Former Philippines President Dies

Corazon Aquino, the former Philippines president who played a key role in restoring the country’s democracy, died Saturday morning of colon cancer at the age of 76. Aquino was the first female president of the Philippines, toppling a dictator in 1986 with her "people power" revolution, and confronted natural disasters, military revolts, and communist rebellion, earning her the nickname “Calamity Cory.” While she did little to amend the country's crushing poverty, Aquino worked to dismantle monopolies and oversaw a number of free elections. She remained politically active after retiring, though she was happy to return to private life. “The best description for me might, after all, be that of my critics who said: 'She is just a plain housewife,'” Aquino told The Washington Post. “Indeed, as a housewife, I stood by my husband and never questioned his decision to stand alone in defense of a dead democracy against an arrogant dictatorship enjoying the support of the United States.”