Sarkozy's Son Sparks Nepotism Row after Being Tipped for Top Public Job
THE GUARDIAN: French president's son Jean tipped to head France's powerful La Défense development agency but critics say he lacks legitimacy

The Sarkozy dynasty was embroiled in another nepotism row today , after the French president's 23-year-old son Jean was tipped to head the public agency running Paris's La Défense , one of Europe's biggest business districts.

The young Sarkozy, who has not yet finished his university degree, is currently a local councillor in the wealthy Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, where his father rose to power 30 years ago. Dubbed "Prince Jean" by his critics, he has had a meteoric rise to power in his father's old fiefdom and currently leads the rightwing council majority in the Hauts-de-Seine, the richest department in France. >>> Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Friday, October 09, 2009

Guantanamo Row May Halt Queen’s Visit to Bermuda
Photo: The Sunday Times
THE SUNDAY TIMES: THE Foreign Office is threatening to cancel a state visit by the Queen to Bermuda after a row with the island over its “unacceptable” decision to give sanctuary to four former inmates of Guantanamo Bay.

The boycott is being considered after Bermuda infuriated David Miliband, the foreign secretary, by allowing the four men, all Chinese Muslim Uighurs, to stay on what is an overseas British territory.

The move followed a secret deal struck between Washington and the Bermudans. It was carried out without consulting Britain or the island’s governor.

Miliband protested to Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, about the pact. He told her the move was “invalid” because it breached Bermuda’s constitution, under which the UK has control over the island’s foreign and security policy.

The Uighurs are Muslim separatists from Xinjiang province. They had fled to Afghanistan in 2001 to escape Chinese oppression and were detained after they went to Pakistan.

Their arrival in Bermuda last month sparked an angry response from Sir Richard Gozney, the island’s governor. He summoned Ewart Brown, the Bermudan prime minister, for a dressing down. >>> David Leppard | Sunday, July 19, 2009

MP Pay Row Sparks Questions in Australia
THE INDEPENDENT: A row over political expenses in Britain spurred questions in Australia today, as a tabloid newspaper carried details of private homes purchased with taxpayer backing by members of parliament.

Leftist Prime Minister Kevin Rudd extended a pay freeze for politicians to judges and senior bureaucrats at the same time that the mass-selling Daily Telegraph newspaper said MPs were claiming travel expenses for living in their own Canberra homes.

"Up you for their rent," said the Sydney-based newspaper's headline, in a crude inference taxpayers were being saddled with living costs by their representative politicians.

The headline was placed against photographs of homes and apartments in the national capital, where Australian politicians regularly jet in from far-flung electorates to attend parliament.

Britain's House of Commons speaker stepped down yesterday in the wake of an expenses scandal that has damaged the reputation of parliament amid revelations taxpayer funds were used to claim everything from manure to chandeliers and porn films.

Australian MPs, using entitlements approved by parliament, were claiming travel allowances while living in private homes purchased for use during parliamentary sitting weeks over 4-5 months of the year, the Telegraph said. >>> Reuters | Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Denmark: Row over Court Veil Ban

BBC: Danish diplomats to Muslim countries are preparing themselves for another wave of anti-Danish protests after the government announced it would bar judges from wearing headscarves and similar religious or political symbols in courtrooms.

Although the ban will include crucifixes, Jewish skull caps and turbans as well as headscarves, the move is seen as being largely aimed at Muslim judges.

It comes after pressure from the Danish People's Party (DPP), known for its anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Earlier this month, the party produced a widely published poster showing a female judge wearing an all-encompassing burka.

The accompanying text argues that a Muslim headscarf is more than just a feather-light piece of clothing. Rather, it suggests, it is a symbol of submission and tyranny.

The final line of text reads: "Give us Denmark back."

Critics have argued that the burka imagery is misleading as the head covering is already banned from Danish courtrooms.

Cartoon crisis

But DPP leader, Pia Kjaersgaard, said: "Some might take offence because we are using a burka in our campaign. And so what?"

Mrs Kjaersgaard is a key ally of the Danish Prime Minister Fogh Rasmussen - a potential candidate for the newly-created position of president of Europe.

She has said that in hospital she would request another doctor were she to be introduced to one wearing a Muslim headscarf. Denmark: Row over Court Veil Ban >>> By Thomas Buch-Andersen | May 19, 2008

ECONOMIST.COM:
The Islamic Headscarf in Denmark: Covering Up >>> | May 29, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Denmark)