France

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In City of Light, Bruni a Bright Bulb Indeed

From model to wife of French president Sarkozy, VF profiles multi-faceted Carla

(Newser) - Who could have imagined that Italian supermodel-singer Carla Bruni would find love with a right-wing French president? Maureen Orth takes a look at France’s First Lady in Vanity Fair: her education in art and architecture, admiration of women's-libbers Simone de Beauvoir and Françoise Sagan, and her husband's reaction...

Europe Seeing Rise in War Memorial Porn

Latest case has couple filming sex acts at WWI monument in France

(Newser) - Europe’s war memorials are seeing an uptick in obscene acts of desecration, the Telegraph reports, with the most recent involving a couple making a pornographic film at the Vimy Ridge memorial in northern France, which commemorates some of the 60,000 Canadians who died in the First World War....

Europe Swoons Over Obama
Europe Swoons Over Obama
OPINION

Europe Swoons Over Obama

'You must want a cigarette after that,' Dowd tells candidate after fawning reception

(Newser) - While all of Europe—even the right-wing Nicolas Sarkozy—goes ga-ga over Barack Obama, the would-be president is keeping it real, writes an uncharacteristically un-scathing Maureen Dowd in the New York Times. “If you start believing your own hype, which I rarely do, things’ll turn on your pretty...

French Fight Ban on Insulting Civil Servants

More civil servants filing suits when slighted

(Newser) - A Paris publisher has launched a high-profile crusade to legalize an increasingly popular crime: the insulting of public officials, the London Times reports. After being fined €150 for calling a cop a connard—or stupid bastard—Jean-Jacques Reboux got even angrier, and accused civil servants of abusing the law...

Sastre Poised to Win Tour
 Sastre Poised to Win Tour

Sastre Poised to Win Tour

Spanish rider heads into uncompetitive last stage more than a minute up

(Newser) - Spain's Carlos Sastre looks poised to win the Tour de France after the last leg before Paris, the New York Times reports. Barring a crash or concerted attack, Sastre, who leads his nearest competitor by 1 minute and 5 seconds overall, will roll to victory in the capital tomorrow. He...

Guards Bust Paparazzi at Jolie-Pitt Chateau

Camo-clad photogs infiltrate estate

(Newser) - It sounds like a scene from Fight Club. French police say camouflaged paparazzi infiltrated Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's estate and then got into a scuffle with the security staff. Both photographers and guards were taken in for questioning and filed legal complaints accusing the other of battery and causing...

Obama Hits Paris
 Obama Hits Paris

Obama Hits Paris

Candidate holds meeting, press conference with 'pal' Sarkozy

(Newser) - Barack Obama has arrived in Paris, where the candidate is holding talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy before a joint news conference. Sarkozy rushed back from a summit in the southwest of France to meet Obama at the presidential palace, reports AP. The two first met in 2006 when Sarkozy...

Free of History and Politics, Berlin Is Perfect for Obama

Even 'Victory Column' is associated now with a music festival

(Newser) - Forget the chatter about whether Barack Obama should be stopping in Brussels or giving Germany pride of place over France and Britain. Berlin is “quite an appropriate setting” for the candidate's big European speech, Cameron Abadi writes for the New Republic. The “existential angst of the Cold War”...

France Bids Adieu to 35-Hour Work Week

More hours piled on in boost to businesses

(Newser) - The French parliament has passed landmark legislation eliminating the 35-hour cap on the work week, Reuters reports. President Nicolas Sarkozy has long blamed the short week for France's economic struggles. Most employees work longer, but accumulate overtime pay or vacation days for the extra hours. Tens of thousands of French...

Ripping Media on One Hand, Mac Says It's 'Fun to Watch'

Even as campaign blasts press fawning over Obama, candidate demurs with Couric

(Newser) - Yesterday, as his campaign released an ad mocking the press corps’ affection for Barack Obama—and handed out press credentials rubbing it in—John McCain said the opposite to CBS’ Katie Couric. Mac “doesn’t think” the media has been unfair: “I'm certainly not complaining. And, in fact,...

Sarkozy 's Reform Bill Passes By a Hair

Move to rewrite French constitution has critics crying 'monocracy!'

(Newser) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed the passing yesterday of a constitutional reform, fulfilling a key campaign pledge. The overhaul of parliamentary and executive powers passed in the assembly and senate by a single vote, capturing 539 votes when it needed 538, the BBC reports. The opposition says the change will...

France's Latest Craze: A Dance or a Brand?

Radicals mumble about commercialization, but the kids love it

(Newser) - There’s a dance craze gripping France—or is it an unabashed commercial scheme, hawking t-shirts and chewing gum? Either way it’s called Tecktonik, and kids are crazy about it, the Los Angeles Times reports. The mix of hip-hop, techno, and random arm movements is championed by dancers with...

McCain Puts the 'Pol' in 'Politically Incorrect'

Rape 'joke' turns spotlight on candidate's sense of humor

(Newser) - This week's flap over a rape joke John McCain reportedly made 22 years ago inspired Politico to recall the candidate's checkered history of telling jokes. Some examples:
  • A quip about why then-18-year-old Chelsea Clinton was "so ugly.”
  • Calling a young man who asked about his age “you
...

Sarkozy Puts France on Speed
 Sarkozy
 Puts France
 on Speed 
OPINION

Sarkozy Puts France on Speed

Sarkozy is 'the most important European leader of his time,' writes Cohen

(Newser) - His love life may be distracting and his poll ratings may be low, but Nicolas Sarkozy is "a tonic to his country and the most important European leader of his time," writes New York Times columnist Roger Cohen. In just 14 months the French president has led a...

New Doping Scandal Taints Tour de France

Second rider this year tests positive

(Newser) - Just when the race was getting interesting at the Tour de France, another doping scandal erupted. The 11th-stage victory today by Norwegian veteran Kurt-Asle Arvesen took a back seat to the arrest of Spain's Moises Duenas Nevado after he tested positive for the banned performance enhancer EPO in the second...

Europe Can't Wait for Obama
 Europe Can't Wait for Obama 

Europe Can't Wait for Obama

But supporters know that too much love might hurt him in America

(Newser) - Europe is brimming with excitement for the arrival of Barack Obama next week, but his supporters are hoping not to hurt him with too tight an embrace, the Los Angeles Times reports. British, French and German polls show strong support for Obama, but as the Guardian warned, “To be...

Le Burger Sizzles in Paris
 Le Burger Sizzles in Paris 

Le Burger Sizzles in Paris

French chefs make over the American standby

(Newser) - Parisian gourmands might still revile McDonald's, but the lowly hamburger has become a mainstay on some of the best menus in the City of Light. From cafés on the Left Bank to top tables showered with Michelin stars, the quintessential American dish has undergone a French transformation. "The...

Obama to Meet With Abbas During Mideast Swing

Dem to meet Palestinian president in Ramallah

(Newser) - Barack Obama will visit Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank next week, a top Palestinian official said today. The Ramallah meeting with the president of the Palestinian Authority will happen on July 23, CNN reports. Details on the international trip have been guarded, but the Times of London says Obama...

Brangelina Babies Off to Busy Start

Domain names, photo shoots on the agenda for hot-ticket twins

(Newser) - At just 2 days old, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline are the world's most sought-after celebrity pair—and parents Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are in managing mode. Just Jared reports the Brangelina lawyers bought out all domains with the bambinos' names—and experts tell USA Today that a photo...

New Mediterranean Union Eyes Mideast Peace

'Gesture of peace' launches new 43-nation group

(Newser) - The inaugural meeting yesterday of the Union of the Mediterranean, which brought together the 27 EU countries and their neighbors to the south, kicked off discussions about a number of mutual projects. But French President Nicolas Sarkozy used it as an opportunity to flex some diplomatic muscle by bringing Syrian...

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