mpoppel

the court also sentenced her to involuntary psychiatric treatment known as TBS in Dutch criminal law, meaning she will be sent to a special TBS clinic after serving her sentence.

TBS, which literally means 'being placed at disposal', is served at special clinics and is for an indefinite time to allow psychiatric treatment. The court evaluates conclusions made by TBS clinics every few years to determine if those being held should be released back into society, though when someone can not be treated the convict will usually remain at so-called "long-stay wards" for the rest of their lives.

That sounds to me just like the 99 years sentence in that other case.

Except the mom who got 99 years will never have a chance to get out. The Dutch mom will be able to get out of TBS (which isn't considered a punishment in the Netherlands) after a few years if doctors believe she is doing well and is no longer a threat. But if she is still considered a threat, she could end up staying there for the rest of her life..

Some pictures from Wednesday when Kim Jong-un and his wife visited the amusement park.

Big ben is the bell, the tower is St Stephen's tower.

It is not called St Stephen's tower, that was never an official name but only used by some journalists (source: http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/big-ben/enquiries/ ). Yes, Big Ben is the bell but it is used by many to refer to the whole tower. As the article says the official current name is Clock Tower of Westminster Palace, which will soon change to Elizabeth Tower.

How old were the students?

They were Grade 10 students which, according to Wikipedia, means they would be 15-16.

...but officials did not say why Hasnath was in possession of the documents and if he had any plans to carry out a terrorist attack. "We do not have that information," a Scotland Yard spokesman said,

So they don't know why he had them or if he had any plans to carry out an attack - and he still got more than one year in prison?

I'm sure they know why he had them, but they haven't made that information public. He is not the first person to be arrested just for having the Inspire magazine, and not a lot of details are usually released. I haven't heard arrests because of Inspire in any other country. It seems in the UK it is illegal to have it for whatever reason even though someone could have it for journalism, research, etc. (although I doubt they would arrest journalists over it). All because it "could be useful" to a terrorist, even though the majority of the magazine is propaganda/news/opinions and only 1 or 2 out of 60 or so pages is how-to stuff. I don't think it should be illegal, maybe only if there is a serious intend to do something with it.

Part of me thinks both of these 2 outcomes would be equally horrific..

Utterly agreed. As a father it is a scary thought that often keeps me awake at night.

It is an empty statement to actually say that she is either alive or dead though. I wasn't aware of any other option. The photo would have been handy in this case, particularly as Thailand is popular with individuals wishing to "disappear" from Western view and this forum is the most convenient medium to get the image circulated.

As requested..

Correction, this image should work:

The graphic:

Sometimes I really do see the odd benefit to sharia law. This guys passing was far too easy!

He doesn't sound too upset about it, reading his last statement (his last words as he was being executed):

"Tell my son I love him very much. God bless everybody. Continue to walk with God. Go Cowboys! Love ya'll man. Don't forget the T-ball. Ms. Mary, thank you for everything that you've done. You too, Brad, thank you. I can feel it, taste it, not bad."

From: http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/hernandezjesselast.html

From what I heard, the surviving whales have all been killed because they were suffering.

master key?

A key which can open and start all of the company's buses.

For those wanting to see the actual announcement video..

I think there is a thread or two in the Thai news section on the bomber, so we can confine our discussion to topic in the OP. If you wish mention this, then please tie it in and link it something relevant to the topic.

I do not believe that it is possible for a country to recognize another country without a number of internal discussions going on and putting the recognition together is not something that happens that quickly. I doubt it is related to the situation with the Lebanese man, but please feel free to prove me wrong.

From the OP: "The office of al-Maliki said it established communications with the Thai government after the new government of Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra took office in August 2011."

Also, there was an article a few months ago via Palestinian media: http://www.maannews.....aspx?ID=415384 It appears the government of Yingluck Shinawatra was supportive of this move since day 1. The article notes Thai recognition of Palestine was on the agenda.

Also, according to Dutch media which cites a Peruvian news program, Van der Sloot had a 42-inch LCD-tv and an iPhone which he used to access the internet. The news program managed to obtain his phone which showed he had been communicating with the outside world via e-mail and chats. The emails showed someone who paid his bail wanted the money back and he has a contract for an apartment somewhere in Lima. Phone also contained photos of him with his ex-girlfriends.

Previously, there were reports that Van der Sloot was making money inside the prison by dealing something and that he was able to receive 'female visitors', although the prison denied that at the time.

Contrary to what most people believe, it seems his time in prison so far had been quite good:

Late Friday, prison authorities told the AP that Van der Sloot had been transferred to the high-security Piedras Gordas prison in northern Lima in response to reports that he had enjoyed privileges like television, internet access and a cell phone in Castro Castro prison. Piedras Gordas holds local crime bosses and terrorism convicts, including Shining Path guerrillas.

"He will be in an individual cell at Piedras Gordas to give authorities greater control of him and cut off some of the facilities he has had in Castro Castro," said prison service spokeswoman Janeth Sanchez.

Source:

http://www.google.co...42854d33b86cde5

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2084370/Paedophile-ONE-MILLION-sickening-images-child-abuse-spared-jail.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

That article explains why he was given such a low sentence.

Also, many people there are commenting on the fact he was charged with 'making' those images. However, under UK law, downloading an image counts as creating (making) a copy.

USD or HKD?

USD

More than 2,500 children currently serving such sentences! Only two countries refuse to ratify the UN Convention for the Rights of The child, The US and Somalia! Wow, America certainly does keep some distinguished company. And people on here go on about Iran.

So you are saying a child would be better off in Iran than in the US? Hard to imagine.

I think I would prefer the US over most of the signatories of this convention if I were a child.

No, he's NOT saying a child is better of in Iran than in the USA.

Please try again.

It is quite shocking, if true, that there are 2,500 under 16's serving life without parole sentences in the USA.

Can anybody verify that and what are the offences ??

I think what they mean is 2,500 people who were sentenced in the past for crimes they committed when they were under 18. For example, one could be 50 now but serving his/her life imprisonment since being a kid.

Here's an interview he gave a few months ago..

For those wanting to know more about the court's decision, these are the original court documents:

Edited, 4-page summary of the ruling: http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Judgments/assange-summary.pdf

Full, unedited 43-pages ruling: http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Judgments/assange-approved-judgment.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_r_NEZhxCU

Make that 17 U.S dead. Perhaps negotiating with the Taliban is not such a good idea Mrs Clinton.

http://hosted.ap.org...-10-29-09-22-40

The blast occurred on the same day that a man wearing an Afghan army uniform killed three Australian soldiers and an Afghan interpreter in the south - attacks that show the resiliency of the insurgency and are likely to raise new doubts about the unpopular 10-year-old war and the Western strategy of trying to talk peace with the Taliban.

Indeed. I'm tempted to post my favourite clip from Independence day to demonstrate the futility of negotiating with Islamic radicals.

5 ISAF troops + 8 ISAF civilians + 1 Afghan police officer + 3 Afghan civilians = 17 dead total.

This was just released by Scotland Yard:

[A] Mohammed Abdul Hasnath, 19 (22/9/92) of Blair Street, E14 appears incustody at City of Marylebone Magistrates' Court charged with six counts

of possession of document or record containing information of a kind

likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of

terrorism (cont. Section 58 Terrorism Act 2000).

Same charge as against the other guy, but doesn't say whether this also involves the possession of Inspire..