NEWSWEEK: Media Lead Sheet/October 22, 2007 Issue (on newsstands Monday, October 15)

NEWSWEEK: Media Lead Sheet/October 22, 2007 Issue (on newsstands Monday, October 15)

COVER: "Love & War" (p. 28). Middle East Regional Editor Christopher Dickey and Reporter Jessica Ramirez report on the marriages that have come out of the war in Iraq. Unlike previous wars, which have resulted in nearly 1 million marriages between soldiers and civilians, only a few hundred couples have united after more than four years in Iraq. One reason is that this is a war where the threat of the insurgency means that everyone is treated as a potential enemy and human interactions that could lead to a relationship are impossible while separated by barbed wire and growing blast walls. The few couples who have overcome these obstacles have powerful, moving stories but have also had to sacrifice and endure months and years of waiting for visas to come through before starting their lives together. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43354

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071014/NYSU007 )

FAREED ZAKARIA: "The End of Exceptionalism" (p. 35). Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria writes that while good news doesn't sell, it's worth pointing out that there are important positive trends afoot these days. But increasingly the United States is becoming the odd country out. "The task of our political leaders is to make Americans understand this new world and explain how the United States has thrived and will continue to thrive in it. They should be equipping Americans to compete in the world rather than blaming others and turning inward," he writes. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43356

NATIONAL: "The Man Behind Blackwater" (p. 36). Editor at Large Evan Thomas and Investigative Correspondent Mark Hosenball profile Blackwater CEO and founder Erik Prince. They report that he does not want what they [Blackwater] do to "be completely misrepresented as it has been to the media." During a recent interview with Newsweek Prince defended his company and the actions of its soldiers. Prince says that Blackwater USA soldiers are in a "noble tradition," insisting that Blackwater men are not "mercenaries," a "slanderous term" used by Blackwater's detractors, "an inflammatory word they use to malign us," says Prince. Mercenaries, he says, are professional soldiers who work for a foreign government. Blackwater's men are "Americans working for the American government." http://www.newsweek.com/id/43361

INTERVIEW: "It's Worth Dying For" (p. 42). Special Diplomatic Correspondent Lally Weymouth interviews Saad Hariri, the son of assassinated Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, about the upcoming presidential elections, why his forces are deadlocked with the pro-Syrian opposition, and the Syrians who are killing parliamentarians associated with his March 14th Movement. "We all know that the Syrian regime is doing this. Action must be taken ... like isolation, to make the Syrians understand that killing members of [Lebanon's] parliament will have consequences for them," he says. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43355

"Before We Bomb Iran ... " (p. 45) Senior Editor and Columnist Jonathan Alter writes about a grass-roots and bipartisan campaign to "divest" from Iran, just as the international community divested from South Africa's apartheid regime in the 1970s and '80s. To date, more than a dozen states have divestment bills that are either pending or passed. Alter adds that "divestment has the feeling of a movement whose time has come, if for no other reason than the alternative -- war -- will send oil over $100 a barrel and get a lot of Iranians (and, soon enough, Americans) killed." http://www.newsweek.com/id/43363

IDEAS: "From Barricades to Blogs" (p. 44). Correspondent Jennie Yabroff reports on feminism today and why older feminists worry that Equal Rights Amendment-era feminism's declaration that "the personal is political" has been lost on the latest generation, who they feel don't realize that their personal struggles should be addressed collectively. The place for that may be in the blogosphere. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43419

BUSINESS: "The Latte Era Winds Down" (p. 46). Senior Editor and Columnist Dan Gross writes that for the past several years, American consumers from all income levels have been trading up -- splurging on a growing array of luxury products. Now, many are motivated by frugality, environmentalism and the job and real-estate markets and are shunning luxuries and returning to basics. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43345

HEALTH: "What's Chemo, Mommy?" (p. 48). General Editor Mary Carmichael reports how families cope when a parent is diagnosed with a serious illness. Some hospitals are using the Web to focus on helping families outside the hospital, while others have highly trained clinicians on call to help with dilemmas from the mundane to the technical, to the profound, such as telling a child that the treatment isn't working. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43353

JUSTICE: "A Justice's Candid Opinions" (p. 50). Weymouth interviews U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas about his memoir, "My Grandfather's Son," his confirmation hearing and his time on the court, which he says has been a humbling experience. "When you decide cases, you want to try to get it right ... I will only do what is necessary to discharge the responsibilities under my oath. I will not do things for histrionics. I will not do things so people will think well of me. I will only do this job." http://www.newsweek.com/id/43358

ON SCIENCE: "The Case for Chutes and Ladders" (p. 51). Senior Editor Sharon Begley writes about how a new field, called educational neuroscience, is hitting its stride with a new program at Harvard University, and might help improve the way parents and educators teach young children. While findings from the studies are promising, not even researchers who are forging this new field claim their findings are enough to revolutionize curricular decisions. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43343

INTERNATIONAL: "The Opportunity They Never Had" (p. 52). Special Correspondent Monica Campbell reports on the Grupo Indaparapeo, a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping Mexico's youth from joining the northward exodus and provides opportunities for a better life in their own country. To combat the northern Migration, Horacio Tovar, an engineering professor sought out expats living in the U.S. and asked them to help set up scholarships to give kids the opportunity to go to college -- a luxury many could not otherwise afford. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43286

THE ARTS: "A Dark and Stormy Life" (p. 54) Begley reports on David Michaelis' new book, "Schulz and Peanuts: A Biography." In it he reveals that the talented creator considered himself as bland and boring as his comic-strip alter ego, Charlie Brown, and drew artistic inspiration from failure. Michaelis, who spoke with Begley about the book, had unparalleled access to Schultz's friends and family. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43344

CULTURE: "Ms. Hilton Gets Serious. Please Stop Laughing" (p. 58). Associate Editor Ramin Setoodeh reports on Paris Hilton's effort to break away from her party-girl image and perhaps land a new reality TV show in the process. Hilton discusses her upcoming trip Rwanda to visit schools and health-care clinics. The trip will be filmed and the footage will likely be used for a developing reality show called "The Philanthropist," featuring selfless celebrities helping the world's poor. http://www.newsweek.com/id/43347

TIP SHEET: "Take a Literary Field Trip" (p. 61). General Editor Anna Kuchment reports on vacation tour companies that take travelers through their favorite books. Tour companies such as literarytraveler.com, classicalpursuits.com, thehoursnyc.com, and britishtours.com take tourists to sites once frequented by literary greats or real locations used in books. http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/tipsheet/default.aspx

PRNewswire -- Oct. 14

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Source: Newsweek

CONTACT: LaVenia LaVelle, +1-212-445-4859, LaVenia.LaVelle@Newsweek.com,
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NOTE TO EDITORS: To book correspondents, contact LaVenia LaVelle at 212-445-4859 -- LaVenia.LaVelle@Newsweek.com -- or Brenda Velez at 212-445-4078 -- Brenda.Velez@Newsweek.com. Articles are posted on www.Newsweek.com.

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Profile: International Entertainment