Free Republic

Russia has been forced to issue a humiliating denial of rumours that the wife of the former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad wants a divorce. Rebel forces stormed to victory this month, taking the Syrian capital, Damascus, and forcing President al-Assad to flee to Russia, where he has been personally given sanctuary by his long-time ally, President Vladimir Putin. But after losing his country, rumours ran amok that Assad could also be losing his wife Asma al-Assad, with Turkish and Arabic media reporting the British-born former first lady wanted to come to the UK. Now, in an angry rebuttal from Moscow,...

DALLAS (AP) -- Former President George W. Bush decided not to join President Barack Obama at a Thursday ceremony at ground zero because he feels that acting presidents alone should preside over such official ceremonies, the former first lady said. Laura Bush told The Associated Press on Thursday that she and her husband were out to dinner Sunday night when they received word that Obama wanted to speak with him.

The Queen Mother For years Barbara Bush took pains to project a benign, maternal persona. Those days are over By Martha Brant and Weston Kosova NEWSWEEK May 13 issue — Mother’s Day is coming, and if you know what’s good for you the Hallmark card is already in the mail. That is, unless your mother is Barbara Bush. The First Family has an unusual way of celebrating the hallowed American holiday. They put their heads down and hope it passes with as little fanfare as possible. George Herbert Walker Bush chafed when a NEWSWEEK reporter recently raised the idea of...