Angelique Chrisafis

Cannes jewellery heist takes shine off stars on red carpet day

guardian.co.uk — It could have been the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster: a thief creeps into a Cannes hotel room after dark and effortlessly makes off with over $1m worth of jewels destined to be worn by stars on the red carpet of the film festival.

Report: Torture evidence found in Syrian prisons

bigstory.ap.org — BEIRUT (AP) - Rights activists have found torture devices and other evidence of abuse in government prisons in the first Syrian city to fall to the rebels, Human Rights Watch said in a report Friday.Raqqa, in eastern Syria, was overrun in late February by rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad.

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iphone.leparisien.fr — Lycées menacés en Alsace : appel à témoin, 750 policiers et gendarmes mobilisés Plus de 750 policiers et gendarmes ont été déployés vendredi à titre préventif devant les 59 lycées du Bas-Rhin, et un appel à témoins a été lancé pour tenter d'identifier le jeune homme qui a menacé sur internet de commettre une fusillade dans un lycée du Bas-Rhin.

Italy says French call for European govt should be considered

reuters.com — "We take note with satisfaction the French position," Bonino told a news conference. She added Hollande's proposal "must be taken into consideration and must be explored". Hollande called on Thursday for an economic government for the euro zone with its own budget, the right to borrow, a harmonised tax system and a full-time president.

Jewellery heist hits Cannes film festival

guardian.co.uk — A million dollars' worth of jewellery to be worn by celebrities at the Cannes film festival has been stolen, according to French police. The items, which were snatched from the room of a Chopard employee at the Hotel Novotel, were in a security box, which was smashed and taken away.

François Hollande says eurozone needs its own full-time president

guardian.co.uk — François Hollande has called for a united "economic government" in the eurozone, with its own full-time president, budget and harmonised tax system. Hollande, who marks his first year in office as the most unpopular president in modern French history, said a more politically integrated EU would be key to his next years in office as he tries to dig France out of its slump and convince the public that he can still influence Brussels.

MP on Google tax avoidance scheme: 'I think that you do evil'

guardian.co.uk — Google and Amazon came under fierce attack from MPs and tax campaigners after fresh whistleblower allegations put further strain on claims by the internet giants that their multibillion-pound UK-facing businesses should not be taxed by Revenue & Customs. Margaret Hodge, chair of the public accounts committee, told Google's northern Europe boss, Matt Brittin, that his company's behaviour on tax was "devious, calculated and, in my view, unethical".