The chief rabbi in the city of Holon, Avraham Yosef, has issued a religious decree banning women from driving — again bringing extremists in both Islam and Judaism to a mutually agreeable position with regard to women’s rights.
Continue reading “Driving Miss Delilah: Leading Israeli Rabbi Bans Women From Driving”
The mainstream Islamic organizations have rallied in response to the assassination of of Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province by one of his bodyguards. However, they are not rallying to denounce the killing but to celebrate it because Taseer had stood up against the country’s notorious blasphemy laws. Islamic leaders warned people not to mourn his death and warned other politicians that they could face the same fate if they tried to curtail blasphemy prosecutions. In the meantime, his killer, Mumtaz Qadri was showered with rose petals and kisses by supporters in court.
Continue reading “Mainstream Pakistani Islamic Groups Praise Assassin of Governor and Warn Others That They Would Be Killed For Opposing Blasphemy Prosecutions”
A penguin in Germany has learned the meaning of “out of frying pan and into the fire.” The penguin named Leona succeeded in escaping from her enclosure only to find itself in the Lion’s den with a bunch of sleeping lions. I am not sure what passes for swearing among African Penguins, but I am sure if you listened real hard you could hear a few choice words upon the landing of this particular bird.
Continue reading “Happy Feet, Unhappy Landing: Penguin Chooses Poor Escape Route From German Zoo”
SUBMITTED BY LAWRENCE RAFFERTY, GUEST BLOGGER
I had a very peaceful Sunday afternoon watching my beloved Bears take it on the chin against their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers. It was sadly peaceful until I read a story that quoted Sen. Lindsey Graham on Meet the Press as stating that he wanted the United States to maintain permanent military bases in Afghanistan even after all NATO forces are transitioned out by the year 2014. I thought the Bears had done enough to tie my stomach in knots, but Lindsay Graham’s statements forced me to find the last remaining antacid in the house!
Continue reading “Why Doesn’t Senator Graham want to ever leave Afghanistan?”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
We’ve read several times on this blog about police reluctance to help drowning victims and even to prohibit family members from leaping into the water to save their loved ones (here) when authorities refuse to help. Seems the policy is now international. Scottish police stood idly by, keeping back onlookers, as a 37 year-old woman thrashed about in the water near Glasgow’s Albert Bridge and repeatedly called for help.
Continue reading “Heroes Rush In Where Police Fear To Tread”
Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Diners in Naples, Italy may be unwittingly getting a new ingredient on their traditional Mozzarella cheese and tomato pizzas. Police are investigating reports that several “lower-end” bakeries and pizza shops are using wood from coffins to fire the ancient stone ovens. Neapolitan graveyards are hunting grounds for thieves with over 5000 flower pots being stolen last year, and the Carabinieri theorize that a gang may be desecrating graves to obtain the traditional oak wood tender for pizza ovens.
Continue reading “Double Cheese and Pepperoni; Hold The Formaldehyde”
We have seen in recent months how the Jewish community has been dealing with an abuse scandal similar to the one in the Catholic Church. This week, such allegations were leveled at an unnamed Rabbi in Israel, who is accused of at least three counts of child molestation. What is interesting is that the government is refusing to release his name, even though such information often leads other victims to come forward.
In one of the most high-profile rape convictions in history, a three-judge panel of the Tel Aviv district court found former Israeli president Moshe Katsav guilty of multiple charges of rape and sexual harassment yesterday. While obviously painful for any country, the conviction does show a commitment to blind justice in Israel where high-ranking officials are not given effective immunity seen on other countries in the region.
Continue reading “Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav Convicted of Rape”
Newspapers are reporting that the United States State Department under Hillary Clinton made the extraordinary decision to refuse assistance requested by the United Arab Emirates into the assassination of a top Hamas commander. Israel’s Mossad is widely viewed as responsible for the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhoh, which broke a host of international and domestic laws. The reports are based on Wikileaks documents and again suggests that the Administration misled the public in its position on the assassination.
A court in Saudi Arabia has ruled that an angry text message sent by a husband to his wife proclaiming himself divorced is binding. The man said he was just mad and did not mean it but the wife was thrilled and insisted that she was now free. The Court agreed that the SMS is a binding divorce in the Kingdom.
Continue reading “OMG We’re Divorced: Saudi Court Allows Divorce By Text Message”
We have often followed torts and criminal cases alleging different forms of professional practice without a license. This one, however, is a bit of a surprise. Chikayoshi Hishiki, 55, and two associates were arrested for violating Japan’s Medical Practitioners Law by providing coffee enemas without a license.
Continue reading “Japanese Police Arrest Three Men For Unlicensed Provision of Coffee Enemas”
The Chinese government has cut off access of lawyers to leading human rights advocate, Liu Xianbin, 42. He was charged in June for subversion for “incitement to subvert state power” for his articles that included his reflections on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and the arrest of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.
Continue reading “China Cuts Off Access Of Lawyers to Leading Human Rights Advocate”
A survey conducted of people in England established this year that, for the first time, the majority of that nation are not religious. Fifty-one percent of those polled reported that they have no religion — a sharp contrast to the same poll conducted in 1985 when 67% said that they were Christians.
Continue reading “For God and Country: England Now Non-Religious Nation For First Time in History”
One of the most unique beauty competitions was held this week. About 20,000 camels are competing in the Mazayin Camel beauty competition as part of the Al Dhafrah Festival. You can pick up a looker for prices reaching millions of dirhams or just watching the curvaceous Camelus.
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
Police in Lancashire, England, have been investigating a series of strange home burglaries. It appears the perpetrators of the burglaries like to target homes with hot tubs. The burglars sneak onto people’s property, soak in the spas, and then enter the homes and steal from their victims.
To date, there have been four such burglaries. The “hot tub gang” has allegedly stolen thousands of pounds worth of cash and goods—including a 42-inch plasma television, a laptop computer, and a Nintendo Wii games console.
Continue reading ““Hot Tub Gang” in England Avoids Getting into Hot Water with Police”