"THE RIGHT TO RIDICULE RELIGION"

Top of the Agenda: France on Alert Over Prophet Cartoons The French government announced that it would close its embassies, consulates, cultural centers, and international French schools (France24) on Friday in twenty Muslim countries after the Paris-based weekly,Charlie Hebdo, published offensive cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius defended the newspaper's right to publish the cartoons, but also questioned its judgment. "Is it relevant and intelligent in this environment to add fuel to the fire? The answer is no,'' he said on France Info radio. French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault recently announced that the government would not authorize weekend demonstrations over the anti-Islam video in Paris, and urged aggrieved readers to seek reparation through the courts. Analysis "The right to ridicule religion almost defines a free society. That right can never be surrendered. And you know what? Once it is established (or--as we now must say about the right to ridicule Islam--re-established), almost nobody will want to use it. Blasphemy remains interesting only so long as it retains the power to enrage. The way to deprive blasphemy of its power is not to ban it, but to disregard it. Until that happens, however, Western governments must not allow themselves to be conscripted into acting as the local censorship police for the Egyptian state," writes David Frum in the Daily Beast. "Of course people should be entitled to mock Islam and any other religion. However, in the current climate of racial and religious prejudice in Europe, how can these cartoons be helpful? Charlie Hebdo is waging a rearguard battle," writes Philippe Marlière in the Guardian. PACIFIC RIM Burmese Leader Receives Congressional Gold Medal Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi received the Congressional Gold Medal (VOA) at a ceremony on Wednesday in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Suu Kyi was awarded the medal in 2008 while under house arrest; she was finally released in 2010. The democracy leader described the occasion as "one of the most moving days of my life." SOUTH KOREA: Millionaire software entrepreneur Ahn Cheol-soo declared his candidacy for the South Korean presidency (Yonhap) on Wednesday. The three-way contest also includes the ruling Saenuri party's Park Geun-hye, who is aiming to be the country's first female president, and the Democratic United Party's Moon Jae-in. SOUTH ASIA National Strike Against India's Economic Reforms Protesters disrupted trains and forced shops and schools to close Thursday in a national strike against an economic reform package (AP) to cut fuel subsidies and open India's retail market to foreign companies. The backlash on reform has Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's coalition scrambling to shore up support and prevents early elections. MIDDLE EAST Israeli Airstrike Kills Two in Gaza Palestinian officials say two members of the Hamas security forces (BBC) were killed by an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials said the strike targeted "two terror operatives" in an effort to thwart an attack considered to be in "a very advanced stage of planning." IRAQ: Officials on Thursday refuted a Western intelligence report that Iran has used Iraqi airspace (Reuters) to fly weapons and military personnel to Syria to help the Assad regime battle an eighteen-month-old uprising. AFRICA Labor Unrest Continues in S. Africa's Mining Sector Two more people were reported killed by police during a demonstration against Anglo American Platinum company Thursday morning as labor unrest continued to spread throughout South Africa's mining sector. President Jacob Zuma said he has ordered military assistance to control the protests (AP). UGANDA: The African Union officially took over control of a military force tasked with hunting down Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony (AFP), who led a twenty-five-year insurgency against the Ugandan government. EUROPE For Sale: Greek Government Assets A day after Athens's finance minister revealed that Greece's national income was projected to fall by 25 percent by 2014, the economically embattled country announced on Wednesday that it would sell off assets, including islands, palaces, royal estates, and embassies (Guardian) in an effort to raise cash. PORTUGAL: Portugal's borrowing costs fell sharply on Wednesday (Euronews). Interest rates for the country's eighteen-month auction slipped below 3 percent from just over 4.5 percent in April. AMERICAS New Testimony on U.S. Gun Deals to Mexican Cartels A U.S. House oversight panel today is set to hear testimony from the inspector general of the Department of Justice about a new report detailing mistakes made by federal agents in the "Fast and Furious" operation that allowed U.S.-purchased guns to reach drug cartels (CNN) in Mexico. URUGUAY: The country's governing coalition has introduced for debate a bill creating state control overproduction and sale of marijuana (CSMonitor), as part of an effort to counter drug-related crime. But the measure faces popular disapproval as well as opposition from the United Nations. CAMPAIGN 2012 Romney Addresses Latinos at Univision Forum GOP nominee Mitt Romney attempted to increase his support among Latino voters last night at a forum sponsored by Univision by "softening his rhetoric on immigration" (Bloomberg). A non-profit organization released a new television ad (Examiner) in swing states criticizing President Obama's relations with the Muslim Brotherhood, ahead of next week's visit by Egypt's recently elected President Mohamed Morsi. Read more about the candidates' positions on immigration policy in this CFR Issue Tracker. Connect with CFR