Newser Story Index from July, 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.
Senate Dems Bring Down Concealed-Weapons Measure
The Hill
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Jul 22, 2009 1:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Senate Democrats today narrowly defeated a measure that would have let concealed weapons be transported across state lines, the Hill reports. The amendment, which required 60 votes to pass according to a prior, bipartisan agreement, went down 58-39. Sen. Charles Schumer and majority whip Dick Durbin fought hard to drum up opposition until the last...
Michelle O. Goes Jackie O. With New 'Do
Chicago Tribune
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Jul 22, 2009 1:10 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Is Michelle O. the new Jackie O. when it comes to fashion? While some eyes were on President Obama last night at a White House concert, perhaps many more were checking out the first lady’s new bob, a haircut that “should serve Michelle Obama better through the hot Washington summer,” Mark Silva writes in the Chicago Tribune . “No...
Sauvignon Blancs Perfect for Summer
New York Times
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Jul 22, 2009 12:49 PM CDT
(Newser) -
We have reached “the vast plateau in the middle of summer,” the time when “one of wine’s primary purposes is to offer relief from the daily bout with seasonal oppression,” writes Eric Asimov in the New York Times . Summer wines, “like a good beach read, should be engaging enough to retain interest but not heavy.”...
Quake Knocks New Zealand a Foot Closer to Australia
TVNZ
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Jul 22, 2009 12:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
There’s nothing like a 7.8 magnitude earthquake to bring two countries together—literally. The temblor that hit New Zealand last week has shoved its southern island about 12 inches closer to Australia, TVNZ reports. That might not sound like much, but considering that New Zealand typically moves about a third of an inch per year, it’s...
PETA Wants Psych Test for Vick to Return
WUSA-TV
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Jul 22, 2009 12:34 PM CDT
(Newser) -
PETA may protest if Michael Vick gets another job in the NFL without first undergoing a psychological evaluation, the animal-rights group’s DC office says. A spokesperson tells CBS affiliate WUSA-TV that a person who’s served time has the right to go free, but isn’t entitled to go straight back to making millions. Vick’s treatment...
Taco Bell Chihuahua Dies at 15
People
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Jul 22, 2009 12:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Gidget, the iconic chihuahua of Taco Bell ads, died of a stroke last night at 15, her trainer tells People . “She made so many people happy,” Sue Chipperton says. Largely retired, the canine spent most of her time basking in the sun and appearing in photo shoots, where she showed off her pep. “Gidget always knew where the camera...
Once-Homeless Rapper Now on Mercury Shortlist
Independent (UK)
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Jul 22, 2009 12:20 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A rapper who spent four years homeless in London is one of five female artists on the shortlist for Britain’s prestigious Mercury Prize, the Independent reports. Speech Debelle, kicked out of her house at 19, spent time in hostels and other drug-infested stops on the wrong side of London's tracks—inspiration for her debut album, Speech...
DEA Hits Jacko Doc's Office
ABC News
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Jul 22, 2009 12:08 PM CDT
(Newser) -
A task force of federal drug-enforcement agents, Los Angeles detectives, and local police raided the Houston offices of Michael Jackson’s personal doctor today, ABC News reports. Sources say a search warrant was obtained based on preliminary autopsy results linking Jackson’s death to an anesthetic used only in hospitals. Conrad Murray’s...
Clinton Won't Rule Out Second Presidential Run
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2009 11:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton had a hard time today saying she wouldn’t run for president again, the AP reports. Asked by Thai television whether again toss her hat in the ring, the secretary of State said it was “not at all on my radar screen.” Had she given up her presidential dreams? “I don’t know, but I doubt very much that anything...
S. Korean Parliament Brawls Over Media Bill
AFP
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Jul 22, 2009 11:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Parliamentary debate over the relaxation of media ownership rules in South Korea descended into fisticuffs today, AFP reports. After negotiations stalled, the ruling conservative Grand National Party moved to vote on the reform, which will allow newspapers to own a greater stake of television media. In response, MPs of the opposition Democratic Party...
Found: Missing Mental Health Records of Va. Tech Shooter
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2009 11:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The mental health records of the gunman behind the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre have been found in the home of a former director of the university’s clinic, reports the AP. Seung-Hui Cho’s records were illegally taken from the clinic more than a year before the attack, says a memo from Gov. Tim Kaine’s legal counsel. Police are investigating.
Jacko's Mysterious Nanny Returns
Time
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Jul 22, 2009 11:40 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Amid speculation over custody of Michael Jackson’s children, the one constant presence in their lives has re-emerged: Nanny Grace Rwaramba has resumed child-care duties at the Jackson compound, a source tells Time , and she may become a permanent fixture. “Grace was like the mother, and Michael was the father,” says a friend. “The...
Ex-Fox News Producer Gets 10 Years for Child Porn
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2009 11:22 AM CDT
(AP) -
A federal judge yesterday sentenced a former Fox News producer to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography. Prosecutors in Washington had recommended the 10-year term, citing Aaron Bruns' prior conviction on similar charges. Authorities charged Bruns in February with sharing pornography on a social networking website.
Things We Want, and Don't, in Odd Recession
Time
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Jul 22, 2009 11:04 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The current economic crisis is breaking the recessionary mold, Time reports, with American purchases running counter to expectations. A few surprises: Soup isn’t selling. Typically, the cheap, decent food is a recession staple, but health concerns and rising prices may be driving us away from it. Organic food sales are growing....
Ethics Scandal Is No Waterloo for Palin
FiveThirtyEight
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Jul 22, 2009 10:50 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The latest ethics complaint against Sarah Palin—investigators believe she misused her position to solicit personal legal donations—won’t leave a scratch, writes Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com. Here’s how to predict which scandals will make it big: Can it be reduced to a sound bite? Nope. Heck, the AP struggled to...
Jacko May Have Had Love Child
Daily Mirror (UK)
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Jul 22, 2009 10:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Norwegian Michael Jackson impersonator might be the King of Pop’s love child, the Mirror reports. Omer Bhatti, 25, was seated with Jackson's family in the front row at his Los Angeles memorial service, and resembles his youngest potential sibling, Blanket. Bhatti reportedly lived at Neverland Ranch as a child, and his mother says of Jackson,...
Time to Show America Why We Need Health Fix
New York Times
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Jul 22, 2009 10:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
With 90% of voters already insured, it’s time for President Obama to put his oratory skills to the test, clearly explaining to Americans how health reform can help us—and not just mean tax hikes, writes David Leonhardt in the New York Times . As it stands, many never see the money coming straight from their paychecks to pay for care. Doctors...
Wife Dumps Rimes' Alleged Lover
Us Weekly
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Jul 22, 2009 10:20 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Eddie Cibrian is rumored to have strayed with costar LeAnn Rimes—and now he’s paying the price. Wife Brandi Glanville left him after catching the cheating pair together again, she tells Us , adding, “Eddie and LeAnn deserve each other.” Cibrian was quick to shoot back a statement that he doesn't appreciate the "tabloid...
Health Care Debate Cements US as Can't-Do Nation
Washington Post
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Jul 22, 2009 10:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
As centrist Democrats concoct yet more reasons the US can’t do what every other advanced economy has done—provide universal health care—Harold Meyerson had a disturbing thought: “Suppose our collective lack of response to Hurricane Katrina wasn’t exceptional, but rather the new normal in America,” he writes in the...
Mexican Immigrants Stay Put, Despite Recession
Washington Post
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Jul 22, 2009 10:01 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The recession hasn’t sped the return of Mexican immigrants home from the US, a Pew report finds, though the number of Mexicans entering the US has continued to decline. Some 433,000 people returned to Mexico last year, versus 479,000 two years before, the Washington Post reports. But another 636,000 entered the US last year, down from 1.03...
Jindal Slams 'Dishonest' Health Plan
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 22, 2009 9:47 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Obama is presenting health care reform as a bipartisan effort, but, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal writes in the Wall Street Journal , he and fellow Democrats have taken “a fundamentally dishonest approach to reform.” Obama is “repeating the mistakes” of Hillarycare, forcing Americans to join a public plan, diminishing...
Anti-Abortion Groups Attack Health Reform
Politico
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Jul 22, 2009 9:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Anti-abortion groups are launching a full-scale assault on health reform plans, contending that current proposals include an “abortion mandate” and would spend taxpayer money on the procedure, Politico reports. The first claim is based on a plan to federally mandate a basic set of procedures insurers must offer. Abortion isn’t considered...
Mumbai Gunman Says He's Ready for Gallows
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2009 9:35 AM CDT
(AP) -
The lone surviving gunman in the Mumbai attacks said today that he is ready to go to the gallows and wants no mercy from the court for his role in terrorist assault, which left 166 people dead. "Whatever I have done, I have done in this world. It would be better to be punished in this world. It would be better than God's punishment. That's why...
Bush Press Flak Fleischer Now Coaches Jocks
Washington Post
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Jul 22, 2009 9:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
President Bush’s onetime press secretary has embraced another passion: sports, the Washington Post reports. Helping athletes from the NFL, Major League Baseball, and elsewhere deal with the media blitz was an easy transition, Ari Fleischer says: “The only two institutions in our society that have their events covered live and that have...
White House Strategy: All Obama, All the Time
Politico
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Jul 22, 2009 8:56 AM CDT
(Newser) -
By now, we’ve gotten a pretty good look at the White House’s PR playbook, and as you may have noticed, Barack Obama gets the ball a lot. The president is everywhere, Politico reports. He’s given more interviews than any other recent president had at this point in their tenures, held more than a dozen town hall meetings, and his four...
This Guy's Getting $60K to Tweet About Wine
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jul 22, 2009 8:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Hardy Wallace recently lost his job—but he’ll soon be making $10,000 a month promoting Murphy-Goode winery on the Web, as the winner of the much-touted “Really Goode Job,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The Atlantan, who has a wine blog and has taken sommelier education courses, was first in line at the recruitment drive...
Arbitration Firms Quit Consumer Debt Biz
Wall Street Journal
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Jul 22, 2009 8:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Credit card and cell phone companies are scrambling as two major arbitration firms back out of the business of settling consumer disputes, the Wall Street Journal reports. The National Arbitration Forum—accused in a Minnesota lawsuit of misleading consumers into thinking it was impartial—will stop taking cases this week, and the American...
Naked ESPN Vid May Have Been Inside Job
Radar
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Jul 22, 2009 8:18 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nude video of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews—which hackers started using to spread viruses—was likely an inside job, a source tells Radar. ESPN employees are often booked at Hilton hotels when traveling for work, but the hotels Andrews was videotaped in have not been identified. ESPN is “freaking out, freaking!” over the possibility...
Ahmadinejad Defies Ayatollah, Refuses to Sack Vice Prez
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 22, 2009 7:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defied a direct order from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to dismiss his vice president, opening a rift between Iran's president and supreme leader, reports the Los Angeles Times . Ahmadinejad's newly chosen VP, who is his son's father-in-law, has infuriated hardliners by making favorable remarks about Israel. But Ahmadinejad surprised...
Gawker Catches HuffPo Falling for Hoax
Gawker
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Jul 22, 2009 7:51 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An airport in Central Park? Sounds ridiculous, but the Huffington Post fell for it yesterday—much to the delight and amusement of Gawker. HuffPo ran a satirical story on its homepage last night (caught in a screenshot by Gawker before it was removed) with what appeared to be a straight face, or at least it did to Ryan Tate. “Apparently...
US-Owned Gold Mine Target of Deadly Papua Attacks
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2009 7:32 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Two people were killed today in the latest attack near a US-owned gold mine in Indonesia's Papua province, the AP reports. At least 12 people have been killed or wounded in ambushes near the mine in recent weeks. Authorities blame separatist rebels, who have been waging an insurgency in the province for decades, although analysts suspect the military...
Inaction Costlier Than Health Reform
Washington Post
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Jul 22, 2009 7:24 AM CDT
(Newser) -
If you want to see a health care plan that will hike your taxes, increase your medical expenses, and swell the deficit, Steven Pearlstein can name one: "Doing nothing as we continue to search in vain for the perfect plan." For the Washington Post columnist, a somewhat flawed health bill is better than none, and at the moment "the...
Oakland First City in Nation to Pass Pot Tax
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 22, 2009 7:17 AM CDT
(Newser) -
In a landslide, Oakland voters yesterday made their city the nation's first to levy a special tax on medical marijuana, the Los Angeles Times reports. By an 80% margin, voters backed a tax of $18 on every $1,000 in pot sales, a move that may catch on in other cities. Currently, Oakland businesses pay $1.20 on every $1,000 in sales.
Now Dobbs Hints Prez Is 'Undocumented'
Think Progress
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Jul 22, 2009 7:06 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Lou Dobbs, not known for his subtlety on questions of immigration, has added his voice to the fringe chorus insisting that President Obama was not born an American citizen. "I'm starting to think we have a document issue. You suppose he’s un—no, I won’t even use the word undocumented, it wouldn’t be right," Dobbs...
Worker Kills Himself Over AWOL iPhone 4G Prototype
BBC
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Jul 22, 2009 6:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Chinese worker accused of stealing an iPhone 4G prototype jumped to his death from the 12th floor of his apartment building in the southern city of Shenzhen, the BBC reports. The man, 25, responsible for shipping 16 iPhone prototypes to Apple, had reported one missing. His friends say he felt humiliated after security guards sent by his employer,...
Boyle Bumps Obama Presser
Independent (UK)
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Jul 22, 2009 6:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Susan Boyle may have lost in the final of Britain's Got Talent , but the Scottish spinster prevailed in an even bigger battle—with Barack Obama. When the White House told TV networks it was scheduling the president's news conference for 9pm Eastern time, NBC refused on the grounds that it had an exclusive Boyle interview scheduled....
Plan to Free 27K Inmates Threatens Calif. Budget Deal
Los Angeles Times
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Jul 22, 2009 6:35 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A plan to slash the number of inmates by 27,000 could sink California's long-delayed budget deal, the Los Angeles Times reports. Angry Republican state lawmakers threatened to back out of the agreement after learning of the plan, which would give prison officials authority to let any inmate over 60 years old or with less than a year left on their...
Obama Hosts White House Hoedown
Tennessean
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Jul 22, 2009 6:09 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The grand East Room of the White House felt more like the Grand Ole Opry last night as the Obamas hosted a celebration of country music, the Tennessean reports. The elites of DC and Nashville packed the room as Charley Pride, Brad Paisley, and Alison Krauss took to the stage for the event, the second in a White House series showcasing American...
Ethicists Call Foul on Baseball's DNA Testing
New York Times
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Jul 22, 2009 5:55 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Major League Baseball's DNA testing of Latin American rookies has bioethics experts worried, the New York Times reports. League officials say the genetic tests are necessary after a string of cases in which prospects lied about their age or identity, but experts fear the tests may be used to weed out the injury-prone or those likely to suffer...
Rather Wins File Access in CBS Firing Suit
New York Times
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Jul 22, 2009 5:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A judge has reinstated Dan Rather's $70 million lawsuit against CBS and granted the former anchor access to thousands of pages of documents pertaining to his ouster following a network story he ran critical of former President George's Bush performance in the Texas Air National Guard. Rather's attorneys believe the records will help prove Rather's...
Romanians Seek to Oust Mayor Who Donned Nazi Uniform
CNN
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Jul 22, 2009 4:44 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Romanian mayor is facing calls to resign after he and his 15-year-old son appeared at a fashion show wearing Nazi uniforms and goose-stepping down the catwalk. Jewish organizations have demanded a criminal investigation, CNN reports. But the mayor had no apologies. "The swastika was very small and I didn't see it," he said. "I...
Fox Lashes Health Pick as as 'Too Fat to Serve'
Talking Points Memo
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Jul 22, 2009 4:22 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Fox News ripped into President Obama's choice for surgeon general yesterday for being too fat for the job. "Enough fat for my next guest to say 'fat chance' for Dr. Regina Benjamin to even be considered," said host Neil Cavuto. The guest? Not a public health expert or even a politician, but a Denver gym owner wearing a "No Chubbies"...
Colossal Chinese Dustball Circles Earth in 13 Days
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 22, 2009 3:54 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A dust cloud weighing nearly a million tons kicked into the atmosphere by a massive storm in China's Taklamakan desert circled the world almost intact in 13 days, the Telegraph reports. Scientists, who used NASA satellites to track the path of the dustball until it fell apart over the Pacific Ocean, say their research suggests dust from Asian...
France Bloomin' Mad Over Brukozy's Daily $1K Fleur Tab
Telegraph (UK)
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Jul 22, 2009 3:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy just loves her fleurs and she's often photographed arranging blooms in the Elysée Palace. Problem is, the flowers are costing French taxpayers $1,100 a day, and they want the spending nipped in the bud. The blooming bills were revealed in the first state audit of a French leader's spending habits since...
Stephen Baldwin Declares Bankruptcy
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2009 3:14 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Stephen Baldwin has declared bankruptcy after grappling unsuccessfully with millions of dollars of debt, reports AP. The actor owes $1.2 million in mortgages on a New York property, $1 million in back taxes and $700,000 in credit card debt, according to documents filed yesterday in a New York court. Baldwin recently quit the NBC program I'm a Celebrity,...
Indian Woman Killed in Eclipse Stampede
Associated Press
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Jul 22, 2009 2:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A woman was killed early today in a stampede at the Ganges River where thousands of devout Hindus gathered to witness a total eclipse of the sun, AP reports. Millions poured outside to see the longest eclipse of the 21st Century. But many in the superstitious nation fearfully huddled indoors until sunlight returned.
Kiefer Cleared in Headbutt Case
People
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Jul 22, 2009 2:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Kiefer Sutherland won't be going to jail on either coast for headbutting a designer in a New York nightclub in May, People reports. Manhattan authorities have dropped charges after the alleged victim declined to cooperate in the investigation, and Los Angeles authorities have decided not to pursue the 24 star for violating his probation on a DUI conviction....
Obama: You Can Keep Your Honeymoon
CBS News
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Jul 22, 2009 1:58 AM CDT
(Newser) -
"I never understood this concept of honeymoon," President Obama told Katie Couric yesterday when the CBS interviewer asked about his sliding poll numbers. Obama said he wasn't too worried about a New York Times column from David Brooks saying he has fallen into step behind Nancy Pelosi on a Democratic "liberal suicide march."...
US Afghan Surge Angers Pakistan
New York Times
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Jul 22, 2009 1:37 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The American offensive in southern Afghanistan is sparking serious tensions with Pakistan, the New York Times reports. Pakistani officials fear that the surge will push Taliban militants into its border region, triggering a rise in militancy that it will be ill-equipped to tackle without shifting troops from the Indian border. That's a move totally...
Slain Couple Stashed 100K in Home Safe
CNN
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Jul 22, 2009 1:15 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The gang who killed a Florida couple in a military-style assault on their home were after a safe that contained $100,000 in cash, a source tells CNN. The suspects fled with a smaller safe after being unable to open the main one, according to the source. The smaller safe from the home of Byrd and Melanie Billings, who were known for adopting special-needs...
