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11-28-2003

President Bush's Iraq Visit Kept a Secret

President Bush smiles as he walks toward Marine One after landing at TSTC airfield in Waco, Texas, Friday, Nov. 28, 2003. Bush landed early Friday morning on Air Force One after his secret trip to Iraq to visit U.S. troops for Thanksgiving. (AP Photo/Rod Aydelotte)

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) _ Three hours from landing on a high-risk visit to Baghdad, President Bush was most anxious about keeping it a secret. "I was fully prepared to turn this baby around, come home," Bush said later aboard Air Force One. To everyone's amazement the secrecy held.

Retailers Usher in the Holiday Season

Daniel Coyle, right, eats a breakfast sandwich as she drags a full bag of toys with her neighbor Stephanie Kramer, left, as they leave the Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia at 5:30 am Friday, Nov. 28, 2003. The two had started their Black Friday shopping at 5 am. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner)

NEW YORK (AP) _ Bargain-hunters braved long lines in the cold early Friday as retailers inaugurated the holiday shopping season with the usual gimmicks, including early bird specials. About 100 people waited in line outside the KB Toy store in King of Prussia mall near Philadelphia by 5:15 a.m. Friday. Edna Daniels, 65, worried that she was too late to get the toys she wanted.

Palestinians Angry With Sharon Ultimatum

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia briefs the media after a meeting at his office in the West Bank town of Ramallah Thursday Nov. 27, 2003. Under pressure to end three years of fighting, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday that Israel cannot hold on to all of the West Bank and Gaza, but also warned Palestinians that unless they moderate their demands he might take permanent hold of some of the land they seek for a state. (AP Photo / Muhammed Muheisen)

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) _ Palestinians reacted with anger at Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's warning that Israel might seize land if peace negotiations fail, though Sharon also said Israel must give up territory for peace. "You do not have unlimited time," Sharon told a news conference on Thursday, addressing the Palestinians, adding that if he feels the Palestinians are not serious about negotiating a peace deal, he may take unilateral steps. "Maybe (the Palestinians) can get things now that they won't be able to get then," he said.

AARP Grows Into $636 Million Empire

Several dozen angry seniors gathered outside AARP's Boston office, Monday Nov. 24, 2003, to criticize the group's support of the Medicare bill. Senior citizens angry over the AARP's endorsement of the Medicare bill are ripping up or burning their AARP membership cards and flooding the lobbying group's Internet message board with complaints in what could be the biggest revolt in its ranks since the 1980s. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

WASHINGTON (AP) _ AARP's fight for legislation giving private insurers a new role in Medicare surprised many Democrats, but in fact the giant retiree group has long been in the health insurance business itself. In 45 years, AARP has grown from a program founded to insure retired teachers to a more than $636 million-a-year empire that pays its chief executive a half-million-dollar salary and lends its name to things such as pharmacy services and Medicare supplemental insurance, and discounts for hotel rooms, car rentals, shopping and cruises.

Stigma Weakens for Pols Who Smoked Pot

Democratic presidential hopeful former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, left, speaks as film director Rob Reiner looks on during a visit to the Des Moines Area Community College Child Development Center, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2003, in Ankeny, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

WASHINGTON (AP) _ When it comes to marijuana, youthful indiscretion has come of age. Lots of politicians, including three of the Democratic presidential candidates, show no fear of fessing up to lighting up in their wild-oats days. Indeed, some who deny dabbling in illegal drugs give the impression that instead of feeling self-righteous, they're a little nervous about coming across as dishonest or just square.

Supreme Court to Tackle Church-State Case

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) _ Joshua Davey's hard work and good grades won him a state scholarship, but his ambition to be a minister denied him the money. Now, his legal challenge has become another U.S. Supreme Court battle over the separation of church and state. Davey's case, set for oral argument on Tuesday, pits Washington state's tough ban on using public money for religious purposes against the federal Constitution's guarantee of freedom of religion.

Study: First Caesarean Increases Risk

LONDON (AP) _ Women who have their first baby by Caesarean section are at significantly higher risk of losing their next baby to an unexplained stillbirth before going into labor, according to a new study. An expert not associated with the study, published in The Lancet medical journal, said the research is important because it suggests hospitals that tend to do a lot of Caesareans might need to consider strategies to reduce them.

French Court Acquits Diana Photographers

PARIS (AP) _ Three photographers who took pictures of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed at the site of their deadly crash were acquitted Friday of invading the couple's privacy. The three men, whose photos were confiscated and not published, were among the swarm of photographers who pursued the car carrying Diana and her boyfriend across Paris on Aug. 31, 1997, and took photos after it slammed into the pillar of a traffic tunnel.

Report: Tiger Woods Engaged

United States Ryder Cup team player Tiger Woods holds hands with his girlfriend Elin Nordegren as they leave the opening ceremony for the 34th Ryder Cup at The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield, England in this Sept. 26, 2002 file photo. Tiger Woods and his Swedish girlfriend Elin Nordegren got engaged during a safari vacation in South Africa, a Swedish newspaper reported Friday. (AP Photo/Adam Butler)

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) _ Tiger Woods and his Swedish girlfriend Elin Nordegren got engaged during a safari vacation in South Africa, a Swedish newspaper reported Friday. Tabloid Expressen said Nordegren's father confirmed the engagement.

Fiedler Leads Dolphins Over Cowboys 40-21

Miami Dolphins' Jason Taylor (99) picks up a fumble on his way to touchdown during the third quarter of Miami's 40-21 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Irving, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003. Also shown are Cowboys' Flozell Adams (76) and Dolphins' Adewale Ogunleye (93) and Larry Chester (64). (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

IRVING, Texas (AP) _ Both are 8-4 and in second place in their respective divisions. Yet, while the Miami Dolphins are gaining confidence, coach Bill Parcells isn't so sure about his Cowboys any more _ especially after Dallas' 40-21 loss on Thursday. "I just don't think our team quite has the maturity yet to understand the kind of situation we're going to get ourselves in," Parcells said. "We've still got a lot on the line and I don't know whether we can do it or not."

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