Canings, killings, and Cash for Clunkers

The Malaysian state of Pahang has postponed the planned caning of 32-year-old mother of two, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, until after Ramadan. Kartika is accused of drinking a beer at a hotel in December 2007. Malaysia, which has traditionally espoused a moderate Islamic stance, is currently experiencing a rise in fundamentalist Islamic political and social influence.

The manhunt for reality TV contestant Ryan Jenkins has ended in Hope, British Columbia, Canada. Jenkins was the prime suspect in the murder and mutilation of his ex-wife, model Jasmine Fiore. Jenkins is thought to have killed Fiore and extracted her teeth and cut off her fingers to hinder identification of her body; investigators ultimately had to identify her by the serial numbers on her breast implants. Jenkins apparently hung himself with a belt from the shower rod of a motel.

The economic and environmental stimulus program Cash for Clunkers is scheduled to end tonight at 8pm. You had better hurry to push, pull, or drag your clunker to the dealer today to get up to $4500 credit towards the purchase of select new vehicles.