The Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Red Shirts Run Amok

Turmoil in Thailand. The Bangkok Post headlines “Red Shirts Run Amok” and the inside pages are full of photos of clashes. One of the PM Abhisit Vejjajiva's security guards was among the dozens injured.  The PM declared a state of emergency on Sunday after red-shirted supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra forced the cancellation of the ASEAN summit in the southern resort of Pattaya. The Bangkok Post is widely seen as impartial but it is very angry in its tone. It has a cartoon alongside its main editorial showing red protestors putting a flame to democracy. It says the reds have gone too far and the time has come to draw the line.

 
The Nation (Thailand)
Political unrest takes its toll on tourism industry

Another English-language paper in Thailand - The Nation - reported over the weekend that foreign tour companies are cancelling bookings. It says more than a dozen countries have issued travel warnings on Thailand following the unrest. That’s an obvious direct impact of the scenes of the clashes being shown worldwide. Thousands of tourists were stuck in Thailand because of the political turmoil at the end of last year.

 
Liberation (France)
Au péril des pirates (Pirate peril)

The French daily headlines on the dangers of pirates, with a front page photo of the Lemacon family and their friends held by Somali pirates. Florent Lemacon was killed in gunfire during a French commando rescue operation on Friday. The paper’s editorial says that, regardless of the conclusions of an investigation into whether it was a French or Somali bullet that killed Lemacon, the ultimate responsibility lies with the pirates. The editorial argues, however, the only way to stop the piracy is to save Somalia itself. The country has had two decades of civil war and has been subject to famine. The paper says the pirates are former fisherman who have lost their livelihood because of over-fishing.


The Independent (UK)
Three pirates killed as US rescues kidnapped captain

The Independent reports on the rescue of US sea captain Richard Phillips. The paper says there have been 16 pirate attacks off the Somali coast in the last week and this one ended with a dramatic rescue by American snipers. Phillips is quoted as saying: “I’m just the byline. The real heroes are the Navy, the Seals, those who have brought me home.” The article points out that if the pirates had been allowed to get to shore, Captain Phillips would have joined more than 285 hostages already being held, along with 15 captured vessels.

Times Online (UK)
President Obama’s brother refused entry to Britain over ‘sex assault’

The above rescue bid was authorised by US President Barack Obama who is making news in the Times Online for another reason. The British paper’s web edition reports that one of his relatives has been refused a visa to enter the UK after he was questioned by police over an accusation of attempted sexual assault. Samson Obama, 41 years old, is one the US President’s half-brothers. The paper says he is alleged to have been living illegally in Britain when he was arrested last November. He denies any sexual assault.

The Guardian (UK)
Polar bear attacks woman at Berlin Zoo
And to end, a look at some of the photos of the 32-year-old woman who jumped into a polar bear enclosure during feeding time at Berlin Zoo on Friday. She was mauled by one of the polar bears and bitten several times before being rescued.