Sidelights.

"God is avenging us" an Iraqi government employee commented after the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia. Afghanistan's new chief justice recently shut down all television channels he considered un-Islamic. In a televised speech, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi told his countrymen, "We are in favor of peace, but we cannot become co-responsible for giving in to those who want to threaten our security, our liberties and our democracy.... Liberty is the essence of mankind." A Norwegian appeals court acquitted a Middle Eastern man who had sexually assaulted a mentally disabled woman on the grounds that he had lived in Norway for only 12 years, and couldn't tell anything was wrong with the woman, and that he didn't realize that he was doing something wrong. In 2002, the top two regions for recruiting Marines were Nashville and Northern California. Bosnian Muslim Sead Jakup attempted to burn down the Young Israel of Kings Bay synagogue in Brooklyn, but was stopped by police after they received a call from Pakistani Muslim Syed Ali who informed them what was happening. Ali said he called 911 because "It's a sacred place he was going to destroy." Emigration of French Jews to Israel is at its highest level in 30 years. A woman who had been assaulted near her French synagogue told Le Monde, "Until last year we were proud to be French.... No longer. Now we are proud to be Jewish."

Two thirds of British businesses oppose joining the euro within the next two years, according to a poll conducted by the British Chamber of Commerce.... Two thirds of Norwegians want E.U. membership. A 60-year-old British man attempted to invoke the ancient right to trial by combat as a way to resolve his 25 [pounds sterling] fine for a minor driving offense. His request was denied.

The Boston area is facing a rash of mouthwash theft by homeless men who steal it for the alcohol content. A bottle ...