RB: Con man 'prince' writes of life of luxury

RELAXING: Abdelkarim Serhani, inset, and at a resort in Indonesia after fleeing Australia

A FRENCHMAN who posed as a member of a Saudi Arabian royal family and left Australia as a fugitive has written a tell-all book on how he scammed $42,000 from Hamilton Island.

Self-confessed impostor Abdelkarim Serhani, 28, writes in his yet-to-be released L'imposteur how he staked out the Whitsundays for two days before talking his way into free accommodation, meals, drinks - including $20,000 worth of champagne - and helicopter flights at Hamilton Island in May, 2009.

He says the risk of becoming a false Arab prince was "huge, even reckless" but admits he has no regrets and hopes his story does not encourage "copycats".

Mr Serhani spent 16 days on Hamilton Island living a life of luxury filled with booze, women and resort activities after he found a flyer advertising the Whitsundays' white sandy beaches, coconut trees and coral reef while he was at Hyde Park in Sydney, holed up in a backpacker hostel.

"Without hesitation I spend the rest of my savings to buy the plane ticket that will take me right to an extraordinary adventure," he writes in a French to English translation. "I took a water taxi from the port to which Airlie Beach leads on Hamilton Island, a paradise on Earth, the perfect island, which has a payment system that allows you to eat in restaurants, do all the activities of the island by paying at the end of your stay, and on top of that the hotel do not ask for ID, the dream.

"Good deception is 80 per cent preparation and 20 per cent performance."

His explanations seem to be something plucked out of a James Bond movie in which it took him two days to "study all the solutions" in case he was exposed, such as water taxi times to the locations of the heliport and police station as well as "places to hide".

When Mr Serhani's exploits were discovered by staff, police charged him with fraud and his passport was confiscated by local police but he skipped Proserpine court after claiming he had "broken legs" which he admits "bought him time" to make his way to Darwin and escape by yacht to Bali.

The Frenchman is notorious in his country for his infamous antics since 2007 and allegedly continued that lifestyle when he arrived in North Queensland.

He taunted Queensland police with his "catch me if you can" phrase and sent photos from various locations showing himself drinking champagne, partying, in sports cars, helicopters, on jet-skis and boats, relaxing at hotels and resorts and teaching students in a classroom.

In an interview via Skype with the Townsville Bulletin, he said he made up the fake Arab prince disguise because he was "tired of discrimination".

"In France and in Belgium, to get in to a party if you are Arabic and don't have money, you are not welcomed. So I played with that," he said.

The French version of the book will be released in Europe in December and the English translation may be up for grabs by February.

Would you ever Marry the man who raped you?

For Afghan Woman, Justice Runs Into Unforgiving Wall of Custom

KABUL, Afghanistan — When the Afghan government announced Thursday that it would pardon a woman who had been imprisoned for adultery after she reported that she had been raped, the decision seemed a clear victory for the many women here whose lives have been ground down by the Afghan justice system.

But when the announcement also made it clear that there was an expectation that the woman, Gulnaz, would agree to marry the man who raped her, the moment instead revealed the ways in which even efforts guided by the best intentions to redress violence against women here run up against the limits of change in a society where cultural practices are so powerful that few can resist them, not even the president.

The solution holds grave risks for Gulnaz, who uses one name, since the man could be so humiliated that he might kill his accuser, despite the risk of prosecution, or abuse her again.

The decision from the government of President Hamid Karzai is all the more poignant coming as Western forces prepare to leave Afghanistan, underscoring the unfinished business of advancing women’s rights here, and raising questions of what will happen in the future to other women like Gulnaz.

Indeed, what prompted the government to act at all was a grass-roots movement that began after Gulnaz was featured in a recent documentary film commissioned by the European Union, which then blocked the film’s release.

Supporters of the filmmakers charged that European officials were shying away from exposing the sort of abuses Afghan women routinely suffer for fear of offending their host government.

While Gulnaz’s pardon is a victory for both Clementine Malpas, a filmmaker who spent nearly six months on the documentary, and for Kimberley Motley, an American lawyer here who took Gulnaz’s case on a pro bono basis, it also shows that for women in the justice system, the odds are stacked against them.

The banned film, “In-Justice: The Story of Afghan Women in Jail,” which was seen by The New York Times, profiles three Afghan women who were in prison. One was Gulnaz, then about 19, who gave birth to the child of her rapist in prison, after initially being sentenced to three years. In a second trial, her sentence was increased to 12 years, but a judge on camera offered her a way out: marry her rapist.

A second woman in the film was abused by her husband and ran away with a man she fell in love with; both are now in prison for adultery. The third woman was a child of 14, who appeared to have been kidnapped but was held as a runaway and has since been returned to her family.

After the film was completed, the European Union banned its release, effectively silencing the women who were willing to tell their stories. The reason given for the ban was that the publicity could harm the women, because an Afghan woman who has had sex out of wedlock can easily become the victim of a so-called honor killing. The women had not given their written consent to be in the film, said Vygaudas Usackas, the European Union’s ambassador to Afghanistan.

But an e-mail obtained by The Times from someone supportive of the filmmakers suggested that the European Union also had political reasons for the ban.

The e-mail addressed to the filmmakers by the European Union attaché for justice, the rule of law and human rights, Zoe Leffler, said the European Union “also has to consider its relations with the justice institutions in connection with the other work that it is doing in the sector.”

Even if the women in the film “were to give their full consent,” the European Union would not be “ willing to take responsibility for the events that could ensue and that could threaten the lives of the documentary’s subjects,” the e-mail said.

Mr. Usackas said that concern for the women was central in the European Union’s decision. “Not only does the E.U. care about women, but we have spent over 45 million euros,” about $60 million, “in support of different programs for women,” he said, adding that the European Union also finances shelters for women.

15 hottest (and famous) football fans

Guess what? Football is no longer a sport for beer-bellied, hairy, old men; these hot celebs are ardent fans too. Heres the lists down of 15 hottest and most popular football fans on the planet.
Let's play a game: when we ask you to picture a football fan, what's the first image that comes to your mind? If you pictured a sweaty, hairy man with a beer-belly in an oversized jersey, with a drink in hand while shouting at the television screen for every missed opportunity, we won't blame you. That's how a typical football fan would look like, honestly.

But relax, not all football fans are that scary-looking. Some of the world's most popular - and of course, hottest - celebrities are avid fans of the beautiful game too.

With Paraguay's most famous fan Larissa Riquelme in mind, I list down 15 of the hottest and most popular football fans in the world. They sure put beautiful in the 'beautiful game'.

RACHEL STEVENS
She's a fan of: Arsenal
Seriously, there's no hotter Arsenal fan than former S Club 7 hottie Rachel Stevens, who also happens to be one of Britain's most desirable women.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI
She's a fan of: Liverpool
The women's world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki is a huge, huge Liverpool fan. And her favourite Liverpool player? Who else but captain amazing Steven Gerrard.

CAT DEELEY
She's a fan of: West Bromwich Albion
Who knew 'So You Think You Can Dance' hottie Cat Deeley is a football fan? The 34-year-old is a fan of Premier League side West Brom, despite her mom, dad and brothers being huge Wolverhampton fans. She's quite a rebel, we see.

SHANIA TWAIN
She's a fan of: Newcastle United
Shania Twain is a songstress all the way from Canada, and she loves English Premier League side Newcastle United. Talk about long distance relationships.

NADINE COYLE
She's a fan of: Celtic
The pretty Nadine Coyle, one fourth of all-girl band Girls Aloud, is a world traveller: born in Ireland, joined an English band and a die-hard supporter of Scottish side Celtic.

KATE WINSLET
She's a fan of: Reading
Yup, the award-winning, 'Titanic' star Kate Winslet is actually quite an avid Reading fan, considering that she was born in Reading. Ironically, they sank like the Titanic back to the Championship after only a season in the Premier League.

LAURA ESPOSTO
She's a fan of: AC Milan
The super sexy Laura Esposto is an Italian model and TV personality, and she's a die-hard AC Milan fan. She's such a big fan; she's been presenting Rossoneri's home matches since 2005.



CHERYL COLE
She's a fan of: Newcastle United
You might think that because her on-off-and-on again husband Ashley Cole plays for Chelsea, Cheryl Cole is a keen supporter of the London club, but no: the Girls Aloud front woman supports Newcastle United. Wonder if the Coles trash talk at home.


CAMERON DIAZ
She's a fan of: Brentford
We know she surfs, and is quite a sports fan, but Hollywood A-Lister Cameron Diaz actually follows English second division club Brentford FC because she's a fan of Dan Tara, former chairman of the club who now owns her favourite restaurant in Los Angeles.

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY
She's a fan of: West Ham United
English beauty Keira Knightley is actually quite the diehard fan of West Ham United. In fact, when the Hammers were promoted to the Premier League in 2005, the 26-year-old actress, who was based in LA then, would catch the team in action from a local pub in Santa Monica - at 6am! Talk about dedication.
ADRIANA LIMA
She's a fan of: Inter Milan
She might have married a pro basketball player, but Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima is also a big fan of Italian giants Inter Milan. It's not every day you see a football-loving Angel.
LARISSA RIQUELME
She's a fan of: Paraguay national team
Lingerie model Larissa Riquelme, if you do not know this by now, is the world's most famous football fan, no thanks to her infamous nude exploits after the 2010 World Cup. She's known as 'The World Cup's Girlfriend' for a reason.
SHAKIRA
She's a fan of: Barcelona or Real Madrid, we have no idea
Yup, hips don't lie: Colombian pop star Shakira is a crazy football fan. Although her boyfriend, World Cup hero Gerard Pique, plays for Spanish giants Barcelona, she lists Barca's arch rivals Real Madrid as her favourite football club. That's a conflict of interest right there.
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES
She's a fan of: Swansea City
One of the most beautiful women in the world, Catherine Zeta-Jones, could arguably be Swansea City's most beautiful supporter ever. She was raised in Swansea, Wales, so we're pretty sure that's the reason why she supports the team in the first place.
EVA LONGORIA
She's a fan of: Chivas USA
The petite but oh-so-hot Eva Longoria is a fan of Major League Soccer side Chivas USA, although we suspect she also likes LA Galaxy because her bestie David Beckham plays for them.

Reblog: Moving on

Dear Joe,

I'm an avid fan of your radio program, especially on Fridays because of your Lovenotes. I have always been amazed by your advice and always wondered where you get your soulful thoughts.

Joe, just call me Mica. I had a boyfriend for five years and seven months. His name was Anton and we were deeply in love. At least I'd like to believe that he was in love with me, too. We had dreams of getting married in the year 2000 and we agreed to name our first baby girl with both our mothers' names.

For five years, my life focused on Anton. He was my world and my life, and he always came first. My friends, family, career and even myself came after. My heart and mind were already set on having him as my husband--my lifetime partner. Nothing and no one could change that. His family and friends knew about us and accepted me. They were all kind to me and treated me well. I remember his brothers and sisters introducing me to their friends as "our future sister-in-law". Everyone thought it would be Anton and me in the end.

Third quarter of this year, we began having frequent fights over small things like where to eat, what movie to watch and whether he would see me or not. He'd tell me he was under a lot of pressure from both his work and his relationship with me so I proposed we "cool off" for awhile. I told him that in the meantime, I wouldn't call him or see him as often as I wanted to, but I'd always be around if ever he needed me.

Without a second thought, he accepted my proposal and told me to just end the relationship. Joe, it was as if he had just waited for me to initiate the breakup.

I was shocked and surprised. The man I love and gave my life to was letting me go. Though it hurt, I accepted the idea because I thought he was just tired from work and confused. I thought that after a few days, we'd both realize that we really need and love each other.

When we parted ways, I couldn't help but cry. The following day I called him and asked if we could still talk about it. I asked him the real reason and he told me that he was tired of my demands. He was tired of being committed and just wanted to be alone for awhile. I told him I'd change but Anton remained firm in his decision.

Twenty days after our breakup, we agreed to meet in our old meeting place for dinner. However, he didn't show up despite my numerous pages reminding him that I was waiting. When the mall closed, I decided to go home and on my way, I saw him with another woman. What made it even painful was that he just ignored me, as if he didn't see me. For two days, I was absent from work, I didn't know what to do. I was so confused. I didn't know what was happening, why he was with that girl when he was supposed to meet me--that same girl my friends saw him with minutes before our breakup.

I went to his place so we could talk and ask for some enlightenment. I told him how hurt I was but he said that the girl is just a friend and that he just didn't know what to do that night, so he ignored me. He promised that he would not have a girlfriend this year or next because he really wanted to be alone and moreover, he still loves me. I believed him, Joe, as I had for more than five years.

My friends told me they didn't believe what Anton had told me and that he was just trying to ease my pain and lessen his guilty feelings. I was so confused. Who was telling the truth? Who should I believe?

On September 17, my friends and I watched CONSPIRACY THEORY and while scouting for a better seat, I accidentally saw him and that girl again. Knowing that they were just friends, I made sure that Anton would see me but he just ignored me again. Joe, if she's just a friend, why can't he introduce me to her? Why does he have to ignore me? And so I began to believe my friends.

I finally broke the news to his elder sister. Thank God his sister and I were so close I could discuss matters of the heart with her. She was really surprised and saddened by the news. She told me to talk to Anton to clarify everything and so I did. I got my answer the following day.

The girl my friends and I have been seeing with Anton is, in fact, his girlfriend. For a while, I was speechless, as if someone had slapped my face. I could no longer cry. But I could clearly feel the pain running through my smallest veins.

I thought he wanted to be alone, that he didn't want to commit but we've only been off for two months, and already he's found someone new? Am I that easy to forget? Did our five years of love mean nothing to him? Why did he have to tell me he loves and needs me only to turn around and show the opposite of what he says. What have I done to deserve this? I just can't believe he can hurt me this much, Joe.

It's supposed to be our five-year-and-nine-month anniversary. I just celebrated my 26th birthday and Anton and Marie (that's the new girl's name) celebrated their first month of anniversary a day after my birthday.

Although my friends are always beside me to comfort and cheer me up, I'd still think of Anton and his girl. They are always in my dreams and it's like a constant nightmare. When I want to enjoy a movie, I would remember seeing them together. If I stay at home, it kills me to see my computer because Anton is a real computer wizard.

How can I go on, Joe? Will I ever be happy again? Is there really such a thing as a reckoning? Are there more ways to forget everything about him, especially the pain?

Joe, I'm already wishing for my early death. I'm trying to speed it by skipping meals and not eating on time. I know this will hurt my family and friends but I'm really tired of pretending I'm happy and brave when in fact, I'm not. Behind my laughter is a lonely heart, inside me is a crying soul.

Help me, Joe. Everyday I go to sleep and wake up with a heavy heart. Sometimes I wish I'll never wake up again. Then perhaps the hurt will go away and I'll be able to find peace again.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my letter. Good luck and more power to your show.

Sincerely
Mica


Dear Mica,

Getting over someone who has hurt us and betrayed our trust is not an easy thing to do. Being taken for granted and exchanged for someone else could be very disappointing. Our lives become miserable as we try to make believe that everything is fine just to keep our self-esteem.

Mica, it's always easy for a man to say "I love you". Sometimes men would lie just to save their faces and get away with their wrongdoings. They would make you believe that they care for you even if they have someone else at the back of their minds.

Anton lied about his feelings because, deep inside him, he knew he was not in love with you anymore. He thought that not knowing would spare you the pain but he didn't know that you have been hurting all along.

I know you love him and you still have so many questions unanswered. But ignoring you twice when he was with this girl should have given you more than enough answers and reason to let go.

Stop asking why, Mica. It's plain and simple. He doesn't love you anymore and you just have to learn to live with that. You don't have to make believe and pretend you are happy when you're not. You should cry and lament over his loss. But don't let your tears run dry. Don't starve yourself to death for someone who never respected your feelings. Someone who was never really worthy of your love.

Mica, after giving yourself some time to cry and shout it all, get back to life and move on. I know it's difficult to let go of a love that you have kept for the past five years. Learn to accept that it's all over. Little by little you'll find the peace you're looking for and you'll give yourself the chance to love again then you'll find real happiness in the arms of a man who will love you more than anyone else has.

Love,
Joe

Ne-Yo's cheating confession

Ne-Yo admits he has cheated on his girlfriends.

The 31-year-old singer - who has eight-month-old daughter Madilyn Grace with on/off girlfriend Monyetta Shaw - knows he hasn't always behaved in the right way and is sometimes upset by his conduct, but doesn't think men who cheat are necessarily bad people.

He said: 'Talking about men cheating, I have to say, each to their own.

'I can't just say they're all bad as I've been guilty of it myself.

'There are times when I know I'm not the nicest person, when I know what I'm doing is wrong.

'But then sometimes you have to figure out what's really important to you. There are times when I get upset, there's an ugly side to me - it's not all smiles.'

The 'So Sick' hitmaker also admitted he was unprepared for how strongly he would feel about his daughter.

He told more! magazine: 'I've been in love before, but this feels like nothing I've ever felt. It's like being in love for the first time.'

The Story of Abram's "Sister"

Genesis 12:10-20, 20:1-18, 26:6-12

On her sixth birthday, Beth got a big rubber ball from her aunt even though her parents didn't approve of giving children birthday gifts. Because she had never had a ball of her own before, Beth got all excited and started to bounce it on the living room floor.
"Beth," Beth's father said. "We do not bounce balls in the house. Go to your room and think about what you have done while the rest of us eat birthday cake and ice-cream."
Beth did as she was told, but cried all the way to her room.
Later, when her mother came in to talk about what happened, Beth asked this question: "Mother, why should I be punished for bouncing the ball when I didn't know that it wasn't allowed? That's not fair!"
"Life is not fair, Dear One," said Beth's mother. "Here, let me tell you a story about someone else who had a problem just like yours." And this is the story she told.

One day there was a horrible famine, and Abram went to Egypt to look for food. When they were near Egypt, Abram told his wife Sarai, "You are very pretty, and when we get to Egypt the Egyptians will want to kill me so that they can put a penis in you. But if you tell them that I am your brother and not your husband, then they will know that they don't have to kill me to put a penis in you and I will be safe."
Sarai agreed to lie to help her husband.

"That's kind of a strange thing for Abram to be worried about, isn't it?" Beth asked.
"Not at all," said Beth's mother. "In ancient times, people were always killing men so that they could put their penises in the men's wives. Abram had to be particularly worried because Sarai was very, very beautiful, even though she was sixty-five years old."
"So when Abram asks Sarai to lie about being his sister, is that like when Father tells me pretend that I'm not with him when we are walking and he sees a pretty lady?" Beth asked.
Beth's mother thought about this for a moment. "I suppose it is," she said, and then she hurried on with the story.

When they got to Egypt, the Egyptians thought that Sarai was very pretty. In fact, even the Pharaoh and the princes thought she was pretty, so the Pharaoh had her brought to his house.
Because he thought that Abram was Sarai's brother, Pharaoh treated Abram well and gave him sheep, oxes, boy and girl donkeys, boy and girl servants, and camels.
But God was unhappy about this. He sent plagues to Pharaoh's house because Pharaoh wanted to put his penis in Sarai and she was a married woman.
When he realized what the problem was, Pharaoh went to Abram and said, "Why did you lie to me instead of telling me that you are married to Sarai? Take her and leave!"
Then Pharaoh ordered his men to throw Abram and Sarai out of town, but he let Abram keep all the nice things that he had given him.

"Now think, Beth. If God would punish a pharaoh for sinning when he did not know that he was sinning, doesn't it make sense that your father should punish you even thought you did not know that what you were doing what was wrong?"
"But how could God let me do something when it is wrong?" Beth asked.
"That's a good question, Dear One." And her mother related another story:

On another day, Abraham was traveling to the south when he came to a place called Gerar. When he got to town, he told everyone that Sarah was his sister.

"That's a funny coincidence," said Beth.
"What is?" asked her mother.
"Well, it's funny that Abraham and Sarah would do the same thing that Abram and Sarai did," said Beth. "That's all."
Her mother laughed, delighted at her daughter's innocence. "It's not a coincidence at all, Dear One. Abraham and Sarah are Abram and Sarai. God changed their names."
Beth crunched up her forehead in puzzlement. "If it's the same people, then why would they try telling the same lie if it didn't work the first time?"
"Just listen and you'll see, Dear One," said her mother.

Abimelech, the king of Gerar, sent for Sarah so that he could put his penis in her because he didn't know that she was married.
That night, God appeared in a dream to Abimelech. "You are as good as dead," said God in the dream. "The woman who you want to put your penis in is married."
"Wait a minute," said Abimelech to God. "I haven't put my penis in her yet. Are you going to kill me before I have done anything wrong? Besides, Abraham and Sarah said that they were brother and sister, not husband and wife. I haven't done anything wrong."
God answered him, "I know that. In fact, the only reason that you didn't put your penis in her yet is that I didn't want you to do something bad. Now, go and give Sarah back to her husband. If you don't, I'll kill you and everyone in your family."
So the next morning, Abimelech got up and told his servants about the dream. Then the king called Abraham and said to him, "Abraham, why did you lie to me? You almost made me do a very bad thing."
"I lied because I thought that your city was godless and that the people would kill me so that they could put a penis in my wife," Abraham answered. "Besides, she's my half-sister, so it was not all a lie."
So Abimelech got some sheep, and oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham along with Sarah and said, "You may choose any place in my kingdom to call your home."
Then Abimelech said to Sarah, "Look! I gave your brother a thousand dollars. I hope that makes everything all right."

"I see," said Beth. "God didn't let the king do a bad thing because the king was close to God. I guess that I wouldn't have been so bad if I'd said my prayers more."
"I'm glad that you have learned your lesson, Dear One," said Beth's mother.
Beth thought about the stories for a moment and asked, "Mother, why is it that Abraham always got lots of animals and servants for lying?"
"So that you do not misunderstand the lesson, I will tell you another story, Dear One," said Beth's mother. And this is the story she told:

When Isaac was living in Gerar, men used to ask about his wife Rebekah and Isaac always told them that she was his sister. This was because he was afraid that the men would kill him to put a penis in her if they thought that she was a married woman.
One day, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, was looking out his window and he saw Isaac putting his penis in Rebekah. So Abimelech called to Isaac and said, "Are you sure that Rebekah is your sister and not your wife?"
Isaac replied, "I lied because I was afraid that people would kill me so that they could put their penises in her."
Abimelech said, "That was not very nice. Someone in town might have put his penis in your wife and gotten in a lot of trouble." Then Abimelech told all the people in town that they would be killed if they touched either Isaac or Rebekah.
After that, Isaac planted some seeds and his investment was returned a hundred times because God was so pleased with him.

"You see," said Beth's mother, "one's rewards for trying to protect one's self with lies can come in many forms. It's not always animals and servants, sometimes it's plants."
Beth thought about this for a moment. Then, despite the growling of her stomach and her depression over not being able to see her own birthday cake, Beth smiled and hugged her mother. The stories had answered all her questions and she would try never to be bad again.