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He Ain't Hairy, He's My Brother
While Britain's government has come under fire for restricting freedoms, Socialist deputies in the Spanish parliament are planning a bill designed to give human rights to chimps, gorillas and orang-utans.
Liberty In London?
Critics of Tony Blair's government insist that controversial legislation passed since 2001 is undermining civil liberties in Britain.
Crime And Punishment
Britain's government "is more concerned that young men should not smoke cigarettes in prison or make silly jokes to policemen than that they should not attack and permanently maim their elders and betters", writes Theodore Dalrymple in The City Journal. Horrifying stuff from what's becoming an increasingly crazy country.
Black Hole In The East
The Times reports that the EU has squandered seven billion euros (£4.9 billion) on a redundant aid programme for Russia and eastern European countries.
A Web Of Red Tape
EU plans to extend audiovisual regulations to broadband services could have Brussels interfering in on-demand TV, internet and even weblogs.
Correspondent.com reports.
Algerian President Attacks French "Genocide"
Algeria's president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has said that French colonisation of his country was a form of 'genocide'.
State Of Fear
Iran's religious rulers are unleashing a new crackdown against women in western dress. Women wearing clothes deemed unislamic by the mullahs face fines or imprisonment, while police have been instructed to arrest other dangers to the state including people walking their dogs and "men with outlandish hairstyles." Fines for owning satellite television dishes have multiplied by fifty.
Is this the behaviour of a confident government?
Wake Me When It's Over
One of most common slogans chanted by protesting students in recent weeks was "rêve générale" - general dream. Part contemporary situationist slogan, part play on words on the ritual trade union warcry of "greve generale" - general strike - it says rather a lot about how the students and their supporters see the world.
No Publicity
Bloggers, thankfully, are relatively free from PR meddling in their commentary. If only the same could be said for the mainstream press. Correspondent.com has a look at the corrosive relationship Public Relations firms have on big media here - and what PRs really think of journalists.
Berlusconi Comes From Behind
This video shows something of what Italy and the world will be missing when Silvio Berlusconi steps down.
Berlusconi has vowed to stay on as PM until what he describes as voting irregularities are investigated. His supporters argue that votes from Italians abroad were not properly counted - ironic, really, when one considers that the voting abroad scheme was introduced by Berlusconi as a sure-fire means of keeping the left at bay.
An incredible 83 percent of Italians voted - a turnout they ought to be proud of, whatever their feelings on the result. For the losers, it's worth reflecting that democracy is like the free market: It's clearly far and away the best way to organise things, but that doesn't mean you always have to be thrilled by the results.
Still, it was nice to see a traffic warden get shafted for once.
Double Trouble
Italy and France are facing turmoil today. The reason is the same but different. The only semblance is humiliation.
Nanny Knows Best
Don't worry. Nanny is looking after you. The 'Nanny State' has awoken after a short nap.
Raise The White Flag
"The CPE is dead," says the first French newspaper to break the story: President Jacques Chirac has once again surrendered to street protests and scrapped the controversial First Employment Contract.
Back To School
Not all France's students are blockading schools and marching against labour reform. Some actually want to work - and accept that some change is necessary if France is to face up to the future. The Independent has a column from one such student, who says the French education system is in a bad enough condition without the added problem of strikers preventing other students from working:
"When politicians talk about youth unemployment, they should ask themselves why does France need 65,000 psychology students - a quarter of Europe's total student number in that subject? What use is training to become a sports teacher when 45,000 other people graduate with the same degree and there are only 400 job openings per year?"
The bad news for France - which desperately needs dissenting voices like this - is that the author is moving abroad next term. "I've had enough of France and its peculiar brand of 'excellence'," she writes. France's loss.
Rumble In The Jungle
Jacques Chirac's bad luck continues. The Guardian reports that his legacy project - a museum dedicated to his beloved African and Asian indigenous art - is coming under fire from commentators who claim its design is racist.
Bad For Business
As if France didn't have enough problems, the Republique is suffering from what one might call a bout of economic schizophrenia.
Journalists For Sale
It's bad enough having to deal with corrupt MEPs with their noses in the trough - now it's emerged that the EU parliament is paying journalists to report on its activity in Strasbourg!
Iran's Enriching Experience
The United Nations Security Council more-or-less wants Iran to stop enriching uranium, which Tehran insists is part of its civilian nuclear programme.
This Contract Is Deceased
Well, as predicted, president Jacques Chirac announced on Friday that he would sign the controversial CPE employment contract into law. He added, however, that he had demanded two changes to the law - both of which look likely to make the new contract worse than useless.
