Inciting thinness now a crime

4-22-2008 • AP

The French parliament's lower house adopted a groundbreaking bill that would make it illegal for anyone — including fashion magazines, advertisers and Web sites — to publicly incite extreme thinness.

Police to be 'microchipped' by top brass in Big Brother style tracking

4-11-2008 • This is London

Every single Metropolitan police officer will be 'microchipped' so top brass can monitor their movements on a Big Brother style tracking scheme, it can be revealed today.

African nations should nationalize oil: Venezuela

4-11-2008 • Reuters

African nations should follow Venezuela's lead and nationalize their energy and mining sectors to secure the resources to fight poverty, Venezuela's deputy foreign minister for Africa said.

'CIA Infiltration' Charges Prompt Shakeup in Ecuador's Armed Forces

4-11-2008 • Antiwar

President Rafael Correa's allegations that intelligence services in Ecuador had been infiltrated by the US Central Intelligence Agency have led to a shakeup in the armed forces of unforeseeable consequences.

House passes Chinese crackdown resolution

4-10-2008 • CNN

The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling on China to end its crackdown on Tibet and release Tibetans imprisoned for "nonviolent" demonstrations. The vote was 413-1. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who has not dropped out of the presiden

Jyoti Amge: World's Smallest Girl Has Big Dreams

04-08-2008 • Mondoreb

PG tipped us to Jyoti Amge, who's not much bigger than a Cabbage Patch doll. Just 23 inches tall and 11 pounds, the tiny 15-yr-old has some big dreams: she's already recorded a Bollywood pop album.

Tibet Protesters Scale Golden Gate Bridge to Hang Banners

4-7-2008 • AP

3 people protesting China's human rights record and the impending arrival of the Olympic torch climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge and tied the Tibetan flag and 2 banners to its cables. The banners read "One World One Dream. Free Tibet" a

Zimbabwe opposition offices ransacked

4-3-2008 • AP

Intruders ransacked offices of the main opposition party and police detained foreign journalists in an ominous sign that President Mugabe might turn to intimidation and violence in trying to stave off an electoral threat to his 28-year rule.

Spanish Physician Pioneers Head Transplants

03-31-2008 • Ginn

Add "heads" to the list of "body parts short Spanish people are willing to have shot full of silicone for appearance sake". Dr. Luis De la Cruz is happy to oblige.

Saudi Man Murders Daughter Caught Using Facebook

03-31-2008 • Ginn

Details have emerged of a young Saudi woman who was beaten, then shot to death by her father after he caught her chatting on the popular website, Facebook.

Dozens still jailed in China over 1989 protests

3-30-2008 • AP

A human rights activist says at least 60 people are still jailed in China for protests by pro-democracy demonstrators in 1989 at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Between 60 and 100 such protesters remain jailed and he urged China to release them befor

Yemeni Playboy Says He's Innocent in Death of Norwegian Beauty

03-292008 • Ginn

Yemen playboy, Farooq Abdulhak - son of one of Yemen’s richest businessmen, insists he’s innocent in the murder of Norwegian beauty, Martine Magnussen. Yemen won't talk extradition.

Monks interrupt Tibet media tour

03-27-2008 • Al Jazeera

Buddhist monks staged a surprise protest in front of a tightly-controlled tour of foreign reporters in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa.

France's first lady posed nude while super model (this is a big deal in France?)

03-26-2008 • Times Online

One of the most common French searches on the internet lately has been "Carla Bruni nue". The former super-model posed in her previous life for numerous nude sessions with well-known photographers.

British Teachers Union Demands Imams Teach Islam in Public, Private School Classes

03-26-2008 • Ginn

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is demanding Islam be taught in all schools by imams. The head NUT says it will promote 'understanding'.

Tibet govt-in-exile says about 130 confirmed dead in unrest

3-24-2008 • AFP

Around 130 people have been confirmed killed in a Chinese crackdown on protests and unrest in Tibet, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile told AFP on Monday. see also http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=222057

Witnesses to Tibet violence describe scenes of horror

3-23-2008 • LA Times

Tibetans randomly beat and killed Chinese solely on the basis of their ethnicity: a young motorcyclist bludgeoned in the head with paving stones and probably killed; a teenage boy in school uniform being dragged by a mob. When authorities did regroup

Tibetan revolt has China's empire fraying at the edge

3-23-2008 • London Times

For all its overwhelming force in the lonely mountain passes, where military convoys toil towards the clouds, or in the dark alleys of Chengdu’s Tibetan quarter, where soldiers stand watch, the sour tang of a debacle for China is in the air.

Death of Academic Feminism: Women’s Studies Canned in UK

03-23-2008 • Ginn

Beginning this summer British universities will no longer offer an undergraduate degree in women’s studies. Does this mean feminism is dead?

Sadaam Lookalike Hypnotizes Women out of Their Cash

03-22-2008 • Ginn

A Rasputin-like, Sadaam Husein lookalike has conducted a series of robberies in Italy. His method? He hypnotizes the clerks--all women--out of their money.

Norwegian Socialite Murder: Yemen Playboy Suspect Untouchable

03-21-2008 • Ginn

Authorities in Yemen are playing the “extradition” game in not allowing British detectives to talk to a “person of interest”, Farooq Abdulhak, in the murder of Norwegian socialite, 23-year-old Martine Vik Magnussen.

Foreboding rises on Tibetan plateau as China gathers forces

3-19-2008 • McClatchy News

High on the Tibetan Plateau, an eerie quiet has settled on the usually bustling city of Litang. Few shops open their doors. Only police vehicles and packs of dogs roam the streets. The city is under police lockdown. Convoys of troops whir by, some wi

Chinese security forces swarm Tibet

3-16-2008 • AP

Soldiers on foot and in armored carriers swarmed Tibet's capital Saturday, enforcing a strict curfew a day after protesters burned shops and cars to vent their anger against Chinese rule. In another western city, police clashed with hundreds of B

Minsk Police Force Drivers to Sacrifice Themselves To Stop Drunk Driver

03-15-2008 • The Agitator

While trying to stop a drunk driver, Minsk police seized four vehicles along the road and forced the drivers to block the traffic lanes. Shortly thereafter, a drunk driver smashed into the vehicle barricade with the occupants still in their cars.

Spitzer Resigns: Dr. Laura Blames His Wife

03/12/2008 • Ginn

Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the talk-show tough love advice doc, blamed Eliot Spitzer's wife for his prostitution-mongering. Puzzled viewers need only look at Dr. Laura's Internet nude pix, serial adultery and broken marriages to find out why.

Hostage Negotiations: Chinese Style

03/12/2008 • Mondoreb

Six dramatic pictures show the ancient Chinese art of how to negotiate with the kidnapper of a young boy.

I pledge allegiance to the ... queen?

3-11-2008 • USA Today

Britain wants students to pledge allegiance to Queen Elizabeth, similar to how Americans say the pledge to the U.S. flag. A pledge to the monarch, to be said at a "coming of age" ceremony when teens graduate the equivalent of high school

14 Teen Sucides in Town in Less than a Year

03-08-2008 • Ginn

What is it about Bridgend, Wales (pop. 34,000) that drives its teens to kill themselves?

Krakow Cracks Down on Kilts

03-08-2008 • Ginn

Fed up with foreign tourists in kilts flashing their naughty bits Krakow bar crack down for fear of losing their license. Includes 7 kilt pix.

Venezuela: Colombia trade 'Coming down'

3-6-2008 • Reuters

Trade between Colombia and Venezuela was limited to bare necessities with Venezuela only allowing in perishable goods as tensions remained high in the Andean region's worst diplomatic crisis in years. Venezuela sent tanks to the Colombian border