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(CNN) -- Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has died, a State Department official told CNN on Friday. There were no more immediate details about his death.

Prince, the Grammy Award-winning artist behind “Purple Rain,” told the Guardian in an interview that women forced to wear burqas in Islamic countries are “happy” to wear them. “It’s fun being in Islamic countries, to know there’s only one religion,” Prince told the British newspaper. “There’s order. You wear a burqa. There’s no choice. People are happy with that.” (Burqa bans grow fashionable in Europe) The Guardian pointed out that perhaps not every woman forced to wear a burqa is thrilled with the idea. The singer acknowledged: “There are people who are unhappy with everything. There’s a dark side to...

Off with their hats! It was bigger than the Super Bowl and as tacky as a legion of Elvis impersonators. Most of all, it was disturbingly white. Yesterday's little wedding of William and Kate, a worldwide showcase of dreadful hats, fad diets and an unusually sour, lemon-yellow-clad queen, was designed to prove to the common man that the royals, finally, were down with the people. But from the moment a triumphant Kate tiptoed with her dad onto the red carpet -- yes, she walked an actual red carpet to and from the altar -- I saw not a potential queen....

VATICAN CITY—The May 1 beatification of the late Pope John Paul II is an occasion for the Holy See to bask in the aura of a pontiff widely seen as a modern Catholic hero. But a high-profile event involving another European institution, the House of Windsor, is stealing the Vatican's thunder. The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in London on April 29, two days before the beatification ceremony, is dominating news coverage around the world, leaving less time for the late pope.

Serious doubts are being cast on Prince Andrew’s suitability to represent Britain following revelations that he spent time with a girl of 17 while she was being sexually exploited by one of his billionaire friends. The Duke of York, 51, was pictured with his arm around the bare midriff of Virginia Roberts, a vulnerable teenager hired to work as an ‘erotic masseuse’ and perform sexual favours for American businessman Jeffrey Epstein and his friends. Later, she claims, Epstein’s friend Ghislaine Maxwell told her: ‘You did well. He had fun.’

Prince George's corruption: how it functions and why it persistsBy Robert McCartney Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, December 11, 2010; 5:21 PM As federal prosecutors and a new county executive start trying to clean up corrupt practices that plague Prince George's government and politics, I thought I'd take a step back and look at how the illicit culture functions and why it persists. To do so, I consulted a half-dozen veteran Prince George's civic players. None would speak for the record, because the matter is so sensitive and public comment could cost them professional associates, clients or even friends. So...

A billionaire Saudi prince who has been a prime backer of the Ground Zero mosque imam is urging that the controversial Islamic center be built elsewhere. "Those people behind the mosque have to respect, have to appreciate and have to defer to the people of New York," Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said in an interview with the Dubai-based Arabian Business magazine. "The wound is still there. Just because the wound is healing you can't say, 'Let's just go back to where we were pre-9/11.'" Alwaleed also said in the interview that Muslims in New York should consider a more "dignified"...

A servant allegedly beaten and strangled by a Saudi prince died without even putting up a fight, a court heard today. Bandar Abdulaziz (32) was so worn down by the “sadistic” abuse he had suffered that he “let the defendant kill him”, jurors were told. Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud is accused of murdering Mr Abdulaziz in February at the central London hotel room they shared. Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, said they had a “master-servant” relationship in which the prince abused his aide for his “own personal gratification”. Mr Laidlaw said the victim’s injuries showed the assault leading to...

Some critics of the proposed Islamic community center in Lower Manhattan, including commentators on Fox News, have linked the project to terrorism by seizing on a Saudi prince’s past financial backing of the imam at the center of the controversy. Prince Walid bin Talal of Saudi Arabia is also the second-largest shareholder of Fox News’s parent, the News Corporation, with a stake worth more than $2 billion, which was not always disclosed on Fox News. In fact, Prince Walid, in his first public comments about the matter, says he is actually opposed to the Islamic center’s being built in downtown...

Give up? Both have adopted highly unconventional names in their lifetimes. In Prince’s case, it was the adoption of a symbol to protest Warner Brothers’ artistic and financial control of his output. Following suit, H.R. 1586 has adopted the name, the “______Act of____,” apparently because of the haste with which the Senate wanted to pass the bill last week.

When Prince Andrew was pictured on a yacht getting touchy-feely with a woman half his age, the denials came thick and fast. They're just friends, said a source, and anyway, she's married. But now it turns out 25-year-old Alexandra Escat is in fact single - and the pair have since been seen jetting off together. The Duke of York, 50, was seen engrossed in a playful conversation with the Filipino model on a luxury yacht last week.

If she takes up swimming again, she won't be able to wear her engagement ring in the pool - she'd surely sink. Prince Albert of Monaco has proposed to South African former swimmer Charlene Wittstock - giving her a ring that more than makes up for his reputation as an eternal playboy. The royal palace said in a statement that the engagement was announced today between the 52-year-old prince and 32-year-old Wittstock.

Prince, the 52-year-old music icon has pronounced the internet dead, refusing to use any digital platforms to distribute his music. Instead the artist has opted to release his latest album 20Ten in CD format only as a cover-mount free giveaway with The Daily Mirror this weekend.

Prince will release his new album, "20Ten," as a free giveaway with various European newspapers and magazines. In the U.K., Prince has signed up with tabloid newspaper the Daily Mirror and its associated Scottish title the Daily Record for the CD giveaway. More than 2.5 million copies will be distributed on July 10 with the newspapers. The deal will also include Prince's first British newspaper interview in more than a decade and competitions for European concert tickets. The German edition of Rolling Stone has announced that its August issue, to be published July 22, will include a new Prince album,...

The heroism and sacrifices of servicemen and women in Afghanistan was saluted yesterday as Britain celebrated Armed Forces Day. Troops were cheered by a 50,000-strong crowd in the main parade in Cardiff, one of 350 staged nationwide in the second annual tribute to the bravery of the Services. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall joined the outgoing Chief of the Defence staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, and Defence Sec­retary Liam Fox to watch the outpouring of patriotism in Cardiff.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (AP) -- Britain's Prince Harry says the bonds between British and American military veterans are strong but can be even stronger. Harry spoke Friday on the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City during a reception for U.S. and British veterans and their families. The third in line to the British throne said his country can learn from American advances in veterans' care and rehabilitation.....

In the first invasion of Judah by Babylon, long before the captivity of the whole nation, the leaders and most promising young men were carted off to Babylon where they were trained and used in various capacities. Since the defeat and captivity of the nation was according to Divine purpose as punishment for the nation’s disobedience, the faithful citizens cooperated and were elevated to places of leadership in Babylon, where they continued to serve God and thus prove helpful to their own people. Such was the case of Daniel. Daniel had already learned from the book of Jeremiah that the...

Prince Charles yesterday urged the world to follow Islamic 'spiritual principles' in order to protect the environment. In an hour-long speech, the heir to the throne argued that man's destruction of the world was contrary to the scriptures of all religions - but particularly those of Islam. He said the current 'division' between man and nature had been caused not just by industrialisation, but also by our attitude to the environment - which goes against the grain of 'sacred traditions'.

The Duchess of York has held secret talks with Princess Diana's lawyers about renegotiating her 'paltry' divorce settlement with Prince Andrew. Sarah Ferguson consulted Anthony Julius at Mishcon de Reya, who famously negotiated a £17million pay off for Princess Diana when she divorced Prince Charles. The figure is in stark contrast to the £15,000 a year which the duchess receives from Prince Andrew after their marriage ended after ten years in 1996.

Sarah Ferguson caught selling access to ex-hubby Prince Andrew for 500k pounds2010-05-23 15:10:00 Sarah Ferguson has been caught on camera selling access to her former hubby, Prince Andrew, Britain's trade envoy, for 500,000 pounds. The sting operation by British tabloid the News of the World saw the Duchess of York setting a price tag on an introduction to Prince Andrew, promising to open the door to lucrative international deals for the 'client'. Fergie told the undercover News of the World reporter: "Andrew said to me, 'Tell him 500,000 pounds.' "He knows that he's had to underwrite me up to now...

Carver County says that Minnesota's Purple One is in the red -- and it's not the first time. Prince owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes, interest and fines on various properties that could end up being forfeited if the bills aren't paid. PRN Music Corp., home to the pop musician's Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, owes more than $221,000 for 2009 taxes due the state, the Chaska School District and a host of other government bodies, according to a legal notice of delinquent taxes published last week in the Chaska Herald. Numerous other properties in the county...

"...We are begging to be destroyed. I hope everyone is feeling good about themselves in the process. That’s what this is all about, “look at me, I’m such a humanitarian because I pacify terrorists, I'm such a diplomat…” They gave Yasser Arafat a friggin Nobel Peace Prize!... I cannot say I’m surprised by Murdoch’s selling us out. Just because I prefer Fox News over the others, I have no delusions about this guy. It is clear Murdoch has put his back pocket ahead of US national security and national morality. Murdoch through the Fox Network is the biggest purveyor of...

It was a stand out moment that many considered to be the highlight of the Grammy awards, and one that the rest of the night's performers were hard pushed to top. With their late father absent from proceedings, Michael Jackson's children Prince Michael and Paris took to the stage at the Staples Centre to accept the lifetime achievement award on their father's behalf.

Prince has come out with a tribute song to his favorite NFL team. The song is titled “Purple & Gold” and even has a marching band beat. As a Prince fan (well, at least a long time ago), I say this song isn’t half bad and the more I listen to it, the more it grows on me. But I’ll tell you right now….this doesn’t even compare to the Super Bowl Shuffle. Then again, I am more of a Bears fan. (Warning: only Viking or Prince fans should listen to the song. Even some Viking fans will despise it)

Nature, the biggest bank of all, could go bust, warns Prince Charles The Prince of Wales has said that "Nature, the biggest bank of all, could go bust" in an apocalyptic warning that the Earth is on the brink of environmental disaster. By Urmee Khan, Digital and Media Correspondent 08 Jul 2009 Nature, the biggest bank of all, could go bust, warns Prince Charles Delivering this year's Richard Dimbleby Lecture, the Prince said that the next generation will face a "living hell" unless governments urgently tackle climate change and stop plundering the Earth's natural resources. "In failing the Earth, we...

Read how I got kicked out of Hollywood here! Read my screenplay Global Village Idiot here for free! Every blog needs a signature buzzword or catchphrase that immediately identifies the site in the mind of the reader. Instapundit has "Heh." Michelle Malkin has "Unhinged."  And Daily Kos has "Chimpy". In fact, Daily Kos has 11,100 "Chimpys."    Heh. Unhinged. To close this buzzword/catchphrase blogging-gap, I hereby announce "The Global Village Idiot of the Week" award. Yes, each week I will scan the globe to bring you the biggest environmentalist whacko that the World Wide Web can offer. And no, Al...

"Charles, I told you not to have the fish and chips."

The British media is in one of its periodic fits of moralizing hysteria and convulsion over the fact that Prince Harry called a fellow officer a "Paki" -- a not-particularly-derogatory diminutive of "Pakistani" -- during Army training three years ago when aged 21, and long before his recent front-line service in Afghanistan. (Perhaps I could still sue someone over the fact that as an Australian in London I was frequently called an Aussie, but that's another story.)

Prince, the gender-bending Minnesota rocker who now lives in California and makes the rounds as a Jehovah's Witness, spoke out in a newly released interview that the Bible opposes homosexuality and God has said "enough." The comments from the Grammy-winning musician, who for decades has graced concert stages in high heels, makeup and flamboyant garb, appear in the Nov. 24 issue of New Yorker. "So here's how it is," Prince began, "You've got the Republicans, and basically they want to live according to this." He pointed to a Bible. "But there's the problem of interpretation, and you've got some churches,...

I attend the "fine" learning "establishment" known as LHS, Laurel High School (and before anyone says anything, I chose to go to this school because I felt it was my duty as a Catholic Republican to actually be someone who's gonna stand up for what I believe, evangilize, if you will.) I'm in AP Government there along with two honors courses and three regular (one which is a Junior/Senior class, Psychology, while I, myself, am a Sophomore) classes. Our lunch period is known as "Spartan Hour" (our school mascot is the Spartan -which is SO epic, only reason I like...

Prince Charles personal income up by £1 million but income tax down By Andrew Pierce Last Updated: 10:28PM BST 30/06/2008 The Prince of Wales's income from the Duchy of Cornwall soared by £1.1 million last year to £16.3 million but he paid less in income tax. The Prince's financial advisers shrewdly switched out of shares last September Despite the above inflation seven per cent rise in profits the tax bill for the heir to the throne fell by £5,000 to £3.429 million. Sir Michael Peat, the Prince's private secretary, said the reduction was caused by higher expenses and costs involved...

Bronx teen was arrested Tuesday on charges of scrawling graffiti over a Bronx mural honoring a fallen 9/11 hero - and promptly told cops he was sorry he'd done it. Avery Prince, 17, put his tag, "SIPS," over the face of Firefighter Peter Bielfeld on a mural near the Bravest's former home in Olinville, cops said. Prince's father, Curtis Rushing, a city sanitation worker, reiterated his son's apology and added one of his own. "He said he was deeply sorry. He didn't know that it represented 9/11 and meant so much to so many people," Rushing said. "I always told...

Despite the british government's concerted effort to preserve the secret, a veteran Taliban field officer claims he was scarcely surprised by the disclosure that Prince Harry was serving with Britain's troops in southern Afghanistan. Fearing that insurgents would specifically target Cornet Wales (the prince's military title) and his fellow soldiers if his presence in the battle zone were publicly revealed, the top British brass did everything possible to prevent leaks about his deployment on Dec. 14 to Helmand province. But talking to newsweek via satellite phone from that region last week, deputy commander Mullah Abdul Karim recalled getting an urgent...

LONDON (AFP) - Prince Harry, who has been fighting the Taliban on the front line in Afghanistan, admitted in an interview released Thursday that he sometimes wishes he was not a privileged, well-known royal. Speaking to reporters before he left for the war-torn country in an interview that was supposed to be held back until his safe return, the 23-year-old said he hoped that he would be treated as "just a normal officer". And asked whether, following an about-turn by Britain's top military brass that meant he would not be posted to Iraq last year, he ever wished he was...

Prince Andrew angers Palace with US attack By Andrew Pierce Last Updated: 2:44am GMT 06/02/2008 The Duke of York has angered the Queen and senior politicians with his extraordinary attack on the White House on the eve of his trade mission to the United States. Downing Street and the Foreign Office were also dismayed by the timing of his comments so close to the Super Tuesday primaries. The Duke of York is about to embark on a 10-day mission to the US as British trade envoy The duke's criticism, in a newspaper interview, of President Bush's post-war strategy for Iraq...

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Talk about royal humiliation. Prince Frederic von Anhalt—known for being husband to Zsa Zsa Gabor and supposed lover of Anna Nicole Smith—was mugged by three women who stole his money and jewelry, stripped him of his clothes and left him handcuffed naked to the steering wheel of his Rolls Royce Thursday morning. The self-proclaimed royal entered the public consciousness earlier this year when he came forward shortly after Smith's death to announce that he had carried on an affair with the former Playmate and could have fathered her daughter, Dannielynn. After DNA testing proved that...

My Way may have been the signature tune of another giant of popular music but no artist has so enthusiastically embraced the philosophy of that song as Prince. The maverick from Minneapolis has been doing things his way since 1977 when, at the age of 19, he signed a three-album deal and blew the budget for all three albums on the first one, and this after insisting that he play all the instruments himself, record all the vocals himself – and produce it himself. He had assumed full artistic control from the off and he has never relinquished it. He...

LONDON -- Prince has angered the music industry and stirred up trouble among British retailers by giving away his new album with a tabloid newspaper this weekend. "Planet Earth" will be packaged with the Mail on Sunday at a price of $2.80. The giveaway has been roundly criticized as a major blow for an industry already facing rapidly declining CD sales. It has led Sony BMG U.K., Prince's local label, to pull the plug on its own sales release of the CD in Britain. International sales launch for "Planet Earth" is July 16; the U.S. launch is July 24. "The...

Australians reject role for Prince William By Nick Squires in Sydney Last Updated: 1:27am BST 30/06/2007 Australia yesterday rejected a suggestion that Prince William could become governor-general. The nation reacted indignantly to claims in a new biography of Diana, Princess of Wales that the prince would love the ceremonial position. Even the prime minister John Howard, a monarchist, said that only an Australian could fulfil the role. "We have embraced the idea that the person who occupies that post should be an Australian citizen," he said. Kevin Rudd, the leader of the opposition Labor Party, said: "There is a great...

LONDON --Britain's Prince Harry will not be sent with his unit to Iraq, Britain's top general said Wednesday, citing specific threats to the third in line to the throne. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Sir Richard Dannatt said the changing situation on the ground exposed the prince to too much danger.Prince William and Prince Harry, right, parade in suits and bowler hats with the Combined Cavalry Old Comrades' Association, in Hyde Park, London, on Sunday, May 13, 2007. The tradition of officers wearing black bowler hats and carrying umbrellas goes back to the First World War.

Prince Abdul-Majid bin Abdul-Aziz, the governor of the Islam's holy city of Mecca, died Saturday after a long illness, a Saudi Arabian royal statement said. He was 65. Abdul-Majid, who was the half brother of Saudi King Abdullah, was flown to the United States where he died after sudden health deterioration, the statement said. The brief statement did not provide any other details about the cause of death or say exactly where the prince died in the U.S. It said he had undergone a surgery earlier and had traveled back to Saudi Arabia, but was flown back to the...

Poor Kate Middleton, dumped by the second in line to the British throne then displayed humiliatingly to the world as Prince William's "practice chick", the mere recipient of some of his wild oats. But judging by the astonishing Pommy snobbery unleashed in the week since the break-up of her almost five-year relationship, Middleton, 25, is well off out of it. British newspapers are full of quotes from the supposed upper classes about how Kate was too "common" to marry William, 24. Her mother, Carole Middleton, was "pushy, rather twee and incredibly middle-class", according to a royal source quoted by the...

THE Queen has appointed environmental consultants to turn the royal palaces into models of green efficiency, under pressure from her eldest son to provide a lead for the nation. Sources say that the Queen intends to emulate the Prince of Wales, who will announce in his annual review in July that he and his household at Clarence House are now “carbon neutral”. The Buckingham Palace consultants are expected to recommend significant changes in the conduct of official functions to reduce the use of helicopters and chartered planes. However, critics are likely to argue that genuine cuts in emissions can be...

Charles accused of 'green hypocrisy' By Caroline Davies Last Updated: 1:50am BST 31/03/2007 The Prince of Wales's aides have defended his decision to fly by private jet to Scotland for an Easter break with the Duchess of Cornwall yesterday, saying it was necessary because of his wife's health. The couple used a Royal Flight Hawker Siddeley 125 jet to fly to Aberdeen from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire - risking further accusations of hypocrisy by the prince in taking the least green option for the 500-mile journey. But Clarence House maintained the decision was made because of the duchess's ongoing convalescence...

NEW YORK - In the sensitive post-wardrobe malfunction world, some are questioning whether a guitar was just a guitar during Prince's Super Bowl halftime show. Prince's acclaimed performance included a guitar solo during the "Purple Rain" segment of his medley in which his shadow was projected onto a large, flowing beige sheet. As the 48-year-old rock star let rip, the silhouette cast by his figure and his guitar (shaped like the singer's symbol) had phallic connotations for some. A number of bloggers have decried "Malfunction!" — including Sam Anderson at New York magazine's Daily Intelligencer. Daily News television critic David...

Alas, Justin Timberlake didn't expose anyone's nipple this year. But, Super Bowl XL did offer a fries-with-that K-Fed, a surprising Letterman-Oprah cuddle, and - our personal favorite - an unsubtle allusion to what Prince usually hides behind his guitar (for the full effect, check out this YouTube clip.) And without any further foreplay, here are Usmagazine.com's Super Bowl celebrity highlights: It's one thing to pay celebrities to pimp your products, it's another to get celebrities to whore themselves out shamelessly for you! That's what GM did in this brilliant ad showing a demure and gorgeous Mary J. Bligeand others singing...

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS VS CHICAGO BEARS Sunday February 4, 2007 At Dolphin Stadium, Miami, FL 6:25PM ET TV Network: CBS

I have a strategy for the Vikings: Next time Brad Childress doesn’t want to hold a press conference, they should just hire Prince. Prince just (and I mean just, like three minutes ago) finished his Super Bowl press conference. He, like Childress, didn’t answer any questions. The difference is, this time nobody in the room cared. He played three songs, and again established that he’s one of the all-time great guitarists. I cover sports and play guitar, and watching Prince play guitar up close is much more impressive to me than watching Joe Mauer hit or Marian Gaborik skate. I...

Most men would jump at the chance to watch scantily-clad beauties dance on stage - but it seems pop star Prince is not impressed. The pop singer, 48, was in a Hollywood strip club when he offered gyrating dancers double their wages to stop dancing, according to The Sun. The ladies were strutting their stuff at top club Xenii when Prince reportedly told them that it was "wrong to dance like that". He added: "What would your parents think if they could see you now? "You're too good for this. You shouldn't be selling yourself so cheap." The dancers refused...

JAPAN'S Princess Kiko gave birth today to a baby boy – the first male heir to be born into the ancient imperial family in more than four decades, Japanese media reported. Princess Kiko, 39, the wife of the emperor's younger son, Prince Akishino, gave birth by Caesarean section after complications in her pregnancy, public broadcaster NHK said. The child will be third in line to the throne after crown prince Naruhito, the baby's uncle, and his father, Akishino. The birth is likely to stall debate on revising the 1947 imperial succession law to allow women to inherit the Japanese throne....