Baby boomer Bush marks a milestone: age 60
Washington – President Bush hits a milestone today that will be familiar to some of his fellow baby boomers: He turns 60.
In many ways, the commander in chief – the father of two recent college graduates – symbolizes the post-World War II generation, as does his predecessor Bill Clinton, who will turn 60 on Aug. 19.
“Bush and Clinton, both leading-edge boomers, show the diversity of opinions and philosophies of the baby-boom generation,” says Cheryl Russell, author of “Demographics of the U.S.: Trends and Projections.”
Others turning 60 this year: First lady Laura Bush, singers Cher and Dolly Parton, Hall of Fame baseball player Reggie Jackson, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak, movie directors Steven Spielberg and Oliver Stone, real estate tycoon Donald Trump and former EPA administrator Christie Whitman. Actor Sylvester Stallone shares his birthday with President Bush.
Limbaugh spared charges in 3rd-party Viagra probe
West Palm Beach, Fla. – Rush Limbaugh will not face charges in Palm Beach County for the bottle of Viagra found in his luggage that was prescribed in his psychologist’s name, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Charges could have nullified the conservative radio host’s plea agreement in a “doctor shopping” case.
Limbaugh, 55, was detained for more than three hours at Palm Beach International Airport on June 26 after he returned on his private plane from a vacation in the Dominican Republic.
The state attorney’s office said the medication was prescribed by Limbaugh’s cardiologist, Dr. Steven Schnur, to Limbaugh’s psychologist and addiction counselor, Steve Strumwasser.
Strumwasser then provided the Viagra to Limbaugh, said state attorney spokesman Mike Edmondson.
Strumwasser told authorities he “agreed to have his name on the label in an effort to avoid potentially embarrassing publicity for the suspect,” according to the state attorney’s office filing.
“Thus, the medication contained in the subject pill bottle was legitimately prescribed to the suspect by his physician.”
It is generally not illegal under Florida law for a physician to prescribe medication in a third-party’s name if all parties are aware and the doctor documents it correctly, Edmondson said.
BELFAST, Northern Ireland
British removing last N. Ireland lookout
The British army said Wednesday its last watchtower along the Northern Ireland border will be dismantled next week, ending decades of high-profile surveillance in an Irish Republican Army power base.
The watchtower overlooking the border village of Forkhill is the last of 16 such observation posts, which British army engineers erected in the mid-1980s to hamper movements of the outlawed IRA in the so-called “bandit country” of South Armagh.
PARIS
38 convicted in party financing scandal
A court convicted 38 people Wednesday in a vast party financing scandal centered on Paris City Hall from 1987 to 1993, when Jacques Chirac was mayor.
While Chirac enjoys immunity as France’s president and could not be questioned in the case, the verdicts come as the latest blow to the 73-year-old leader’s reputation in what is likely his last year in office – and possibly, in politics.
The court handed out suspended prison sentences of two months to two years and fines of up to $127,940.
Among those convicted were the four former top officials in the Paris public housing agency.
The six-month trial followed a decade-long, politically charged inquiry into alleged kickbacks from building contractors.
SKOPJE, Macedonia
Premier concedes defeat to nationalists
Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski conceded defeat today to the nationalist opposition in Macedonia’s parliamentary elections, a vote considered crucial for the tiny Balkan nation’s aspirations of eventual membership in the European Union and NATO.
With 36 percent of the ballots counted, Nikola Gruevski’s VMRO-DPMNE party had 33 percent, compared with 24 percent for Buckovski’s ruling Social Democrats, according to the State Electoral Commission.
MOGADISHU, Somalia
Two shot, killed for watching Cup soccer
Radical Islamic militia fighters in Somalia shot and killed two people who were watching a banned World Cup soccer broadcast, a radio station reported Wednesday.
The hard-line Muslim fighters, who have banned watching television, opened fire after a crowd of teenagers defied their orders to leave a hall where a businessman was showing Tuesday’s Germany-Italy match on satellite television, according to Shabelle Radio, an independent local station. It said the businessman and a teenage girl were killed.
