Salut!

Charles Taylor, war crimes and Mickey Mouse justice's arrival in Europe

At the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Judge Richard Lussick today sentenced the former Liberian president Charles Taylor to 50 years' imprisonment for aiding and abetting what he termed ''some of the most heinous crimes in human history''.

Coldplay: wet day, great night, now for Chris Martin to learn Mackem

Image: Carlos RM

When you set off for an open-air concert and it's not only been raining for four of the past five days but the latest downpour briefly looks the stuff of serious flooding, you begin to wonder whether you've chosen wisely.

But then we'd paid a lot of money, €90 each (others paid a lot more), so we had little choice but to press on to catch Coldplay live in Nice. And if my colleagues in Abu Dhabi could turn out and see them in the pouring rain that is, shall we say, less commonplace in the Gulf, why can't I?

The West's Jihadist warriors - and what their families make of them

Mohamed Merah, as my consoeur Nabila Ramdani has pointed out, acted for no one but himself when he slaughtered children, a teacher and off-duty French soldiers in Toulouse and Montauban. But what are the thoughts of families of real or would-be jidahists when sons or brothers are attracted to a violent cause? ...

From no clothes to no show: nudists' loss was La Ramade's gain

Chez Jo

A tale of four restaurants in which I manage to discuss naked bodies, rotten weather, good food (of course) and proof that the customer is not always right ...

So would you like the aïoli, sir? It was the dish of the day at Chez Zette, a restaurant I'd been meaning to visit for two years or more without ever getting round to making a booking.

Euro crisis: rain in Spain falling mainly on the poor

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Every so often, I look beyond French borders ...

Statistics notoriously lie or distort - but not always.

Despite their ability to mislead, they can also "be made to prove anything, even the truth", as a quote of unidentified origin states.

France past and present: Nicolas and Carla, François et Valérie

Image: Christina T

For the record, I thought Carla looked great at the Elysée ... this is my account (for The National*) - of what la vie après l'Elysée may hold for le couple Sarko ...

DSK and @dufourdufour's part in his downfall

One year on from the events in a New York hotel that changed the course of French political history comes the fascinating story of how a journalist from a group of newspapers for children came to leave most media struggling to reach the starting block.

François Dufour may have a Twitter name that suggests a liking for dodgy 1980s bands, and he may even have a dodgy taste in golfing partners (he'll understand that reference). But he is both good company and an excellent source of wit and wisdom on matters concerning the French press.

François and Boris, François's dad and Jonny

Image: aeneastudio

If you came here earlier, forgive the appalling string of typos in what was a hastily uploaded posting, all done in spite of Typepad's best efforts to make the blogger's life currently, for some technical reason I have yet the fathom, a nightmare. And thanks to my friend Dumdad for his free sub-editing ...

Where, or more to the point whether, they all fit into one piece is something on which even I am unsure.

By way of a taster, though, in case it tempts you to read on, I shall talk about the French elections, Boris's win in London (opening up a deep split among Salut! writers) and two items from the Var-Matin.

François Hollande was right ... moi, président de la République

Image: Alainalele

... he said it 16 times in quick succession during last Wednesday's TV debate; now he is. Having won the election, François Hollande then kept us all waiting one hour and 25 minutes before making a dignified and very human, if less than inspiring, speech to supporters in Tulle. I stayed up for his return to Paris and much more fiery address to the crowds at the Bastille; he declared himself a president for youth, justice, all French people whether they voted for him or not - but all too late for Abu Dhabi deadlines. This is my report ...

Chapeau, Boris! Hats off to François next

It was easy to imagine Nicolas Sarkozy fuming last night, the eve of D-day in his battle to avoid defeat at socialist hands, as he realised public TV - France 3 - was showing a sort of French version of Brassed Off, L'Eté des Lip, about wicked bosses and downtrodden workers. More on Boris's London exploits another day; with or without Lip service, can François do it today? ...

STOP PRESS: I have just removed the question mark in the headline ... Hollande won on first estimates with 51.9 per cent

From the National, Abu Dhabi again ...