Latest update: 23/03/2011

- Florence Cassez - France - Mexico

Relations between France and Mexico turn icy over Florence Cassez's jail sentence

The French woman imprisoned in Mexico for being part of a kidnapping gang has lost her final appeal against her sentence. Judges have decided to uphold the 60 year sentence given to Florence Cassez in 2006, despite several requests by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to let her return to her home country. As a result, relations between France and Mexico are becoming increasingly strained.

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23/05/2012 - CANADA

Students in Quebec march against tuition fee hike

Student protests in the Canadian province Quebec are into their fourth month. Hundreds were arrested at marches to mark 100 days since the protests began. Students are demonstrating against an 80 percent rise in tuition fees in Quebec, the Canadian province that has until now enjoyed the country's lowest rates for higher education.

23/05/2012 - EGYPT

Egyptians head to the polls

Egyptians go to the polls in the country's first truly contested presidential election on Wednesday. With an array of candidates to choose from, voters will decide who's the best man to lead them through the last phase of the country's troubled democratic transition that began with Egypt's revolution in January last year. Cairo correspondents Kathryn Stapley and Sonia Dridi talked to some of the activists whose protests in Tahrir Square changed the course of Egypt's history.

22/05/2012 - EGYPT

A troubling time for Egypt's Coptic Christians

Egyptians go to the polls tomorrow to vote for a new president for the first time since Hosni Mubarak was ousted during the revolution last year. Two of the front-runners in the presidential race with a realistic chance of winning are devout Islamists, which is troubling for Egypt's Coptic Christians. They are Egypt's largest religious minority and many of them don't think any of the candidates are capable of protecting them from the religious violence that has been steadily increasing.

22/05/2012 - WEST BANK

'The Battle of the Empty Stomachs'

Palestinians nicknamed it "the battle of the empty stomachs". For weeks, 1,600 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails refused food and drink in what became the longest ever mass hunger strike. Israel finally capitulated and a deal was reached, allowing those in isolation back onto the general wards, and visas for those family members wishing to visit from Gaza. In exchange, prisoners agreed not to carry out "security activities" such as recruiting for terrorist missions.

21/05/2012 - SERBIA

Serbia's new president - nationalist or not?

Serbia has elected a new president - and it's not the one that most people were expecting. Tomislav Nikolic has unseated Boris Tadic, the man in power since 2004. Observers are worried about the new head of state, who used to be part of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party. He once said he would prefer to be allied with Russia than join the EU, but he has since toned down the rhetoric, saying he will take Serbia to Europe after all.

Comments (3)

Florence Cassez needs to pay

by Anonyme - 17/02/2011 - 02:25

Florence Cassez needs to pay on Mexico jail for the kidnapping crime

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Mexican POV

by Anonyme - 16/02/2011 - 23:03

I am Mexican and not as nationalist as you may think and i am aware of the huge problems in some parts of Mexico, but she has been judged by 3 different independent Tribunales (Ok, maybe some mexicans are corrupt, that is a cancer which has been hard to get rid of, due to the implicit way to handle things in lower class, but i know we are more good Mexicans that those who want to seek for the bad of this rich and vas country). We have to understand this, the kidnapping victims (whom we should actually be talking about, instead of florence) have confirmed she was part of the process including her participation in extracting blood from a kid that was kidnapped, in order to send along with a human ear to his father who was previously released to gather the money to pay the kidnappers that brought up pressure towards the family to get things done ASAP, a fact that no one can deny is that french accent is always noticeable weather they speak english, spanish or any language and the victims have claim to identify this accent, this is why i don't think she is innocent. Is she the guiltiest? Maybe not, maybe she was afraid too, maybe she is just cold blooded and careless about the victims, but she didn't only knew about the poeple that was hidden in the house she lived in, but she did nothing about it, and this is why she must remain in jail, i agree 60 years is almost an everlasting sentence for Florence, maybe it could be less, but the truth is that no head of state is in the position to argue or question a desition of a sovereign country for more good intention they may have, the years when France was a world superpower and their choices and declarations were heard everywhere have finished, and a prove to that is the behavior of the French president, the foreign affair chancellor, and the Minister of culture their comments have nothing to do with a refined diplomatic response, i am glad Mexico has responded by not participating in a One year celebration that according to Sarkozy, would have seeked to bring up Cassez issue (a convicted criminal) in every single event which falls too far apart to the main purpose of L'annne du Mexique au France. Nationalism and some people on the other end in Mexico should be more informed about foreign affairs, the treaty signed by Mexico & France in 2007 and the comparission to what an international prissioner could handle in its own country.

Hopefully for the sake of Mexico-France deep friend relationship, this will get to a good outcome and each of the counterparts can go half way into fixing this outstanding and stupid issue.

Andrés Serrato. Cancún Mexico

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Florence trial

by Anonyme - 16/02/2011 - 22:37

"The trial has been demonstrated", is the Mexico’s government statement. I know, because of course I really know how they work, that Mexico police accused several mistakes, because they did not follow the legal procedures. But one thing is certain; Florence for any reason was there…it means something... whatever, but something.

On the other hand regarding to the President of France request. Even though it was denied by Mr. Calderon, in that moment precisely , they both together would ask for a third party institution, for instance an International Court to determine whether she is guilty or not. Now for having omitted being polite which is the essence of diplomacy , we are involved in unnecessary troubles.

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