The beer bike will ride on in Amsterdam.
The outsized bikes, seating groups of people around a central bar, are something of a fixture in the city's center. But two accidents within two months prompted the city councillor responsible for transport to launch an investigation in June.
Following that review the city has decided to allow the bikes to carry on riding, a city spokesman said Saturday.
They will, however, need permits from the various city boroughs, and those permits are likely to come with restrictions on hours of operation and requirements for a sober driver.
While non-drinkers already typically steer the bikes, their size has also been an issue in some cases on the city centre's narrow streets. One of the better-known operators, PartyFiets.nl, offers two-hour tours on bikes that seat up to 22 people and carry 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of beer.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Amsterdam lets "beer bike" ride on, with limits
The beer bike will ride on in Amsterdam.
The outsized bikes, seating groups of people around a central bar, are something of a fixture in the city's center. But two accidents within two months prompted the city councillor responsible for transport to launch an investigation in June.
Following that review the city has decided to allow the bikes to carry on riding, a city spokesman said Saturday.
They will, however, need permits from the various city boroughs, and those permits are likely to come with restrictions on hours of operation and requirements for a sober driver.
While non-drinkers already typically steer the bikes, their size has also been an issue in some cases on the city centre's narrow streets. One of the better-known operators, PartyFiets.nl, offers two-hour tours on bikes that seat up to 22 people and carry 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of beer.
The outsized bikes, seating groups of people around a central bar, are something of a fixture in the city's center. But two accidents within two months prompted the city councillor responsible for transport to launch an investigation in June.
Following that review the city has decided to allow the bikes to carry on riding, a city spokesman said Saturday.
They will, however, need permits from the various city boroughs, and those permits are likely to come with restrictions on hours of operation and requirements for a sober driver.
While non-drinkers already typically steer the bikes, their size has also been an issue in some cases on the city centre's narrow streets. One of the better-known operators, PartyFiets.nl, offers two-hour tours on bikes that seat up to 22 people and carry 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of beer.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
No Muslims at Black Eyed Peas concert
Muslims in Malaysia have been barred from attending a concert by U.S. hip hop band the Black Eyed Peas sponsored by Guinness which is owned by the world's biggest spirits group Diageo.
The move comes after a Malaysian Islamic court sentenced a 32-year Muslim woman to be caned after she was caught drinking beer in a hotel and at a time when an opposition Islamic party has moved against beer sales.
The concert, part of celebrations of Guinness 250th birthday, asks on its website (www.arthursday.com.my) "Are you a non-Muslim aged 18 years and above?" and if the response is no, access is not allowed.
Muslims account for 55 percent of the 27 million people in this Southeast Asian country and are barred from consuming alcohol although the rules are regularly flouted, especially in big cities like the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia's Guinness Anchor which sells Guinness and other brands here had sales of 1.2 billion Malaysian ringgit ($340.6 million) in 2008.
Even without alcohol, foreign bands are subject to scrutiny. Earlier this week, the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) said it wanted Danish band Michael Learns to Rock banned from performing as it would cause immorality.
Since 2007, PAS, the country's second largest political group measured by party membership, has campaigned against performances by the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
($1=3.523 Malaysian Ringgit)
The move comes after a Malaysian Islamic court sentenced a 32-year Muslim woman to be caned after she was caught drinking beer in a hotel and at a time when an opposition Islamic party has moved against beer sales.
The concert, part of celebrations of Guinness 250th birthday, asks on its website (www.arthursday.com.my) "Are you a non-Muslim aged 18 years and above?" and if the response is no, access is not allowed.
Muslims account for 55 percent of the 27 million people in this Southeast Asian country and are barred from consuming alcohol although the rules are regularly flouted, especially in big cities like the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia's Guinness Anchor which sells Guinness and other brands here had sales of 1.2 billion Malaysian ringgit ($340.6 million) in 2008.
Even without alcohol, foreign bands are subject to scrutiny. Earlier this week, the Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) said it wanted Danish band Michael Learns to Rock banned from performing as it would cause immorality.
Since 2007, PAS, the country's second largest political group measured by party membership, has campaigned against performances by the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne.
($1=3.523 Malaysian Ringgit)
Lego giraffe tail repeatedly stolen
Visitors to a tourist attraction in Berlin have been making off with an unusual memento -- the 30 cm long tail of a Lego giraffe.
The Lego tail belongs to a six meter tall model that has stood outside the entrance to the Legoland Discovery Center on Potsdamer Platz since 2007.
"It's a popular souvenir," a spokeswoman for the center said Tuesday. "It's been stolen four times now ..."
The tail is made out of 15,000 Lego bricks. It takes model workers about one week to restore it at a cost of 3,000 euros ($4,300), the spokeswoman said.
The Lego tail belongs to a six meter tall model that has stood outside the entrance to the Legoland Discovery Center on Potsdamer Platz since 2007.
"It's a popular souvenir," a spokeswoman for the center said Tuesday. "It's been stolen four times now ..."
The tail is made out of 15,000 Lego bricks. It takes model workers about one week to restore it at a cost of 3,000 euros ($4,300), the spokeswoman said.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Farmers issue warning after fatal cow attacks
The deaths of no fewer than four people after being trampled by cows in the past two months has prompted Britain's main farming union to issue a warning about the dangers of provoking the normally docile animals.
Cows can become aggressive and charge, especially when calves are present and walkers are accompanied by dogs, said the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The union and the Ramblers' Association both advise that walkers release dogs from their leads when passing through a field of cows.
"The cattle are interested in the dog, not the walker," said Robert Sheasby, Rural Surveyor at the NFU.
"As the cattle try to get the dog, there's a high chance they will get the walker too."
Britain has 7.5 million cows but in the past eight years there have only been 18 deaths involving cattle, including bulls whose dangers are well-known.
The current spate of attacks by cows began on the Pennine Hills on June 21, when Liz Crowsley, a veterinary surgeon from Warrington, was crushed against a wall and then trampled underfoot while out walking with her two dogs.
On July 15, another attack took place in Derbyshire, when Barry Pilgrim, a 65-year old from the area, was trampled to death by a cow as his wife looked on.
Three days later, Anita Hinchey, a 63-year-old, was walking her dog near Cardiff when a cow attacked her and trampled her to death.
The fourth fatal attack claimed the life of Harold Lee, a 75-year-old farmer from Burtle in the West Country. He was killed by his own herd, which may have been made nervous by the siren of a passing ambulance.
The risk is especially high in the spring when many of the calves are only a month or two old and the mothers are therefore especially protective, the NFU said.
"It's to do with spring and autumn calving," said Sheasby.
"In the autumn, cattle will be coming into winter housing but in spring you want them out grazing the grass."
Cow-charging incidents received extended coverage when former Home Secretary David Blunkett was attacked by one in June as his guide dog led him across a field in England's Peak District.
Blunkett broke a rib and was heavily bruised but survived.
Cows can become aggressive and charge, especially when calves are present and walkers are accompanied by dogs, said the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The union and the Ramblers' Association both advise that walkers release dogs from their leads when passing through a field of cows.
"The cattle are interested in the dog, not the walker," said Robert Sheasby, Rural Surveyor at the NFU.
"As the cattle try to get the dog, there's a high chance they will get the walker too."
Britain has 7.5 million cows but in the past eight years there have only been 18 deaths involving cattle, including bulls whose dangers are well-known.
The current spate of attacks by cows began on the Pennine Hills on June 21, when Liz Crowsley, a veterinary surgeon from Warrington, was crushed against a wall and then trampled underfoot while out walking with her two dogs.
On July 15, another attack took place in Derbyshire, when Barry Pilgrim, a 65-year old from the area, was trampled to death by a cow as his wife looked on.
Three days later, Anita Hinchey, a 63-year-old, was walking her dog near Cardiff when a cow attacked her and trampled her to death.
The fourth fatal attack claimed the life of Harold Lee, a 75-year-old farmer from Burtle in the West Country. He was killed by his own herd, which may have been made nervous by the siren of a passing ambulance.
The risk is especially high in the spring when many of the calves are only a month or two old and the mothers are therefore especially protective, the NFU said.
"It's to do with spring and autumn calving," said Sheasby.
"In the autumn, cattle will be coming into winter housing but in spring you want them out grazing the grass."
Cow-charging incidents received extended coverage when former Home Secretary David Blunkett was attacked by one in June as his guide dog led him across a field in England's Peak District.
Blunkett broke a rib and was heavily bruised but survived.
Farmers issue warning after fatal cow attacks
The deaths of no fewer than four people after being trampled by cows in the past two months has prompted Britain's main farming union to issue a warning about the dangers of provoking the normally docile animals.
Cows can become aggressive and charge, especially when calves are present and walkers are accompanied by dogs, said the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The union and the Ramblers' Association both advise that walkers release dogs from their leads when passing through a field of cows.
"The cattle are interested in the dog, not the walker," said Robert Sheasby, Rural Surveyor at the NFU.
"As the cattle try to get the dog, there's a high chance they will get the walker too."
Britain has 7.5 million cows but in the past eight years there have only been 18 deaths involving cattle, including bulls whose dangers are well-known.
The current spate of attacks by cows began on the Pennine Hills on June 21, when Liz Crowsley, a veterinary surgeon from Warrington, was crushed against a wall and then trampled underfoot while out walking with her two dogs.
On July 15, another attack took place in Derbyshire, when Barry Pilgrim, a 65-year old from the area, was trampled to death by a cow as his wife looked on.
Three days later, Anita Hinchey, a 63-year-old, was walking her dog near Cardiff when a cow attacked her and trampled her to death.
The fourth fatal attack claimed the life of Harold Lee, a 75-year-old farmer from Burtle in the West Country. He was killed by his own herd, which may have been made nervous by the siren of a passing ambulance.
The risk is especially high in the spring when many of the calves are only a month or two old and the mothers are therefore especially protective, the NFU said.
"It's to do with spring and autumn calving," said Sheasby.
"In the autumn, cattle will be coming into winter housing but in spring you want them out grazing the grass."
Cow-charging incidents received extended coverage when former Home Secretary David Blunkett was attacked by one in June as his guide dog led him across a field in England's Peak District.
Blunkett broke a rib and was heavily bruised but survived.
Cows can become aggressive and charge, especially when calves are present and walkers are accompanied by dogs, said the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The union and the Ramblers' Association both advise that walkers release dogs from their leads when passing through a field of cows.
"The cattle are interested in the dog, not the walker," said Robert Sheasby, Rural Surveyor at the NFU.
"As the cattle try to get the dog, there's a high chance they will get the walker too."
Britain has 7.5 million cows but in the past eight years there have only been 18 deaths involving cattle, including bulls whose dangers are well-known.
The current spate of attacks by cows began on the Pennine Hills on June 21, when Liz Crowsley, a veterinary surgeon from Warrington, was crushed against a wall and then trampled underfoot while out walking with her two dogs.
On July 15, another attack took place in Derbyshire, when Barry Pilgrim, a 65-year old from the area, was trampled to death by a cow as his wife looked on.
Three days later, Anita Hinchey, a 63-year-old, was walking her dog near Cardiff when a cow attacked her and trampled her to death.
The fourth fatal attack claimed the life of Harold Lee, a 75-year-old farmer from Burtle in the West Country. He was killed by his own herd, which may have been made nervous by the siren of a passing ambulance.
The risk is especially high in the spring when many of the calves are only a month or two old and the mothers are therefore especially protective, the NFU said.
"It's to do with spring and autumn calving," said Sheasby.
"In the autumn, cattle will be coming into winter housing but in spring you want them out grazing the grass."
Cow-charging incidents received extended coverage when former Home Secretary David Blunkett was attacked by one in June as his guide dog led him across a field in England's Peak District.
Blunkett broke a rib and was heavily bruised but survived.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Car goes forward, car hits wall, Car sits there for 5 sconds Car goes forward, car hits wall, Car sites there for 6 seconds, Car turns and goes forwar
A French town has banned circus elephants from bathing at its beaches over concerns the animals' excrement could pollute the water and pose a health hazard to other swimmers.
Last year, elephants from one of the circuses that tour many French towns in the summer months were allowed on to the beach at Granville, in Normandy, to exercise and paddle in the waves.
But inspectors checking water quality found traces of their droppings in the sea and issued a warning over health standards at the beach, which is popular with French and foreign holidaymakers.
"Circuses are more than welcome," said Roland Huet, an official at Granville's town hall. "But this year the rules governing their stay clearly specify they cannot allow any animals, including elephants, to bathe on our beaches because of the risk of pollution," he added.
Granville is particularly susceptible to this type of contamination due to its sheltered location in the bay of Mont Saint Michel, according to Huet.
A repeat of last year's incident would prompt the closure of the beach and could seriously damage Granville's reputation as a seaside resort.
"Imagine having to explain to thousands of holidaymakers that the beach has been closed due to animal droppings," he said.
Last year, elephants from one of the circuses that tour many French towns in the summer months were allowed on to the beach at Granville, in Normandy, to exercise and paddle in the waves.
But inspectors checking water quality found traces of their droppings in the sea and issued a warning over health standards at the beach, which is popular with French and foreign holidaymakers.
"Circuses are more than welcome," said Roland Huet, an official at Granville's town hall. "But this year the rules governing their stay clearly specify they cannot allow any animals, including elephants, to bathe on our beaches because of the risk of pollution," he added.
Granville is particularly susceptible to this type of contamination due to its sheltered location in the bay of Mont Saint Michel, according to Huet.
A repeat of last year's incident would prompt the closure of the beach and could seriously damage Granville's reputation as a seaside resort.
"Imagine having to explain to thousands of holidaymakers that the beach has been closed due to animal droppings," he said.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Woman sues zoo over splashing dolphins
A woman is suing a Chicago-area zoo for a 2008 fall near a dolphin exhibit, accusing zookeepers of encouraging the mammals to splash water and then failing to protect spectators from wet surfaces, local media reported on Thursday.
In her suit filed earlier this week, Allecyn Edwards said she was injured while walking near an exhibit at Brookfield Zoo, where a group of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were performing, media said.
Officials "recklessly and willfully trained and encouraged the dolphins to throw water at the spectators in the stands, making the floor wet and slippery," but failed to post warning signs or lay down protective mats or strips, the suit said, according to the reports.
Edwards is demanding more than $50,000 for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional trauma from the Chicago Zoological Society and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which operate the zoo in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
In her suit filed earlier this week, Allecyn Edwards said she was injured while walking near an exhibit at Brookfield Zoo, where a group of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were performing, media said.
Officials "recklessly and willfully trained and encouraged the dolphins to throw water at the spectators in the stands, making the floor wet and slippery," but failed to post warning signs or lay down protective mats or strips, the suit said, according to the reports.
Edwards is demanding more than $50,000 for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional trauma from the Chicago Zoological Society and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which operate the zoo in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Stolen dogs found in Peru medical school lab
At least two stolen dogs were found in an operating room used for dissections at the medical school of South America's oldest university, but its dean denied relying on dognappers to collect specimens for classes.
The University of San Marcos does not have access to enough human cadavers for its students, so they sometimes cut open dogs instead.
Carmen Valverde's dog Tomas was stolen by two men while she was walking in the working-class Brena district of Lima, and a friend who works at the school's teaching hospital spotted him by chance in a surgery room where dogs are dissected.
Valverde donned a lab coat and snuck into the hospital to rescue Tomas. Video her friend shot a week ago, aired on local television, shows him sedated, splayed, and strapped to a stainless steel table -- just moments away from the knife.
After local newspapers published the story, other people missing dogs rushed to the hospital's door and one owner found her dog Chico.
"The University of San Marcos still hasn't apologized for what it has done," Valverde told Reuters Thursday.
Ricardo Rubios, dean of the medical school, acknowledged that stolen dogs had wound up in the surgery room, but said the school only uses strays for classes.
"I assure you we would have returned the dog. All our experimental surgeries are done to dogs that don't have owners," Rubios told Reuters.
Romila Briones, a member of ASPPA, a Peruvian animal rights group, said the law does not protect strays.
"In Europe, they don't kill animals for education, they use dummies. Unfortunately, animals are just property in the eyes of the law here, like furniture," Briones said.
The University of San Marcos does not have access to enough human cadavers for its students, so they sometimes cut open dogs instead.
Carmen Valverde's dog Tomas was stolen by two men while she was walking in the working-class Brena district of Lima, and a friend who works at the school's teaching hospital spotted him by chance in a surgery room where dogs are dissected.
Valverde donned a lab coat and snuck into the hospital to rescue Tomas. Video her friend shot a week ago, aired on local television, shows him sedated, splayed, and strapped to a stainless steel table -- just moments away from the knife.
After local newspapers published the story, other people missing dogs rushed to the hospital's door and one owner found her dog Chico.
"The University of San Marcos still hasn't apologized for what it has done," Valverde told Reuters Thursday.
Ricardo Rubios, dean of the medical school, acknowledged that stolen dogs had wound up in the surgery room, but said the school only uses strays for classes.
"I assure you we would have returned the dog. All our experimental surgeries are done to dogs that don't have owners," Rubios told Reuters.
Romila Briones, a member of ASPPA, a Peruvian animal rights group, said the law does not protect strays.
"In Europe, they don't kill animals for education, they use dummies. Unfortunately, animals are just property in the eyes of the law here, like furniture," Briones said.
Woman sues zoo over splashing dolphins
A woman is suing a Chicago-area zoo for a 2008 fall near a dolphin exhibit, accusing zookeepers of encouraging the mammals to splash water and then failing to protect spectators from wet surfaces, local media reported on Thursday.
In her suit filed earlier this week, Allecyn Edwards said she was injured while walking near an exhibit at Brookfield Zoo, where a group of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were performing, media said.
Officials "recklessly and willfully trained and encouraged the dolphins to throw water at the spectators in the stands, making the floor wet and slippery," but failed to post warning signs or lay down protective mats or strips, the suit said, according to the reports.
Edwards is demanding more than $50,000 for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional trauma from the Chicago Zoological Society and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which operate the zoo in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
The suit was filed in Illinois' Circuit Court of Cook County.
In her suit filed earlier this week, Allecyn Edwards said she was injured while walking near an exhibit at Brookfield Zoo, where a group of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins were performing, media said.
Officials "recklessly and willfully trained and encouraged the dolphins to throw water at the spectators in the stands, making the floor wet and slippery," but failed to post warning signs or lay down protective mats or strips, the suit said, according to the reports.
Edwards is demanding more than $50,000 for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional trauma from the Chicago Zoological Society and the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, which operate the zoo in Chicago's southwest suburbs.
The suit was filed in Illinois' Circuit Court of Cook County.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Let's just wave at each other, okay?
They may want votes, but some Japanese election candidates have been cutting back on handshakes on the campaign trail as the new flu virus reaches epidemic proportions in Japan.
The country has confirmed three deaths from the H1N1 influenza virus, and the health minister said Wednesday a rise in cases meant the new flu had spread more than expected this summer.
With little more than a week to go until the August 30 election that his opposition Democratic Party looks likely to win, candidate Denny Tamaki is playing it safe.
"Shaking hands during an election campaign is key, so this is pretty troubling," Tamaki told the Yomiuri Shimbun.
"It would be bad if I get infected myself and then pass it on to older people with weaker immune systems," said Tamaki, whose home island of Okinawa has been hit hard by the flu.
Fellow Democratic Party candidate Katsuhito Yokokume, locked in a tough fight against popular ex-premier Junichiro Koizumi's son, took a break from campaigning a few days ago after showing flu symptoms, media reported.
When he resumed, he made a rather unusual campaign pledge.
"We'll make sure not to give speeches so close that the audience might get hit with spittle," Yomiuri quoted one of his campaigners as saying.
Makiko Fujino, a ruling party candidate in the city of Nagoya, where an 81-year-old woman died from the new flu, brought disinfectant along to her rallies.
"I watched the news and thought some people might be worried, so I quickly brought some along," she told the newspaper.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura urged people to wash their hands but said there were no plans to limit public gatherings.
The new H1N1 influenza virus has caused the first pandemic of the 21st century, according to the World Health Organization. When the northern hemisphere's autumn weather sets in, it is expected to worsen. Most cases are mild to moderate, with H1N1 appearing to be about as deadly as seasonal flu.
The country has confirmed three deaths from the H1N1 influenza virus, and the health minister said Wednesday a rise in cases meant the new flu had spread more than expected this summer.
With little more than a week to go until the August 30 election that his opposition Democratic Party looks likely to win, candidate Denny Tamaki is playing it safe.
"Shaking hands during an election campaign is key, so this is pretty troubling," Tamaki told the Yomiuri Shimbun.
"It would be bad if I get infected myself and then pass it on to older people with weaker immune systems," said Tamaki, whose home island of Okinawa has been hit hard by the flu.
Fellow Democratic Party candidate Katsuhito Yokokume, locked in a tough fight against popular ex-premier Junichiro Koizumi's son, took a break from campaigning a few days ago after showing flu symptoms, media reported.
When he resumed, he made a rather unusual campaign pledge.
"We'll make sure not to give speeches so close that the audience might get hit with spittle," Yomiuri quoted one of his campaigners as saying.
Makiko Fujino, a ruling party candidate in the city of Nagoya, where an 81-year-old woman died from the new flu, brought disinfectant along to her rallies.
"I watched the news and thought some people might be worried, so I quickly brought some along," she told the newspaper.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura urged people to wash their hands but said there were no plans to limit public gatherings.
The new H1N1 influenza virus has caused the first pandemic of the 21st century, according to the World Health Organization. When the northern hemisphere's autumn weather sets in, it is expected to worsen. Most cases are mild to moderate, with H1N1 appearing to be about as deadly as seasonal flu.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
"Putpockets" give a little extra cash
Visitors to London always have to be on the look out for pickpockets, but now there's another, more positive phenomenon on the loose -- putpockets.
Aware that people are suffering in the economic crisis, 20 former pickpockets have turned over a new leaf and are now trawling London's tourist sites slipping money back into unsuspecting pockets.
Anything from 5 pounds ($8) to 20 pound notes is being surreptitiously deposited in unguarded pockets or open handbags in Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and other busy spots.
The initiative, which runs until the end of August in London before being rolled out countrywide, is being funded by a broadbrand provider, which says it wants to brighten up people's lives in unusual ways.
"It feels good to give something back for a change -- and Britons certainly need it in the current economic climate," said Chris Fitch, a former pickpocket who now heads TalkTalk's putpocketing initiative.
"Every time I put money back in someone's pocket, I feel less guilty about the fact I spent many years taking it out."
London's police have been briefed about the plan, which will see at least 100,000 pounds given away.
Aware that people are suffering in the economic crisis, 20 former pickpockets have turned over a new leaf and are now trawling London's tourist sites slipping money back into unsuspecting pockets.
Anything from 5 pounds ($8) to 20 pound notes is being surreptitiously deposited in unguarded pockets or open handbags in Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and other busy spots.
The initiative, which runs until the end of August in London before being rolled out countrywide, is being funded by a broadbrand provider, which says it wants to brighten up people's lives in unusual ways.
"It feels good to give something back for a change -- and Britons certainly need it in the current economic climate," said Chris Fitch, a former pickpocket who now heads TalkTalk's putpocketing initiative.
"Every time I put money back in someone's pocket, I feel less guilty about the fact I spent many years taking it out."
London's police have been briefed about the plan, which will see at least 100,000 pounds given away.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Honey, I cheated, and blah blah blah...
Never again honey -- and here's a diamond to say sorry.
Every time British businessman Robert Charlton cheated on his wife, he bought her some extravagant jewelry to try to make amends. After 26 years of marriage, long-suffering Elizabeth Charlton had more than 40 glittering pieces.
Charlton's infidelity cost him nearly 300,000 pounds ($492,400) it emerged last month, when his daughter auctioned off the late couple's jewelry collection.
"He bought her a lot of things to keep her happy and to ease the pain of his many affairs," said Clare Durham, a spokeswoman for Woolley & Wallis, the auction house that handled the sale. "I think everybody knew it was a fairly open secret."
Over the course of his romances, Charlton, who died in 1974, bought his wife antique diamond earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces. One piece, a riviere necklace made up of 54 diamonds, was the most expensive item auctioned, fetching 50,000 pounds.
The riviere was once bought in the 1900s for around 400 pounds, the auction house said, a sum that would have made it extremely expensive when Charlton bought it in the 1960s.
"The big diamonds were Edwardian and Victorian so they were antique pieces when he bought them for her in the 60s and 70s," said Durham.
Charlton's daughter chose to auction a total of 43 pieces from the guilt-ridden collection after other family members declined to accept them. The family kept other pieces.
"He didn't just buy her jewelry when he played away. He did buy her gifts for birthdays and Christmas and things like that. I don't think he was that bad," said Durham.
Every time British businessman Robert Charlton cheated on his wife, he bought her some extravagant jewelry to try to make amends. After 26 years of marriage, long-suffering Elizabeth Charlton had more than 40 glittering pieces.
Charlton's infidelity cost him nearly 300,000 pounds ($492,400) it emerged last month, when his daughter auctioned off the late couple's jewelry collection.
"He bought her a lot of things to keep her happy and to ease the pain of his many affairs," said Clare Durham, a spokeswoman for Woolley & Wallis, the auction house that handled the sale. "I think everybody knew it was a fairly open secret."
Over the course of his romances, Charlton, who died in 1974, bought his wife antique diamond earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces. One piece, a riviere necklace made up of 54 diamonds, was the most expensive item auctioned, fetching 50,000 pounds.
The riviere was once bought in the 1900s for around 400 pounds, the auction house said, a sum that would have made it extremely expensive when Charlton bought it in the 1960s.
"The big diamonds were Edwardian and Victorian so they were antique pieces when he bought them for her in the 60s and 70s," said Durham.
Charlton's daughter chose to auction a total of 43 pieces from the guilt-ridden collection after other family members declined to accept them. The family kept other pieces.
"He didn't just buy her jewelry when he played away. He did buy her gifts for birthdays and Christmas and things like that. I don't think he was that bad," said Durham.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Hotel mistake creates rush for 1 cent weekend
Hundreds of holiday makers struck lucky when they chanced upon a very special offer -- a mistake in a hotel booking system which offered a romantic four-star weekend in Italy's lagoon city of Venice for 1 cent.
The offer, a tiny fraction of the Crowne Plaza Quarto D'Altino's normal rate of up to 150 euros ($214) a night, was quickly withdrawn when staff realized the mistake, Italian state TV reported.
In just a few hours, some 1,400 nights had been booked under the tariff, costing an estimated 90,000 euros for the hotel, part of the Intercontinental Hotels Group, the world's largest chain, media reported.
Staff at the hotel, some 25 km (16 miles) outside Venice, declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Intercontinental Hotels Group was not immediately available.
The offer, a tiny fraction of the Crowne Plaza Quarto D'Altino's normal rate of up to 150 euros ($214) a night, was quickly withdrawn when staff realized the mistake, Italian state TV reported.
In just a few hours, some 1,400 nights had been booked under the tariff, costing an estimated 90,000 euros for the hotel, part of the Intercontinental Hotels Group, the world's largest chain, media reported.
Staff at the hotel, some 25 km (16 miles) outside Venice, declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Intercontinental Hotels Group was not immediately available.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
California resort offers $19 'survivor' package
For their one-and-only family getaway this year, the Billingtons checked in to an upscale San Diego resort on Sunday with many of the usual vacation accessories -- bathing suits, board games and golf clubs.
But they also brought flashlights, sleeping bags and an inflatable mattress because the pool-side room they booked for just $19 comes with a tent where the beds normally would be. They even had to pack their own toilet paper.
While many of Southern California's luxury hotels are battling a severe slump in business by offering extra services and more amenities, the Rancho Bernardo Inn is luring guests with the exact opposite -- no frills and barely any basics.
Called the "Survivor Package," the hotel's deeply discounted promotion lets patrons trim its standard $219-per-night rate on a sliding scale of deprivation, lowering charges with each amenity stripped from the room.
The most basic version: a room for $19 with no bed, toilet paper, towels, air-conditioning or "honor bar," and only a single light bulb in the bathroom for safety. The next level up adds in a bed -- sans sheets -- for $39 a night. For a bed plus toiletries and toilet paper, the rate is $59.
Maureen Carew, assistant general manager of the four-star inn, called the promotion "clever marketing in a downtime."
THRIFTY VACATIONS
Herman Billington, 39, a personal trainer who owns his own business, says it's the only vacation he, his wife and their two sons, aged 9 and 10, plan to take this year as they concentrate on "keeping it lean."
"The boys get to feel like they're camping, and I get to go to the spa," said their mother, Erica Billington, 37.
Luxury hotels and resorts have fallen on hard times during the recession, as corporate travel planners shy away from lavish spending and consumers plan thrifty, if any, vacations.
Across the industry, occupancy rates have dropped about 10 percent Carew said. The slump has pushed room rates down, with many of California's more luxurious properties throwing in a breakfast, a round of golf or extra night's stay for free.
The outlook for the rest of 2009 is bleak, according to Smith Travel Research, which predicts that U.S. hotel revenue per available room will fall 17 percent and demand will drop 5.5 percent by the end of the year.
Carew said Rancho Bernardo's promotion drew more than 420 reservations, including 240 bookings at the $19 rate and 116 at the $39 rate.
Like the Billingtons, mortgage banker Brian Sciutto, 36, is watching his pennies. His Sunday night stay at the hotel is his first getaway in two years, though he brought his iPhone and mail from home to keep busy.
"I feel like I'm on vacation but I'm not," Sciutto said as he enjoyed the cool breeze blowing in from the golf course outside. "I feel like I'm being spoiled for 19 bucks."
But they also brought flashlights, sleeping bags and an inflatable mattress because the pool-side room they booked for just $19 comes with a tent where the beds normally would be. They even had to pack their own toilet paper.
While many of Southern California's luxury hotels are battling a severe slump in business by offering extra services and more amenities, the Rancho Bernardo Inn is luring guests with the exact opposite -- no frills and barely any basics.
Called the "Survivor Package," the hotel's deeply discounted promotion lets patrons trim its standard $219-per-night rate on a sliding scale of deprivation, lowering charges with each amenity stripped from the room.
The most basic version: a room for $19 with no bed, toilet paper, towels, air-conditioning or "honor bar," and only a single light bulb in the bathroom for safety. The next level up adds in a bed -- sans sheets -- for $39 a night. For a bed plus toiletries and toilet paper, the rate is $59.
Maureen Carew, assistant general manager of the four-star inn, called the promotion "clever marketing in a downtime."
THRIFTY VACATIONS
Herman Billington, 39, a personal trainer who owns his own business, says it's the only vacation he, his wife and their two sons, aged 9 and 10, plan to take this year as they concentrate on "keeping it lean."
"The boys get to feel like they're camping, and I get to go to the spa," said their mother, Erica Billington, 37.
Luxury hotels and resorts have fallen on hard times during the recession, as corporate travel planners shy away from lavish spending and consumers plan thrifty, if any, vacations.
Across the industry, occupancy rates have dropped about 10 percent Carew said. The slump has pushed room rates down, with many of California's more luxurious properties throwing in a breakfast, a round of golf or extra night's stay for free.
The outlook for the rest of 2009 is bleak, according to Smith Travel Research, which predicts that U.S. hotel revenue per available room will fall 17 percent and demand will drop 5.5 percent by the end of the year.
Carew said Rancho Bernardo's promotion drew more than 420 reservations, including 240 bookings at the $19 rate and 116 at the $39 rate.
Like the Billingtons, mortgage banker Brian Sciutto, 36, is watching his pennies. His Sunday night stay at the hotel is his first getaway in two years, though he brought his iPhone and mail from home to keep busy.
"I feel like I'm on vacation but I'm not," Sciutto said as he enjoyed the cool breeze blowing in from the golf course outside. "I feel like I'm being spoiled for 19 bucks."
Quake victim asks to live with Berlusconi
A man made homeless by April's earthquake in central Italy has asked Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to keep his promise and provide victims with lodging in one of his houses.
Antonio Bernardini, whose home in the mountain city of L'Aquila was destroyed, wrote to Italy's Civil Protection agency saying he preferred lodging in Berlusconi's luxurious sea-side Sardinian villa or his residence in central Rome, "if possible."
"This is not a provocation, but a legitimate request based on the statements of the prime minister," Bernardini said.
Thousands of people made homeless by the April 6 quake still live in temporary accommodation in hotels or tent villages.
Bernardini said many were being exploited by unscrupulous hoteliers and felt little better than illegal immigrants.
"We find ourselves in conditions of weakness and inferiority," said Bernardini, whose elderly mother died just a month after he carried her from the wreckage of their house. "I live in a small hotel room far from my home town."
"Give us a concrete sign. If not me, then take in some other victims," he asked the prime minister.
Berlusconi, who will travel to the stricken region of Abruzzo Saturday, won plaudits for his handling of the immediate aftermath of the 6.3 tremor, which killed nearly 300 people, boosting his image among supporters as a man of action.
During the rescue efforts, Berlusconi called on Italians to take in victims of the quake and said: "I will also do what I can by offering my houses." He promised to rebuild L'Aquila within 28 months and provide victims with new homes.
Since the earthquake, Berlusconi has been mired in a scandal surrounding his personal life, which erupted when his wife Veronica announced in early May she would seek a divorce because of his womanizing, accusing him of "frequenting minors."
Berlusconi's strong popularity ratings have weathered the scandal, falling only four points since May to 49 percent according to a poll last month, but analysts warn his support could be seriously eroded by failure to keep promises to the earthquake victims or a steep rise in unemployment.
Antonio Bernardini, whose home in the mountain city of L'Aquila was destroyed, wrote to Italy's Civil Protection agency saying he preferred lodging in Berlusconi's luxurious sea-side Sardinian villa or his residence in central Rome, "if possible."
"This is not a provocation, but a legitimate request based on the statements of the prime minister," Bernardini said.
Thousands of people made homeless by the April 6 quake still live in temporary accommodation in hotels or tent villages.
Bernardini said many were being exploited by unscrupulous hoteliers and felt little better than illegal immigrants.
"We find ourselves in conditions of weakness and inferiority," said Bernardini, whose elderly mother died just a month after he carried her from the wreckage of their house. "I live in a small hotel room far from my home town."
"Give us a concrete sign. If not me, then take in some other victims," he asked the prime minister.
Berlusconi, who will travel to the stricken region of Abruzzo Saturday, won plaudits for his handling of the immediate aftermath of the 6.3 tremor, which killed nearly 300 people, boosting his image among supporters as a man of action.
During the rescue efforts, Berlusconi called on Italians to take in victims of the quake and said: "I will also do what I can by offering my houses." He promised to rebuild L'Aquila within 28 months and provide victims with new homes.
Since the earthquake, Berlusconi has been mired in a scandal surrounding his personal life, which erupted when his wife Veronica announced in early May she would seek a divorce because of his womanizing, accusing him of "frequenting minors."
Berlusconi's strong popularity ratings have weathered the scandal, falling only four points since May to 49 percent according to a poll last month, but analysts warn his support could be seriously eroded by failure to keep promises to the earthquake victims or a steep rise in unemployment.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Hitting the wrong Sydney..
A Dutchman and his grandson boarded a flight to Sydney, looking forward to visiting sunny Australia, but ended up in a much chillier Sydney -- in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Joannes Rutten, 71, and his 15-year-old grandson Nick booked the trip through a Dutch travel agency with plans to visit family living in Wollongong and Tallong, south of Sydney, according to local newspaper the Illawarra Mercury.
They set out from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport with Air Canada on Saturday but instead of arriving to views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House, they touched down at Sydney in Cape Breton Island, off Canada's north east coast -- more than 17,000 kms (10,000 miles) away from their intended destination.
Air Canada organized hotel rooms in the wrong Sydney, a former mining town with high unemployment and a population of about 26,000, until they could arrange flights on to the right Sydney, which boasts sun-kissed beaches and 4 million people.
They finally arrived in Australia on Wednesday.
"I think it was quite an adventure for the 15-year-old. They're not seasoned travelers. Joannes was absolutely exhausted when he arrived," Rutten's cousin, Yvonne Wallace, from Wollongong, told the newspaper.
Clare MacDougall, who works for Air Canada, was at Sydney Airport (Nova Scotia) to meet the aircraft.
"When the door opened, the flight attendant said: "You're not going to believe it but we have two people who thought they were en route to Sydney, Australia,"" she told the Cape Breton Post newspaper.
"They arrived with no Canadian money -- they had all Australian money."
No one from Air Canada was immediately available to comment.
It is not the first time travelers have mixed up the Sydneys.
In August 2002, British tourists Raeoul Sebastian and Emma Nunn from London spent their holiday in Nova Scotia after thinking they were flying to Australia.
Last year, Monique Rozanes Torres Aguero from Argentina flew into the wrong Sydney for her vacation but decided to stay after befriending a local woman at the airport, according to the Cape Breton Post.
Joannes Rutten, 71, and his 15-year-old grandson Nick booked the trip through a Dutch travel agency with plans to visit family living in Wollongong and Tallong, south of Sydney, according to local newspaper the Illawarra Mercury.
They set out from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport with Air Canada on Saturday but instead of arriving to views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House, they touched down at Sydney in Cape Breton Island, off Canada's north east coast -- more than 17,000 kms (10,000 miles) away from their intended destination.
Air Canada organized hotel rooms in the wrong Sydney, a former mining town with high unemployment and a population of about 26,000, until they could arrange flights on to the right Sydney, which boasts sun-kissed beaches and 4 million people.
They finally arrived in Australia on Wednesday.
"I think it was quite an adventure for the 15-year-old. They're not seasoned travelers. Joannes was absolutely exhausted when he arrived," Rutten's cousin, Yvonne Wallace, from Wollongong, told the newspaper.
Clare MacDougall, who works for Air Canada, was at Sydney Airport (Nova Scotia) to meet the aircraft.
"When the door opened, the flight attendant said: "You're not going to believe it but we have two people who thought they were en route to Sydney, Australia,"" she told the Cape Breton Post newspaper.
"They arrived with no Canadian money -- they had all Australian money."
No one from Air Canada was immediately available to comment.
It is not the first time travelers have mixed up the Sydneys.
In August 2002, British tourists Raeoul Sebastian and Emma Nunn from London spent their holiday in Nova Scotia after thinking they were flying to Australia.
Last year, Monique Rozanes Torres Aguero from Argentina flew into the wrong Sydney for her vacation but decided to stay after befriending a local woman at the airport, according to the Cape Breton Post.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Hitting the wrong Sydney..
A Dutchman and his grandson boarded a flight to Sydney, looking forward to visiting sunny Australia, but ended up in a much chillier Sydney -- in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Joannes Rutten, 71, and his 15-year-old grandson Nick booked the trip through a Dutch travel agency with plans to visit family living in Wollongong and Tallong, south of Sydney, according to local newspaper the Illawarra Mercury.
They set out from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport with Air Canada on Saturday but instead of arriving to views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House, they touched down at Sydney in Cape Breton Island, off Canada's north east coast -- more than 17,000 kms (10,000 miles) away from their intended destination.
Air Canada organized hotel rooms in the wrong Sydney, a former mining town with high unemployment and a population of about 26,000, until they could arrange flights on to the right Sydney, which boasts sun-kissed beaches and 4 million people.
They finally arrived in Australia on Wednesday.
"I think it was quite an adventure for the 15-year-old. They're not seasoned travelers. Joannes was absolutely exhausted when he arrived," Rutten's cousin, Yvonne Wallace, from Wollongong, told the newspaper.
Clare MacDougall, who works for Air Canada, was at Sydney Airport (Nova Scotia) to meet the aircraft.
"When the door opened, the flight attendant said: "You're not going to believe it but we have two people who thought they were en route to Sydney, Australia,"" she told the Cape Breton Post newspaper.
"They arrived with no Canadian money -- they had all Australian money."
No one from Air Canada was immediately available to comment.
It is not the first time travelers have mixed up the Sydneys.
In August 2002, British tourists Raeoul Sebastian and Emma Nunn from London spent their holiday in Nova Scotia after thinking they were flying to Australia.
Last year, Monique Rozanes Torres Aguero from Argentina flew into the wrong Sydney for her vacation but decided to stay after befriending a local woman at the airport, according to the Cape Breton Post.
Joannes Rutten, 71, and his 15-year-old grandson Nick booked the trip through a Dutch travel agency with plans to visit family living in Wollongong and Tallong, south of Sydney, according to local newspaper the Illawarra Mercury.
They set out from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport with Air Canada on Saturday but instead of arriving to views of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House, they touched down at Sydney in Cape Breton Island, off Canada's north east coast -- more than 17,000 kms (10,000 miles) away from their intended destination.
Air Canada organized hotel rooms in the wrong Sydney, a former mining town with high unemployment and a population of about 26,000, until they could arrange flights on to the right Sydney, which boasts sun-kissed beaches and 4 million people.
They finally arrived in Australia on Wednesday.
"I think it was quite an adventure for the 15-year-old. They're not seasoned travelers. Joannes was absolutely exhausted when he arrived," Rutten's cousin, Yvonne Wallace, from Wollongong, told the newspaper.
Clare MacDougall, who works for Air Canada, was at Sydney Airport (Nova Scotia) to meet the aircraft.
"When the door opened, the flight attendant said: "You're not going to believe it but we have two people who thought they were en route to Sydney, Australia,"" she told the Cape Breton Post newspaper.
"They arrived with no Canadian money -- they had all Australian money."
No one from Air Canada was immediately available to comment.
It is not the first time travelers have mixed up the Sydneys.
In August 2002, British tourists Raeoul Sebastian and Emma Nunn from London spent their holiday in Nova Scotia after thinking they were flying to Australia.
Last year, Monique Rozanes Torres Aguero from Argentina flew into the wrong Sydney for her vacation but decided to stay after befriending a local woman at the airport, according to the Cape Breton Post.
Nude drunk loses way in hotel
An extremely drunk, naked man lost his way at a New Zealand hotel and ended up sleeping in the wrong room, forcing its female occupant to hide in the bathroom, local media reported.
The 29 year-old Australian man had gone back the hotel in the resort town of Queenstown with a woman, but got up in the night and wandered into a bedroom where a couple were sleeping.
"He was a bit surprised that there were two people in his room and he was butt naked," Sergeant Steve Watt of Queenstown police told the Southland Times.
As the intruder slept, the startled woman took refuge in the bathroom as her husband summoned hotel staff.
The man, who could not remember whom he had been with nor what room he had been in, and had no clothes or wallet.
Police gave him a ride home clad in a hotel bathrobe, but let him off after the guests and hotel decided not to press charges.
"It was far too funny," said Watt.
The 29 year-old Australian man had gone back the hotel in the resort town of Queenstown with a woman, but got up in the night and wandered into a bedroom where a couple were sleeping.
"He was a bit surprised that there were two people in his room and he was butt naked," Sergeant Steve Watt of Queenstown police told the Southland Times.
As the intruder slept, the startled woman took refuge in the bathroom as her husband summoned hotel staff.
The man, who could not remember whom he had been with nor what room he had been in, and had no clothes or wallet.
Police gave him a ride home clad in a hotel bathrobe, but let him off after the guests and hotel decided not to press charges.
"It was far too funny," said Watt.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Speeding player thought police were fans chasing him
Sunderland midfielder Grant Leadbitter, explaining to a court why he was caught speeding, said he thought the police patrol car following him was in fact a car full of Newcastle United fans chasing him for a fight.
"My heart was beating fast, I was scared and I wanted to get home as quickly as possible," The Guardian newspaper quoted the Premier League player as telling the court when describing why he had accelerated to 112 mph.
He was on his way back from a night out, which had ended with an altercation with a group of fans from his club's bitter rivals Newcastle and he thought they were pursuing him.
He was fined 515 pounds ($850) and banned from driving for 14 days.
"My heart was beating fast, I was scared and I wanted to get home as quickly as possible," The Guardian newspaper quoted the Premier League player as telling the court when describing why he had accelerated to 112 mph.
He was on his way back from a night out, which had ended with an altercation with a group of fans from his club's bitter rivals Newcastle and he thought they were pursuing him.
He was fined 515 pounds ($850) and banned from driving for 14 days.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Dog hailed as hero for guiding rescuers to owner's body
A mongrel has proven that dogs really are man's best friend when he helped rescuers find the body of his owner who was killed in a car crash in Australia.
Moja, a small mixed breed, was in the truck with his owner Henry Drew when it crashed off a highway in Queensland and landed in dense shrubs.
The animal sat by Drew's body, which was hidden by trees, barking incessantly for two days until a farmer went to investigate the cause of the noise.
"If it was not for the man's dog, he may not have been found for some time because his truck was completely covered by trees and our helicopter couldn't see it," a spokesperson for AGL Action Rescue told Reuters.
"This bloke heard the dog barking, it was literally sitting by the man's side," the spokesperson said.
Drew had been reported missing by his wife after he did not answer his mobile phone. Rescue helicopters worked with police to search for the him until the farmer called
Moja, a small mixed breed, was in the truck with his owner Henry Drew when it crashed off a highway in Queensland and landed in dense shrubs.
The animal sat by Drew's body, which was hidden by trees, barking incessantly for two days until a farmer went to investigate the cause of the noise.
"If it was not for the man's dog, he may not have been found for some time because his truck was completely covered by trees and our helicopter couldn't see it," a spokesperson for AGL Action Rescue told Reuters.
"This bloke heard the dog barking, it was literally sitting by the man's side," the spokesperson said.
Drew had been reported missing by his wife after he did not answer his mobile phone. Rescue helicopters worked with police to search for the him until the farmer called
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Bride spends first night with crate of vodka
A bride in Germany spent her wedding night passed out next to a crate of vodka in the back seat of a car and had to be rescued by police when the BMW began to overheat in the sun.
Police in the western city of Cologne said Monday the inebriated 30-year-old remained unconscious even after they smashed the car window to get her out.
"Only after being shaken several times did she eventually regain consciousness," police said in a statement.
Still clad in her wedding dress, the dazed woman had to scramble through the broken window because she had no idea where the car keys or her husband were, police said
Police in the western city of Cologne said Monday the inebriated 30-year-old remained unconscious even after they smashed the car window to get her out.
"Only after being shaken several times did she eventually regain consciousness," police said in a statement.
Still clad in her wedding dress, the dazed woman had to scramble through the broken window because she had no idea where the car keys or her husband were, police said
Monday, August 10, 2009
Saudi closes broadcaster after sex confession
Saudi Arabia has closed the Jeddah office of a Lebanon-based television network after it aired an interview with a Saudi man speaking about his sexual escapades, a government spokesman said Sunday.
Mazen Abdul-Jawad, 32, was arrested last month in the Red Sea city of Jeddah after shocking Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative countries in the world, by recounting details of his sexual exploits on Lebanese channel LBC.
The divorced father of four spoke to camera from his bedroom in Jeddah about how couples can spice up their sex lives.
"Everything happens in this room," he said on an episode of the salacious show "Ahmar Bilkhat al-Areed" (Wide Red Lines), before launching into descriptions of foreplay techniques and tricks for cruising women on the streets of Jeddah.
A spokesman for the ministry of culture and information in Riyadh said a committee had decided to close the Jeddah office of LBC because of the interview.
The daily al-Watan newspaper said authorities also closed other offices of LBC, which is mainly owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, in the kingdom.
Abdul-Jawad has been charged with publicizing vice and lawyers say he may face the death penalty.
Like many Arab countries, Saudi Arabia prohibits sexually explicit content on television and in newspapers, magazines and books.
Mazen Abdul-Jawad, 32, was arrested last month in the Red Sea city of Jeddah after shocking Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative countries in the world, by recounting details of his sexual exploits on Lebanese channel LBC.
The divorced father of four spoke to camera from his bedroom in Jeddah about how couples can spice up their sex lives.
"Everything happens in this room," he said on an episode of the salacious show "Ahmar Bilkhat al-Areed" (Wide Red Lines), before launching into descriptions of foreplay techniques and tricks for cruising women on the streets of Jeddah.
A spokesman for the ministry of culture and information in Riyadh said a committee had decided to close the Jeddah office of LBC because of the interview.
The daily al-Watan newspaper said authorities also closed other offices of LBC, which is mainly owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, in the kingdom.
Abdul-Jawad has been charged with publicizing vice and lawyers say he may face the death penalty.
Like many Arab countries, Saudi Arabia prohibits sexually explicit content on television and in newspapers, magazines and books.
Widows protest marriage incentive
About 200 women marched through the Nepali capital Monday to denounce a government scheme to pay cash incentives to men for marrying widows, witnesses said.
Nepal's center-left coalition announced a plan last month to pay men the equivalent of $650 for marrying widows, angering the widows.
Monday, women shouting slogans such as "You can't sell your mother," and "We don't want government dowries," marched toward a government complex that houses the prime minister's office.
They were stopped by riot police, but there were no arrests or violence.
Durga Neupane, an organizer and a widow, said activists would mobilize widows throughout the Himalayan nation if the government failed to scrap the decision by Friday.
"If that is not done we'll gather widows from across the country and organize more protests," she said.
The government says the scheme seeks to help widows who face social and cultural barriers in a majority-Hindu society.
But Neupane said it would only add to their woes as men would marry widows for money and later abandon them. Widows, she said, should instead be given jobs, better health care and education.
Nepal's center-left coalition announced a plan last month to pay men the equivalent of $650 for marrying widows, angering the widows.
Monday, women shouting slogans such as "You can't sell your mother," and "We don't want government dowries," marched toward a government complex that houses the prime minister's office.
They were stopped by riot police, but there were no arrests or violence.
Durga Neupane, an organizer and a widow, said activists would mobilize widows throughout the Himalayan nation if the government failed to scrap the decision by Friday.
"If that is not done we'll gather widows from across the country and organize more protests," she said.
The government says the scheme seeks to help widows who face social and cultural barriers in a majority-Hindu society.
But Neupane said it would only add to their woes as men would marry widows for money and later abandon them. Widows, she said, should instead be given jobs, better health care and education.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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Unhappy lovers in Cyprus have been taking so much stone from the tomb of Saint Agapitikos to use in love potions that soon there won't be anything left.
Dust from the grave in the courtyard of the church in the village of Arodes in Paphos district has been used for centuries by the lovelorn, who are supposed to slip it into the drink of their objet d'amour.
But in recent years so many have been filching shards of stone that a quarter of the tomb has disappeared.
Mayor of Arodes Matthaios Stefanou is unclear whether Cypriots' love lives are becoming more troubled.
"A lot of people have said it works," he said. "In the last few years I don't know what's come over people, but they are flocking to the tomb for the stuff.
"Just the other day locals saw some people visiting the tomb, and they were there for a very long time, in the end they walked off with a huge chunk of stone, maybe even half a kilo of it!"
The island's antiquities department has been called in to help. "The only thing we can do is examine the damage and try to prevent any further damage," said Maria Hadjicosti, the acting director. Saint Agapitikos -- whose name means "lover" -- is believed to have served in the German army of the Crusaders before settling as a hermit in the area.
"You're very welcome to come and see the tomb, but please don't go taking any of it with you now," Stefanou said.
Dust from the grave in the courtyard of the church in the village of Arodes in Paphos district has been used for centuries by the lovelorn, who are supposed to slip it into the drink of their objet d'amour.
But in recent years so many have been filching shards of stone that a quarter of the tomb has disappeared.
Mayor of Arodes Matthaios Stefanou is unclear whether Cypriots' love lives are becoming more troubled.
"A lot of people have said it works," he said. "In the last few years I don't know what's come over people, but they are flocking to the tomb for the stuff.
"Just the other day locals saw some people visiting the tomb, and they were there for a very long time, in the end they walked off with a huge chunk of stone, maybe even half a kilo of it!"
The island's antiquities department has been called in to help. "The only thing we can do is examine the damage and try to prevent any further damage," said Maria Hadjicosti, the acting director. Saint Agapitikos -- whose name means "lover" -- is believed to have served in the German army of the Crusaders before settling as a hermit in the area.
"You're very welcome to come and see the tomb, but please don't go taking any of it with you now," Stefanou said.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Guantanamo ex-prisoners get jobs on golf course
Four Guantanamo prisoners who were released to Bermuda in June have been given jobs tending a public golf course on the tiny Atlantic island.
The four members of China's Muslim Uighur minority began working last week to help prepare the lush, seaside Port Royal course to host the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in October.
The hiring raised eyebrows in the British territory, where employers can only take on foreigners if no qualified local wants the job. Wendall Brown, chairman of the board of trustees for Bermuda's public golf courses, said the men replaced a group of Filipino workers who left at short notice.
"They have been offered a temporary position at Port Royal until the Grand Slam," he said. "There are still special projects that we need to do like cleaning up and beautifying the course ... All four of them have been given a job there. It's on a temporary basis. Two of them speak fairly good English."
Brown said the men were likely to still be working there during the two-day Grand Slam tournament, when golf's greatest champions of the year will be pitted against one another on the 18-hole course.
Port Royal head superintendent Steve Johnson said the Uighurs were doing well in their ground staff roles.
Their lawyer in Bermuda identified them as Khalil Mamut, Abilikim Turahun, Abdullah Abdulqadir and Salahidin Abdulahat, and said they had been known by a series of nicknames during the seven years they were held at the detention camp for suspected terrorists on the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Their imprisonment continued long after the U.S. military and courts determined that they posed no threat. The United States said it could not send them to China because they faced persecution there, but U.S. politicians blocked plans to settle them in the United States.
The four landed on the 21-square-mile island on June 11 after Bermuda's premier, Ewart Brown, negotiated their resettlement directly with the United States. The move enraged the United Kingdom, which insisted the Bermuda government did not have the power to handle such foreign affairs and security matters.
Britain and the United States are still in talks about the men's future.
Expatriates make up a third of the work force in Bermuda, which has a population of 65,000 and requires permits to work. Brown said the golf course worked with immigration officials to get the men permission to work.
The four members of China's Muslim Uighur minority began working last week to help prepare the lush, seaside Port Royal course to host the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in October.
The hiring raised eyebrows in the British territory, where employers can only take on foreigners if no qualified local wants the job. Wendall Brown, chairman of the board of trustees for Bermuda's public golf courses, said the men replaced a group of Filipino workers who left at short notice.
"They have been offered a temporary position at Port Royal until the Grand Slam," he said. "There are still special projects that we need to do like cleaning up and beautifying the course ... All four of them have been given a job there. It's on a temporary basis. Two of them speak fairly good English."
Brown said the men were likely to still be working there during the two-day Grand Slam tournament, when golf's greatest champions of the year will be pitted against one another on the 18-hole course.
Port Royal head superintendent Steve Johnson said the Uighurs were doing well in their ground staff roles.
Their lawyer in Bermuda identified them as Khalil Mamut, Abilikim Turahun, Abdullah Abdulqadir and Salahidin Abdulahat, and said they had been known by a series of nicknames during the seven years they were held at the detention camp for suspected terrorists on the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Their imprisonment continued long after the U.S. military and courts determined that they posed no threat. The United States said it could not send them to China because they faced persecution there, but U.S. politicians blocked plans to settle them in the United States.
The four landed on the 21-square-mile island on June 11 after Bermuda's premier, Ewart Brown, negotiated their resettlement directly with the United States. The move enraged the United Kingdom, which insisted the Bermuda government did not have the power to handle such foreign affairs and security matters.
Britain and the United States are still in talks about the men's future.
Expatriates make up a third of the work force in Bermuda, which has a population of 65,000 and requires permits to work. Brown said the golf course worked with immigration officials to get the men permission to work.
Free radios to perk up "untouchables"
Authorities in eastern India are distributing free radio sets to lower-caste villagers so that they can listen to music and news after a hard day's work and improve their awareness, officials said Wednesday.
Officials of Bihar state are distributing transistors costing 400 rupees ($8) each among hundreds of "Dalits" or the formerly "Untouchables" who remain oppressed at the bottom of India's ancient Hindu caste system.
"It (radio) will entertain the tired villagers with music and will make them aware about what is happening around with news," Bihar's Tribal Welfare Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, said Wednesday.
Manjhi said the move will empower the dalit villagers further and raise general awareness levels.
"You can listen to music, news and improve your areas of information if you have a radio at home," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar added.
More than 16 percent of India's 1.1-billion population are Dalits and they continue to face discrimination and injustice although untouchability now is a crime.
Officials of Bihar state are distributing transistors costing 400 rupees ($8) each among hundreds of "Dalits" or the formerly "Untouchables" who remain oppressed at the bottom of India's ancient Hindu caste system.
"It (radio) will entertain the tired villagers with music and will make them aware about what is happening around with news," Bihar's Tribal Welfare Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, said Wednesday.
Manjhi said the move will empower the dalit villagers further and raise general awareness levels.
"You can listen to music, news and improve your areas of information if you have a radio at home," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar added.
More than 16 percent of India's 1.1-billion population are Dalits and they continue to face discrimination and injustice although untouchability now is a crime.
Spain acquits sole black man in ID parade
A Nigerian convicted of assault in Spain was acquitted when he was found to have been the only black man in an identity parade used as key evidence in his conviction, the government-run news agency EFE reported on Tuesday
Henry Osagiede was facing 10 years in prison after being found guilty in 2008 by a Madrid court for attacking one woman and sexually assaulting another in 2005, EFE reported, citing the Supreme Court ruling which acquitted him.
"A badly assembled identity parade, with a lack of resemblance (between the suspects in the parade) can lead to mistaken identity and consequently an error of justice," EFE cited Spain's highest court as saying.
Henry Osagiede was facing 10 years in prison after being found guilty in 2008 by a Madrid court for attacking one woman and sexually assaulting another in 2005, EFE reported, citing the Supreme Court ruling which acquitted him.
"A badly assembled identity parade, with a lack of resemblance (between the suspects in the parade) can lead to mistaken identity and consequently an error of justice," EFE cited Spain's highest court as saying.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Obama an entry in latest slang dictionary
The sixth edition of "UCLA Slang" is being published this month and it is just "presh!"
The book is released every four years by linguistics professor Pamela Munro and her students at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Munro said the lighthearted dictionary is put together using a methodical process that starts with students collecting slang from friends followed by a detailed analysis to make sure submissions are spelled and defined correctly.
"Students learn a lot about grammar, language and linguistics," Munro said. "You can study anything you want about ordinary language through the medium of slang."
The 160-page English-slanglish lexicon includes terms, definitions, parts of speech, sample sentences and notes on the etymology and origin of new slang, Munro said.
The dictionary supplies such words and definitions as "presh," which means cute or precious.
Other terms or phrases include "fomo," or fear of missing out, "schwa" for wow; and "obama," meaning cool, as in "You so obama."
"Bromance" means a close platonic friendship. And "bellig" means drunk and belligerent.
"Eargasm" means, well, just what it sounds like.
If all this is new, just say "I.D.K." to indicate "I didn't know."
The book is released every four years by linguistics professor Pamela Munro and her students at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Munro said the lighthearted dictionary is put together using a methodical process that starts with students collecting slang from friends followed by a detailed analysis to make sure submissions are spelled and defined correctly.
"Students learn a lot about grammar, language and linguistics," Munro said. "You can study anything you want about ordinary language through the medium of slang."
The 160-page English-slanglish lexicon includes terms, definitions, parts of speech, sample sentences and notes on the etymology and origin of new slang, Munro said.
The dictionary supplies such words and definitions as "presh," which means cute or precious.
Other terms or phrases include "fomo," or fear of missing out, "schwa" for wow; and "obama," meaning cool, as in "You so obama."
"Bromance" means a close platonic friendship. And "bellig" means drunk and belligerent.
"Eargasm" means, well, just what it sounds like.
If all this is new, just say "I.D.K." to indicate "I didn't know."
Fans urged to drink whisky to ward off swine flu
Russian soccer fans have been told to drink whisky on their trip to Wales for next month's World Cup qualifier to ward off the H1N1 swine flu virus, the head of the country's supporter association (VOB) said Monday.
"We urge our fans to drink a lot of Welsh whisky as a form of disinfection," VOB head Alexander Shprygin told Reuters.
"That should cure all symptoms of the disease."
Russia's Health Ministry has issued a public warning against traveling to Britain because of the spread of the H1N1 virus but Shprygin said he expected at least several hundred fans would go to Wales for the September 9 qualifier in Cardiff.
"Health officials say this virus is very dangerous but being a fan myself I can tell you that for a real fan nothing is more important than the well-being of the team," said Shprygin, who also sits on the executive board of the Russian FA.
"Russian fans don't fear anything or anybody so this virus will not stand in our way of supporting our team."
The Russian FA also said health issues should not prevent fans from traveling.
"We don't want our team to be without any support for such an important match so we urge our fans to go to Wales despite the health warning," a spokesman said.
Germany lead European Group Four with 16 points from six games, one ahead of Russia, with Wales in fourth place on nine points from seven matches.
"We urge our fans to drink a lot of Welsh whisky as a form of disinfection," VOB head Alexander Shprygin told Reuters.
"That should cure all symptoms of the disease."
Russia's Health Ministry has issued a public warning against traveling to Britain because of the spread of the H1N1 virus but Shprygin said he expected at least several hundred fans would go to Wales for the September 9 qualifier in Cardiff.
"Health officials say this virus is very dangerous but being a fan myself I can tell you that for a real fan nothing is more important than the well-being of the team," said Shprygin, who also sits on the executive board of the Russian FA.
"Russian fans don't fear anything or anybody so this virus will not stand in our way of supporting our team."
The Russian FA also said health issues should not prevent fans from traveling.
"We don't want our team to be without any support for such an important match so we urge our fans to go to Wales despite the health warning," a spokesman said.
Germany lead European Group Four with 16 points from six games, one ahead of Russia, with Wales in fourth place on nine points from seven matches.
Monday, August 3, 2009
One dead in ear-cleaning salon attack
A customer banned from a Tokyo ear-cleaning salon was arrested in Tokyo Monday on suspicion of stabbing a young woman working at the salon and killing her grandmother, Japanese media reported.
Japan has many salons where workers, often women, clean customers' ears with ear picks, sometimes as the customers lie on the workers' laps.
The 41-year-old male customer had been banned from the salon, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.
He told the police that he was having trouble with the 21-year-old salon worker and had prepared knives to kill her, it said.
A spokesman for Tokyo metropolitan police department confirmed the arrest but declined to give details of the attack.
The worker was alive but unconscious after the attack at her home, the Yomiuri said. The grandmother was stabbed when she answered the front door.
Japan has many salons where workers, often women, clean customers' ears with ear picks, sometimes as the customers lie on the workers' laps.
The 41-year-old male customer had been banned from the salon, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.
He told the police that he was having trouble with the 21-year-old salon worker and had prepared knives to kill her, it said.
A spokesman for Tokyo metropolitan police department confirmed the arrest but declined to give details of the attack.
The worker was alive but unconscious after the attack at her home, the Yomiuri said. The grandmother was stabbed when she answered the front door.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
"Smoking-ban murder"
A restaurant owner in southwest Turkey was shot dead after he tried to prevent his customers from smoking to comply with a new law on the use of tobacco indoors, Hurriyet daily said on Thursday.
A fight broke out after Hidir Karayigit, 46, ordered a group of customers to extinguish their cigarettes when they began smoking at his "meyhane," a traditional restaurant that serves alcohol, in the town of Saruhanli, Hurriyet said.
One of the customers shot Karayigit four times after he took away the group's cigarettes, said witness Hamza Havutcu, Karayigit's business partner who was also shot and wounded.
Turkey's government on July 19 introduced a nationwide ban on indoor smoking, including bars and restaurants, despite the fact that half of Turks aged between the ages of 15 and 49 smoke; one of the highest rates in the world.
"I'm deeply saddened that the first smoking-ban murder occurred in our town," Saruhanli Mayor Veli Yalcin told Hurriyet. "They either shouldn't have outlawed smoking or they should have outlawed alcohol along with smoking."
A fight broke out after Hidir Karayigit, 46, ordered a group of customers to extinguish their cigarettes when they began smoking at his "meyhane," a traditional restaurant that serves alcohol, in the town of Saruhanli, Hurriyet said.
One of the customers shot Karayigit four times after he took away the group's cigarettes, said witness Hamza Havutcu, Karayigit's business partner who was also shot and wounded.
Turkey's government on July 19 introduced a nationwide ban on indoor smoking, including bars and restaurants, despite the fact that half of Turks aged between the ages of 15 and 49 smoke; one of the highest rates in the world.
"I'm deeply saddened that the first smoking-ban murder occurred in our town," Saruhanli Mayor Veli Yalcin told Hurriyet. "They either shouldn't have outlawed smoking or they should have outlawed alcohol along with smoking."
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Underweight team told to eat at least 15 eggs a day
India's unfancied rugby sevens side must bulk up if they hope to make an impact at next year's Commonwealth Games, eating seven meals and at least 15 eggs a day, the country's South African coach said on Friday.
"I have told them (his players) they must eat at least 15 eggs a day, six for breakfast and the remaining nine any time, any how, during the day," the country's South African coach Norman Laker told the Telegraph newspaper on Friday.
"The players have three meals a day and that's not enough. In South Africa, elite rugby players have seven meals a day."
India is rated a lowly 83rd out of the 95 teams in the International Rugby Board rankings which are currently headed by South Africa.
"Indian players weigh 72-77 kg on an average whereas the international players weigh between 88 and 100 kg. That is the weight difference you have to make up," Laker said ahead of the team's departure to South Africa for a training stint.
India is hosting the Commonwealth Games in October 2010.
"I have told them (his players) they must eat at least 15 eggs a day, six for breakfast and the remaining nine any time, any how, during the day," the country's South African coach Norman Laker told the Telegraph newspaper on Friday.
"The players have three meals a day and that's not enough. In South Africa, elite rugby players have seven meals a day."
India is rated a lowly 83rd out of the 95 teams in the International Rugby Board rankings which are currently headed by South Africa.
"Indian players weigh 72-77 kg on an average whereas the international players weigh between 88 and 100 kg. That is the weight difference you have to make up," Laker said ahead of the team's departure to South Africa for a training stint.
India is hosting the Commonwealth Games in October 2010.
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