The best of the web and the international press, collected for you by Frogsmoke. Today, a speech that triggered an international incident, a radical feminist as minister, a TV presenter fearing for his job, the come-back of a famous actor, a psychotic bear, an actress with attitude, and a high-speed success story. Enjoy!
De Gaulle didn’t ad lib ‘Quebec libre’ remark (CTV.ca)
Claude Morin knew something was coming when French president Charles de Gaulle stepped up to the microphone at Montreal City Hall on July 24, 1967. He just didn’t know what. He’d been warned not to expect the usual platitudes when de Gaulle spoke. Then the words came out, which triggered an international indident. “Vive Montreal,” de Gaulle began. “Vive le Quebec. Vive le Quebec libre! Vive le Canada francais.” [...] Full story.
Minister in the tower block gives Sarko street cred (Times)
There could be no better example of Nicolas Sarkozy’s quest for “inclusive” government than Fadela Amara, an elfin figure who marvelled last week at the place she had found in the bosom of France’s gargantuan, gilt-edged bureaucracy. Her desk the size of a snooker table is a far cry from the grimy, rodent-infested office that the radical feminist worked in as head of a women’s group in the violence-plagued, immigrant suburbs where she grew up. [...] Full story.
French press: Sick and sycophantic (ISN Security Watch)
TF1 main presenter Patrick Poivre d’Arvor commented that the president had a “childlike happiness” on his face during the G-8 summit. His face souring, the president snarled back, “Thank you for comparing me at the age of 52 to a little boy.” According to a close source, d’Arvor was so terrified by the president’s response he believed his career at TF1 was over. [...] Full story.
Jean-Paul Belmondo may make comeback (Yahoo! News)
France’s legendary film star Jean-Paul Belmondo may return to the silver screen at the ripe age of 74, emerging after some six years of recovery from a stroke. Belmondo’s return would be directed by Francis Huster who wants to produce a new version of the film “Umberto D.”, the 1951 master work of Italian director Vittorio de Sica. The actor’s wife, Natty Belmondo, confirmed the project and the actor’s “joy” about doing a new version, but added that “nothing has been signed yet.” [...] Full story.
‘Psycho’ bear tears apart an eco-idyll (Times)
A French government plan to reintroduce bears to the wild appeared to have backfired spectacularly last week after one of the creatures was accused of being “psychotic”. The ecology minister was forced to admit France had been misled about Franska, a Slovenian brown bear set loose in the Pyrenees last summer. Instead of being a youngster of six, she was, in fact, a grouchy 17-year-old. This could explain her “unusual behaviour”, said experts, referring to her serial slaughter of sheep for fun rather than food. [...] Full story.
On the Move: Juliette Binoche (Times)
Juliette Binoche has arguably done more for Anglo-French relations than anyone since Brigitte Bardot rolled in the mud wearing nothing much in And God Created Woman. La Binoche, as she is affectionately known in her home country, has been one of France’s most successful exports, while losing none of her peculiarly French charms. The 43-year-old notoriously turned down the lead role in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park to star in the French arthouse flick Trois Couleurs: Bleu, and her choice of car is equally patriotic. [...] Full story.
Vive la High-Speed Internet! (BusinessWeek)
What a difference a few years make. In 2001, France had one of the weakest markets for broadband Internet access in the developed world, with less than a quarter of the penetration of the U.S. Today, it has sailed past the U.S. to become one of the world’s most wired nations, with more than one in five inhabitants enjoying high-speed Internet connections. [...] Full story.
