Paris: From church roofs and grand statues to drain covers and even the humble tweezer, objects made of metal are being targeted by thieves in France looking to cash in on a surge in raw material prices, the police have said.

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Kuala Lumpur: Couples in the primarily Muslim countries of Malaysia and Brunei are being urged to shun Valentine’s Day by religious officials, who say it conflicts with Islamic principles and causes moral erosion.

While there no laws banning Wednesday’s celebrations in either country, some officials noted that Saint Valentine was a Christian and feared that festivities may prompt impure behaviour among young people.

The warning came as florists, hotels and restaurants laid on promotions for the occasion, featuring roses, candlelight dinners and singers serenading lovers.

Mohammad Ramli Nuh, a state lawmaker who belongs to the ruling United Malays National Organisation, is against the romantic revelry. He said, “From the point of view of Islam, this is not an advisable practice.”

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INFLATION in Zimbabwe has reached such proportions that it destroyed the value of a new national currency before a single one of its banknotes had been spent. The largest note, $Z1000 ($A5), buys just one tomato.

The world’s highest inflation rate, which rose to a record 1594 per cent on Monday, rendered the new money worthless before it could be distributed. Mounds of banknotes – all paid for in scarce hard currency – are lying unused in warehouses.

The regime of the President, Robert Mugabe, ordered the new money in 2004. At that time, inflation was a relatively modest 400 per cent and Mr Mugabe was anxious to avoid the impression of economic chaos.

The information minister at the time, Jonathan Moyo, disclosed that Mr Mugabe had personally insisted that a banknote of $Z1000 could be the highest denomination of the new currency.

“In early 2004 Mugabe thought that inflation had been conquered and he refused to allow notes of a value higher,” Mr Moyo said. Yet by the time the new currency had been designed, printed and delivered, the $Z1000 banknote had a purchasing power of about 23 cents. Today, it would be just enough to buy a box of matches.

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The mayor of the Dutch city of Amsterdam has changed his mind about letting under 16s take part in the Gay Pride festival.

A 14-year-old boy, Danny Hoekzema, devised the plan to include a boat for LGBT teens in the parade along the city’s famous canals.

Last month mayor Job Cohen blocked the idea, as he thought it was “too risky,” reports Agencie France Presse.

Now he has had a change of heart, as Pride officials have assured him that the children’s boat will be placed far away from the more “adult” participants.

Hoekzema used the internet to drum up support for his boat, and AFP reports that 10 kids between the ages of 11 and 16 want to take part in the Pride parade.

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Video can be downloaded in full below:

http://www.filefactory.com/file/42133c

Part1

Part2

Part3

Part4

Will people believe the lies about Iran in the run up to war?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-777713002681041859

Fans of our show are in for a real treat as The Political Cesspool unveils a totally revamped website full of exciting new features for our listeners to enjoy! In addition to being able to tune into our nightly programs and broadcast archives, our internet headquarters will now allow our fans to have a hands-on experience as you enjoy interactive features such as our blog and forum. The updates on our new website include the following…

*A fresh look with cutting edge color scheme and modernized design

*A new biography page and photo gallery with never before seen pictures of our hosts and staff

*An exclusive blog that will allow our hosts to communicate with you off the air.

*An exciting online forum that allows our listeners to talk to one another about the issues.

*A news feed that will provide you with current articles that have piqued our interest.

*An up-to-date list of all our guests as well as awards received by The Political Cesspool.

*A press page that offers media inquiries and different articles written about The Political Cesspool.

http://www.thepoliticalcesspool.org

Pretoria – Groblersdal farmer John Prins was shot dead by two robbers on Friday morning.

Police said Prins and his wife were laving their house to look for their dogs when the gunmen shot him in the head.

They tied up his wife, ransacked the house and fled in the couple’s vehicle. It was later recovered.

The murder comes just a week after another farmer in the area 78-year-old Sarel Breedt was shot dead.

Breedt and his wife Ina, 77, were attacked while having lunch outside their farmhouse in Honingsdraai, near Roossenekal, on January 11.

Their assailants tied Mrs Breedt’s hands and feet and left her in the kitchen while they dragged her husband to the bathroom where they tied him to a chair and shot him in the head.

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[Then you Blacks will starve like in Zimbabwe, when will you ever stop biting the hand that feeds you?-ed]

Pretoria – “We are going to kill all you whites, a robber shouted at Martin Vermeulen, 28, this weekend, moments after shooting his friend.

Albie Greyling, 25, died on his mother’s lawn in Eldoraigne, Pretoria, about 19:30 on Friday after being shot above his left eye.

Albie, a final-year paramedic at the University of Johannesburg, became engaged to Sandra Barnard in December, and made the final payment on the ring on Friday.

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