Cheat Sheet - The Tragic Decline of Mary Kennedy

Today: Donna Summer Dies at 63 , Romney Rejects Wright Attack , U.S. Eases Burma Restrictions May 17, 2012 LAST DAYS 1. The Tragic Decline of Mary Kennedy For the wife of Robert Kennedy Jr., life inside the storied clan was magical—until it all went horribly wrong, writes The Daily Beast's Michael Daly. Read it at The Daily Beast OBIT 2. Donna Summer Dies at 63 TMZ reports that singer Donna Summer died Thursday morning after fighting cancer, and Summer's family confirmed her death shortly afterward. The disco star was reportedly trying to keep the extent of her illness under wraps while she completed a new album, though sources who saw her several weeks ago said she "didn't seem too bad." The five-time Grammy winner was known as the "Queen of Disco" and rose to superstardom in the 1970s with her hits "Last Dance," "Hot Stuff," and "Bad Girls." Read it at TMZ Good Attitude 3. Romney Rejects Wright Attack The Mitt Romney campaign will not join Republican super PACs in accusing President Obama of pretending to be a "metrosexual black Abe Lincoln" while secretly being a Rev. Jeremiah Wright-loving supporter of "black liberation theology." Instead, Mitt will attempt to follow the path laid out for him by Obama's previous Republican challenger, John McCain. "Unlike the Obama campaign, Governor Romney is running a campaign based on jobs and the economy, and we encourage everyone else to do the same," said Mitt's campaign manager Thursday.  Read it at The New York Times TURNAROUND 4. U.S. Eases Burma Restrictions The White House will ease the ban on trading and other investments with Burma as well as name the first U.S. ambassador in 20 years. These steps mark the first significant trading between the U.S. and Burma in decades, and it comes just a few weeks after dissident Aung San Suu Kyi took office—signaling a major step forward in the country’s harsh military rule. Administration officials said Obama’s order would allow the legal authority to impose sanctions but will allow American corporations to make broader investments in Burma. Read it at The New York Times LEVESON 5. Evans: Times Lost Its ‘Moral Responsibility' Former Sunday Times editor Sir Harold Evans testified Thursday before the Leveson Inquiry, saying the famous paper had "lost its sense of moral responsibility" when Rupert Murdoch purchased the paper in 1981. Evans said he became "disgusted, dismayed and demoralized" by the atmosphere at the Times by 1982. Evans testified that Murdoch had tried wield his influence at the paper, and, in one incident, Evans said the relationship between him and Murdoch became so sour that an argument over a piece on the economy "almost ended in fisticuffs." Evans is the husband of Newsweek and The Daily Beast's editor-in-chief Tina Brown. Read it at The Daily Beast AFGHANISTAN 11 Dead in Compound Attack Taliban claims responsibility. UNBELIEVABLE House Guts Violence Against Women Act Remove domestic abuse protections for illegal immigrants. SCARE GA Gunman Surrenders After Standoff Barricaded himself in Savannah restaurant. SCARY Second Flesh-Eating Victim Reported Woman recently gave birth to twins. Silicon Valley Pinterest Valued at $1.5 Billion Raises $100 million this financing round. GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors. GET The Yes List Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast. Why JPMorgan Chase Should Not Fear FBI Probe by Peter J. Boyer , Peter Schweizer Necrotizing Fasciitis: Life After Flesh-Eating Bacteria by Casey Schwartz Ridley Scott Opens Up About 'Prometheus,' Kick-Ass Women, and 'Blade Runner 2' by Marlow Stern

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