Nicolas Sarkozy: Muslims should not feel 'stigmatised' by burka ban

Mr Sarkozy told a cabinet meeting, which approved the bill that could become law this autumn, that France was an old nation that could not allow its vision of women's dignity and public order to be violated by the veil. "This is a decision one doesn't take lightly," Mr Sarkozy said. "Nobody should feel hurt or stigmatised. I'm thinking in particular of our Muslim compatriots, who have their place in the republic and should feel respected." According to the law, nobody in France will be allowed to wear a garment "designed to hide the face". Those who breach the ban will be fined 150 euros (£129) or sent on a course to learn the values of French citizenship. Those who force someone to cover their face because of their sex will be jailed for a year and fined 15,000 euros (£12,900).

'Everybody Draw Mohammed' Day Unleashes Facebook Fracas

What started out as a cartoonist's call to action against censorship -- an open invitation to submit caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad -- has led to death threats, a court order and a call for a boycott of Facebook. What started out as a cartoonist's call to action against censorship -- an open invitation to submit caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad -- has led to death threats, a court order to temporarily block parts of the website in Pakistan and a call for a boycott of Facebook to protest what Muslims believe is blasphemy. "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!" began last month as the brainchild of a Seattle-based cartoonist named Molly Norris, who was appalled by Comedy Central's decision to censor an episode of "South Park" that depicted Muhammad in a bear costume. As a way to protest the network's decision -- which came after an Islamic extremist website warned of retaliation against the show's creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker -- Norris created a poster with likenesses of Muhammad as a domino, a teacup and a box of pasta. She declared May 20 "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!" -- and her efforts quickly went viral, spawning several Facebook pages with thousands of followers dedicated to the event.  They also prompted a "protest" movement by thousands of other Facebook users opposed to it.

Major powers agree on sanctions against Iran

The United States won agreement from China, Russia and other major powers on tough new sanctions against Iran's nuclear program Tuesday, a day after Tehran sought to stave off penalties through a deal to swap nuclear materials. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told a Senate committee that the five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council — Britain, China, France, Russia and the U.S. — along with Germany would present the full council with a draft resolution later Tuesday, capping months of diplomatic maneuvering and painstaking negotiations.