Ai Weiwei Gets the first family visit

Ai Weiwei was arrested while trying to climb on board a plane to Hong Kong-bound for Beijing detained Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was allowed his first contact with his family since his arrestThere are more than 40 days.

The artist met his wife at an undisclosed location Sunday and told him that he is, his sister told the BBC.

Mr. AI is supposed to be under investigation for alleged economic crimes. "

The artist is a complaint from a lack of fundamental freedoms, critical of the Government and often incorporating these political themes in his work.

Wife of ai Weiwei Lu Qing has been taken by the Chinese police to meet her husband Sunday afternoon.

The artist's sister has said to the BBC Lu Qing was summoned to the police station and taken to another location where it was allowed a brief meeting with her husband.

Continue reading the main story supported the online campaign to compile the names of the children who died in the earthquake 2008 - many schools whose construction has been have been compromised because of the corruptionIn August 2009, beaten by the police in Sichuan trying to testify for dissident Tan ZuorenAlthough a co-creator of the stage of games Olympics Beijing bird's nest, it was later repudiated the project, condemning China for hosting of the games as "false and hypocritical" his often censored blog was read by 10,000 people per day up to shut down by the authorities in may 2009Ai Weiwei is a "maverick" who "chooses to have a different attitude of ordinary people to act", the overall time said on WednesdayMrs Lu does not know where this place was, but think that it was used for the meeting - she said that she did not believe her husband was detained y.

She noted that Mr. Ai said his those who hold him were taking good care of him, he was in good health and she should not worry.

However, the meeting was very brief, she said, and there were many other people, some of them taking note, so that she was afraid to talk more with her husband.

The family was then warned by police not to discuss the visit with the media that they were told she could "be bad for the case of Mr. Ai".

His family had been demanding to know if it was safe and that more than 43 days have passed since Mr. AI was arrested by the police at the Beijing airport, says the BBC Damian Grammaticas in Beijing.

It had been prohibited any contact with his family or his lawyers.

Calls by Governments around the world for more information and the artists had not produced any response from the Chinese authorities.

Chinese Foreign Ministry insisted that the case of Mr. Ai has "nothing to do with freedom of expression and human rights".

Ireland: First visit of what Queen Elizabeth II means

In the coming weeks, Ireland will host two of the most recognizable personalities in the world: Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama. And that the country is preparing, Dublin taxi drivers see the careful planning - and sometimes inconvenient - close. "The police have been to the bottom of every manhole in Dublin twice at this stage" said, describing the increase in security which includes the inspection of the sewers of the city of bombs.

Ireland takes no chances with its prestige guests: reports say that about 10,000 police officers and soldiers will be deployed during two visits. But it is the arrival of the Queen in Dublin on Tuesday which is the more nervous Irish police force. Not everyone in Ireland is pleased to see the Queen, whose four-day visit--the first ever by a British monarch to the Republic - has implemented action the State ever more great security operation. (See pictures of the world most beautiful handcuffs).

The reluctance of the Queen and her father King George VI, before visiting nearby nearest of England stems from centuries of British occupation of the Ireland. While the Republic of Ireland fought the path of independence with the foundation of the free State in 1922 and the establishment of the Republic in 1937, Ireland of the North remained under British rule. Sectarian tensions between Catholic Republicans and Protestant Unionist in the region increased, up to what they were broke out in three decades of violence in which more than 3,600 people have been killed.

Disorders, as they are called, ended with the agreement of the good Friday in 1998. But until recently, historical problems made a visit of the Queen of the Republic seems impossible. If the announcement of his visit last month was considered by some as a sign of maturity. But the symbolism of the visit also sparked resentment among some Irish. Easter Monday, a representative of the sectarian group called the real IRA splinter is appeared in a video statement wearing a balaclava and military clothing and called the visit "insult to come" and to invite the Government as not representative of the will of the Irish people. "The Queen of England is sought for war crimes in Ireland and did not want on Irish soil", he said. "We will do our best to ensure that it and the class [corrupted] gombeen which act as its cheerleaders get this message." The Declaration also included a threat to kill the most Northern Irish police officers a few weeks after the murder of the Roman Catholic officer Ronan Kerr to Omagh. (Read "tragic but not troubled: the murder of an Irish policeman North.")

During this time, the Republican group Eirigi (Rise Up) has placed a countdown timer on its website, calling for the visit of the Queen to meet with "widespread opposition." and protest The Group application to those against the visit to occupy the garden of remembrance, a Park Memorial in Dublin dedicated to those who fought for the freedom of the Irish, which is part of the official route of the Queen. It will also at Croke Park Stadium, the headquarters of two national sports, Gaelic football and hurling, the Ireland and the site of one of the days of the bloodiest of the war of independence, when 14 civilians were killed by British forces in retaliation for the assassination of British secret agents earlier in the day.

For supporters, visit of the Queen is an opportunity to show how the United Kingdom and the Ireland have "moved on"-a term which irritates some Irish. But even Sinn Fein, party political most staunchly Republican of the Ireland, seems to have relaxed its outright opposition soon. In a statement on the Web site of the Saturday party leader Gerry Adams said, "I am for a new relationship... between the people of Ireland and Britain based on equal and mutual respect." I hope this visit will hasten that day, but a lot will depend of what the British monarch. "(See more information about the recent election of the Ireland).

But given that the Irish are living under tight austerity measures after having obtained a rescue of 96 billion of the e.u. and the Monetary Fund International, the country would dare to its famous guests? Costs of security for the visits of the Queen and Obama a week later will reach approximately $ 42 million, according to unconfirmed reports.

James Connolly Heron, great-grandson of James Connolly, an icon of the Irish struggle for independence, calls into question the relevance of spending the money of the taxpayers to the host when the country is bankrupt. "It seems did not reduce to the bottom of the visit in regard to where we are economically", he said, adding that he feels talk of the Ireland "pass" is absurd, given the level of security required in the time of the Queen in the country. (See the photos of the British army, leaving the Ireland of the North).

But Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny called the two visits "an investment for the future" citing the benefits they will bring tourism and business. Given all the bad news surrounding the country in the end, Kenny added, they could also be good for the image of the Ireland. And many Irish hope that he is right. "In the eyes of the world will be on the Ireland, we hope, that the Royal visit will present the country," explains Stuart Batt taxi driver. "It is an opportunity for the world to see us positively in a negative time."

Egypt groups hold the first meeting

protests from Cairo on Tahrir square has created new groups of militants in Egypt more than 2,000 representatives of groups that took part in the revolt against former President Hosni Mubarak are to hold a national Council.

The meeting is designed to plan their strategy for the election of September.

It is the first organized meeting of the groups has left Mr. Mubarak Office in February.

Since January, a considerable number of people participated in mass demonstrations which was finally overthrew Mr. Mubarak.

But since he resigned Egypt was led by a secret military Council and numerous militant groups formed in the crucible of the Cairo's Tahrir square have had little say in the transformation of the country.

In organizing the first National Council of Democratic Forces, the main activists hope to agree on ways to maintain the momentum of the revolution going.

Their great fear, they say, is that the Muslim Brotherhood will dominate the election scheduled for September, because no secular party alternative still was organized to replace the discredited part of Mr. Mubarak, who has been banned.

The meeting they will discuss running a unified slate of parliamentary candidates in the election and the deeper reforms to the constitution.

Previous attempts to unite secular groups have made little progress.

The activists lack experience, and some say that they prefer to remain outside political parties.

How so many can overcome many disputes in a one day Conference is not clear, but with less than five months until the election, the time is very short to create a completely new political force.

First UK survey results published

 Counting takes place across the country Counting continues in the election of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly and the English Council polls and early results are being declared.

Work are ready to make gains from conservatives and the Lib Dems in French polls - still more electoral test for the coalition.

The SNP made their first gains of the night in Scotland, winning two seats from labour.

The result of the referendum on the UK voting system is planned on Friday night.

In the most important test of public opinion since the general election last year, the parties face verdict of the voters through the United Kingdom.

The SNP win East Kilbride and Hamilton & Larkhill labour as they seek to keep power at HolyroodLabour seeks to win the overall control of the Welsh Assembly, where there currently rules in coalition with Plaid Cymru, but party sources say may fall in short of a majorityThe DUP and Sinn Fein should remain the largest parties in the Assembly Ireland North, counting begins Friday morning.The results of the surveys of English Council 279 are expected, with Dems Lib expected to lose seats to work at Hull, Sheffield and another citiesFormer Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown attacks the conservatives for a "breach of trust" as the parties pending the outcome of the alternative vote referendum.Objectives of the work

In the first Scottish results, Linda Fabiani of the SNP took the seat of East Kilbride of labour. While the work onto Rutherglen to Glasgow, the SNP vote is 16% as the party finished second.

Almost a year since the creation of the conservative Liberal Democrat coalition, the competition to be held in England are the first opportunity for most voters to deliver a verdict on its performance.

Sunderland - the first Council of - held work wins four seats while first reports indicate that the Lib Dems face considerable losses in Hull and Sheffield.

Significant results are provided for Birmingham, shortly, as Lib Dem required Bristol at approximately 0200, Sheffield to 2: 30 p.m. and the Manchester and Liverpool to 0300.

Continue reading the main history

0130-0230: Council results key expected in Birmingham, Bristol, Hull, Sheffield

0230: First Scottish and Welsh constituency results

0300: Results due to Liverpool, Manchester and Stockport councils

0600: First results of regional elections list Scottish and Welsh

0730: Counting begins in partial South Leicester

0800: Counting begins in the elections of the Assembly of North Ireland

1600: Counting begins in referendum AV

Council seats to win are played last in 2007, when labour lost 642 advisors in one of the worst party ever performances.

Support for the Lib Dems is expected in the fall, the party also had a bad time in 2007, with a net loss of 257 consultants, which means that it too starts from a low base.

It is expected that the Conservatives, the big winners, four years lose part of their 9,432 advisors.

Small parties seek to make progress. The Greens are hoping to take control, either their own or in alliance with other parties, Brighton and Hove and Norwich while the Party of the independence of the United Kingdom seeking to increase its representation.

Anger of referendum

The result of a UK-wide referendum on the end of the system of first-past-the-post elections in Westminster and replace it with the system of alternative vote (AV) will not be known until Friday evening - with counting set to start at 1600 BST.

After surveys, AV - whereby voters rank candidates in order of preference - is rejected by a significant margin.

The Conservatives oppose changing the electoral system, while the Lib Dems are for AV. This has led to some bitter rows between senior coalition colleagues in recent weeks.

Former Lib Dem Lord Ashdown leader has accused the Prime Minister David Cameron of "breach of faith" for dissociating does not what he said was "vicious" attacks by the non-AV Deputy PM Nick Clegg campaign.

He told the guardian that Mr Cameron had "panic" pressure of the right of his party and "reverse" promises on the campaign could be conducted.

BBC political editor, Nick Robinson said anger on the subject prevailed among the Lib Dems. Although the party is committed to the coalition, he added that, if the polls are wrong, they end up facing claims to assert themselves more on key policies.

In what has been dubbed "super Thursday", a parliamentary by-election was held in Leicester South, following the decision by Labour MP Sir Peter Soulsby withdraw run for Mayor of the city.

Mayoral contests are held in Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Torbay and Bedford local authority elections while also took place in North Ireland.