The pop culture tastes of dictators
From Bashar al-Assad’s love of Right Said Fred, to Kim Jong-il’s obsession with Hollywood… The recently leaked trove of personal emails from the Assad family show that as the Syrian regime indulges in a bloody crackdown, those leading it are often preoccupied with Harry Potter or the latest music on iTunes. So what [...]
Car dealership was nicknamed ‘Taliban Toyota’ by rivals… An Iranian car dealer in the United States has won a $7.5m payout after a rival dealership regularly alleged that he was a terrorist. Reuters reports that during the court hearing in Florida, it was claimed that salesman at the rival dealership would warn customers [...]
Continue reading …
Murder scheme planned to make killing look like a bear attack… Clyde Garner has been sent to prison for hiring someone to run over his girlfriend in a car, reports Newser. And while as a murder plot that’s fairly ordinary, what surfaced at his trial was Garner’s initial crazy, but somewhat inventive plan. [...]
Continue reading …
US man says he can’t fit in the booths at White Castle… Fox reports that 64-year-old Martin Kessman, who weighs 130kg, is suing American fast food chain White Castle, saying they promised to widen the booths at his local restaurant so that he and others could fit into them: They sent me specs [...]
Continue reading …
Police now hunting for professor Steven Kinzey who led a double life… Kinzey worked as professor of kinesiology, at California State University, San Bernardino; up until the recent revelations no one suspected what the 43-year-old was involved in. Police say he led a double life, supplying mid-level dealers with methamphetamine in the Los [...]
Continue reading …
Cars impounded after illegal street racing in Canada… The incident happened after street racing in Vancouver that reached speeds of 125 mph, resulting in the seizure of cars including three Lamborghinis, a Ferrari, two Maseratis and an Aston Martin. Inspector Bryon Massie of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the cars weren’t hard to [...]
Continue reading …
Prostitutes in Bonn expected to pay £5.30 a night for soliciting sex… While some German cities already tax prostitutes, Bonn has become the first place to install meters where they work. Looking just like parking meters, they’re placed in an area of the city popular with prostitutes and their clients, and those that [...]
Continue reading …
Workers taken to hospital feeling dizzy and sick… Three Canadian office workers were taken to hospital after being given chocolate brownies laced with cannabis. They had been given the brownies by a colleague in the city of Victoria, though the colleague had also been unaware of what the cakes contained. A police investigation [...]
Continue reading …Follow Us
Reuters World
- Europe's economic woes dominate G8 gathering
- Syria bomb kills 9, Damascus blames foreign plot
- Seven charged in major roundup of Irish militant suspects
- Yemen clashes kill 34 militants, soldiers - officials
- Motorcycle bomber kills 10 in eastern Afghanistan
- Obama says G8 in agreement on Iran nuclear program
- Blind Chinese activist leaves Beijing for U.S
Guardian UK
- Ben Ainslie starts Olympic torch relay from Land's End – video
- Rupert Murdoch denies claims that News Corp may sell UK newspapers
- Seven people face terrorism charges in Northern Ireland
- Queen watches armed forces parade at Windsor Castle for diamond jubilee
- Forgotten tour footage captures glamour of young Queen's reign
- Olympic secret of Everest's forgotten hero