What the British Prime Minister Has Forbidden in Connection With the Bomb Plots

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

"Muslim" Forbidden

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has forbidden his leadership team from using the word "Muslim" in connection with the failed terror attacks in London and Glasgow.

The Daily Express reports the new British leader has also told his ministers not to use the phrase "War on Terror."

A spokesman said officials have been given specific instructions to avoid inflammatory language. He said the moves are needed in order to strike what was called "a consensual tone."

But critics are calling this another example of political correctness — with Parliament member Philip Davies saying — " I don't think we need to pussyfoot around when talking about terrorism."

Lost Weight

Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said in January that the reason he was no longer wearing his wedding ring was that he had lost weight exercising — and was having it resized.

But now the mayor is acknowledging that he is actually involved in a romantic relationship with NBC Telemundo reporter and anchor Mirthala Salinas.

The mayor made the admission yesterday after learning the Los Angeles Daily News was about to publish a story detailing the affair. The paper reports the mayor's mother-in-law says that when wife Corina Villaraigosa asked her husband about the missing wedding ring — he told her that it was none of her business.

The couple separated last month and Mrs. Villaraigosa has since filed for divorce.

750,000 Deaths

A World Bank report on pollution in China was cut by one-third to exclude findings that 750,000 Chinese die each year from dirty air and water — because the Chinese government said the information could provoke social unrest.

The Financial Times reports advisers to the research project say the World Bank "reluctantly" agreed to expunge the material.

The pared-down report has yet to be officially published — but a preliminary version was released at a Beijing conference in March.

Previous World Bank research indicated that 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities are in China.

Internet Taxes?

Congress is considering new taxes on Internet sales, Internet connections and even e-mail.

The McClatchy newspaper group reports supporters of such action say the government is losing out on huge revenues.

Wyoming Republican Senator Mike Enzi has introduced a bill that would require sales taxes on Internet purchases.

He says that he's just trying to avoid increases in other taxes — such as income or property — that he believes would be necessary to make up for the lost Internet tax revenue.

But critics say new taxes could have a destructive impact on an important sector of the economy and should be permanently off-limits.

—FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.