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Associated Press Aqua Dots, a highly popular holiday toy, has been pulled from shelves in North America and Australia after scientists found they contain a chemical that converts into a powerful date rape drug when ingested. The item, which had been heavily advertised, had appeared on many toy experts’ list of must-have holiday toys. Wal-Mart named it a top toy pick this holiday season. Two children in the U.S. and three in Australia were hospitalized after swallowing the beads. The toys are called Bindeez in Australia, where they were named toy of the year at an industry function earlier this...

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia announced a nationwide ban on Wednesday on a Chinese-made toy which investigations showed contained a chemical which metabolizes into a "date rape" style drug when swallowed. The ban across Australia's six states and two territories came after three children became severely ill after they swallowed the toy beads called "Bindeez." Toy importer Moose Enterprise issued a voluntary recall of "Bindeez," named Australia's 2007 Toy of the Year, saying some batches of the beads did not match the approved formula.

A man who was stopped for speeding was arrested after three gallons of the "date-rape drug" GHB were found in his car, enough for 20,000 doses, authorities said. Daniel Gertz, 37, of Los Angeles, was taken into custody on multiple felony charges including possession and transportation of a narcotic for sale, according to the California Highway Patrol. GHB, which stands for gamma-hydroxybutyrate, creates a euphoric, drunken feeling in low doses and can knock people out in higher amounts. Authorities said Gertz was transporting the drug to a party in San Francisco when he was stopped Wednesday for driving 88 mph...

Following a slew of media reports about the increase in drug-induced rapes, importer Benny Kalman has announced that the first consignments of the little cards that can detect the presence of date rape drugs GHB and Ketamine will arrive in the country as soon as next week. "I saw the product a year and a half ago but was not interested in it as there were still no reports of date rape in Israel then," Kalman told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. "Sadly, everything gets here eventually and a few weeks ago I realized that this problem was growing in...

Surinamese Deepak Kalpoe, 21, arrives to court in Oranjestad, Aruba, Friday, Aug. 26, 2005. Aruban police arrested Kalpoe and his brother Satish, 18, along with a third person according to government spokesman Ruben Trapenberg, saying he doesn't know if the arrests are connected to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The two brothers had been previously detained and released. (AP Photo/Pedro Famous Diaz) Surinamese Satish Kalpoe, 18, front, gets in a car to go to court in Oranjestad, Aruba, Friday, Aug. 26, 2005. Two Surinamese brothers, Satish and Deepak Kalpoe, who had been detained and released in the disappearance of Natalee...

Profile of Natalee Holloway Missing: Natalee Holloway participated in a trip with 125 seniors from Mountain Brook High School to Aruba in the Caribbean. In the early morning hours on May 30, 2005 Natalee was seen leaving a nightclub and getting into a vehicle. She failed to turn up Monday morning for her return flight home and she has not been seen since. Foul play is suspected in her disappearance. Profile: Natalee Holloway was born on October 21, 1986 to Beth and Dave Holloway. She grew up in the close-knit community of Mountain Brook, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. She...

Previous FR Natalee Holloway Threads...Natalee Holloway - Case Discussion Extended Thread 3Posted on 06/23/2005 12:44:51 PM CDT by brigettehttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1429067/postsNatalee Holloway - Extended Thread 2Posted on 06/20/2005 12:14:36 AM CDT by brigettehttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1426433/postsNatalee Holloway - Extended Thread 1Posted on 06/16/2005 11:43:44 AM CDT by brigettehttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1424188/postsAnother Twist in Holloway DisappearancePosted on 06/14/2005 11:24:41 AM CDT by PBRSTREETGANGhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1422593/postsAla. Teen's Mom: Men 'Know What Happened' (Natalee Holloway)Posted on 06/13/2005 4:01:55 AM CDT by bd476http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1421756/posts Natalee's body found... (false report)Posted on 06/11/2005 1:05:50 PM CDT by kcvl http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1420967/postsHolloway Not Only American Missing In ArubaPosted on 06/08/2005 1:25:36 AM CDT by MassRepublicanFlyersFanhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1418606/postsNatalee Holloway (Aruba) 5 Men Now...

Previous FR Natalee Holloway Threads...Natalee Holloway - Extended Thread 2Posted on 06/20/2005 12:14:36 AM CDT by brigettehttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1426433/postsNatalee Holloway - Extended Thread 1Posted on 06/16/2005 11:43:44 AM CDT by brigettehttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1424188/postsAnother Twist in Holloway DisappearancePosted on 06/14/2005 11:24:41 AM CDT by PBRSTREETGANGhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1422593/postsAla. Teen's Mom: Men 'Know What Happened' (Natalee Holloway)Posted on 06/13/2005 4:01:55 AM CDT by bd476http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1421756/posts Natalee's body found... (false report)Posted on 06/11/2005 1:05:50 PM CDT by kcvl http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1420967/postsHolloway Not Only American Missing In ArubaPosted on 06/08/2005 1:25:36 AM CDT by MassRepublicanFlyersFanhttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1418606/postsNatalee Holloway (Aruba) 5 Men Now in CustodyPosted on 06/07/2005 3:35:36 PM CDT by Hillary's Lovely Legshttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1418322/postsAruba Info...Full Aruba Island...

FR Natalee Holloway Threads...Natalee's body found... (false report)Posted on 06/11/2005 1:05:50 PM CDT by kcvl http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1420967/posts?q=1&&page=1#1Natalee Holloway - Extended Thread 1Posted on 06/16/2005 11:43:44 AM CDT by brigettehttp://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1424188/posts?q=1&&page=1#1Aruba Info...Full Aruba Island Mapshttp://www.arubavacationhouse.com/images/arubamap.gif (BEST MAP)http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/islands/ar/images/aruba2002.gif (good map but blurry)http://www.aruba-tours.com/art/arubaattmap1.gifOranjestad Aruba Street Maphttp://www.caribline.com/islands/ar/images/oranjestad2002.gifSan Nicolas Street Maphttp://www.caribline.com/islands/ar/images/sannicolas2002.gifHotel Location Maps in the California Lighthouse Areahttp://www.arubaluxurycondos.com/images/arubamap1.gifhttp://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/maps/jpg/176_resortareaaccomodations.jpg (NICE MAP)Manchebo Beach Area Maphttp://www.mapsworldwide.com/mwwlive/itm_img/3897075008sam.gifAruba Beach Location Mapshttp://www.arubariba.com/ArubamapBeachMap1.jpghttp://www.arubatravelinfo.com/maps/arubabeachmap.jpg (nice detailed map)Aruba Township Location Maphttp://www.arubarealestate.com/aruba_map/Aruba Diving Location Mapshttp://www.visitaruba.com/attractions/sunandfun/diving_a.htmlAruba Beach/Site Seeing Pictureshttp://www.visitaruba.com/attractions/sunandfun/beaches.htmlAruba/Natalee - Blogs/Boards/Forumshttp://bb.visitaruba.com/http://www.aruba.com/msgbrd/read.php?f=1&i=124287&t=124287&v=thttp://www.scaredmonkeys.com/ (Blog) - POPULARhttp://www.scaredmonkeys.com/Discussion/ (Forum) - POPULARhttp://spaces.msn.com/members/amykappel/ (Blogger in Aruba)http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/ (Blog) - POPULARAruba White/Yellow Pageshttp://arubayp.com/Suspect's Personal Pages or Picture Album Locationshttp://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=14905439&Mytoken=20050613202923 FR Quick Ping List (copy & paste)...

FR Natalee Holloway Threads...Natalee's body found... (false report)Posted on 06/11/2005 1:05:50 PM CDT by kcvl http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1420967/posts?q=1&&page=1#1 Aruba Info...Full Aruba Island Mapshttp://www.arubavacationhouse.com/images/arubamap.gif (BEST MAP)http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/islands/ar/images/aruba2002.gif (good map but blurry)http://www.aruba-tours.com/art/arubaattmap1.gifOranjestad Aruba Street Maphttp://www.caribline.com/islands/ar/images/oranjestad2002.gifSan Nicolas Street Maphttp://www.caribline.com/islands/ar/images/sannicolas2002.gifHotel Location Maps in the California Lighthouse Areahttp://www.arubaluxurycondos.com/images/arubamap1.gifhttp://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/maps/jpg/176_resortareaaccomodations.jpg (NICE MAP)Manchebo Beach Area Maphttp://www.mapsworldwide.com/mwwlive/itm_img/3897075008sam.gifAruba Beach Location Mapshttp://www.arubariba.com/ArubamapBeachMap1.jpghttp://www.arubatravelinfo.com/maps/arubabeachmap.jpg (nice detailed map)Aruba Township Location Maphttp://www.arubarealestate.com/aruba_map/Aruba Diving Location Mapshttp://www.visitaruba.com/attractions/sunandfun/diving_a.htmlAruba Beach/Site Seeing Pictureshttp://www.visitaruba.com/attractions/sunandfun/beaches.htmlAruba/Natalee - Blogs/Boards/Forumshttp://bb.visitaruba.com/http://www.aruba.com/msgbrd/read.php?f=1&i=124287&t=124287&v=thttp://www.scaredmonkeys.com/ (Blog) - POPULARhttp://www.scaredmonkeys.com/Discussion/ (Forum) - POPULARhttp://spaces.msn.com/members/amykappel/ (Blogger in Aruba)http://www.riehlworldview.com/carnivorous_conservative/ (Blog) - POPULARAruba White/Yellow Pageshttp://arubayp.com/Suspect's Personal Pages or Picture Album Locationshttp://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=14905439&Mytoken=20050613202923FR Quick Ping List (copy & paste) - active posters to the thread Andy'smom;bonfire;brigette;kcvl;maggiefluffs;No Surrender No Retreat;Palladin;Rippersnapper;TexKat;theophilusscribe  

"They are the most shocking and disturbing things that you will ever see." Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox, on video evidence in the case Ventura County Deputy District Attorney Anthony Wold smiles toward the jury after Superior Court Judge Ken Riley read the verdicts in Andrew Luster's trial. (AP) (CBS/AP) Convicted rapist and cosmetics heir Andrew Luster, who has been on the run since fleeing his trial in January, was captured and being held in Mexico on Wednesday. Luster, a bounty hunter seeking him and an independent cameraman filming the arrest are in Mexican custody, CBS News has learned. Ventura...

That is the only info so far...just a blurb at the top of MSNBC's website....

Thu Dec 12, 1:08 PM ET Actor Nick Nolte (news) arrives at the Malibu Courthouse Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002 in Malibu, Calif. Nolte pleaded no contest Thursday to one count of driving under the influence of drugs and he was immediately sentenced to three years of probation, which includes counseling and drug testing. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

A Kaiser Permanente anesthesiologist has admitted to ordering controlled substances over the Internet that when mixed together produces gamma hydroxibutyric acid, or GHB, better known as the "date rape drug." In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court yesterday, Dr. Peter Edward Fong told federal authorities he used the drugs to help him sleep. He claimed he thought it was legal to order the drugs. Fong, who works at the Moanalua Medical Center, was arrested yesterday for importing quantities of gamma hydroxibutyric acid lactone, or GBL, and butanediol, or BD -- both industrial solvents closely related to GHB. He was...