Day: 21 February 2017

After almost three years since the killings of Monaco heiress Helene Pastor and her aide, Mohamed Darwich, a number of suspects are due to appear before the Assize Court of the Bouches-du-Rhone.

The nine men and one women are believed to include the former Polish honorary consul to Monaco, Wojciech Janowski, who was arrested six weeks after the ambush on May 6, 2014, outside a Nice hospital where Mrs Pastor, 77, had been visiting her son, recovering from a severe stroke. Mr Janowski had been living with Sylvia, the daughter of Helene, for the previous 28 years and relations between Sylvia’s mother and her own partner was at daggers drawn.

Investigators believe that Mr Janowski had money problems, despite a monthly stipend paid to Sylvia of €500,000. He was involved in dubious investments in his native Poland and under pressure to repay loans. In Monaco he upheld the image of a great philanthropist and set up, with others, Monaco Against Autism and the Monaco chapter of the Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Another main suspect is Pascal Dauriac, Mr Janowski’s fitness trainer, who prosecutors are expected to say made contacts, through his unwitting girlfriend, with underworld elements in the Marseille underworld.

According to the police hypothesis, it was two of these small-time criminals who were the triggermen in the double murder. (Feature image: Blogtrepreneur)

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Three jihadists, suspected of planning an attack, were arrested Tuesday in Clermont-Ferrand, Marseille and Val-de-Marne, by the French anti-terrorist services. The suspects are all known for radicalisation and had been closely followed and had their phones tapped by police officers over several months, according to sources close to the matter.

“The individuals arrested had a project that was sufficiently advanced for the police officers of the Directorate General of Internal Security to decide on their arrest,” according to a reliable source.

The network had decided to “go green” after the recent arrests of alleged Islamists in Montpellier, according to Le Figaro, the respected French daily.

The three men were placed in custody during a preliminary investigation opened in January by the anti-terrorist section of the Paris prosecutor’s office, a judicial source said. A demining operation was carried out in Clermont-Ferrand at the home of one of the suspects in the Fontaine du Bac district. The police discovered two “soft air” type dummy assault rifles, a tactical vest and a plaster grenade.

France, originally placed under a state of emergency following the attacks of November 2015, still faces a “very high” terrorist threat.

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Pancake day has been a loved tradition in my family for years. That being said, the over-commercial junk food market has somewhat diminished the excitement and pancakes are an every day breakfast food easily available in many restaurants and hotels around the world.

The American’s have super-sized them, made them bigger, more processed, more sugar topped with heaps of cream and more sugar. In one buttermilk pancake at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP), there are 163 calories and 6 grams of fat.

With Shrove Tuesday around the corner (February 28), it might be helpful to point out that pancakes don’t have to be unhealthy. In fact, the ones I make for my family are heaps more nutritious than the ones we used to eat once a year. There are some great recipes for gluten-free pancakes out there but this is by far my favourite, as it is super simple, quick and has just a few ingredients, which I usually have at home.

The oats in this recipe are quite important as they provide the substance of the pancake; other versions I’ve made without oats have ended up looking like scrambled eggs!

Experiment with various fruits, superfoods, nut butters and protein powders while keeping the base recipe the same. Make them with your children and give them the freedom to have some fun at the same time.

If you don’t fancy making pancakes at home then head to Bouchon, where they have organic pancakes on the menu that are served with traditional maple syrup.

Blueberry Protein Pancakes

Serves 2

2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1/2 cup oats
1 tbsp coconut oil, to cook
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Naomi’s TIP: Replace oats with almond flour for a paleo-friendly version! 

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a bowl, apart from the coconut oil and blueberries.

Use a stick blender or blender to combine everything until thick and creamy batter forms.

Once the batter is mixed, stir through the blueberries.

Heat a large non-stick heavy pan on a high heat and add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to grease the pan.

When the oil has melted, use a tablespoon to add the batter carefully onto the hot pan to form the pancake shapes.

Cook for a few minutes until the pancakes start to bubble, then with a spatula carefully flip them over and cook for a further few minutes on the other side – remove from the heat and set aside.

Repeat process until all the pancake mixture has been used and you have a pile of gorgeously delicious pancakes.

Top with almond butter or maple syrup.

The Italian financial police have seized €2.5 million in assets from a banker suspected of using a Vatican body for money laundering between 2000 and 2011.

Gianpietro Nattino, head of the Italian investment bank Banca Finnat, was investigated for manipulating the market and impeding the policing of the Italian stock market. The assets placed under preventive escrow are in real estate, land and shares.

According to the Rome public prosecutor’s office, the banker was able to deposit funds either with the Holy See’s Administration (Apsa, which supervises real estate and investments) or the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR, better known as the Vatican Bank). Nattino’s alleged wrongdoing came to an end in March 2011 when the Vatican State adopted a legislative arsenal against money laundering, the statement added.

Following numerous scandals, Pope Benedict XVI and his successor Francis have succeeded in tightening anti-money laundering measures in the Vatican.

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