Newser Story Index from January, 2013
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.
25 Dead in Mexico City Blast
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2013 7:02 PM CST
(AP) -
An explosion at the main headquarters of Mexico's state-owned oil company in the capital today killed 25 people and injured 101, officials say; 46 remain hospitalized. The blast occurred in the basement of an administrative building next to the iconic, 52-story tower of Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, in Mexico City. The cause is unclear.
Armed Officer Disarmed Atlanta School Shooter
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Jan 31, 2013 6:50 PM CST
(Newser) -
The 14-year-old boy who was shot at an Atlanta school today is doing fine and is expected to be released from the hospital tonight, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . A fellow student is in custody, and police think a specific dispute between the two of them led to the shooting. Also of note: Police say an armed school resource officer—of...
Painter of Kate's Portrait Defends His Work
Washington Post
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Jan 31, 2013 6:13 PM CST
(Newser) -
When Paul Emsley unveiled his official portrait of Kate Middleton earlier this month, the criticism was so savage that Emsley retreated from public view and began asking himself, Did I screw this up? After weeks of contemplation and sketching, Emsley tells the Washington Post he has his answer: No way. In fact, the renowned artist thinks the...
Geraldo: I Might Run for Senate
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2013 5:35 PM CST
(AP) -
None other than Geraldo Rivera says he's considering a run for US Senate in New Jersey. "Buckle your seat belts!" said Rivera as he announced on his radio show on WABC-AM in New York that he is "truly contemplating" a Senate bid. He said he has spoken to some people in the New Jersey GOP about a run, but he didn't say what...
French Spy Novelist Is Must Read— for Real Spies
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2013 4:57 PM CST
(Newser) -
American readers might not be familiar with French spy novelist Gerard de Villiers, unless they happen to work for the CIA. The New York Times has a fascinating profile of the prolific, 83-year-old author, whose racy novels—wildly popular outside the US—have an uncanny ability to provide accurate, inside information about foreign regimes,...
Bill Would Make Schools Out Gay Kids to Parents
Knoxville News Sentinel
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Jan 31, 2013 4:17 PM CST
(Newser) -
The "Don't Say Gay" bill is back—and it's got a whole new clause sure to spark controversy. Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield has introduced a revamped version of his "Classroom Protection Act," which forbids K-8 teachers from teaching anything that is "inconsistent with natural human reproduction,"...
Go Vegetarian, Heart Risk Drops 32%
bbc.co.uk
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Jan 31, 2013 3:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
One reason to ditch meat: A new study finds that vegetarians were 32% less likely to die of heart disease or be treated in the hospital for it, the BBC reports. University of Oxford scientists studied 44,500 people over a period of 11 years, and found that vegetarians also had lower blood pressure, lower "bad" cholesterol levels, and were...
Beyonce: Yeah, I Sang Along to Recorded Track, but ...
Huffington Post
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Jan 31, 2013 3:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
Beyonce put the lip-sync controversy to bed once and for all today, explaining that she did indeed sing along to a pre-recorded track of the national anthem at the inauguration. But she opened the news conference in epic fashion, asking reporters to stand and then belting out a flawless rendition of the anthem, reports People . (Video is in the...
Washington Puts Out Call for Pot Consultants
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2013 3:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
At least five years of regulatory experience. A law degree. Extensive expertise in every aspect of growing, selling, and smoking weed. It's not exactly the most commonplace list of job requirements, but it's the skill set Washington state is looking for in its new official marijuana consultant, the AP reports. Dozens of people showed up yesterday...
14-Year-Old Boy Shot at Atlanta School
WXIA Atlanta
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Jan 31, 2013 3:03 PM CST
(Newser) -
Another school shooting in the news: A 14-year-old boy got shot at an Atlanta middle school this afternoon, reports WSB-TV and 11Alive . The victim was hit in the back of the neck but was alert upon arrival at the hospital, say school officials. A suspect, thought to be another student, is in custody. A teacher also was injured, but not by a gunshot....
Feds Sue to Stop Merger of Bud, Corona
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2013 2:26 PM CST
(AP) -
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today to stop Anheuser-Busch InBev's proposed $20.1 billion purchase of Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo, which would unite the ownership of popular beers like Budweiser and Corona. The government said the deal could lead to higher beer prices in the US because it would substantially reduce competition in the domestic...
McCain, Hagel Spar Over Iraq
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2013 2:13 PM CST
(Newser) -
Chuck Hagel got into a testy verbal sparring match with John McCain at his Armed Services Committee hearing today, with McCain demanding that Hagel admit he was wrong when he warned against the "surge" in Iraq. Hagel tried to prevaricate: "I would defer to the judgment of history," he ventured, but McCain wouldn't let him finish....
Internet Saves This 'Gay' Dog
Tennessean
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Jan 31, 2013 1:57 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Internet came together to save a dog after his owner dumped him at a Tennessee shelter ... because he thought the dog was gay. A picture of the bulldog, who was in danger of being euthanized, was posted to Facebook in an attempt to find an adopter. "He hunched another male dog so his owner threw him away bc he refuses to have a 'gay'...
We'll Miss You, Liz Lemon
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 31, 2013 1:42 PM CST
(Newser) -
Tina Fey's 30 Rock ends its seven-year run tonight, and the tributes are plentiful. Here's a sample: Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times : "What is the legacy of these critically acclaimed, low-rated, award-winning seven seasons?" he asks. The "show is itself too singular—and too unsuccessful, in its context—to...
Amid Chaos, Egypt's Parties Hold Rare Sit-Down
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2013 1:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
Egyptians saw a shockingly rare sight today: The leaders of their country's fractured and feuding political parties actually sitting across the table from one another. In a meeting brokered by Egypt's most influential Islamic scholar, Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayyeb, leaders from both Egypt's secular opposition and its Islamist factions, from...
As Super Bowl Ads Arrive Early, So Does Criticism
Reuters
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Jan 31, 2013 1:10 PM CST
(Newser) -
It used to be that people actually had to wait for the game to watch the Super Bowl ads, but as the New York Times points out today, those days are long gone for Madison Avenue. Most companies roll out the spots, or versions of them, on YouTube and social media to generate early buzz. Some talkers, for better or worse, this year: Coke: The...
Ron Jeremy Will Stay in Hospital for Weeks
TMZ
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Jan 31, 2013 12:59 PM CST
(Newser) -
Porn star Ron Jeremy is recovering from emergency surgery to repair an aneurysm near his heart, but TMZ reports that doctors won't let him leave the hospital for at least two weeks. The 59-year-old drove himself to Cedars-Sinai in LA yesterday with chest pain, and doctors quickly admitted him to the ICU and prepped him for the procedure. Jeremy...
Snowmobiler Dies After X-Games Crash
CNN
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Jan 31, 2013 12:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
Caleb Moore died today of injuries suffered during last week's horrific snowmobile crash at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., his family revealed today in a statement. Moore, 25, hurt himself when he botched the landing on a backflip, bringing his entire 450-pound snowmobile crashing down on his head and chest, CNN explains. "He will be...
Conservatives, You Need to Watch Girls
Breitbart
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Jan 31, 2013 12:13 PM CST
(Newser) -
It seems there's nothing about Girls a conservative would enjoy: creator Lena Dunham is a card-carrying member of the Obama faction, and the HBO show features no references to religion or traditional morality (nor any Republican characters). But if conservatives are going to complain about the state of our culture, they can't just ignore...
Missouri Bill: Teach 1st-Graders About Guns
kait8.com
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Jan 31, 2013 12:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Reading, writing, arithmetic, and gun knowledge? Yes, a Missouri lawmaker wants students taught about guns—in first grade. GOP state Sen. Dan Brown introduced Senate Bill 75, which would require schools to use the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program or similar. The program was designed by the NRA, and its website says it teaches kids "important...
House '90%' Done on Own Immigration Reform Bill
Politico
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Jan 31, 2013 11:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Not to be outdone by the Senate , a secret, eight-person team—four Democrats and four Republicans—in the House of Representatives is putting together its own immigration bill, reports Politico . Although the group won't make its initial deadline of tomorrow, sources say the House team is making good progress and should have a bill...
What Sequester Is, and Why It Is Stupid
Slate
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Jan 31, 2013 11:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hey, politics watchers: Are you ready for another utterly avoidable budget crisis with the potential to arbitrarily wreck the economy? Well, good news! The "sequester"—a trillion dollars in spending cuts that no one actually wants—is barreling towards us, and apparently no one intends to stop it . Matthew Yglesias breaks down...
Body of Phoenix Shooter Found
KNXV-TV
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Jan 31, 2013 11:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
Arthur Douglas Harmon, the 70-year-old suspected of shooting three people at a Phoenix office building yesterday, has been found dead. Police had been searching for Harmon after he fled the scene; one victim died. The vehicle in which he fled was also found near his body at a shopping center this morning. Harmon appears to have died of a self-inflicted...
Why Some US Leaders Want a North Korea Nuke Test
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2013 10:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
A North Korean nuclear test sounds 100% bad, right? Not according to some US intelligence officials, who the New York Times reports would like to see it happen. Their reasoning is simple: A test would offer a rare opportunity to assess Pyongyang's nuclear advancements. It's been years since the US has been afforded a clear view of the country's...
Dan Marino Had Love Child in 2005
New York Post
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Jan 31, 2013 10:44 AM CST
(Newser) -
Chances are Dan Marino's wife did not have a very happy 28th wedding anniversary yesterday—considering Marino spent at least part of the day crafting a statement to the New York Post admitting that he had a love child in 2005. The former Miami Dolphin and current CBS analyst got Donna Savattere, then a 35-year-old production assistant...
France Says 'Non' to 'Hashtag'
Time
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Jan 31, 2013 10:23 AM CST
(Newser) -
Au revoir , "hashtag." French language cops are striking the English word from their lexicon in favor of the francophone mot-dièse , reports the Local as picked up by Time . The Commission Générale de Terminologie et de Néologie is tasked with preserving the language, and similarly banned "email"...
Syria, Iran Threaten Israel in Wake of Strike
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2013 10:11 AM CST
(AP) -
Syria today threatened to retaliate for an Israeli airstrike , and its ally Iran chimed in, too, saying there will be repercussions for the Jewish state over the attack. Syria's ambassador to Lebanon said Damascus "has the option and the capacity to surprise in retaliation." He said he could not predict when Damascus would retaliate,...
Lagerfeld Hates Michelle's Bangs
Vanity Fair
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Jan 31, 2013 10:08 AM CST
(Newser) -
Karl Lagerfeld, never one to pause before voicing his opinions , will have you know that he's no fan of Michelle Obama's new bangs . On a French TV show (on which he was supposed to be discussing Paris Fashion Week), the designer noted, "I don’t understand the change of hair ... Frankly, the fringe was a bad idea. It’s...
BlackBerry Z10: Not Too Little, But Maybe Too Late
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2013 10:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
BlackBerry is betting its bottom dollar on the BlackBerry Z10 , the first phone to bear its radically redesigned new BlackBerry 10 OS. So how does it stack up? Critics generally like it, but worry that it's not enough to save the company. Here's what people are saying: David Pogue used to think BlackBerry was doomed. "I was wrong,"...
France: Mali Fighting Over, Time for Talks
Al Jazeera Magazine
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Jan 31, 2013 9:41 AM CST
(Newser) -
With French forces retaking the last city held by rebels , Paris is now looking for the Mali government and "legitimate representatives" from rebel groups to talk, reports al-Jazeera . "We have arrived at a moment of change," says France's defense minister, declaring that "the French intervention has succeeded."...
Jason London 'Brutally Attacked' Before Arrest: Rep
E! Online
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Jan 31, 2013 9:17 AM CST
(Newser) -
Jason London's rep is speaking up on the actor's behalf, insisting that London was actually the victim in Sunday's bar brawl . London's injuries, clearly visible in his epic mug shot, indicate he suffered a "brutal attack," says his rep, according to E! , and witnesses say the "attack" continued after London was...
FBI Raid Resurrects Menendez Prostitution Buzz
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 31, 2013 8:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sen. Robert Menendez yesterday once again denied allegations that he had hired Dominican prostitutes, after an FBI raid on a major campaign donor's office rekindled interest in the rumors. On Tuesday, FBI agents descended on the offices of Dr. Salomon Melgen, the optometrist who supposedly flew the New Jersey Democrat to the Dominican Republic...
49er: We Don't Want Gays Playing
Yahoo! Sports
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Jan 31, 2013 8:38 AM CST
(Newser) -
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver says he doesn't want gay players on his team. "I don't do the gay guys, man," he told Artie Lange in an interview. "We don't got no gay people on the team; they gotta get up out of here if they do ... Can't be with that sweet stuff," and "can't be in the locker...
Homeland Security Tip: Fend Off Shooter With Scissors
New York Post
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Jan 31, 2013 8:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Department of Homeland Security has released a video advising Americans on how to deal with a mass shooting—and some of its tips have the New York Post scratching its head. For instance, the video suggests that "if you are caught out in the open and cannot conceal yourself or take cover, you might consider trying to overpower the...
Woman Claims Rape— and Somalia Charges Her
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2013 8:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
Today's tale of alleged injustice comes out of Somalia, where a human rights group says that a woman who reported being raped by security forces was herself charged by the government. Her crime? Simulating a criminal offense and making a false accusation, among other charges; those two carry a sentence of up to nine years. Human Rights Watch reports...
Chuck Hagel Hearing: What He'll Face
Washington Post
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Jan 31, 2013 7:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Chuck Hagel heads to Capitol Hill for his confirmation hearing today, and one thing we can say with confidence: It won't be a John Kerry-esque cakewalk . Hagel's facing skepticism and outright opposition from both sides of the aisle over past stances, particularly on Israel and nuclear proliferation. But he also has friends from his Senate...
Chicago Teen's Shooting Called Gang-War Mistake
Christian Science Monitor
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Jan 31, 2013 7:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Chicago teen who was killed days after performing in President Obama's inauguration may have simply been in the "wrong place at the wrong time," Chicago's police superintendent says, calling the shooting a matter of "mistaken identity." The shooting, police believe, was part of a turf war among gangs, but Hadiya Pendleton...
Move to Save Fishing Industry Could Kill It
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2013 7:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
Faced with dangerously declining cod stocks, New England fisheries officials voted yesterday to massively cut cod quotas—down 77% from last year's catch for the next three years in the Gulf of Maine, and by 61% for the next year in Georges Bank, near Cape Cod, reports the New York Times . The new limit would reduce the cod catch to 1,550...
North Korea to Military: 'Be Ready for a War'
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 31, 2013 7:29 AM CST
(Newser) -
North Korea is stepping up its saber rattling yet again, placing the country under martial law in the run-up to an imminent nuclear weapon test, reports the Korea JoongAng Daily . North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un reportedly gave six orders at an emergency meeting last Saturday, including that "all the frontline and central units should...
Missouri School to Cut Kids' Hair for Drug Test
kshb.com
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Jan 31, 2013 6:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
One Kansas City high school is taking the war on drugs to the next level. Beginning this fall, Rockhurst High School will require students to submit their hair for random drug tests, reports KSHB . In a somewhat bizarre-sounding process, a staff member who happens to be a barber will cut about 60 strands from randomly selected students' heads...
Chinese Hackers Crack NY Times
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2013 4:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
The New York Times has weathered four months of online attacks by Chinese hackers, the paper reveals . Following Times reporting on the wealth of Chinese PM Wen Jiabao's family, hackers were able to enter the newspaper's computer systems, diving into the email accounts of two Asia bureau chiefs. Now, however, hackers have been driven out...
Iran's Nuke Centrifuges Getting Massive Upgrade
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2013 4:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
Iran insists its uranium enrichment program is just for peaceful purposes—and now it is poised to start making a lot more of it. Tehran plans on mounting as many as 3,132 new-generation, IR-2m centrifuges; the machines are capable of enriching uranium five times faster than its current equipment, reports the AP . Iran informed the International...
Cops Pass Toys, Meds to 6-Year-Old Alabama Hostage
us.cnn.com
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Jan 31, 2013 3:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
The man suspected of holding a 6-year-old hostage in his Alabama bunker was due in court yesterday in a separate case: Jimmy Lee Dykes allegedly shot at his neighbors in a December property feud. A standoff between police and Dykes continues, with Dykes reportedly in the bunker with the boy. The lines of communication are open, and authorities "have...
NRA: We'll Fight Universal Background Checks
USA Today
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Jan 31, 2013 3:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
The NRA plans to oppose mandatory background checks on all gun purchases, its president tells USA Today yesterday, rejecting one of the most popular proposals on gun control: the closure of loopholes allowing gun-show purchases without background checks. If the measure, which polls with 85% support, can't get through, prospects for other new...
Sandy Hook Kids to Sing at Super Bowl
USA Today
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Jan 31, 2013 2:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
Twenty-six Sandy Hook Elementary School students are preparing to sing "America the Beautiful" in the Super Bowl pregame show. The performance will air live on CBS, right before the national anthem, USA Today reports. The kids and their families will be flown to New Orleans this week. The performance follows extended NFL support in the...
Phoenix Shooting Suspect, 70, Still at Large; 1 Dead
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Jan 30, 2013 7:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
One of three people shot this morning in a Phoenix office has died, reports the Arizona Republic . Police have identified the suspect as 70-year-old Arthur Douglas Harmon, who fled the scene in a rental car and remains at large. Harmon apparently went to the building this morning to take part in the mediation of a legal dispute he was involved in,...
Last Andrews Sister Dead at 94
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2013 5:46 PM CST
(AP) -
Patty Andrews, the last surviving member of the singing Andrews Sisters trio, died today at age 94. Their hits—including the rollicking "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" and the poignant "I Can Dream, Can't I?"—captured the home-front spirit of World War II. Patty was the Andrews in the middle, the lead singer...
Milestone: 2 Black Senators to Serve at Same Time
go.bloomberg.com
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Jan 30, 2013 4:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
The pick of William "Mo" Cowan to fill John Kerry's Senate seat in Massachusetts results in a little American history being made, notes Bloomberg . For the first time ever, two black senators will serve at the same time. Cowan joins Tim Scott of South Carolina , who got picked to fill the recent Jim DeMint vacancy. Cowan isn't...
Girl Shot by Taliban Having Surgery on Skull
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 30, 2013 4:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
The teenage education advocate shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan last year will have what doctors hope is her final surgery in the recovery process. Surgeons will give Malala Yousufzai a titanium patch for her skull, along with a cochlear implant to assist her hearing in one ear, reports the Guardian . The teen is said to be doing well...
Israeli Fighter Jets Strike Inside Syria
New York Times
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Jan 30, 2013 3:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
Israeli jets have struck a target inside Syria for the first time in more than five years, reports the New York Times and Reuters . Reports are conflicting on what they hit: Syria says the jets struck a scientific research center, but sources tell Reuters they hit a convoy of trucks bound for Lebanon with weapons. CNN agrees, reporting that...
