The World

Birds have become flashpoints in politics worldwide — today’s reads on our feathered friends and others:

• France’s Socialist government was forced into retreat by a group calling themselves “the pigeons”, who protested against plans to raise capital gains taxes.
• Fears are rising that Iran’s cornered leadership could block the world’s most critical oil choke point, the Strait of Hormuz.
• Saudi Arabians are forgoing chicken as a part of a Twitter campaign against high poultry prices.
• With the US presidential election coming up, have you been following polls avidly? Obsessively, almost? You’re not the only one — Gary Silverman has come clean about his numerical habit.
• If you felt Obama put in a lackluster performance at the first debate, take a look at Mehdi Hasan’s 10 questions that he should’ve put to Romney.
• Sesame Street’s Big Bird unexpectedly became an internet meme after Mitt Romney said he would stop subsidies to PBS. It seems surprising, but it’s not the first time Big Bird has got political.