Reuters reports. "This is a golden opportunity to make a clear break with the past and show that he is unequivocally siding with democracy” after so many US-manipulated...
