following the 2004 people and places.
Pinochet is now going to get bail.
and will be able to leave his house with swimming pool to have a toddle around only and only if the next judge supports the decision made earlier today to accept his bali application in relation to the ongoing investigation into his alledged missappropriation of several billion dollars during the extended operation Condor which brought him to power September 11 long time ago.
He must be biting his nails.
the Aga Khan one of the richest men in the world is facing a surprise divorce suit from his German born ex model pop singer wife Inaara Aga Khan, 41 who got the title "Begum" when she married him, and had to have facial surgery to stay pretty enough to be wanted.
The Begum, born Gabriele Thyssen in Frankfurt, wants half the 67-year-old Aga Khan's fortune, estimated to be at least $2.4 billion.
If she doesn't get it, and she's not exactly begging,
she's threatening to come clean, as a face lift on the nature of the investments of the Khan fortune, which let's get honest didn't just come from being worth his weight in gold or being a dab hand at buying part shares in racing horses.
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1268&storyid=2486926
But the Aga Khan, a British citizen who owns 600 racehorses (complete ones not just little Shergar bits) and has homes on five continents, has successfully applied to have the divorce heard in a French court, where he believes his wife will receive a less lucrative settlement.
The Aga Khan's financial affairs have already been the subject of investigations by the authorities in America and Canada. They looked into the apparent transfer of large amounts of cash by members of the 18 million-member Shia Muslim Ismaili sect, who donate significant sums to the Aga and worship him as their God or "bringer of light".
Similar investigations by the UK's Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise, which collects VAT, could paralyse his operations.
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Ariel Sharon has seen his new Israeli government approved by the Knesset in the last few hours, and a new head of the Bank of Israel nominated by nice MrBinyamin Netanyahu, Mr Fischer of the USA (no relation to nasty anti-semite Bobby Fischer the chess master)
Mr S. Fischer (the ex IMF worker) will have to get Israeli citizenship to start work, where as Mr B.Fischer (the Chess master) will have to lose US citizenship to remain free.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4161997.stm
Mr Stanley Fischer was transferred from MIT (Massachussetts Institute of Technology) where the super intelligent people in America are humoured and kept relatively out of mischief in 1979 when he spent a month seconded to the Bank of Israel in 1979.
Which began a long-time involvement in studying Israel's economy and putting it through the abacus and chatting to the iguana about it. He will naturally be expected to put on a lot of weight for the job and is receiving expert tuition in the "real world" from fellow MIT-people who've managed to hold down proper jobs in the past. (like how to organise lunch.)
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twinkie is still very popular amonst the older generation, and going strong at the age of 87, fighting off rumours that's she's on female viagra, she's expected to put in a guest star appearance at the Sunday Independent victims of the big wave disaster which is scheduled for some time soon.
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Bill Gates is not so popular as he used to be, and along with Alexander the Great is getting a right dishing across the civilised European continent for offending the post-communists who make up almost 40% of our EU population. As well as the inhabitants of la Mancha who are happily using LINUX software to mark the Cervantes anniversary year.
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Leonardo Caprio, famous for being the man who showed us the beach, has received a Legionaire d'honour award from the French state and is looking forward to everyone liking his new movie on the man who eventually brought us Stealth technology and didn't cut his fingernails at all at all, Howard Hughes and of course his quaintly named "mormon mafia" protectors.
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There will be more People and Places updates through the year 2005.
including the answers to such questions as-
Will Pinochet go free?
Will the Aga Khan's choice of a french divorce court
prove to be his last hurdle?
Will Leonardo make more calanders?
Will Bill Gates redeem his soul in public?
Will Ariel take down his "stalinist" wall?
Will Twinkie get the most downloads from the MP3 over 60s generation?
and more..
much much more...