Hot and Steamy! More Sex, Please! We’re Brazilians!
THE TELEGRAPH: Brazilians can fight off chronic illness by engaging regularly in physical exercise, and particularly in sexual intercourse, the country's health minister said.

"People need to be active. A weekend football game must not be the only physical activity for a Brazilian. Adults need to do exercise: walk, dance and have safe sex," said Jose Gomes Temporao.

The minister gave the advice as he launched a campaign to prevent high blood pressure, which afflicts a quarter of Brazil's 190-million strong population. Brazilians told to have more sexual intercourse to avoid illness >>> | Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Diplomat Disciplined Over Pope Memo Is Named
THE TELEGRAPH: The diplomat who has been disciplined over a Foreign Office memo mocking the Pope was accused last night of being “clueless” about the Catholic faith.

Anjoum Noorani, 31, was the leader of the Papal Visit Team which drew up a document suggesting the Pope should launch his own range of “Benedict” condoms, open an abortion clinic and stay in a council flat in Bradford.

Mr Noorani, whose identity has until now remained secret, was moved to “other duties” after he gave authorisation for the memo to be sent to Downing Street and three Whitehall departments.

The memo, which was leaked to The Sunday Telegraph, threatens to overshadow the Pope’s entire four-day visit in September after it prompted fury in the Vatican and among Catholics in Britain.

Senior members of the church have described Mr Noorani and his team as having “not the slightest understanding of Catholicism”. None of the four-strong group is thought to be a practising Catholic.

The memo, which also called for the Pope to bless a homosexual marriage, was emailed around Whitehall by Steven Mulvain, a 23-year-old Oxford graduate who describes his sexual orientation on a social networking website as “gay”.

Mr Mulvain has not been disciplined for his role in the fiasco.

Mr Noorani, who, like Mr Mulvain, is a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford, chaired the “brainstorm” session which led to the “Ideal Visit” memo, which also proposed that the Pope should sing a duet with the Queen and sponsor a network of Aids clinics.

He worked as press secretary at the British Embassy in Russia between 2002 and 2007, where he dealt with all Russian media inquiries about Britain’s response to the murder of the former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. He was unavailable for comment last night and his mother, who lives in Windsor, said she “can’t say anything”.

Although the Vatican is now trying to draw a line under the memo fiasco, Papal aides believe the Government’s choice of non-Catholic staff typifies the “lack of respect” being shown towards the first ever state visit by a Pontiff. >>> Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Related:

THE TELEGRAPH: Pope's Visit to Britain Will Go Ahead Despite Offensive Memo, Says Vatican >>> Monday, April 26, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Pope 'Could Cancel UK Visit' Over 'Offensive' Foreign Office Memo >>> Gordon Rayner and Nick Pisa in Rome | Sunday, April 25, 2010

My comment, Sunday, April 15, 2010:

Such disgusting behaviour from the Foreign Office. What kind of low-life do they employ there these days? This is no way to behave; and it is certainy no way to treat the Pope. Would these same people have had the courage to write these things about the visit of a Muslim cleric? I think we all know the answer to that question! Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting! And if the Pope cancels his visit, no one should be at all surprised. – © Mark

Today’s comment:

Forgive me for asking, but isn’t this man a Muslim? So why ever would the Foreign Office make a Muslim the leader of the ‘Papal Visit Team’? It’s the Foreign Office that’s “clueless”, not Anjoum Nourani! If this man is indeed a Muslim, he’ll be anything but “clueless” about Roman Catholicism; on the contrary, he’ll be all clued up! He knew exactly what he was doing. Isn't this just another attack on Judeo-Christianity by a member of the “Religion of Peace”? – © Mark

Change Is in the Air in Hungary


LE TEMPS: Hongrie – La revanche de Viktor Orban : Le Fidesz de l’ancien premier ministre Viktor Orban a décroché la majorité des deux tiers des sièges au parlement après le second tour des élections législatives dimanche. L’extrême droite Jobbik devient la troisième force politique du pays après les socialistes qui s’effondrent >>> Maurin Picard | Lundi 26 Avril 2010

The Battle Over the Facial Veil in France

Solidarität mit Richter Garzón: Kundgebungen in Spanien für den von Franco-Anhängern drangsalierten Juristen
NZZ am SONNTAG: Dem bekanntesten spanischen Strafverfolger drohen wegen seiner Ermittlungen zur Franco- Diktatur ein Prozess und die Suspendierung. Dagegen haben Spanier am Samstag in über zwanzig Städten protestiert.

Zehntausende Spanier haben am Samstag ihre Solidarität mit Baltasar Garzón demonstriert. Unter den Teilnehmern der zentralen Veranstaltung in Madrid waren viele Nachkommen von Franco-Opfern, die Fotos ermordeter Familienangehöriger hochhielten. Zu den Protestmärschen unter dem Motto «Gegen die Straflosigkeit der Franco-Diktatur» hatten Opferverbände aufgerufen. Sie wurden von Intellektuellen, darunter der Schriftstellerin Almudena Grandes und dem Regisseur Pedro Almodóvar, unterstützt.

Der Oscarpreisträger Almodóvar sagte zum Schluss der Veranstaltung, die Würde der Opfer stehe auf dem Spiel. In einem Manifest äusserte er sich besorgt über die Konsequenzen des gegen Garzón eingeleiteten Verfahrens: «Dieser Prozess verachtet den Schmerz von Kindern und Enkeln und macht den Wunsch Hunderttausender spanischer Familien nach Gerechtigkeit zunichte.» >>> Cornelia Derichsweiler, Madrid | Sonntag, 25. April 2010

THE OBSERVER: Charismatic Judge Who Pursued Spain's Fascist Assassins Finds Himself on Trial >>> Giles Tremlett Madrid | Sunday, April 25, 2010

Lionel Richie: Do It to Me

Lionel Richie: Ballerina Girl

Nick Clegg Names Price for Labour: No Gordon Brown
TIMES ONLINE: The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg made clear today that he would be prepared to support a Labour Party that had slumped to third in the share of the vote — but not if Gordon Brown remained in No 10.

With opinion polls pointing to a hung Parliament, Mr Clegg said it would be “inexplicable” for Mr Brown to remain as Prime Minister if his party finished with fewer votes than the Tories or Lib Dems, even if Labour had the most seats.

But he said he would be prepared to work with anyone else within Labour or any other party that was prepared to deliver his aims — including electoral reform, which is an “absolute pre-condition” for renewing British politics. Read on and comment (With video) >>> Philippe Naughton | Monday, April 26, 2010

Griechenland-Hilfe: Die "Eiserne Kanzlerin" ist weich geworden
WELT ONLINE: Lange Zeit hat Angela Merkel Hilfen für Griechenland abgelehnt. Eine schnelle Hilfe für das krisengebeutelte Griechenland sei mit den Deutschen nicht zu machen, hatte die Bundeskanzlerin die anderen Regierungschefs im Euro-Club wissen lassen. Jetzt will sie doch zahlen. „Madame Non" gibt es nicht mehr.

Angela Merkel, die “Eiserne Kanzlerin”. Bild: Welt Online
Die Strategie Angela Merkels ist nicht aufgegangen. Lange Zeit verhandelte die Bundeskanzlerin auf europäischer Ebene über die Hilfe für Griechenland und versicherte gleichzeitig zu Hause, zu dieser Rettungsaktion werde es wohl nie kommen. Die Opposition spricht von einem monatelangen Versteckspiel, für das der Steuerzahler zusätzlich bezahlen müsse. Auch die FDP ist unzufrieden. Doch am Ende werden wohl alle Fraktionen die Griechenland-Hilfe mittragen.

Als „Madame Non“ und „Eiserne Kanzlerin“ war Merkel noch beim letzten EU-Gipfel Ende März in Brüssel tituliert worden. Eine schnelle Hilfe für das krisengebeutelte Griechenland sei mit den Deutschen nicht zu machen, hatte die CDU-Chefin die anderen Regierungschefs im Euro-Club wissen lassen. Der markige Auftritt kam hierzulande bei der Bevölkerung gut an. Innerhalb Europas dagegen warf man den Deutschen vor, sich unsolidarisch zu verhalten. >>> Von Dorothea Siems | Montag, 26. April 2010

Video “Finanzhilfe: Merkel für Griechenland-Hilfspaket” hier abspielen

L’ancienne ministre de la Justice a reçu les insignes de Grand Officier Wissam Al Alaoui
GALA.fr: Vendredi, Rachida Dati a été décorée par El Mostafa Sahel, l’ambassadeur du Maroc, qui a tenu à rendre hommage à la «trajectoire exemplaire» de l’eurodéputée.

«C’est un exemple pour tous les jeunes issus de l’immigration», expliquait vendredi dernier l’ambassadeur du Maroc, en parlant de Rachida Dati. L’ex-ministre de la Justice a été décorée des insignes de Grand Officier du Wissam Al Alaoui, au nom du roi du Maroc, Mohamed VI. >>> | Lundi 26 Avril 2010

Démission : La Belgique s’enfonce dans la crise
LE TEMPS: La Belgique s’est enfoncée dans la crise lundi avec la démission effective du gouvernement, faute de rapprochement entre Flamands et francophones. Cette situation rend probable des élections anticipées alors que le pays doit bientôt présider l’UE

«Le roi a accepté la démission du gouvernement que le Premier ministre lui avait présentée le jeudi 22 avril et a chargé le gouvernement de l’expédition des affaires courantes», a indiqué en fin d’après-midi le Palais royal dans un communiqué.
Une ultime tentative de conciliation faite par le ministre des Finances, le francophone Didier Reynders, pour relancer les négociations sur la question des droits linguistiques des francophones vivant dans la banlieue flamande de Bruxelles, a échoué lundi. Sonnant le glas des espoirs de compromis. Elections probables en juin >>> ATS | Lundi 26 Avril 2010

Egyptian Businessman Denies Murdering Lebanese Pop Star
THE TELEGRAPH: One of Egypt's most powerful businessmen has denied murdering his Lebanese pop singer lover in a case that has caused fascination across the Middle East.

Hisham Talaat Moustafa appeared in court along with one of his employees, Mohsen el-Sukkari, a former state security officer, who police say slit the throat of Suzanne Tamim in her Dubai apartment.

"It didn't happen. None of that happened," Mr Moustafa, dressed in white prison clothes, told the court from the black cage in which the men were held.

The two men have already been sentenced to hang by a court in Cairo, but a retrial was ordered by an appeal judge citing legal irregularities in the lower court.

The judge said defence requests went ignored in the trial and Mr Sukkari was first questioned in the absence of a lawyer.

The trial was postponed to Wednesday to allow the defence to review evidence. >>> Samer al-Atrush in Cairo | Monday, April 26, 2010

Related / Verbunden:

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Ägypten: Millionär soll wegen Mordes hingerichtet werden >>> dpa | Donnerstag, 21. Mai 2009

Pope's Visit to Britain Will Go Ahead Despite Offensive Memo, Says Vatican
THE TELEGRAPH: The Pope's visit to Britain will not be affected by the disclosure of a Foreign Office document mocking the Catholic Church, the Vatican said.



Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi has noted a Foreign Office apology and said the paper will have ''absolutely'' no impact on the Pope's visit in September, an official confirmed. >>> | Monday, April 26, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: Pope memo sent by 23-year-old Oxford graduate: A “puerile” Foreign Office memo which has thrown the Pope’s state visit to Britain into doubt was circulated by a 23-year-old Oxford graduate who once included “drinking a lot” among his hobbies. >>> Gordon Rayner and Nick Pisa in Rome | Monday, April 26, 2010

Related:

THE TELEGRAPH: Pope 'Could Cancel UK Visit' Over 'Offensive' Foreign Office Memo >>> Gordon Rayner and Nick Pisa in Rome | Sunday, April 25, 2010

Affaire du niqab: "Avoir des maîtresses n'est pas interdit!"
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: NATIONALITÉ | Un ministre français a menacé un homme suspecté de polygamie du retrait de sa nationalité. Celui-ci rétorque: "avoir des maîtresses n'est pas interdit en France".

Photo : Tribune de Genève
Le gouvernement français, confronté à une incertitude juridique et à une montée des incompréhensions avec la communauté musulmane, était dans l’embarras lundi après avoir menacé un homme d’origine algérienne suspecté de polygamie de lui retirer sa nationalité française.

Sur fond de débat sur le port du voile islamique intégral en France, l’affaire a commencé par un banal contrôle routier début avril. Dans l’ouest de la France, un femme portant le niqab se voit infliger une amende de 22 euros, au prétexte que son habit réduit son champ de vision.

Cette jeune femme choisit de médiatiser l’affaire pour dénoncer le climat de stigmatisation qui frappe selon elle les musulmans de France où le président Nicolas Sarkozy veut présenter prochainement une loi d’interdiction du voile islamique intégral. >>> AFP | Lundi 26 Avril 2010

TIMES ONLINE: Muslim butcher's many wives 'no worse than French mistresses': President Sarkozy's campaign against full Muslim veils took a comic turn today when an Islamist butcher claimed that his niqab-wearing "wives" were no different from the mistresses that Frenchmen traditionally enjoy. >>> Charles Bremner, in Paris | Monday, April 26, 2010

Family Detective: Nick Clegg
Nicholas Peter William Clegg was born in Chalfont St Giles in 1967. Photograph: The Telegraph
THE TELEGRAPH: An investigation into our hidden histories. This week: Nick Clegg. Nick Barratt reports

Nick Clegg won a closely fought contest this week to be the new leader of the Liberal Democrats, beating Chris Huhne to be the party's third leader in two years. Clegg's career in politics is relatively short-lived: he was elected Euro-MP for East Midlands in 1999 and then became MP for Sheffield Hallam in 2005. Prior to front-line politics, he worked for the European Commission from 1994, latterly with former EU Commissioner Leon Brittan, and was previously a Financial Times reporter. His candidacy is not uncontroversial given his part in the downfall of both Campbell and his predecessor, Charles Kennedy.

Who is he related to?

Nicholas Peter William Clegg was born in Chalfont St Giles in 1967 and is only one-quarter English. His mother, Eulalie Hermance van den Wall Bake, is Dutch but was born in Indonesia in 1936. When the Japanese army invaded in 1942, she was sent to a concentration camp with her parents, Hemmy and Louise, and two sisters. They were separated and spent the next three years in terrible conditions. On liberation, the family returned to Holland, but in 1956 Hermance travelled to England, where she met and later married Nick's father, also called Nick. Nick senior is half-English. >>> Nick Barratt | Saturday, December 22, 2007

Naughty Brits Still Smack Their Children. Not Good Enough, Says Europe
THE TELEGRAPH: Britain is one of the few countries in the world not to have completely banned smacking, European Union leaders say, as they called for a change in the law.

The British government’s “unwelcome” intrusion into family affairs was to blame for the delay in the complete ban of the practice, the Council of Europe warned.

The Council, a body which monitors compliance with the European convention on Human rights, also blamed traditional parenting practices that were based on “authority”.

The comments come ahead of a debate in Strasbourg on Tuesday where EU leaders and campaigners against the “corporal punishment of children” will criticise the UK government for not banning the practice completely.

Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, deputy secretary general of the Council of Europe, said on Monday that 20 countries had "formally abolished laws" against smacking since over the past three year.1998 ruling found it violated a child’s human rights.

"The UK is one of the countries that has not yet implemented a full ban," she said.

“In part, this is because the traditional parent-child relationship in the UK is one of authority [and] state intervention into family affairs is still not welcome.” Smacking ban delays caused by 'unwelcome government intrusion', Europe says >>> Andrew Hough | Monday, April 26, 2010

Labour in Turmoil as Pressure on Brown Grows
Gordon Brown. Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: Labour’s struggle to overcome the Liberal Democrat surge broke out into the open yesterday when Alan Johnson positioned himself to lead the party’s post-election talks with Nick Clegg.

Hours after the Liberal Democrat leader had ruled out keeping a defeated Gordon Brown in No 10, the Home Secretary risked deepening internal tensions by using a television interview to say that he did not share the “horror” of some colleagues at the prospect of power-sharing.

With ten days to go until the election, a YouGov poll in The Sun today confirms that Labour is in third place. The first postal votes have been cast already and start arriving at town halls today.

Mr Brown appeared on edge at the launch of his green manifesto in London yesterday, arriving late for his speech. Instead of discussing the environment, he used the opportunity to attack a range of Tory policies. >>> Francis Elliott, Deputy Political Editor | Monday, April 26, 2010

Designierte Ministerin: Özkans Kruzifix-Kritik entfacht heftige Entrüstung
WELT ONLINE: Mit ihrer Aussage, Kruzifixe gehörten nicht in staatliche Schulräume, zieht die designierte Ministerin Aygül Özkan (CDU) bayerische Wut auf sich. Ein CSU-Politiker hält ihr das Grundgesetz vor, ein anderer nennt ihre Äußerung indiskutabel. Und die Schülerunion will Özkan nicht im niedersächsischen Kabinett sehen.

Die designierte niedersächsische Sozialministerin Aygül Özkan (CDU) erntet mit ihrer Forderung nach einem Kruzifixverbot an staatlichen Schulen weiter entschiedenen Widerstand in den eigenen Reihen. Entrüstet äußerten sich insbesondere Politiker der CSU.

Bayerns Innenminister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) bezeichnete die Haltung Özkans als völlig indiskutabel. Der CSU-Politiker Herrmann sagte der in Düsseldorf erscheinenden „Rheinischen Post“, Deutschland sei von der christlichen Tradition geprägt. Das solle auch der jungen Generation in den Schulklassen vermittelt werden.

Der frühere bayerische Wissenschaftsminister Thomas Goppel (CSU) verwies die Deutsch-Türkin Özkan auf das Grundgesetz. Dieses sei nach der NS-Zeit mit ausdrücklicher Rückbesinnung auf das christliche Menschenbild verabschiedet worden, sagte Goppel, Vorsitzender des Geprächskreises der „ChristSozialen Katholiken“. >>> EPD/cn | Montag, 26. April 2010

Altkanzler: Helmut Schmidt geißelt "Größenwahn" der Manager
WELT ONLINE: Er lobte Richard von Weizsäcker und rechnete mit den "verachtenswerten Typen von Finanzmanagern" ab. Altkanzler Helmut Schmidt hat bei einer Würdigung für den Altbundespräsidenten die Schuldigen an der Wirtschaftskrise attackiert. An deren "Größenwahn" habe die Menschheit noch Jahre zu leiden.

Henry Kissinger war aus den Vereinigten Staaten nach Berlin gekommen, Vaclav Havel reiste aus Prag an und Helmut Schmidt machte sich aus Hamburg auf dem Weg – sie alle ehrten im Berliner Konzerthaus auf Einladung der Körber-Stiftung den Mann, der vor wenigen Tagen sein 90. Lebensjahr vollendete: Richard von Weizsäcker.

Das Leben des einstigen Staatsoberhauptes, sein Anteil an der Ostpolitik und die berühmte Rede vom 8. Mai 1985 kamen mehrfach zur Sprache. Außerdem ging es um die Zukunft Europas und die Weltpolitik, etwa den Umgang mit dem Iran.

Der sozialdemokratische Bundeskanzler a. D. würdigte den Altbundespräsidenten, der einst in der CDU Karriere gemacht hatte. Hinter einem schlichten Tisch in seinem Rollstuhl sitzend, ehrte Helmut Schmidt von Weizsäcker, dessen „Gedankenreichtum“ und seine „moralische Disziplin“.

Schmidt, diesmal ohne Zigarette, sprach von Weizsäcker mit „lieber Richard“ an, hanseatisch vollendet in der Sie-Form. Er benötigte nur wenige Momente, um die im Publikum erwartete „Schmidt Schnauze“ ertönen zu lassen. Von Weizsäcker habe sich nie für persönlichen Luxus interessiert, sondern für diesen „höchstens Verachtung“ übrig gehabt.

Er stehe damit im Gegensatz zu den „verachtenswerten Typen von Bank- und Finanzmanagern“, die mit „zügellosen Größenwahn“ der Welt mit der Wirtschaftskrise eine Rezession beschert hätten, unter der „beinahe die gesamte Menschheit noch Jahre zu leiden haben wird“, polterte Schmidt. >>> Von Daniel Friedrich Sturm | Sonntag, 25. April 2010

The Rootless World of the Super-rich
THE TELEGRAPH: Once, very wealthy people owned big estates in the country. Now they have homes all over the world and flit to and fro in private jets, yachts - or even submarines. Mark Palmer reports

Even before rumours began to circulate that it was haunted, David and Victoria Beckham had never slept a night in Domaine St-Vincent, the estate in Var-Provence they bought three years ago for £1.5 million. This might seem odd for those of us who can only fantasise about a second home in the South of France, but to the money-bags crowd there's nothing unusual about it at all.

In 2006, the super-rich - that exclusive group - like to see themselves as citizens of the world. They flit from one continent to the next, wheeling and dealing at 30,000 ft, always a few hundred miles ahead of the tax man but only a couple of clicks away from their PAs, solicitors, financial advisers, accountants, wives, mistresses and children.

"I was at an amazingly swanky wedding in Paris recently," says Stephen Bayley, the style guru and art historian. "With my pitiable suburban reflexes, I asked another guest where he was from. He said: 'I've just flown in from Ibiza. I have a flat here in Paris, but my real home is Rio. Anyway, tomorrow I'm going to my apartment in New York.' Then he added, and this is the interesting bit, 'In this milieu, we don't commit adultery, we travel'."

Once upon a time, the rich were rooted. They had big estates in the country. They were chairmen of local charities; they hosted the summer fête. Today, they are rootless - international nomads forever in search of fertile ground in which to sow the seeds of another bumper financial harvest.

Wander down the Bishop's Avenue in north London - which boasts Britain's highest concentration of multi-million pound homes - and you'll find the place practically deserted.

"That's one of the problems we have," says Trevor Abrahmsohn, head of Glentree International, a firm of estate agents that specialises in upscale houses in the area. "For a lot of people, this is their third or fourth home and sometimes they lose interest. They can't be bothered to live here and they can't be bothered to sell."

So, where are they? Well, they're everywhere and nowhere. Some follow the sun while others follow their business investments - and the best chance of seeing them in the same room is likely to be at art sales in London or New York. Never has the phrase "jet set" been quite so appropriate to describe this tribe, were it not for the fact that if you want to buy a plane with room for five passengers, there is a two-year waiting list. And never has the gap between the super-rich and the middle classes been so wide >>> Mark Palmer | Wednesday, June 07, 2006