One Hyde Park penthouse sells for record-breaking £140m A penthouse in one of London’s most opulent developments has sold for a record-breaking £140 million, as the market for “trophy homes” bucks the wider property slump. By Matthew Moore telegraph.co.uk Aerial of One Hyde Park. The penthouse has just been sold for £140m Photo: KNIGHT FRANK The six-bedrooom apartment at One Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, stretches across two floors and boasts bullet-proof windows, a panic room and views across the Serpentine. The new owners – who have already exchanged contracts – will also have access to 24-hour room service from the neighbouring … Continue reading One Hyde Park penthouse – £140m SOLD!

Car thief ‘suffocated after 17-stone man sat on him’, inquest told An overweight man, Brian Machin, was arrested for unlawful killing after sitting on and suffocating a carjacker trying to steal his vehicle, an inquest heard. By Andrew Hough Published: 7:30PM BST 10 Aug 2010 telegraph.co.uk Bernard Doherty died after being restrained bytwo men he was trying to steal a car from Photo: STAFFS POLICE The scene where Bernard Doherty was killed whilst trying to steal a car Photo: NTI The 17-stone man restrained Bernard Doherty as the thief attempted to steal a Mitsubishi Shogun outside his house in January … Continue reading Thief ‘suffocated after 17-stone man sat on him’

Costa Blanca’s hidden Nazis Spain’s Costa Blanca provided a safe haven for many Nazis, allowing them to enjoy a retirement without regret or atonement Martyn Richard Jones guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 10 August 2010 10.01 BST Article history Many Nazis sought refuge on the Costa Blanca. Photograph: Jose Palanca/ AlamyMention the Costa Blanca and most people will have heard of it. The community of Valencia, to which the Costa Blanca belongs, has three of Spain’s first-division football teams, is renowned for its popular fiestas, the home of the traditional paella and, of course, the Valencia orange. However, mention the fact that the … Continue reading Nazis in Spain

With Arab opinion like this, Obama needs media advice The rhetoric of his Cairo speech has soured: the president can only move the debate on with a sea-change in US attitudes Jonathan Steele guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 10 August 2010 20.00 BST Article history A year ago in Cairo Barack Obama made an impassioned appeal for Arab goodwill and trust. Recognise I am a new type of American, he said in essence, who understands your pain and anger, and respects your culture and religion. “Islam is a part of America,” he declared. “Let there be no doubt: the situation for the Palestinian … Continue reading America needs to reach out to Muslims

Lee Barnes resigns, declares BNP ‘cannot be trusted with political power’ Edmund Standing, August 10th 2010, 3:03 pm Lee John Barnes LLB (Hons), well known for being not only the BNP’s ‘Legal Director/Officer/Adviser’ but also one of its most consistently fanatical supporters, has left the party. You can read his rambling ‘Formal Resignation Letter’ in full here. Highlights include: Over the last few years since the arrival of Jim Dowson into the party, Nick Griffin and Jim Dowson have repeatedly chosen to break the most obvious of laws including such debacles as ; 1) The Marmite Case 2) The unlawful … Continue reading Lee Barnes resigns from BNP

The strange case of a man called Lies By John Lichfield in Paris The strange case of a man called Lies is the perfect summer story for President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government. Too perfect, perhaps. Lies (pronounced Lee-Ess) Hebbadj shot to prominence in April when his wife – or rather one of his four “wives” – was fined for driving a car through the city of Nantes while wearing a full-face veil or burka. Mr Hebbadj, 35, has since become the unwilling symbol – or justification – for President Sarkozy’s determination not only to ban the burka but to strip some … Continue reading Sarkozy in High Heels and a Mullah called Lies

The expectation gap thenews.com.pk Dr Maleeha Lodhi The writer is a former envoy to the US and the UK, and a former editor of The News. President Asif Ali Zardari’s decision to continue with his visit to Britain despite more than one tragedy unfolding at home has drawn sharp criticism both within and outside the country. And for good reason. It was poor judgement to press ahead after Prime Minister David Cameron’s gratuitous remarks questioning Pakistan’s commitment to fight terrorism – remarks that enraged most Pakistanis. What was worse was that the president did not cut short his trip at … Continue reading Dr Maleeha Lodhi talks about Zardari

Human race ‘must colonise space or face extinction’, warns Stephen Hawking By Niall Firth Stephen Hawking has warned that unless the human race colonises space within two centuries it will disappear forever. The astrophysicist says that our only chance for long-term survival is to move away from Earth and begin to inhabit far-flung planets. In an interview with the website Big Think, Professor Hawking said he was an optimist but the next few hundred years had to be negotiated carefully if humans were to survive. Stephen Hawking has warned that humans will only survive if we leave Earth and venture … Continue reading Humankind must go into space – or die!

VIEW: The case against ‘the people’! —Hassan Iftikhar While media outlets remain corporate entities, profiting and expanding all the while, the situation demands a villain to crusade against. And since politicians are few and the population many, any self-serving marketing guru would point to where the profits really are On behalf of ‘the people’, newspapers and news channels, columnists and anchors are furious at the government. Every day thousands of words are written and spoken, highlighting and analysing the failure of the government to govern properly. We are told stories of deceit, treachery and corruption, of how the current government … Continue reading The case against ‘the people’!

COMMENT: Readership in Pakistan —Aliya Anjum The dismal state of readership in Pakistan can be gauged from the fact that bookstores are scarce and knowledge-based books such as geo-political commentaries, historical accounts, current affairs write-ups and autobiographies are hard to come by unless bought at exorbitant prices from elite bookstores The intellectual and societal development of a society can be gauged from the books being read by its people. Where there are no books, there is no knowledge, and where there is no knowledge there is unrest, intolerance and persecution. This fact is true of Pakistan more than anywhere else. … Continue reading Readership in Pakistan