Scott Robinson inconsolable after death of sons, his mother says

THE mother of two boys found dead in their bedroom remains under police guard in hospital as a small town in northern Victoria mourns their deaths.

The mother of the grieving dad says he will never recover from the loss of his two sons, the Herald Sun reports.

"I don't know how my son is going to cope," his mother said.

"They're my grandsons. They're my grandsons," she cried as she entered Goulburn Valley Base Hospital.

Her son, Scott Robinson, was being treated for shock and his estranged wife, Vanessa, 29, was being assessed under police guard.

for more news details : Scott Robinson

Storms Cancel Obama's Memorial Day Appearance

Even the president is not in immune from weather, especially a flash thunderstorm in the Midwest in the summer.

President Obama's Memorial Day ceremony at the National Cemetery in Elwood, Ill., was stopped temporarily, and then canceled outright, while a severe thunderstorm passed through Northern Illinois.

As lighting cracked and thunder clapped, the President went to the podium to tell the thousands in the crowd to seek shelter.

Holding an umbrella in a massive rain storm, the President told the crowd, "Excuse me, everybody listen up. We are a little bit concerned about lightening. This may not be safe. So I know that all of you are here to commemorate the fallen and that's why we're here. What we'd like to do is, if possible, have people move back to their cars, and if this passes in the next 15-20 minutes, I will stick around and we'll come up and start up the ceremony again. But we don't want to endanger anyone, particularly children in the audience. So I'd ask everybody to very calmly, move back to your cars. I'm going to move back to mine. We will wait to make sure that the thunder has passed. A little bit of rain doesn't hurt anybody, but we don't want anybody being struck by lightning.

for more news details : Obama's memorial

U.S. team arrives in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG -- The U.S. World Cup team arrived in Johannesburg on Monday following a 17-hour flight and was greeted by the same visible security presence that was on hand for the arrival for other countries.

Armed special task-force members, dressed in dark blue uniforms, surrounded the South African Airways plane at the O.R. Tambo airport as the players emerged on a cool, overcast afternoon. After leading his team off the plane, coach Bob Bradley immediately picked out the opening game against England on June 12 as a chance to make an impression on the tournament

There has been a lot of attention on our first game with England," Bradley said. "It's a great opportunity for us.But we certainly know that Slovenia and Algeria are excellent teams. It will be a tough group and we are looking forward to it," he said.Plainclothes security officials, wearing earpieces and sunglasses, also patrolled the arrivals facility -- set aside for World Cup teams -- where the Americans cleared immigration. The U.S. should be familiar with its surroundings after it made an impressive showing in the Confederations Cup in South Africa last year. Bradley's team reached the final and played in Rustenburg, Pretoria and Johannesburg at the same venues it visits in the group stages.

for more news details : US football team

UK marine killed in Afghan blast

A Royal Marine has been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.

The marine from 40 Commando was killed in an explosion while on foot patrol near Sangin in Helmand Province during the evening of 30 May.

His death brings the number of UK soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 289. His next of kin have been informed.

Task Force Helmand spokesman Lt Col James Carr-Smith praised the marine's "bravery and selfless commitment".

for more news details : Afghan blast

Schoolgirl Raped During End Of Exams Party

Police have appealed for help with their inquiries after a schoolgirl had been raped during an open-air party attended by more than 100 teenagers.

The youngsters had gathered on Hardwick Heath in Bury St Edmunds to celebrate the end of their GCSE exams on Friday night.

The 15-year-old girl was found in the park in a distressed state shortly after 10pm and taken to West Suffolk Hospital.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Police said a rape inquiry had been launched.

"It is known about 100 young people were gathered on the heath between 8pm and 11pm on Friday night," she said.

"Police need to speak to them and anyone else who was in the area between these times to gather a full picture of what happened."

Hardwick Heath has been used as an unofficial party venue by teenagers for several years.

Local residents say there have not been any significant problems in the past.

GI News—June 2010

• Prof. Walt Willett on why supplements are not a substitute for fruits and vegetables
• Prof Jennie Brand-Miller talks about fruit juice
• Fructose: 10 things you need to know
• Deli meats and diabetes risk
• Why the media get nutrition stories wrong
• 2 new recipes from the Low GI Kitchen
• GI value of soccer ball-sized ‘king of the fruits’ durian

Fruit and veggies play a central role in a low GI diet with studies showing that people who eat 3–4 serves of fruit a day, particularly apples and oranges, have the lowest overall GI and the best blood glucose levels. So, when you want a little sweetness in your life, reach for the fruit bowl for a snack that is widely available, portable, and easy to eat – just like other sweet snacks, but without any added fat and sugar. In GI News this month the focus is on fruit and you’ll find the GI values of many of your favourites throughout this issue. Dietitian Emma Stirling joins us this month too with the scoop on tropical fruit, including the soccer ball-sized ‘king of the fruits’ durian.

Good eating, good health and good reading.

Editor: Philippa Sandall
Web management and design: Alan Barclay, PhD

Food for Thought

Why supplements are not a substitute for fruits and vegetables


Professor Walter Willett

‘There is no way that taking a pill can replace eating fruits and vegetables,’ writes Prof Walter Willett Chairman, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health in Eat Drink and Be Healthy. ‘So far, no one has found a magic bullet that works against heart disease, cancer and a host of other chronic diseases as well as fruits and vegetables seem to do. In theory, one could cram all the good things that plants make – essential elements, fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, plant hormones, and so on – into a pill. But it would have to be a very large pill, and no one can honestly say what should go into such a pill. Or in what proportions. The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables probably come from combinations of compounds that work together.

Take the antioxidant pigments known as carotenoids, for example. When you eat a tomato or carrot, the different carotenoids it contains eventually get into different types of cells and different parts of each cell. This offers antioxidant protection throughout the cell and to a wide variety of cell types. When eaten in the proportions usually found in foods, carotenoids and other phytochemicals probably work together and protect cells at different levels. But when delivered in unnatural proportions – say via a poorly designed supplement – an oversupply of one carotenoid or phytochemical could block the activity of others. This isn’t to say vitamin and mineral supplements are worthless … [they] are excellent insurance. But they aren’t a substitute for a healthy diet.


Credit: The Low GI Family Cookbook
Photograph by Ian Hofstetter

Health issues aside, the biggest drawback is that a pill would always taste like a pill. It can’t give you the earthy smell and taste of a fresh ear of corn, the sweetness of a juicy tomato still warm from the afternoon sun, the crunch of an apple, the festive green of a snap pea or broccoli floret, or the smooth nutty taste of an avocado. Stick with real fruits and vegetables – they taste better and contain a bounty of phytochemicals that don’t come in capsules.
– Eat Drink and Be Healthy is available from major bookstores and Amazon



How much fruit do you need a day?
This depends on your energy (calorie/kilojoule) needs, which is of course determined by age, sex and activity level. Check out Fruits and Veggies: More Matters to find out what you should be tucking into.

News Briefs

Whole fruit not juice does the trick
The health benefits of eating plenty of fruit and vegetables are already well known but a study published in Diabetes Care reports that you need to be a bit choosy if your goal is to reduce your diabetes risk. When researchers from the Harvard Medical School looked at the diets of more than 71,000 women to see if there was a link between developing type 2 diabetes and fruit and vegetable consumption they found:

• An increase of 3 servings a day of whole fruit was associated with an 18% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
• An increase of 1 serve of green leafy vegetables a day was associated with a 9% reduced risk of diabetes.
• An extra serving of fruit juice a day was associated with an 18% increase in diabetes risk.

The take home message to reduce your diabetes risk, they say is to eat whole fruit not juiced and plenty of green leafy vegetables.

Bitter melons and better blood glucose


Bitter melon (also called bitter gourd and balsam pear) is a cousin of squash, watermelon and cucumber and is long associated with treating diabetes in Asia where it’s widely cultivated for its ‘bubble-wrap’ textured, green, immature fruit (12–30 cm long) that’s stuffed, pickled, and sliced into various dishes, hot and cold.

Writing in Chemistry and Biology a team from Australia’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research along with the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, report that it has bioactive compounds that appear to activate the enzyme AMPK, a protein that regulates the body’s metabolism and affects glucose uptake. While there are well known diabetes drugs on the market that also activate AMPK, they can have side effects. ‘The advantage of bitter melon is that there are no known side effects. Practitioners of Chinese medicine have used it for hundreds of years to good effect,’ said Drs Jiming Ye and Nigel Turner, the Garvan scientists involved in the project.

GI Group: Bitter melon comes under the ‘vegetable fruits’ umbrella. Yes, anything with a seed is a fruit (botanically speaking) including avocado, eggplant/aubergine, capsicum/pepper, cucumber, pumpkin (GI 65), butternut pumpkin/squash (GI 51) and tomatoes along with all those lovely legumes – beans and peas and other members of the legume family where the seed is enclosed within a pod.

Get a boost from a banana
‘You may have seen cyclists eating bananas one-handed as they speed down the road or a tennis pro eat a banana between sets,’ says Gold Medal Nutrition author and dietitian. ‘That’s because they are very good for energy. The average banana (GI 52) provides around 20g carbohydrate, which is then digested and converted to muscle fuel (glucose). A banana is also a source of some resistant starch that works like dietary fibre in the large intestine. Many athletes also eat bananas to re-fuel their body after sport as their muscle stores of glucose will be low. That’s why they are very popular in the change rooms after a game of football or netball. But you don’t have to be an athlete to get a boost from a banana. It works for the deskbound too. Consider eating a banana to help get you out of the mid-afternoon slump at work. It will perk you up far better than any cake, biscuit or pastry.

So grab a banana and get even more benefits. It:

• provides around 350mg of potassium (about 10% of your daily needs). Our Dietary Guidelines say: “Because plant foods contribute significantly to the intake of potassium and magnesium – both of which have been proposed to be associated with a lower blood pressure – diets high in fruits and vegetables will increase the daily intake of both minerals and may help prevent and control hypertension.” (my emphasis says Glenn).
• helps you maintain a healthy weight as a medium banana has less than 100 cals (420kJ), about a third of what you get from a 50g pack of potato crisps and half of what is in a couple of chocolate biscuits.
• helps to keep you regular and healthy on the inside. The average banana provides around 3g of fibre plus some resistant starch, so called because it is resistant to digestion and therefore acts like fibre.’

Glenn Cardwell is an Accredited Practising Dietitian who also consults with industry (including Australian Banana Growers). Check out Glenn's website HERE

More nuts, less cholesterol
Consuming more nuts appears to be associated with improvements in blood cholesterol levels, according to a pooled analysis of data from 25 trials reported in Archives of Internal Medicine. When Dr Joan Sabaté and colleagues pooled data from 25 nut consumption trials (yes, such thing exist) they found that eating around 67 grams (about 2.4 ounces) of nuts a day was associated with an average 5% reduction in cholesterol levels. And if a participant also had high triglyceride levels it dropped too by around 10%. ‘… different types of nuts had similar effects on blood lipid levels,’ the authors write. ‘Nuts are a whole food that has been consumed by humans throughout history. Increasing the consumption of nuts as part of an otherwise prudent diet can be expected to favorably affect blood lipid levels (at least in the short term) and have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk.’

Mixed nuts

Photo courtesy http://www.nutsforlife.com.au/

GI Group: What’s a nut? It’s the seed of a fruit with a thick hard shell (pericarp). But there are several types of nuts. ‘True nuts’ (the ones with a cap at the stem) are oak acorns, chestnuts (GI), hickory and hazel. Almonds, coconuts, pecan and walnuts are drupe ‘fruits’ like peaches, plums and cherries. Other nuts are ‘seeds’ – Brazil nuts cashews (GI 22) and pine nuts. Peanuts (GI 14) aren’t actually nuts, they are a legume. (Source Edible, Cameron House 2008)

‘Deli’ meats and diabetes risk
Eating processed meats (preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or with the addition of chemical preservatives), such as bacon, sausages, hot dogs or processed deli meats but not unprocessed red meats, may raise risk of diabetes and heart disease according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Circulation that included 20 studies and 1,218,380 individuals.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that, on average, each 50 gram (1.8 oz) daily serving of processed meat (about 1–2 slices of deli meats or 1 hot dog) was associated with a whopping 42% higher risk of developing heart disease and a 19% higher risk of developing diabetes.

‘When we looked at average nutrients in unprocessed red and processed meats eaten in the United States, we found that they contained similar average amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol. In contrast, processed meats contained, on average, 4 times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives,’ said lead researcher Renata Micha PhD. ‘This suggests that differences in salt and preservatives, rather than fats, might explain the higher risk of heart disease and diabetes seen with processed meats, but not with unprocessed red meats,’ she said. ‘Based on our findings, eating one serving per week or less [of processed meats] would be associated with relatively small risk.’

Get the Scoop on Nutrition with Emma Stirling

The scoop on tropical fruit


Emma Stirling APD

You don’t need a nutrition science degree to know that fruit is naturally nutrient rich. At least two serves a day will help boost your vitamin, mineral, dietary fibre and protective antioxidant intakes. But fruit is one food group that’s the cause of GI confusion. Why? Well even though all fresh fruits are labelled healthy, many tropical fruits are stamped with a moderate to high GI. But does this mean that you should bypass a juicy pineapple? Let’s explore. And before you GI pros jump ahead, read on as we have a new GI value to share (durian!).

Feeling fruity Now as you know it’s really tricky to predict the GI values of any food without laboratory testing. Right? But with fresh fruit, there are some factors that can guide us:

• Type of carbohydrate: fruits with a higher ratio of fructose to glucose will have a lower GI.
  
• Acid levels: the more acidic a fruit, the lower the GI value.
• Dietary fibre content: fruits higher in soluble and insoluble dietary fibre (keep the skins on where possible please) help slow digestion and promote a lower GI.

Going troppo It’s true that temperate climate (often referred to as orchard) fruits tend to have a low GI. So you can snack with confidence on apples (GI 38), pears (GI 38), citrus like oranges (GI 42) and grapefruit (GI 25) and stone fruits like peaches (GI 42)and plums (GI 39). But when it comes to tropical fruit, things go a little troppo:

Mangoes (GI 51) and bananas (GI 52) are two of the few tropical fruits with a low GI. Pineapple (GI 59), paw paw (GI 56), rock melon/cantaloupe (GI 68) and watermelon (GI 76) tend to have moderate to high GI values. But remember it’s worthwhile to consider the glycemic load (GL) in these few instances. We touched on the type of carbohydrate above, but the amount of carbohydrate you eat at any meal or snack is also key to effective blood glucose control. The glycemic load of these tropical fruits is in fact low, because they are low in total carbohydrate content and high in water. That’s what makes them their juicy best. So isn’t that great news? You can still cool down with a slice of watermelon in the heat of summer – just watch your portion size.



Thanks to new data published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition we now know that one very tropical fruit, durian, has a low GI (49). Durian you ask? Well this is one fruit that you need to smell it to believe it. This heavy, soccer ball-sized, spiky fruit has a very pungent odour. And in my opinion I’m yet to meet anyone that eats enough durian to remotely worry about its GI. Revered in Southeast Asia as the “king of fruits” and described as “fragrant”, it remains very much an acquired taste elsewhere. Ripe durians are eaten fresh but have a short shelf life. In cooking they are used for preserves (jams and pickles), milk-based desserts and ice-creams, cakes, and confectionery; in some parts of Asia unripe durians are used as a vegetable. But in some South East Asian hotels durian are banned as the odour is so off-putting to foreign guests.

Mix it up Whatever your likes or dislikes, feel confident with all fruit. Mix up your fruit bowl for plenty of variety including other luscious, bright pigmented, tropical faves like guava and dragon fruit. And favour your local seasonal, regional produce. Research shows people who eat three or four serves of fruit a day, particularly apples and oranges, have the lowest overall GI and the best blood glucose control around town (or tropical jungle).

Emma Stirling is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, health writer and editor of The Scoop on Nutrition – a blog by dietitian experts. Check it out or subscribe for hot news bites and a healthy serve of what’s in flavour.

GI Group: Are any engineers listening? Prof Jennie Brand-Miller would love to buy a fruit bowl that kept fruit on the bench or table cool and in the line of sight of hungry children.

In the GI News Kitchen

American dietitian and author of Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, Johanna Burani, shares favourite recipes with a low or moderate GI from her Italian kitchen. For more information, check out Johanna's website. The photographs are by Sergio Burani. His food, travel and wine photography website is photosbysergio.com.

Sauteed Cauliflower with Currants and Pinoli
Currants are tiny dark dried grapes that hale originally from Corinth in Greece. The subtle sweetness of this fruit blends perfectly with the astringent qualities of the cauliflower, giving the combination of these ordinary ingredients a unique flavourful character. Italians love their ‘cavolfiore’ and this is one version of what they might do with it. Makes about 7 x ½ cup servings.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups tiny cauliflower florets
2 tsp freshly ground sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup toasted pinoli (pine nuts)
2 tbsp orange zest
2 tbsp currants

• Heat the oil in a large heavy fry pan. Add the onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes or until it becomes soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic, cauliflower, salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to allow for even cooking. Add the pinoli nuts and cook for another 5 minutes, raising the heat slightly. Remove from heat. Add the zest and the currants, mix well and serve.

Per serving
Energy: 420kJ/100cals; Protein: 3g; Fat 6g (includes <1g>

Stuffed spiced apples
Many dried fruits have low GI values – apple (GI 29), apricots (GI 31), dates (GI 45) and prunes (GI 29). Dried figs have a moderate GI of 61. While intensifying the flavour and sweetness, drying also concentrates the carbs and calories which is why a little goes a long way. Think of it like this – eating 4–5 dried apple rings will give you the same number of calories as eating a medium fresh apple. Spice merchant and author Ian Hemphill has been a regular contributor to GI News over the years. His new book, Just Add Spice (with Lyndey Milan published by Penguin/Lantern) shows how spices are nature’s gift helping us transform simple meals into special occasions. Serves 8



4 large granny smith apples, halved, cores removed
2 tsp butter
Stuffing
6 soft dried figs
6 pitted prunes (dried plums)
1 tbsp sultanas
1 vanilla pod, halved and seeds scraped
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp sweet spice mix (made with 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground cardamom seeds)

• Preheat the oven to 150ºC/325ºF (130ºC/275ºF fan forced)
• To make the stuffing, chop the fruit into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add the vanilla seeds, sherry and spice and mix well.
• Pile some stuffing into the core cavity of each apple half, pressing down well and filling as generously as possible. Top with a small dot (1/4 tsp) of butter and place on a baking tray.
• Bake for about 30 minutes until the apples are soft but not falling apart – cooking time will vary depending on the size of the apples you used. Serve on their own or with a dollop of a good quality low fat yoghurt.

Per serving
Energy: 393kJ/94cals; Protein less than1g; Fat 1g (includes 0.5g saturated fat and 3mg cholesterol); Carbs 18g; Fibre 4g

Busting Food Myths with Nicole Senior

Why you can’t believe everything you read or hear in the media about nutrition and health


Nicole Senior

Misinformation, misunderstanding, misinterpretation and conspiracy theories abound about food, nutrition and health. You really need to maintain a critical eye to sort the wheat from the chaff. And it’s not just well-meaning friends, health food store employees, neighbours and websites you need to worry about. The media often get it wrong. Or they misconstrue a scientific study’s message because they love a catchy headline. Or they just published the press release. Or the editor gave the story to a news reporter not the health and science writer.

For example, if you see a headline that shouts out: ‘Study shows Amazon Jungle Juice will help you lose up to 50 pounds in 90 days’. Pause before you open your purse and fork out for a six-pack. Here’s why. In nutrition research terms a study which finds an association between eating a food or nutrient (say, Amazon Jungle Juice) and a health indicator (say, weight loss) in a particular group of people (say, Amazonian Indians) does not mean Amazon Jungle juice will help you lose weight. An epidemiological study like this (that’s a study of the relationship between diseases and contributing factors in populations) can’t prove cause and effect – it merely is saying, hello, here’s an association that’s worth more research. Epidemiological studies can have problems with the way they were carried out too (these are called methodological problems). For example:

• Was it a big enough population to properly power the study (i.e. were there enough people in it)?
• Was the Jungle Juice the only thing that was different in the group that lost weight?
• How was the intake of Amazonian Jungle Juice assessed within the population studied
• Did it rely on people’s memories of past consumption (memories fade)?
• Was a tool used with proven validity in this population (for example do Amazonian Indians think about food in the quantitative way that the researchers do)?
• Was the population’s level of physical activity properly factored in (this would also help weight loss)?
  

Further research might include basic science about how could the Jungle Juice actually work and ideally, intervention studies.

The gold standard intervention study is a double blind, placebo controlled trial in which both the subjects and researchers have no idea which group received what. This type of study also determines whether the intervention works statistically better than a placebo. And not just one of these studies but many to ensure the results are robust and repeatable. Alas, these issues are not considered by journalists working on the basis of one study, racing toward deadline.

I often receive feedback from readers urging me to read a book in order to educate myself about an alternative view. But books aren’t always trustworthy sources of information either. You don’t actually need qualifications to publish a book – anyone can do it if they have a marketable concept. I critically assess nutrition books very carefully. The best ones are usually (but not always) written by nutrition academics and registered dietitians who are experts on the topic and draw on scientifically sound research and evidence-based content. To help them get the message across in a clear and simple way, they may work in conjunction with experienced and qualified health writers.

In a world where we are bombarded with nutrition information how can you sort the wheat from the chaff? Here’s my 3-point checklist. Check out:

• The writer’s qualifications – top marks go to books, articles and websites written or co-written by nutrition experts
• Positive reviews by people who can form an educated opinion, such as registered/accredited dietitians, nutritionists or nutrition academics, and
• Does it overturn accepted nutrition wisdom? Strange or unusual ideas are often wrong and won’t provide any real and practical help for you.

Nicole Senior MSc (Nut&Diet) BSc (Nut) is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist and author of Eat to Beat Cholesterol and Heart Food containing evidence-based, trustworthy advice about eating well for your heart. Check out her website HERE.

GI Symbol News with Dr Alan Barclay

Dr Alan Barclay

Fructose – 10 things you need to know
1. Fructose is a monosaccharide or single sugar unit. It’s abundant in nature. It’s the main sugar in fruit, berries, honey and there are even small amounts in vegetables and grains. It has provided energy for humans, birds, and mammals for millions of years and usually comes with a bonus – nutritional goodies like vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.



2. It’s abundant in the supermarket, too. When you throw normal soft drinks and sweetened foods such as yoghurt, dairy and frozen desserts, breads, cookies (biscuits), cake mixes, salad dressings and mayonnaise, sauces (tomato for example) and some soups (tomato again) into your trolley, chances are you will be adding fructose to your diet in the form of sucrose (50% fructose and 50% glucose from sugar cane) or high-fructose corn syrup (regular corn syrup does not contain fructose).

3. Fructose has a low GI (19) because it is absorbed and taken directly to the liver where it is immediately metabolised and only a small proportion is converted to glucose. Remember, the GI is a measure of the effect of the available carbohydrate on your blood glucose levels.

4. Adding fructose to foods and drinks has been a controversial topic in nutrition for many years. There are concerns it is doing something else in our bodies besides adding kilojoules (calories). A 2008 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that consuming more than 50g of pure fructose in a single hit raised post-meal triglycerides (blood fats) – a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

5. It’s worth keeping in mind that studies where people (or rats) are given high doses of fructose don’t actually reflect what happens out here in the real world. People rarely consume pure crystalline fructose just for fun, let alone 10 teaspoons (50g) of it in single sitting.

6. Corn syrups are often found on the labels of American foods and beverages. They are the most common form of sweetener in North America because they are cheaper than cane sugar. Some of them contain fructose. The two main types are:

• HFCS 55 – mostly used in beverages like soft drinks. It contains on average 55% fructose and 45% glucose.
• HFCS 42 – used in many solid foods and baked goods. It contains on average 42% fructose and 58% glucose.

Small quantities of HFCS-90 (90% fructose) and crystalline fructose (+99.5%) are also produced for ‘specialty applications’.

7. Fructose malabsorption can occur when fructose is eaten in the absence of glucose but we rarely eat it this way. The small intestine is impaired in its ability to absorb fructose alone, although we don’t yet fully understand the actual mechanism. When fructose is not absorbed properly in the small intestine, it can travel through to the large intestine where bacterial fermentation can cause symptoms such as bloating, wind, pain, nausea, diarrhoea and/or constipation. Dietitian Dr Sue Shepherd has a handy fact sheet on fructose malabsorption HERE.

8. Fructose and obesity. Consumption of HFCS has increased significantly in the US since the 1970s and this increase has run parallel to the increase in obesity in the US. However, while fructose may be one factor associated with the US obesity epidemic (think of all those extra calories for starters), it is unlikely that it is a major factor in the obesity epidemics elsewhere. For example Australians and Brits are getting fatter too while total and added fructose intakes have actually decreased in both those countries.

9. One theory why fructose may be less satiating than other carbohydrates, potentially increasing the risk of weight gain is that it stimulates insulin secretion much less than other sugars like glucose. Because insulin increases leptin release, consuming fructose may inhibit appetite less than consumption of other carbohydrates and therefore may lead to increased energy (kilojoule/calorie) intake. Another possible theory why it may be less satiating is that unlike glucose, fructose bypasses the rate-limiting step of glycolysis and uses a rapid energy-requiring reaction that abruptly depletes our cells energy stores – potentially stimulating appetite.

10. However, despite numerous plausible theories, in our opinion, there is no convincing experimental evidence in humans that dietary fructose actually does increase food consumption in the long-term. We need more studies with realistic amounts of fructose to determine if it truly is a unique and dangerous form of energy. In nutrition, just about everything (including all the fat soluble vitamins and many minerals) are toxic when consumed to excess. That shouldn’t be the basis of excluding them from the diet.



For more information about the GI Symbol Program
Dr Alan W Barclay, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Glycemic Index Foundation (Ltd)
Phone: +61 (0)2 9785 1037
Mob: +61 (0)416 111 046
Fax: +61 (0)2 9785 1037
Email: alan@gisymbol.com
Website: http://www.gisymbol.com/

GI Update

GI Q&A with Prof Jennie Brand-Miller



‘Are you better off drinking a small glass of fruit juice than a non-diet soft drink, cordial or sports drink?’
Fruit juices have a low GI in most cases (40–50) and they contribute valuable micronutrients that you won't find in alternative beverages. Some fruit juices are not low GI, e.g. Ocean Spray cranberry juice/drinks, which are around 60. Most non-diet soft drinks are in the GI range of 60–70. Sports drinks can be 70–80. A small glass of fruit juice is probably better than no fruit at all, but best not to make it a daily habit.

‘Does the high amount of fructose in juice have any effect on the release of glucose?’
When it comes to any sugary product (natural or otherwise), you have usually have a mixture of sucrose, glucose and fructose. Sucrose is digested quite quickly to glucose plus fructose before absorption. While glucose is generally absorbed rapidly, it can be slowed by acidic solutions (e.g. all fruits are acidic). Fructose absorption is a much slower process and doesn’t raise glycemia anyway. The high proportion of fructose in fruit and fruit juice is one reason why they have a low GI. But it’s not the only reason. Very large amounts of fructose (70g a day or more) from any source can have adverse effects on blood lipids (fats). The old adage applies: enjoy in moderation.


Credit: The Low GI Family Cookbook
Photograph by Ian Hofstetter

‘Are there any advantages to drinking fruit juices, or should we opt for whole fruit?’
Opt for whole fruit if you want to feel fuller (satiated) for a longer time. But as long as people limit themselves to one small glass a day, 100% fruit juice can be part of a healthy diet. I can’t think of any advantage of drinking fruit juices (I avoid them myself). It’s much more satiating to eat the same portion as the whole fruit. But I'm pragmatic too ... if there’s no fruit on hand, then fruit juice is better than no fruit, and superior to a soft drink.

Bear in mind that some researchers believe that sugars in solution (whether soft drinks or fruit juice) bypass the satiety centre in the brain, i.e. we don't register them properly and therefore don’t take their calories into proper account. I’d like to see more research on this question. Mother’s milk is a solution of 7% sugar (ie milk sugar = lactose) but babies seem to grow at the right rate

New GI values with Fiona Atkinson
Savoury snacks
Many of us like to nibble on a savoury snack occasionally. But these products (like potato crisps and burger rings etc) are usually high in fat and sodium and tend to have high GI values too. Here at SUGiRS we have just tested Arnott's ‘baked not fried’ Barbecue Shapes. They are a very popular range of savoury crackers here in Australia (about 44 million packets sold every year they say). Here’s what we found.

• A 25 g serving (about 10 pieces) of Barbecue Shapes (GI 48) provides around 546kJ (130 calories), 6g fat (incl nearly 3g sat fat), 16g carbs and just under 1g fibre and 188mg sodium.

GI testing by an accredited laboratory
North America
Dr Alexandra Jenkins
Glycemic Index Laboratories
36 Lombard Street, Suite 100
Toronto, Ontario M5C 2X3 Canada
Phone +1 416 861 0506
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Web http://www.gilabs.com/

Australia
Fiona Atkinson



Research Manager, Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS)
Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences
Sydney University
NSW 2006 Australia
Phone + 61 2 9351 6018
Fax: + 61 2 9351 6022
Email sugirs@mmb.usyd.edu.au
Web http://www.glycemicindex.com/

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Update from osirisnet

The news page for May has been launched :
http://www.osirisnet.net/news/n_05_10.htm

Enjoy

Thierry BENDERITTER & Jon HIRST
www.osirisnet.net
Tombs of Egypt

Happy 80th Birthday Clint!

Islamic Foundation calls for death sentence if apostate fails to repent

The Islamic Foundation has called for self-declared apostate Mohamed Nazim to be stripped of his citizenship and sentenced to death if he does not repent and return to Islam.

Nazim claimed he was "Maldivian and not a Muslim" during a public question-and-answer session with Islamic speaker Dr Zakir Naik, the first time a Maldivian has publicly announced he is not a Muslim.

According to the Maldivian constitution all citizens are required to be Muslim, and the country is always described as a "100 %" Muslim country.

The 37 year-old angered many in the approximately 11,000-strong crowd with his statement during Dr Naik's 'Misconceptions about Islam' lecture on Friday.

Dr Naik responded that Nazim had read the wrong books and "deviated from Islam", and requested him "to read correct books on Islam, and Inshallah, you'll come back to Islam."

However Nazim did not relinquish the microphone and pressed Naik to clarify the penalty for apostasy.

"In Islam, there are many cases, it doesn't mean death penalty," Dr Naik explained. "But if the person who reverts who was a Muslim then converts to and becomes a non-Muslim and propagates his faith and speaks against Islam, and if it's Islamic rule, then the person should be put to death. But just because a person who is a Muslim becomes a non-Muslim, death penalty is not the ruling."

Nazim was escorted from the venue by police for his own protection, after members of the audience attempted to attack him.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said 2 men who tried to attack Nazim were arrested after they attacked the police officers protecting him. Nazim himself "was not injured because police protected him," Shiyam said.

He was taken to a police building where a crowd of protesters had gathered, calling for him to be punished. Shiyam confirmed that Nazim is now being held in an undisclosed location for 5 days while police investigate "in consultation with the Islamic Ministry and the Prosecutor General's office."

Today the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives issued a press statement calling on judges to give Nazim the opportunity to repent "and if he does not, then sentence him to death as Islamic law and Maldivian law agree."

"The Islamic Foundation believes that the person who announces apostasy should be punished according to Islamic laws," the NGO said, warning that Nazim represented "a disturbance to the religious views and the religious bonds that exist with Maldivians."

"Hereby if this man does not do his penance and come back to the Islamic religion, the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives calls to take the citizenship away from this man as mentioned in the Maldivian constitution."

If case crossed into areas not covered by the laws of the country, "then the judges should rely on Islamic law," the NGO stated, as per article 142 of constitution which says judiciary shall look into Islamic shar'ia on matters not covered in law, and sentence accordingly.

"So it is requested that the commissioner of police run the legal research on this man and take this to the Prosecutor General's office. We also request the Prosecutor General to go through this matter and to take this man to the criminal court for trial," the Islamic Foundation said.

A government official involved in the legal process, who requested that his name and department be kept anonymous, said he was "really worried" and described the case as "a very sensitive subject".

"Police are investigating the case," he said. "My understanding is that the court authorities will give [Nazim] opportunities to change his mind. I think he will be given every opportunity to think about his decision."

Minister for Islamic Affairs Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari told Minivan News that Ministry officials had acted quickly to remove Nazim from the venue "for his own protection", and had now handed the matter over to the legal system.

"I don’t know if there is a penalty for apostasy according to Maldivian law," he said.

The Adhaalath Party issued a press statement claiming that the act violated the constitution of the Maldives and called on the government "to strengthen Islam and protect the constitution."

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf declined to comment on the matter during a press conference held today on another matter, however NGO Jamiyyathul Musliheen expressed "concern and regret" over the incident.

"Not a few number of Maldivian youths are moving further from the religion, and many of them are going renegade," the NGO said in a press statement, adding that "it is a responsibility of the government to strengthen Islam in the country."

President of the Human Rights Commission to the Maldives (HRCM), Ahmed Saleem, said "what happened was really unfortunate."

"I think the best thing will be to talk to him and to make him understand the situation and the repercussions, talks which HRCM will welcome," Saleem said.

He said he was unsure how the Maldivian government would handle the incident.

"I'm afraid of the reaction from the international community should we resort to harsh action," he said. "I don't think it would be in our interest – we have just been given a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. This is something we need to think seriously about before we start using harsh language."

Minivan News contacted several local human rights NGOs however they had not responded at time of press.

A senior government source, who requested anonymity, said he felt the case "will be a real test of how the government will abide by its international commitments."

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair was on medical leave and unable to comment.

Minivan News was unable to reach Nazim himself for comment, however a person close to the matter described him as "a very sensible guy who will think of the people around him. But he will not give up on calling for people to be more honest about themselves. I think he will become a genuine refugee if he refuses to take back his words," she said.

Source: Minivan News, May 30, 2010

New China rules rule out torture in confessions

Embarrassed by a murder victim who turned up a decade after his "killer" was convicted, China's security and judicial authorities issued rules on Sunday to make it harder to convict suspects based on confessions secured under duress.

Under China's current system, confessions play a strong role in convictions and suspects have little access to lawyers or any other protection while in police custody. Suspects can be detained for some time before being formally arrested or charged.

2 new regulations set out procedures for assessing evidence in cases subject to the death penalty, and for excluding evidence obtained under duress, according to an announcemnt on the central government website.

Testimony taken under violence or threat and evidence from unamed sources must be excluded, and defendents may request an investigation into whether their testimony was obtained illegally, the new regulations state.

If the investigation is approved, prosecutors must provide the court with interrogation notes, tapes and videos of the interrogation and testimony of those present.

A campaign by legal reformers against abuse in police custody was given a new boost this month, when convicted murderer Zhao Zuohai was acquitted after his supposed victim returned home after disappearing for over 10 years. "Judicial practice in recent years shows that slack and improper methods have been used to gather, examine and exclude evidence in various cases, especially those involving the death penalty," the Xinhua news agency said.

It was citing the statement by the Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Justice.

In a similar case in 2005, a man who had confessed to killing his wife was released when she returned home after 11 years. His mother had died in police custody while attempting to defend him.

That case triggered a review of all death penalty cases.

Yang Jia, who attacked and killed 6 police officers in Shanghai, became a folk hero in China when he was tried and executed in 2008. Yang said he had been abused in custody when he was detained for stealing his own bicycle.

The revised regulations on evidence do not include measures sought by legal reformers to remove the rate of clearance - the solving of cases -- as a guage of police performance.

That could encourage police to resort to violence in order to "solve" cases and move them to trial, state-backed Xinhua noted in its English language report.

Source: Reuters, May 30, 2010

India: Delay in hanging leads to reduced sentences

New Delhi: The government may be unwittingly entitling condemned prisoners - including Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru - to a lesser life sentence by delaying decisions on their mercy pleas, Supreme Court rulings suggest.

The apex court has repeatedly held that excessive delay in executing the death penalty, leaving the condemned prisoner to suffer a "dehumanising effect" of "facing the agony of alternating between hope and despair" renders the capital punishment too inhuman to be inflicted, thus entitling the prisoner to the lesser sentence of life term.

The court rulings assume significance in view of the fact that Guru, who was sent to the gallows by a trial court in December 2002, recently moved the apex court seeking an early decision on his mercy plea.

"It seems to us that the extremely excessive delay in the disposal of the case of the appellant (a condemned prisoner) would by itself be sufficient for imposing a lesser sentence of imprisonment for life," ruled the apex court in 1971 on an appeal by West Bengal native Vivian Rodricks.

Rodricks was awarded capital punishment in 1964 for a murder committed in 1962.

"It is now January 1971, and the appellant has been for more than six years under the fear of the sentence of death. This must have caused him unimaginable mental agony," said the apex court.

"In our opinion, it would be inhuman to make him suffer till the government decides his mercy petition. We consider that this now is a fit case for awarding the sentence of imprisonment for life," the bench ruled.

In 1982, while hearing an appeal by the Uttar Pradesh government against an Allahabad High Court judgment acquitting a convict who had been awarded the death sentence by a trial court for killing three people in December 1972, the Supreme Court refused to impose the death penalty on him due to excessive delay.

Also read: Amnesty hails India's moratorium on death penalty

"The occurrence took place some time in December 1972, and more than eight years have elapsed since. The present appeal has been pending for five years. We feel that although the murders committed by the convict were extremely gruesome, brutal and dastardly, yet the extreme penalty of death is not called for in the circumstances of this particular case," said the apex court, awarding life term to the convict identified as Sahai.

Earlier, the apex court had virtually set a maximum limit of two to four years for executing the death penalty awarded to condemned prisoners. In case of a delay beyond this limit, the court converted the death penalty to life sentence.

In 1983, the Supreme Court relaxed the two-year norm for executing death sentences. It, however, upheld the principle that excessive delay in executing the death sentence entitled the condemned prisoner to lesser sentence.

"The prolonged anguish of alternating hope and despair, the agony of uncertainty, the consequences of such suffering on the mental, emotional and physical integrity and health of the individual can render the decision to execute the sentence of death an inhuman and degrading punishment in the circumstances of a given case," the apex court said in the Sher Singh versus Punjab case.

"A prisoner who has experienced living death for years on end is entitled to invoke the jurisdiction of this court for examining if, after all the agony and torment he has been subjected to, it is just and fair to allow the sentence of death to be executed," the court said.

Last September, while deciding an appeal by a condemned prisoner who killed his wife and five children in 2006, the apex court said: "It would be open to a condemned prisoner, who has been under a sentence of death over a long period of time for reasons not attributable to him, to contend that the death sentence should be commuted to one of life (sentence)."

The court, in fact, in its September 2009 ruling even advised the government to stick to a "self-imposed rule" to decide on condemned prisoners' mercy petitions within three months.

"We must say with the greatest emphasis that human beings are not chattels and should not be used as pawns in furthering some larger political or government policy," said a bench of Justice H.S. Bedi and Justice J.M. Panchal last September.

The latest high profile case which has seen the death penalty being awarded is that of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole surviving terrorist in the 9/11 terror attacks. Already questions have been asked about when he will finally be hanged.

Source: sifynews.com, May 30, 2010

Provincial legislator gets death sentence with reprieve for corruption

TIANJIN, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A former senior legislator in northeast China's Jilin Province, Mi Fengjun, was sentenced Friday to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting bribes.

Mi, former vice chairman of the Jilin Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee, was convicted of having accepted bribes worth more than 6.28 million yuan (919,258 U.S. dollars), a verdict handed down by the Tianjin Municipal No.1 Intermediate People's Court said.

The ruling also included the confiscation of all of Mi's personal assets and the lifetime deprivation of his political rights.

According to the court, Mi took bribes from people and institutions who sought to benefit from his influence after he took various senior posts both in Jilin and it capital city, Changchun, between February 1992 and February 2008.

Since he surrendered most of the illicit gains, the sentence was lighter than it would have otherwise been, the court said.

Mi was removed from his post and expelled from the Communist Party of China in February 2009 for the alleged violations.

Source: CCTV, May 28, 2010

WHOLEGRAIN RYE BREAD

WHOLEGRAIN RYE BREAD
Adding the molasses and vanilla really helps mask any vital wheat gluten taste. This bread is tastier than most breads, low-carb or not! It is also great toasted. These bread slices are huge. You can find out about more breads using this similar recipe on lowcarbfriends here.

1 cup water (250 mL)
3 tbsp olive oil (45 mL)
1 large egg
1 cup vital wheat gluten (250 mL)
2/3 cup wholegrain rye flour (150 mL)
1/2 cup oat, OR wheat bran (125 mL)
1/4 cup wholegrain rye flour (50 mL)
4 tsp bread machine yeast (20 mL)
1 tbsp SPLENDA® Granular (15 mL)
2 tsp granulated sugar (10 mL)
1 tsp salt (5 mL)
1 tsp molasses (5 mL)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (15 mL)
1 tsp baking powder (5 mL)

In cereal bowl, heat water in microwave oven 1 minute. In bread pan, place water, olive oil, egg, vital wheat gluten, 2/3 cup (150 mL) rye flour, oat (or wheat bran), 1/4 cup (50 mL) rye flour, yeast, SPLENDA® Granular, sugar, salt, molasses, vanilla extract and baking powder. Program the bread machine to Bread Rapid setting (i.e. the shortest cycle). Remove 30 to 40 minutes before baking time is over or when brown in color. Easier to slice thinner when cool.

Variations: Loaf Pan Breads (Two): Use 1 cup (250 mL) water, plus 3 tbsp (45 mL), 2 eggs, 11/4 cups (300 mL) 80% vital wheat gluten and 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder. Follow recipe above with these changes. Program bread machine to pizza cycle or knead only. Divide dough in two equal portions. Place each roughly-shaped portion in greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch (2 L) loaf pan and place pans on bottom shelf in preheated 225°F (107°C) oven which is off. Allow to rise 40 minutes. Switch on oven to 350°F (180°C), leaving loaves inside. Set timer for 30 minutes (check sooner). Place loaves on cake rack to cool. Refrigerate for longer storage or freeze. Crisp the bread later again by pacing in medium oven 10 minutes. Yield: 2 Loaves, 22 slices each, 1 slice per serving. (2.9 g Carbs)

Hamburger Buns or Dinner Rolls: Same recipe as for Loaf Pan Breads above. Shape dough into 12 hamburger or 9 hot dog buns or 24 dinner rolls. Place on greased pizza pan. Spray buns with nonstick cooking spray. Proceed as above and bake 20 minutes. Yield: 12 Hamburger buns. (10.7 g Carbs), or 24 Dinner Rolls. (5.3 g Carbs)

Nutritional Analysis:

Yield: 18/20 slices
1 slice
88.3/79.5 calories
6.8/6.2 g protein
3.0/2.7 g fat
6.7/6.0 g carbs

Helpful Hints: Organic whole grain rye flour is made by Arrowhead Mills.

LEFTOVER CHICKEN OR TURKEY CASSEROLE (GF)

LEFTOVER CHICKEN OR TURKEY CASSEROLE
Tasty recipe to have on hand for times when leftover chicken or turkey in the refrigerator looks so uninviting – turn boring into interesting! Or, deliberately make this recipe using one roasted chicken. Click on the photo to see a larger image.
4 cups cooked chicken OR turkey (1 L)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 1/4 cups cooked green beans, (300 mL)
(about 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths)
Sauce:
3/4 cup sour cream (175 mL)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (125 mL)
1/4 cup canned jalapenos, chopped (50 mL)
2 tbsp water (25 mL)
1 SPLENDA® packet
1 tsp seasoning salt (5 mL)
1 tsp dried parsley (5 mL)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (2 mL)
1/4 tsp No Salt (1 mL)
1/8 tsp white pepper (0.5 mL)
Topping:
1/2 cup grated Montery Jack cheese (125 mL)
1/3 cup Gluten-free Bake Mix, page___ (75 mL)
3 tbsp butter, melted (45 mL)

In large bowl, combine chicken or turkey. In frying pan, fry onion until soft and translucent. Add to chicken (or turkey) along with cooked green beans.

Sauce: In medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, jalapenos, water, SPLENDA® , seasoning salt, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, No Salt and white pepper. Stir sauce into poultry mixture and spread in a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) glass baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake in 350°F (180°C) oven 30 minutes, or until bubbling hot.

Topping: In small bowl, combine cheese, Gluten-Free Bake Mix, page___ and butter.

Nutritional Analysis: 6 large servings: 1 serving
421.2 calories, 28.7 g protein; 30.3 g fat; 6.4 g carbs

Bali Nine: Has Scott Rush converted to Islam?

THE death-row inmate and Bali nine drug courier Scott Rush (pictured) has been circumcised by a man who snuck in to Bali's Kerobokan jail and covertly performed the operation in an Islamic prayer room.

The procedure, performed on Friday, is commonly part of the ritual when a person converts to Islam, although the religious orientation of Rush - who has previously professed to be a Christian - could not be established last night.

Agus Hartawan, Kerobokan's medical officer, confirmed the circumcision in a telephone interview yesterday as he was examining Rush in his prison clinic.

''The wound is healing properly and he is doing fine,'' Dr Hartawan said.

He then passed the phone to Rush, who, when asked if he had converted to Islam, said ''No comment'', adding he would be making no further statements.

Even so, the Herald understands Rush has been given the Islamic name Suleiman, and has been spending a lot of time in the past two weeks with a small group of Muslim prisoners.

The clandestine circumcision was undertaken at the prison's musholla, or prayer room, by members of an Islamic group who entered the prison with medical equipment.

According to one source, a white sheet was put up while the operation took place. It is believed a local anaesthetic was used.

Dr Hartawan expressed his anger at the security breach.

''I am now very upset,'' he said. ''Kebakaran jenggot! [My beard is on fire!] ''I heard it was done by LSM Islam [an Islamic non-government organisation].''

Rush has battled depression since he was incarcerated more than five years ago and has been particularly unsettled lately as he waits for his final legal appeal against his death sentence to be lodged this year.

Just last month, on April 28, he spoke to the Herald of his struggle with Christianity and its concept of redemption for sinners who confess.

Rush said while he had confessed to his crime, expressed remorse and prayed regularly, ''I'm still looking for forgiveness. I just feel so bad about everything, especially for what I've done to my parents and family.''

It is understood his interest in Islam peaked just days after that interview, when he attended a prayer session for the first time.

A week later, he was circumcised, provoking uproar among prison officials and astounding other inmates.

Circumcision is recommended when converting to Islam, but it is not compulsory. The only mandatory act in adopting Islam is Shahada, or bearing witness.

This usually involves a person stating before reputable Muslim witnesses that there is no god but Allah, and that the prophet Muhammad is his messenger.

Rush was 19 when he made his first overseas trip as part of the Bali nine heroin smuggling ring.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, May 11, 2010

'Anxiety' behind Rush circumcision

THERE are grave concerns for the mental well-being of death row inmate and Bali nine member Scott Rush, as friends and family come to terms with his decision to be circumcised at an Islamic prayer room.

The circumcision occurred after a doctor was smuggled into Kerobokan prison on Friday by a group of Muslims and raised questions about Rush's religion.

Circumcision is commonly a part of a conversion ceremony although Rush told members of his prayer group who visited him yesterday that he remained a Christian.

But according to a former psychiatrist who was part of the group, the young Queenslander was ''anxious, thought disordered and confused''.

''He exhibited naivety and did not seem to realise the implications of what he had done,'' the former psychiatrist, who asked not to be identified, reported back to Rush's family and legal team.

''He is an anxious, lonely and terrified young man. He is trying to find understanding in a world that no longer makes sense.''

The former psychiatrist said Rush showed signs of ''death row phenomenon'', a mental malady that affects people under a death sentence, leading to ''perception disorder''.

Rush has been on death row for 2½ years for his role in the syndicate that tried to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin to Australia. His final legal appeal is due shortly.

According to Kerobokan's section head of rehabilitation, Anang Huzaini, Rush has prayed with Muslims at the jail and ''he did at one point tell me he had converted to Islam''.

Rush now maintains he undertook the circumcision - apparently performed with a laser - for ''health reasons'', Mr Huzaini said. But the jail has a clinic for such operations.

Mr Huzaini said he would ask the prison doctor on Friday to consider whether Rush needed outside psychiatric assistance.

Source: Brisbane Times, May 12, 2010

US hopes Malawi gay pardon sends message 'around the globe'

Washington - The White House Saturday said it was "pleased" to hear that a gay couple in Malawi had been pardoned from a long prison sentence and hoped the decision would open new dialogue and send a global message.

In a statement, the White House press secretary was reacting to the decision by Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika to grant the pardon, which came as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited the country.

The couple, Steven Monjeza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, (pictured) had been sentenced to 14 years in prison after they openly celebrated their engagement. Homosexual acts are banned in the southern African country.

"We hope that President Mutharika's pardon marks the beginning of a new dialogue which reflects the country's history of tolerance and a new day for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights in Malawi and around the globe," the White House said.

The White House called for a renewed commitment to "ending the persecution and criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity."

Malawian's views on homosexuality are shared by many people in Africa, where gays suffer widespread discrimination, repression and, sometimes, violence.

The parliament of the central African nation of Uganda, where homosexuality is already prohibited, is considering a bill that would increase the penalties for homosexual acts from 14 years in jail to life, or even the death penalty, for some acts.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has described gays as "worse than dogs and pigs."

Source: EarthTimes, May 29, 2010

Saudi Arabia: Five convicts to appeal death penalty verdict

QATIF: The relatives of five people who have been sentenced to death for murdering a Saudi youth in Qatif are to appeal the verdict.

The men, who strangled the youth after luring him to a rural location pretending he would meet a young woman there, have 30 days to appeal the verdict, Al-Yaum newspaper reported. A relative of one of the convicts said the murder was unintentional and that only one of the five men was responsible.

“They did not plan to kill him but only rob him. They had been in contact with the victim via mobile phone for around a month and had pretended they were women,” he said.

Having arrived at the location, the young man was met by two men dressed as women. They then drove to a remote location.

“One of the attackers was sitting on the front seat near the driver while the second was sitting on the back seat behind him.

“The two men then attempted to strangle him. When they saw him faint, they took him to the emergency section of a nearby hospital. The hospital, however, refused to treat him, which then led them to go and tell the police,” he said, adding that by that time the youth had died. Ahmad Al-Sudairy, the lawyer representing the five men, expressed surprise at the verdict.

“We’ve never heard of such a verdict," he said, adding that he hopes the appeal court will overturn the verdict.

“If we go over the case, then we can see that the murder was committed by one of five men and that they did not plan to kill him but only rob him,” he said.

He further wondered how all of the five could have strangled the man to death, adding that the others should receive some sort of Ta'azir punishment.

Source: Arab News, May 29, 2010

Afghan citizen hanged in central Iran

One man was hanged in the prison of Isfahan (central Iran) early this morning.

Quoting Isfahan judiciary’s public relations, "Isfahan Metropolis News agency" (IMNA) reported that an Afghan citisen identified as Nour Jamal S. (26) was hanged in the prison of Isfahan early this morning. The man was convicted of smugling 1,385 kg of crack according to the report.

Afghan civil society has in the recent months protested several times against execution of Afghans in Iran. The protests started after unofficial reports on execution of 45 Afghan prisoners in 3 days in March 2010.

Source: Iran Human Rights, May 29, 2010

Ecuador: Indian town drops death penalty in murder case

An Indian community that sentenced a young man to death by hanging for the murder of another man softened his punishment Sunday, ordering him to do five years of community service instead.

Orlando Quishpe, 21, was also subjected to punishments that included carrying a heavy sack of dirt, an ice-water bath and a public whipping with a thorny plant while he was forced to beg forgiveness.

Ecuador's attorney general had threatened legal action against the community after it ordered Quishpe's execution last week, because the South American nation does not allow the death penalty.

The Indians refused the government's request that the suspect be handed over to the regular courts. Ecuador's constitution recognizes indigenous justice as long as it does not violate the charter or human rights.

An assembly of residents in La Cocha, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) from the capital, debated for 6 hours Sunday and dropped the death penalty.

They decided Quishpe will carry out "5 years of work in the field," community leader Ricardo Chaluisa told reporters. He said the work would be supervised by members of Quishpe's home community, Guantopolo.

Before he was turned over to leaders from Guantopolo, Quishpe, who works as a carpenter and is in a rock band, underwent a day of punishment.

Nearly naked, he first was made to hold a sack of dirt for 10 minutes. Tied to a whipping post, he was doused in an icy bath and beaten with nettles while he apologized to the townspeople – although he denied any guilt in the slaying of Marco Olivo, 21.

Olivo was beaten and then hanged with a belt on May 9. Town leaders accused Quishpe of using his belt in the killing. No motive for the attack has been released.

4 other young men underwent a day of punishment for the crime a week ago. The community said they confessed to participating in the attack.

Source: Associated Press, May 29, 2010