World briefs
Michael tells of fight for life
George Michael has revealed he has a five-week gap in his memory from when he was fighting for his life.
The star, speaking at length about the battle with pneumonia which left his life in the balance, said it was “touch and go” whether he pulled through for three weeks.
George, 48, said he even had to learn to walk again as his muscles wasted away during his recovery from the illness late last year.
In an interview for Radio 2, he admitted: “It’s like I just dodged a bullet.”
George had already been forced to axe a show at the Royal Albert Hall after his temperature and heart rate shot up, but shrugged off advice to get examined, assuming he had got over it.
Israeli MP tears up Bible
An Israeli lawmaker tore up a copy of the New Testament to protest against the dissemination of the “despicable book”, which was sent to members of Parliament by a Christian organisation.
MP Michael Ben Ari of the ultra-nationalist National Union opposition party was one of the Knesset members who received by mail on Monday a copy of the “Book of Testaments.”
It contains the Jewish Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament, and the New Testament, the Gospels and epistles of the Christian faith written after the time of Jesus.
A letter sent with the book from the Bible Society in Israel director Victor Kalisher said the new edition “sheds light on the holy scriptures and helps understand them. In addition, the references show the close correlation” between the two.
“We hope the book will help you and illuminate your way,” Mr Kalisher wrote.
A picture published on Israeli news website NRG-Maariv taken by Mr Ben Ari’s aide shows the lawmaker tearing up the book.