La nouvelle diplomatie de Sarkozy
LE FIGARO: Nicolas Sarkozy a suscité beaucoup d'attentes à l'étranger en annoncant une réorientation diplomatique. Les experts relativisent.

INQUIÉTUDE RUSSE, perplexité chinoise, craintes arabes, résignation turque et, à l'inverse, satisfaction américaine et empressement britannique : c'est peu dire que les orientations diplomatiques de Nicolas Sarkozy ont suscité dans le monde des réactions contrastées. Le décalage est net entre ces jugements portés à l'étranger, anticipant des évolutions de fond de la politique étrangère de la France, et l'analyse des experts parisiens qui, eux, sont plutôt portés à minimiser l'idée d'une « rupture » diplomatique. La nouvelle diplomatie de Sarkozy à l’épreuve (encore) Par Alain Barluet

Mark Alexander

’The Fat Lady Sings’ for Tony Blair
FINANCIAL TIMES: Tony Blair on Thursday marked the beginning of the end of his decade as Britain’s prime minister when he announced his intention to step down as prime minister on June 27, paving the way for a transfer of power to Gordon Brown, the chancellor of the exchequer.

Mr Blair’s long-awaited resignation plans, delivered to party activists in his Sedgefield constituency in north-east England, bring down the curtain on the longest-serving Labour prime minister, and the most dominant British political figure since Margaret Thatcher.

“Sometimes the only way you can conquer the pull of power is to set it down,” he said.

Mr Blair acknowledged that he had made mistakes and had provoked “grievances that fester”. Expectations of him were possibly too high when he won his first of three general election victories in 1997, he said.

But he is issued a powerful appeal to his critics to consider his achievements in the round and to accept that he took decision, including the decision to go to war in Iraq, in good faith. “I ask you to accept one thing: hand on heart, I did what I thought was right.”

Mr Blair summed up his legacy as leaving behind a Britain that is “comfortable in the 21st century, proud of its past, confident of its future”. Blair to step down as prime minister on June 27 (more) By Ben Hall

BBC: Tony Blair's time at the top

NZZ: Tony Blair tritt am 27. Juni zurück

NZZ: Blairs ungewisses Erbe: Der Erfinder von «New Labour» hat viel erreicht und manches versäumt

FAZ: Blair kündigt Rücktritt für Ende Juni an

WELTONLINE: Tony Blair meint, dass zehn Jahre genug sind

LE FIGARO: Blair tire sa reverence

LE MONDE: Tony Blair quittera Dowing Street le 27 juin

Mark Alexander

Pope on the Offensive in Brazil: Supporters of Abortion Have No Future in the Church
TIMESONLINE: A combative Pope Benedict XVI opened his trip to Brazil yesterday in no-holds-barred mood, vowing to stem the defections of Roman Catholics to evangelical Protestantism and giving a warning that the penalty for supporting abortion was excommunication.

In uncompromising remarks on “core teachings” on board the papal plane from Rome, the Pope backed the Church hierarchy in Mexico for excommunicating politicians who voted for a law that legalised abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy in Mexico City, as well as doctors and nurses who performed abortions.

“This is nothing new, it is normal, it wasn’t arbitrary,” he told reporters. “It is what is foreseen by the Church’s doctrine.” He had reiterated previously the Vatican’s opposition to abortion but had not specifically backed the excommunications.

The Pope also spoke strongly against abortion during his first speech in Brazil. Speaking in Portuguese, he said he was certain that the bishops will reinforce “the promotion of respect for life from the moment of conception until natural death” as an integral requirement of human nature. Supporters of abortion have no future in Church, Pope tells faithful (more)

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Pope Attacks Mexico City Politicians

Mark Alexander

Le gendre du vice-ministre de la Défense d’Arabie Saoudite condamné à 10 ans de prison en France
LE FIGARO: Il est accusé d’avoir importé en France deux tonnes de cocaïne.

Comme dans un scénario de film, l’énorme cargaison de drogue serait arrivée de nuit à l'aéroport du Bourget, dans les bagages d’un prince saoudien, à bord d'un Boeing 727 privé. Mais des repentis colombiens ont dénoncé le vaste trafic, faisant tomber le prince mais aussi plusieurs barons colombiens de la drogue.

Le prince saoudien Nayef Bin Fawaz al Chaalan, 53 ans, a donc été condamné mercredi à 10 ans de prison par le tribunal correctionnel de Bobigny pour sa participation en 1999 à ce trafic de cocaïne. Les neuf autres prévenus se sont vus infliger des peines allant de 4 à 10 ans de prison. Un prince saoudien condamné à 10 ans de prison (encore)

KUWAIT TIMES: Saudi prince gets 10-year sentence

Mark Alexander

”Blair’s friends”
BBC: They are just ships that pass in the night, one captain climbing into the lifeboat, looking back not at his almost mutinous crew but blowing kisses across to another vessel where a new man is at the helm. But Tony Blair's attitude towards the election of Nicolas Sarkozy is more than a gracious and diplomatic gesture. It is Mr Blair defining Blairism. Europe diary: Blair’s friends (more)

Mark Alexander

Tony Blair félicite Nicolas Sarkozy (en français)



Mark Alexander

PM congratulates Sarkozy on French election win



Mark Alexander

The Pope in Brazil

Photo of the Pope in Brazil courtesy of the BBC

BBC: Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo for a five-day visit to the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation.

It is his first visit to Latin America since becoming Pope in April 2005.

He is to perform a series of open air Masses before travelling to Aparecida for the focus of the visit, a major conference of Latin American bishops.

There he is expected to touch on the growing challenge the Catholic Church faces from evangelical groups.

Talking to journalists on the flight, the Pope said his main concern in the region was the loss of millions of disaffected Roman Catholics to evangelical churches. Pope arrives in Brazil for visit (more)

WATCH BBC VIDEO: Brazil’s [Roman] Catholic numbers down

Mark Alexander

Wenn man im Urlaub im Styl von Vincent Bolloré ist

Foto von Vincent Bolloré dank der Sueddeutsche Zeitung

SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITNUNG: Im Fouquet’s brachte Vincent Bolloré den frisch gewählten Präsidenten auf die Idee. Ob der nicht ein paar Tage ausspannen wolle auf seiner Yacht im Mittelmeer? Sogar seinen Privatjet würde der Industrielle ihm zur Verfügung stellen, um nach Malta zu fliegen.

Nicolas Sarkozy hatte einen anstrengenden Wahlkampf hinter sich. Seit nicht einmal zwei Stunden war es geschafft, er hatte gewonnen und saß nun mit seinen Freunden abgeschirmt im Edelrestaurant an den Champs-Elysées: mit dem Selfmade-Milliardär Vincent Bolloré, mit seinem Trauzeugen und Baukönig Martin Bouygues und anderen illustren Persönlichkeiten aus der Pariser Geschäftswelt.

Es ist eine schöne Yacht, die ihm sein Freund Bolloré da anbot: 60 Meter lang, Whirlpool, Karaoke-Bar, sieben Kabinen, sehr stilvoll eingerichtet. Jedermann kann sie sich im Internet ansehen, die Paloma, und mieten kann man sie auch, für 173.000 Euro pro Woche, wohlgemerkt ohne Personal und Verpflegung. Porträt: Vincent Bolloré - der Gastgeber Sarkozys (mehr)

Yacht “Paloma”

Yacht “Paloma”: Interior

Yacht “Paloma”: Specifications

Mark Alexander

Esfandiari, an Iranian-American Academic, Held in Iran’s Notorious Evin Prison
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE: CAIRO, Egypt: An Iranian-American academic who works at a Washington-based institute is being held in a notorious Iran prison after being prohibited from leaving the Mideast country for more than four months, the institute and her husband said Wednesday.

Haleh Esfandiari, the director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, was sent Tuesday to the Evin prison after she arrived at Iran's Intelligence Ministry for questioning, the center said in statement.

Iran has not confirmed that it is detaining Esfandiari, and officials in Tehran could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
"This is extremely disturbing news," said Esfandiari's husband, Shaul Bakhash, in a telephone interview from their home in Maryland. "I never expected they would jail a 67-year-old woman for no reason whatsoever." Iranian-American academic held in notorious Iran prison (more)

Mark Alexander

Gaza Terrorists Claim UN Converting Muslims to Christianity
YNET NEWS: Gaza terrorists claim UN 'converting our Muslims under the cover of an international organization'

A deadly attack Monday against a United Nations school in the Gaza Strip was carried by an Islamist extremist group, according to a statement faxed to WND which claimed the UN was targeted because the international body was "spreading Christian missionary activity."

"The UN is spreading Christian missionary. We will keep hitting them and trying to kill them. They are trying to convert our Muslims under the cover of an international organization," said the statement, signed by the group Jihadia Salafiya. UN attacked for spreading Christianity (more)

Mark Alexander

King Herod’s Tomb ‘Found’

Photo courtesy of the BBC

BBC: An Israeli archaeologist says he has found the tomb of King Herod, the ruler of Judea while it was under Roman administration in the first century BC.

After a search of more than 30 years, Ehud Netzer of the Hebrew University says he has located the tomb at Herodium, a site south of Jerusalem.

Herod was noted in the New Testament for his Massacre of the Innocents.

Told of Jesus' birth, Herod ordered all children under two in Bethlehem to be killed, the Gospel of Matthew said.

According to the New Testament, Jesus' father Joseph was warned of the threat in a dream and fled with his wife and child to Egypt. King Herod’s ancient tomb ‘found’ (more)

WATCH BBC VIDEO: King Herod’s tomb ‘found’

Mark Alexander

Paris veut que la Banque mondiale se prononce “rapidement” sur le sort de Wolfowitz
TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: La France a souhaité aujourd'hui que le conseil d'administration de la Banque mondiale (BM) "se réunisse rapidement pour se prononcer" sur le sort de son président accusé de népotisme, Paul Wolfowitz.

Le maintien de l'Américain à la tête de la Banque mondiale semble plus que jamais compromis, le comité d'éthique de l'institution multilatérale ayant conclu dans un rapport que M. Wolfowitz n'avait pas respecté les règles."Nous souhaitons que le conseil d'administration se réunisse rapidement pour se prononcer sur la base de ce rapport et des observations que pourrait faire M. Wolfowitz", a déclaré à la presse le porte-parole du ministère des Affaires étrangères, Jean-Baptiste Mattéi. Wolfowitz: Paris veut que la Banque mondiale se prononce "rapidement" (encore)

Mark Alexander

Séjour de Sarkozy n’avait “pas couté un centime aux contribuables”

Photo grâce au Figaro

LE FIGARO: Depuis Malte, le président élu a réagi à la polémique qui sévit en France autour de son séjour, rappelant que ce dernier n'avait "pas coûté un centime aux contribuables".

Après deux jours d’effervescence, Nicolas Sarkozy est personnellement intervenu aujourd’hui sur la polémique au sujet de son séjour sur l’île de Malte. Une polémique qui n’a pas lieu d’être selon lui. Interrogé par Europe 1, interrompant un jogging, le nouveau chef de l’Etat a rappelé son droit à ces quelques jours de repos : ''La Constitution me donne ces quelques jours, j'ai voulu en profiter tranquillement. Et, vous savez, je sais que les Français sont des gens très lucides, qui raisonnent, et qui savent faire la part des choses entre la polémique politique, politicienne, et la réalité des choses'', a expliqué Nicolas Sarkozy avant d’ajouter : ''J'avais besoin de me retrouver avec ma famille, j'avais besoin de prendre du repos. Je rentre cet après-midi, demain matin je serai au bureau". Nicolas Sarkozy : "Je n’ai pas l’intention de m’excuser" (encore)

Mark Alexander

Flashing those legs could become illegal in Poland

Photo courtesy of Google Images

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: One Polish legislator has announced plans for a bill that would ban miniskirts and other "enticements" -- with the goal of reducing street prostitution. But the move is also part of a wider culture war.

A Polish lawmaker has called for a miniskirt ban as part of an overall crusade against the "enticement to sex" by women in public.

Artur Zawisza, a Catholic member of the breakaway "Right of the Republic" party (Prawica Rzeczypolpoliteij), wants to ban miniskirts as well as heavy makeup and see-through or low-cut blouses in a proposal he says is aimed at prostitutes. His initiative would rob Polish streetwalkers of a means of making a living, he says, according to Newsweek Polska. A Miniskirt Ban in Poland? (Read on)

Mark Alexander

The 'Master of Spin', the New 'Interfaith Ambassador', Finds His True Vocation: 'Spinning Them' about Islam
TIMESONLINE: Tony Blair intends to create a global foundation to foster “greater understanding” between the three “Abrahamic faiths” of Christianity, Judaism and Islam after he leaves Downing Street, The Times has learnt.

The Prime Minister, who tomorrow will announce his time-table for resignation, is expected to make the project the main focus of his energies when he leaves office this summer.

A member of his tight-knit inner-circle of advisers confirmed yesterday that Mr Blair is looking to “set up some sort of interfaith organisation”, saying: “He sees this as where the action is and nobody else is really doing it.” Blair aims to foster interfaith dialogue after leaving No 10 (Read on)

DAILY MAIL: Blair expected to say farewell in Sedgefield tomorrow

Mark Alexander

French Socialists Criticise Sarkozy for Holidaying on Bolloré’s Private Yacht
FINANCIAL TIMES: Nicolas Sarkozy has sailed into trouble by spending his post-presidential election holiday on a private yacht, belonging to one of France's richest men, off the coast of Malta in the Mediterranean.

Officials from the opposition Socialist party criticised the incoming president for taking a three-day break away from the spotlight on a 60-metre yacht owned by Vincent Bolloré, the billionaire corporate raider.

"What is a problem, is the style of this holiday, the fact that it is on the yacht of a rich businessman and we don't know today if it was the Republic that covered the expense of this trip," said François Hollande, leader of the Socialist party.

"We thought the Chirac presidency was over and it was what Mr Sarkozy doubtless called 'a rupture' but I see that it is more a question of continuity," he said, referring to outgoing president Jacques Chirac's penchant for luxury holidays. Sarkozy sails into storm over holiday on private yacht (Read on)

Mark Alexander

Atatürks säkulare Türkei steht vor Zerstörung
WELTONLINE: Säkulare und liberale Türken erleben ein böses Erwachen. Atatürks Erbe steht vor der Zerstörung. Nicht durch eine äußere Macht, sondern von innen, durch Menschen, die einen islamischen Staat herbeisehnen, warnt Islamkritikerin Ayaan Hirsi Ali auf WELT ONLINE.

Seit Kemal Atatürks Zeiten ist die Türkei gespalten in jene, die den Staat nach islamischen Leitsätzen führen wollen, und solche, die Allah aus dem öffentlichen Raum heraushalten wollen. Die Befürworter des Islam in der Regierung wie Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Abdullah Gül und ihre AKP sind bemerkenswert erfolgreich gewesen. Anders als die säkularen Liberalen haben sie begriffen, dass man die Demokratie mit demokratischen Mitteln aushöhlen kann. Auf diese Einsicht gründet sich ihre machtvolle Strategie. Drei Säulen dieser Strategie verdienen eine eingehende Betrachtung. Wie Islamisten die Herzen der Türken erobern (mehr)

Mark Alexander

« Plus de mille véhicules ont été brûlés depuis dimanche soir en France »
LE FIGARO: Plus de mille véhicules ont été brûlés depuis dimanche soir en France, souvent en marge de manifestations organisées par l'extrême gauche.

TROIS jours après l'élection de Nicolas Sarkozy, les forces de l'ordre demeurent sur les dents. L'embrasement tant redouté des banlieues n'a certes pas eu lieu. Pourtant, depuis dimanche soir, les incidents sporadiques se sont multipliés à Paris et dans plusieurs villes de province. Selon des analystes de la place Beauvau, ces bouffées de violence semblent reposer sur deux ressorts : la colère de jeunes exclus dans les cités sensibles et, dans une plus large mesure, l'activisme de l'extrême-gauche au coeur des grandes agglomérations. Comme au soir du second tour, l'est de Paris a été le berceau, dans la nuit de lundi à hier, d'une manifestation hostile orchestrée par 250 jeunes sympathisants socialistes ainsi qu'un « noyau dur » d'une cinquantaine de militants de l'ultra-gauche (lire ci-dessous). Vers 20 heures, le cortège, scandant « Sarko, facho ! Le peuple aura ta peau ! » ou « Sarko, racaille, il faut que tu t'en ailles ! », a bloqué la place de la Bastille avant de fondre sur la rue de la Roquette. « Les plus virulents, armés de marteaux, étaient venus dans le seul but de casser », déplore un commissaire parisien. Des escarmouches ont éclaté avec les forces de l'ordre tandis que des vitrines ont été brisées et dix voitures incendiées dans les XIe et XIIe arrondissements. L'ultragauche se déchaîne contre Sarkozy (encore)

LE MONDE: Nouvelle soirée de manifestations hostiles à Nicolas Sarkozy

Mark Alexander

Olli Rehn et la Commission européenne contre Nicolas Sarkozy
LE FIGARO: Le président de la Commission rappelle que le processus d'adhésion d'Ankara a été approuvé à l'unanimité.

LA COMMISSION européenne monte au créneau, depuis trois jours, pour défendre la candidature de la Turquie, menacée par les déclarations du futur président français. Hier, Olli Rehn, le commissaire à l'Élargissement, recevait le négociateur turc Ali Babacan, à Bruxelles et a tenté de le rassurer. Une « conférence d'adhésion » est prévue à Bruxelles le 26 juin prochain, afin d'ouvrir trois nouveaux chapitres de négociation - sur 35 au total. Les chapitres en question concernent la politique économique et monétaire, les statistiques et le contrôle financier. Leur ouverture ne pose en principe aucun problème technique, sauf si la France décidait d'y opposer son veto. « Ce sera la première occasion de tester la nouvelle position française sur la Turquie », remarque-t-on à Bruxelles. « S'il y a blocage, il y aura une crise majeure entre la France et la Turquie », prévient-on à la Commission. Bruxelles défend la Turquie contre Sarkozy (encore) d’Alexandrine Bouilhet

Mark Alexander

BAE shrugs off concerns about US fall-out and continues to drive deep into US market
THE TELEGRAPH: BAE Systems is shrugging off concerns about the US fallout from corruption allegations involving Saudi Arabia and driving deeper into the huge American defence market.

The British defence giant has agreed to pay $4.1bn (£2bn) cash to buy Armor Holdings, the military vehicle manufacturer that also provides armour plating for the Humvee and other front-line transporters.
BAE plans to raise £750m selling new shares to pay for Armor.

A successful takeover would increase turnover in the US from 36pc to 42pc of the group total and catapult BAE into sixth place in the Pentagon's list of major suppliers of military hardware. BAE drives deep into US (Read on) By Roland Gribben

Mark Alexander

Zum Trotz der Europäer wird mit der Türkei weiter verhandelt

Bild dank der NZZ

NZZ: Weitere Kapitel sollen eröffnet werden
Die EU-Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der Türkei sollen fortgesetzt werden. Dies erklärte der Erweiterungskommissar der Europäischen Union, Rehn, am Dienstag nach einem Treffen mit dem türkischen Chefunterhändler Babacan. Ungeachtet der politischen Krise in der Türkei sollen weitere Verhandlungskapitel eröffnet werden. Die EU will Verhandlungen mit der Türkei fortsetzen (mehr)

Mark Alexander

Leading Governments of Europe Want Wolfowitz Out

Photo of Paul Wolfowitz courtesy of SpiegelOnline International

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Leading governments of Europe signaled that they were willing to let the United States choose the bank's next chief if Paul D. Wolfowitz stepped down soon, officials said.

Leading governments of Europe, mounting a new campaign to push Paul D. Wolfowitz from his job as World Bank president, signaled Monday that they were willing to let the United States choose the bank's next chief, but only if Mr. Wolfowitz stepped down soon, European officials said. Deal Is Offered for Chief’s Exit at World Bank (Read on)

Mark Alexander

BAE closely examined by US in the alleged bribery of Saudi officials case
FINANCIAL TIMES: Congress is stepping up its scrutiny of the UK government’s move to halt a bribery investigation into BAE as the British company increases its US profile with the $4.1bn purchase of Armor Holdings.

The deal – for the biggest maker of armour for Humvee transport vehicles – cements BAE’s status as the Pentagon’s largest foreign contractor.

Washington issued a formal protest in January after the UK Serious Fraud Office prematurely terminated an investigation into allegations that BAE might have bribed officials in Saudi Arabia to secure defence contracts. US steps up scrutiny of BAE case (Read on)

Mark Alexander

Sarkozy Has His Work Cut Out For Him: It’s Going To Be A Rough Road Ahead
FINANCIAL TIMES: The election of Nicolas Sarkozy as the next president of France was greeted with a light smattering of riots across the country. Mr Sarkozy knows that could be just the aperitif. There is a real risk of social unrest, as France’s new president tries to deliver on his promise of “rupture” with the past.

Mr Sarkozy knows that three prime ministers of the Chirac era – Alain Juppé, Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Dominique de Villepin – were forced to abandon economic reforms in the face of popular demonstrations. But he is determined that things will be different this time. One member of the Sarkozy inner circle argues that previous rounds of reform failed because President Jacques Chirac lost his nerve. With “Nicolas” in the Élysée palace, things will be different.

The new president will certainly need nerves of steel because the reforms he hopes to push through in his first 100 days in office could almost be designed to antagonise every strike-happy interest group in the country. France braced for stiff dose of Thatcherism (Read on) By Gideon Rachman

FT: Sarkozy picks moderate as premier

NZZ: Sarkozy will von Reformen überzeugen: Keine Konfrontation mit Gewerkschaften

Mark Alexander

Little Time for Relaxation in Malta for Sarkozy
SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: France experienced another night of riots and demonstrations on Monday night in reaction to Sarkozy's victory. But the president elect was already far away with his family on the island of Malta. It is unlikely that he will find much time to relax: he has to form his cabinet, prepare for parliamentary elections and brace himself for battle with the trade unions. Riots Plague Paris as Sarkozy Turns to Tasks Ahead (Read on)

Mark Alexander

Die Deutschen essen sich krank

Foto dank Google Images

SPIEGELONLINE: Zu viel, zu fett, zu süß: Die Bundesbürger futtern sich krank, und das kostet. Die Bundesregierung will mit einem Aktionsplan die Bürger gesünder machen und so einige Milliarden einsparen - in der Mittagspause soll es losgehen.

Berlin - Das Kantinenessen in Deutschland soll besser werden, und überhaupt sollen die Deutschen sich gesünder ernähren. "Bereits 26 Prozent der Bevölkerung essen einmal täglich auswärts, das sind acht Prozent mehr als vor zehn Jahren", heißt es in einem Eckpunkte-Papier zum Aktionsplan Ernährung der Bundesregierung, das der Deutschen Presseagentur (dpa) vorab vorliegt. Ungesunde Ernährung soll 70 Milliarden Euro im Jahr kosten (mehr)

Mark Alexander

Nuit “chaud” à Paris et dans plusieurs grandes villes en France dans la nuit de lundi à mardi

Photo grâce au Figaro

LE FIGARO: Pour la deuxième nuit consécutive, des incidents qui ont éclaté dans la nuit de lundi à mardi dans plusieurs grandes villes. Le bilan de la nuit de dimanche à lundi a, lui, été revu à la hausse. Nouvelle nuit "chaude" en France (encore)

Mark Alexander

Neue Krawalle in Frankreich gegen Sarkozy

Fotodank der Neuen Zürcher Zeitung

NZZ: Gewaltsame Ausschreitungen
Wie in der Wahlnacht haben am Montagabend Jugendliche in mehreren französische Städten gegen die Wahl des Konservativen Nicolas Sarkozy zum Präsidenten demonstriert. Dabei kam es erneut zu Ausschreitungen. Wieder Proteste gegen Sarkozy (mehr)

Mark Alexander

Mass Rally by Far-Left to Give Amnesty to 500,000 Illegal Migrants
THE TELEGRAPH: A mass rally yesterday called for a one-off amnesty to allow hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the UK to become full citizens.

The Strangers Into Citizens campaign, which attracted thousands of supporters to Trafalgar Square, proposes that migrants who have been in Britain for more than four years should be given a two year work permit without access to benefits.

Then, at the end of the two years, they would be given indefinite leave to remain, subject to criteria such as an English test, criminal checks and employer references.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, who held a multilingual mass at Westminster Cathedral beforehand, told the rally that immigrants deserved to be treated with "fairness, with justice and with dignity". Amnesty demanded for 500,000 immigrants

Mark Alexander

”United We Must Always Remain”, says Queen

Photo of The Queen and President Bush at the White House State Banquet courtesy of the BBC

"Administrations in your country and governments in mine may come and go, but talk we will, listen we have to, disagree from time to time we may, but united we must always remain” – The Queen

BBC: The Queen has delivered a strong defence of the special relationship between Britain and the US.

At a White House banquet, she said "the lesson of my lifetime" had been that the partnership "was always to be reckoned with" in defending freedom.

WATCH BBC VIDEO: Bush welcomes Queen in US

Queen praises UK-US partnership

Mark Alexander

Sarkozy est arrivé à Malte avec son épouse, Cécilia

Photo de Sarkozy et son épouse, Cécilia, grâce à Google Images

LE FIGARO: Le futur hôte de l’Elysée est arrivé en début d’après-midi sur l’ile méditerranéenne a annoncé la télévision maltaise.

Fin du suspense! On connaît désormais le lieu où le nouveau chef de l’Etat passera quelques jours avant la passation des pouvoirs avec Jacques Chirac prévue vers le 17 mai. Nicolas Sarkozy est arrivé lundi en début d'après-midi à Malte à bord d'un avion privé, a annoncé la télévision maltaise. L'information a été confirmé un peu plus tard par une source policière française. Le président Sarkozy est à Malte (encore)

LE FIGARO: Pourquoi Sarkozy a choisi Malte

Mark Alexander

The Excesses of Lord John Browne and Why Your Petrol Costs So Much!

Photo of Lord John Browne courtesy of Google Images

THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: At the time it all seemed too much - too plainly far-fetched - for Jeff Chevalier to take in. But here he was, a 25-year-old once-penniless Canadian male prostitute, sitting down to dinner with the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

And the two men were liberally helping themselves from a £3,000 bottle of claret.

The wine was the personal choice of Lord Browne of Madingley - the boss of British Petroleum, Britain's most senior businessman and host of the dinner party in question.

"Mr Blair didn't know what it was but he absolutely loved it," Mr Chevalier recalls. "It was a 1983 French claret."

Lord Browne had originally met Mr Chevalier through a male escort agency; now the pair were partners.

The tycoon had installed the young Canadian in his £5million Chelsea apartment and was showing him off to the cream of London society.

The cosy dinner for Tony Blair in the summer of 2005 came amid a seemingly endless merry-go-round of dinners, lunches, soirees and parties that Mr Chevalier was summoned to by his tycoon lover, 34 years his senior.

He was flaunted before business and political contacts, diplomats and artists; there were holidays in private compounds in Barbados and opera in Salzburg and Venice (enjoyed alongside Prince and Princess Michael of Kent in their private box).

In Venice, Mr Chevalier would find himself chinking glasses with Elton John and Jude Law.

Travel would routinely be by private jet - which the businessman appeared to regard as a private plaything.

Today [May 6, 2007], in an exclusive interview in The Mail on Sunday, Jeff Chevalier gives a stunning account of the extravagance of life at the top of BP. The true story about Lord Browne – by ex-rent boy lover (Read on) By Dennis Rice

Mark Alexander

Bush Honours Queen

Photo of the Queen courtesy of Google Images

BBC: The Queen was honoured with a 21-gun salute as she met President George W Bush in Washington DC on the final leg of her US visit.

Standing outside the White House, the Queen said Britain and America had a "close and enduring" friendship.

The president said the Queen was "a good person, a strong leader and a great ally".

Later the Queen will be guest of honour at a state banquet and will visit the Children's National Medical Centre.

The state visit has included trips to the site of the first permanent English settlement in the US and the famous Kentucky Derby horse race. Bush honours Queen at White House (Read on)

WATCH BBC VIDEO: Washington welcomes Queen

Mark Alexander

The Queen and Her Rôle

Photo of the Queen in Jamestown courtesy of the BBC

NEWSWEEK: Though much of Elizabeth's role is symbolic, she also subtly wields a personal, but very real, power.

May 7, 2007 issue - On Feb. 6, 1952, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was distraught when he heard King George VI had died. His secretary, John Colville, tried to console him by assuring him he would get on well with the new queen, Elizabeth II: "But all he could say was that he didn't know her, and that she was only a child." She was 25 at the time. A year later, a royal aide confided that Churchill was so fond of her he could "scarcely speak of her without tears coming into his eyes." The Royal Consigliere (Read on) By Julia Baird (Newsweek)

Mark Alexander