If you get caught as a rapist, marry her...

No wonder rape is so prevalent in this part of the world, if the guy has a 'get out of jail free' card... and the victim usually has no say in the matter. I can see why living in a country practicing shariah law can be quite attractive if you are a bloke. In today's GDN...

Rapist spared after marrying his housemaid
By NOOR TOORANI, Posted on » Monday, February 08, 2010

A CONVICTED rapist was yesterday released from a three-year prison sentence after marrying his victim.

The Bahraini was convicted by the High Criminal Court last year of raping his housemaid after luring her into a room.

Judges sentenced him to prison despite the woman dropping the charges against him.

He then lodged an appeal at the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court and his defence lawyer Majed Al Shehabi submitted a marriage certificate last week.The man appeared in court with his lawyers yesterday where he was acquitted by the judges.

The court axed the case after lawyers argued that the law stipulates that criminal charges are dropped if the man charged with rape marries the woman.

It is understood the defendant was earlier released from police custody on bail as his appeal case was underway.

Dubai's The World sinking?

According to the UK's Daily Mail, the islands in Dubai's World islands development are rapidly merging together and also appear to be sinking. The original article can be viewed here.

Naturally, the property developers, Nakheel vehemently deny this. Who is right? Time will tell. Certainly the NASA photo shows the huge differences in reality versus the myth that was promoted to investors (see image below).

The load-bearing capacity of The World islands' reclaimed land mass is about twice that of mainland Dubai, Nakheel noted.

I'm not a geologist or construction engineer, but I'd like to see some support for that statement from someone knowledgable in this area...

What a shame Nakheel has left New Zealand off in their map of the world... I guess we can be thankful that a true paradise is not caught up in Dubai's folly.