France boycotts the Paralympics but will still sell the warships and other news and views for Friday 7 February

• France backs warship deal but not Paralympics – “Despite France’s anger over Russia’s stance towards the Crimea the country’s president François Hollande said a controversial sale of two state-of-the art warships by France to Russia was still on course. But the French government will boycott the Winter Paralympics in Sochi.”

• The restaurants that thrive on insulting their diners - “For some, there is a masochistic pleasure in allowing serving staff full licence to order them about. And while Basil Fawlty at his most splenetic may appear an odd role model, a select band of hospitality entrepreneurs have built successful careers on a reputation for being cantankerous and abrasive to their clientele.”
• Antony Green’s Election Guide – The Battle for the ‘Hinge’ Seats in Tasmania
• Nigeria gays: 20 lashes for ‘homosexual offences’ - “Four Nigerian men have received 20 lashes each after an Islamic court in the northern city of Bauchi convicted them of gay sex, officials say. Confessions had been forced from the Muslim men after they were beaten up in custody, a rights activist said.”
• Who, What, Why: Is a lost dog the finder’s property?
• Russia wants IMF to move ahead on reforms without U.S. – “Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov brought up the idea at a meeting of top finance officials from the Group of 20 nations in Sydney late last month, two G20 sources told Reuters this week. The failure of the U.S. Congress to approve IMF funding has held up reforms agreed in 2010 that would double the Fund’s resources and give more say to emerging markets like China… Moving ahead on reforms without Washington would likely require complicated changes to the IMF’s rules. But the discussions show the level of frustration within the G20 with the Obama administration’s inability to win the needed congressional support.”
• We need a revolution in public services to tackle multiple needs and exclusions - “By focusing on prevention, prioritising relationships and driving down power to the lowest level possible, we can provide the support the most vulnerable in our society really need.”