Nathalie Dolivo, a write for French Elle Magazine has caused public outrage and a boycott of the magazine after they wrote that Africa-American’s didn’t have  a clue about style until the Obama family entered the White House.

In the article Dolivo writes:

“For the first time, the chic has become a plausible option for a community so far pegged [only] to its street wear codes.”‘

The article titled “Black Fashion Power” goes on to call Obama’s style “chic” while noting that it embraces “white codes”  while still making “a bourgeois ethnic reference (a batik-printed turban/robe, a shell necklace, a ‘créole de rappeur’) reminiscent [of] the roots.”

After the post went live on the website commenters quickly attacked the hack piece, one commenting party wrote:

 ”How, in 2012, in a France where there are at least three million blacks and mixed people, can you write such nonsense? You are too kind when you write that in 2012 we have incorporated the white codes … what do you think, in 2011, we dressed in hay and burlap bags?”

While the post was removed from the Elle website following public outcry the promise to boycott the magazine is still being heard loud and clear as other fashion writers have taken a stance against Dolivo’s comments including Alex Rees of The Cut who called the piece “misguided and prejudice.” Sarah Nicole Prickett of Canada’ Fashion Magazine took the jabbing one step further by calling the article a piece of “white supremacist” filth.

In a huge misstep for the magazine a real apology has not been issued, in fact Frence Elle’s editor-in-chief Valerie Toranian simply called the article “misinterpreted.”

In the meantime a new Facebook group has emerged that asks readers to boycott French Elle Magazine with the message:

“Say stop in order to not let the press, media etc…. publish such horror without apologizing” [Translated from French]

Are you shocked that the editors at French Elle would allow such comment made by a writer to be published to a mass audience, especially when a global audience is already focused on the country for Paris Fashion Week?

French Elle Magazine Draws Boycott Over Racist Article, No Apology Given is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s on Friday announced the downgrade status of seven countries including France, Austria, Italy and Spain.

With France and Austria losing their triple-A status’ analysts worry that the country will have a hard time fighting off a worsening debt crisis.

In worse condition was Italy who was lowered two notches to a BBB+ rating from their former A rating. Spain also nearly fell out of A rating territory with its rating falling from AA- to A.

Also downgraded by two notches were Portugal and Cyprus, while the S&P also cut ratings for Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The downgrade comes at a time when Greece’s massive debt has brought the country to the brink of collapse with talks on Friday heating to a near boiling point.

In the meantime Germany was able to maintain the coveted AAA level. As I reported earlier in the week Germany has seen a market boom in recent years and the country’s top company’s continue to look for new employees at record hiring rates.  In fact many of the world’s top company’s have continued to scout out Germany workers for expansion purposes. German unemployment is currently at an all-time low and conditions continue to look promising in the country.

Do you think France and the rest of the countries listed in this report deserved to receive a Standard & Poor’s downgrade?

.

Standard & Poor’s Downgrades France, 8 Other Countries is a post from: The Inquisitr

Actress Salma Hayek is about to become a Knight. The actress of movies, TV and CGI based animated blockbusters was named by President Nicolas Sarkozy to receive the Légion d’Honneur Sunday.

Hayek, 45, will enter the five-tier honor academy with the grade of Chevalier also known as “Knight.”

The honor was announced during the annual New Year’s list and Hayek along with her other nominees will receive a formal induction in the next two months. According to officials her Presidential medal pinning will likely happen at the Élysées Palace

The award was first given out by Napoleon in 1802 and the Legion of Honor is meant to celebrate military personnel and civilians who have provided positive services to France.

Salma Hayek is not the first non-French person to win the award, it is often given to international figures who portray France in a positive light. Former recipients including actor/directors Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford.

For Hayek the award runs in the family and holds a special meaning as her father-in-law, business magnate Francois Pinault, was promoted to the same list and rose to the rank of Grand Officer.

While she may be married to the heir of a business fortune Salma Hayek recently told Redbook:

“I work hard, I make my own living and I love it. I like having financial independence … I don’t ever want to have to depend on anyone completely.”

Do you think it’s silly for country leaders to give actors, actresses and other entertainment types a Knighthood for their work?

[Image via cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com]

Salma Hayek Knighted In France is a post from: The Inquisitr

The United States and France warned Iran on Wednesday that closing the Strait of Hormuz would bring with it swift and direct punishment.

The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most strategic oil transit channel and follows along a narrow bend between Oman and Iran. The strait delivers oil to much of the world by way of Saudi Arabia, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The Strait is also narrow at just 21   miles across with 2-mile wide navigable channels and a 2-mile-wide buffer zone on each side.

The Navy’s 5th Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Rebecca Rebarich said of Iran’s threat:

“Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated.”

Rebarich’s comment comes after Iran’s naval commander, Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari said on Iranian State TV on Wednesday:

“Iran has total control over the strategic waterway,” and that “Closing the Strait of Hormuz is very easy for Iranian naval forces.”

Sayyari’s comment comes as the country engages in war comes throughout the Strait of Hormuz, games meant to demonstrate the countries dominance in the area.

Realizing the potential for disruption Lt. Rebarich revealed via email:

“The free flow of goods and services through the Strait of Hormuz is vital to regional and global prosperity,” and “Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated.”

Furthering the U.S. threat against actions by Iran she noted:

“The U.S. Navy is a flexible, multi-capable force committed to regional security and stability, always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation.”

The United States wasn’t the only country to immediately call out Iran, officials in France also said they would aggressively protect the Strait of Hormuz. In a news briefing France’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero backed comments made by the US:

“The Strait of Hormuz is an international strait. As a result, all ships regardless of their nationality benefit from the right of transit in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and international maritime customs.”

Habibollah Sayyari is the second top ranking Iranian official to claim control over the Strait, on Tuesday Iran’s vice president, Mohammad Reza-Rahimi threatened to close the strait if western powers “impose sanctions on Iran’s oil exports, then even one drop of oil cannot flow from the Strait of Hormuz.”

Analysts on the other hand have revealed that Iran simply lacks the needed Naval power to disrupt access to the strait. According to Reuters:

“Iran would not be able to sustain a line of ships to block the Strait because it mainly has smaller boats that do not have the ability to stay in open waters in a coordinated formation for days”

While Iran could launch missile and mine attacks and possibly suicide bomb attack via small boats analysts quickly point out that the countries weapons technology is really very little match for an oil supertanker, tankers that are even more resilient than warships.

The recent increase in threats by the Iranian nation come as both the United States and European Union have pressured the country into disbanding its nuclear program or face banking and other sanctions that could cripple the countries imports and exports. The force of those upcoming sanctions were realized last week when a Poland power company pulled out of talks with the country after four years of negotiations.

Iran’s biggest concern right now is that sanctions may be placed on Iran oil exports, one area not yet touched by international powers. The European Union has recently openly talked about such sanctions and President Obama is working on legislation that would impose sanctions on any country that buys Iran oil. Oil sanctions against Iran could potentially devastate the countries entire economic system, making it nearly impossible for the Iranian people and businesses to do business outside of the country. According to reports Iran exports 4 millions barrels of oil each day, approximately 80 percent of its public revenues.

While Iran continues to threaten world powers with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz oil traders have been less than impressed by the threats with oil selling below $100 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

In the meantime it could be those lower gas prices that Iran is attempting to control through saber rattling meant to stir up the market. On the one hand closing the Strait of Hormuz would cut off a majority percentage of Iranian oil exports, on the other hand conflicts short of war could delay shipments of oil which in turn helps the country raise more capital through higher oil prices.

For now most analysts appear to agree on one thing, Iran doesn’t really want the United States and its allies to declare war on the nation, but a little bit of public conflict could help their economy.

Newsy.com provides further information:

Do you believe that Iran’s constant threats of action will bring the country to the brink of war with the United States and neighboring countries that find their attempts to control the region they surrounding troubling?

U.S. And France Threaten Iran Over Possible Hormuz Disruption is a post from: The Inquisitr

30,000 women in France who received breast implants from Poly Implant Prothèse have been told by the French government to have them removed immediately because of rupture and irritation fears.

The government is so serious about their request that they are even offering to finance the removal operations using public health care funds.

Yanked off the market last year the fake boob maker was accused of filling them with industrial-grade silicone, the same stuff used to make spatulas and computer chips.

Officials did acknowledge that there has been no link to higher cancer risk but said more than 1,000 women in France have suffered ruptures.

The issue is compounded even more outside of France, all together the PIP breast implants have been placed inside more than 300,000 women around the world, mostly in Latin America and Europe. The PIP breasts have not been used by plastic surgeons in the United States.

British officials on Friday also said they would like women in their country to have the Poly Implant Prothèse implants removed as soon as possible.

Do you think Poly Implant Prothèse should be forced to reimburse their clients for their initial surgery and pay for the removal of its often faulty silcone based breast product?

French Officials Tell 30,000 Women To Remove Breast Implants Immediately. is a post from: The Inquisitr

Scientists at the  Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland may be ready to announce that they have caught a glimpse of the Higgs Boson Particle.  The Higgs Boson is more commonly referred to as the “God” Particle, because it is theorized that it is the particle which creates mass in objects.  Its discovery would prove the Standard Theory of physics and be able to explain the formation of the Universe.

The Large Hadron Collider was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) with the intention of testing various theories of high-energy physics and primarily for testing for the existence of the Higgs Boson. It was built in collaboration with over 10,000 scientists and engineers from more than 100 countries.  The Large Hadron Collider lies in a tunnel 17 miles in diameter at a depth of 574 feet beneath the borders of France and Switzerland, close to the Swiss capital of Geneva.

Scientists believe that they have the particle within their sights, but are just short of announcing a formal discovery. As reported in the BBC “Prof Stefan Soldner-Rembold, from the University of Manchester, called the quality of the LHC’s results exceptional”, adding: “Within one year we will probably know whether the Higgs particle exists, but it is likely not going to be a Christmas present.”

The Large Hadron Collider has been featured heavily among many different entertainment mediums, being featured on the hit TV show The Big Bang Theory and the subject of Antimatter production in the hit movie Angels and Demons.  There was a fear among internet bloggers prior to its opening that because it would be creating Black Holes within the tunnel that the Large Hadron Collider had the ability to destroy the world.

Do You Believe the Higgs Boson is real?

Higgs Boson May Have Been Glimpsed At Large Hadron Collider is a post from: The Inquisitr

Despite last weeks Brussels summit which was geared towards increasing confidence in the eurozone France could soon be downgraded from the triple A credit rating they have held since 1975.

In a warning to France, Germany and other eurozone members Standard & Poor’s announced before the summit that they were on the verge of a ratings collapse while some analysts believe France could be the hardest hit country in the region despite accepted rules put in place for budget-tightening.

The S&P believes that the company’s rating could fall two notches because officials in the country have been too optimistic with their growth predictions, have offered an inefficient number of budget cuts and because of an ongoing threat of a recession which has been the case for months.

France also has large exposure to banks located in hard hit areas including Spain, Greece and Portugal.

In a Reuters report the agency found that 11 of 13 economists believed a downgrade was on the horizon for France in the next three months, a downgrade that would likely hurt Nicolas Sarkozy’s chance to be re-elected in 2012.  Sarkozy recently said during a private conversation “If we lose the triple A, I’m dead.”

In the meantime it’s possible that a third austerity plan could be enacted. In past plans France has focused on tax raises instead of following in Britain’s footsteps who instead offered sweeping cuts to governmental programs.

Speaking for her country French budget minister Valerie Pecresse noted:

“We work for the French people, not for the ratings agencies” … “No one doubts France’s ability to pay back its debt.”

Do you think France is headed for a ratings downgrade?

Credit Rating Downgrade Fears In France As Country Attempts To Ease Eurozone Fears is a post from: The Inquisitr

A 3-year-old boy in France was killed this week when his father placed him in a washing machine and locked him inside.

The boy’s father, 33,  placed his naked body in the washer as a punishment for flushing drawings that belonged to the boys classmate down a toilet.

The abusive father Christophe Champenois allegedly turned on the cold wash cycle to teach his child a lesson.

The boys mother Charlene Champenois, 25, realized what was occurring and ran her son to a neighbor’s home, claiming initially that the boy fell down the stairs.

According to MyFox Washington it was the couple’s 5-year-old daughter who told neighbors the truth about the incident. The littler girl also said her brother had also been locked inside a closet on various occasions, sometimes for hours at a time.

The father was arrested and charged with murder of a minor and the mother was arrested and charged shortly thereafter with failure to prevent a crime and for failure to assist a person in danger.

Speaking about the incident neighbor Alice told French news agency Le Parisien:

“I took him in my arms like a broken doll …  I felt the last beat of his heart. Charlene didn’t move. She was red all over. She didn’t understand he was dead.”

The whereabouts of the children are not known at this time.

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

Toddler Dies After Father Locks Him In Washing Machine is a post from: The Inquisitr

French President Nicolas Sarkozy thinks that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “a liar.”

In a conversation with President Barack Obama where Sarkozy was unaware of a live microphone, he said:

“I cannot bear Netanyahu, he’s a liar.”

Obama replied:

“You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you.”

Obama then urged Sarkozy to persuade the Palestinian Authority to step down its campaign for membership of the United Nations.

The accidental broadcast of the two leaders’ conversation happened during the recently concluded G20 Summit in Cannes. Journalists who overheard the conversation agreed not to publish the chat but one reporter was said to have leaked the news. Netanyahu’s office declined to comment.

We can only hope that this would not strain their relationship as the three leaders try to intensify their pressure on Iran over its nuclear plans.

Netanyahu is a “liar” – Sarkozy is a post from: The Inquisitr

The 62-year-old Venezuelan, real name Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, is already serving a life sentence for a triple murder committed in 1975. On Monday, he appeared before a special Paris court on terrorism-linked charges. The trial is expected to last six weeks, after which Ramirez may be handed his second life sentence. French law does not carry the death penalty.

The latest charges are tied to four attacks in 1982 and 1983 that eventually killed 11 people and injured 140 others in France. Ramirez has vigorously denied any role in the attacks.

In Paris on Monday, Ramirez identified himself as a “a professional revolutionary,” and sporadically raised his fist in defiance. His speech was peppered with Anti-Zionist rhetoric, and he smiled and looked confident throughout.

Before the trial began, Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, Ramirez’s lawyer and amorous partner, told reporters outside the courtroom: “He’s in a fighting mood as always.” She added there was “no reason” for the trial to take place nearly thirty years after the events, and suggested French prosecutors were indulging in “propaganda or some other interests rather than the ones of justice.”

Coutant-Peyre’s assertion was disputed by Francis Szpiner, lawyer for some civil parties to the case, who argued the trial was vital in showing that the actions of terrorists will never go unpunished. Szpiner said the trial would contribute to “the end of the culture of impunity [for terrorists].”

Of the four bombings Ramirez is alleged to have carried out, two were against French trains, another at a Paris office of an Arabic-language newspaper, and a fourth at a French cultural center in what was then West Berlin. It is alleged two of the attacks were an attempt to pressure the French government to free his girlfriend Magdalena Kopp (who he would later marry and have a daughter with) and comrade Bruno Breguet.

Ramirez inspired fear in many western European cities for many years in the 1970s and 1980s. From 1973, he carried out eight attacks over two years. His causes varied from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine to some far-left European terror groups.

However, as the Cold War dissipated in 1989, safe havens for the Venezuelan became more scarce, and he was eventually swiped by French agents from his refuge in Khartoum, Sudan in 1994, and brought back to Paris in a sack.

In Venezuela this week, President Hugo Chavez called Ramirez a “revolutionary fighter,” and insisted that Ramirez’s rights be respected during his trial in France:

“We cannot allow any Venezuelan, accused of anything, to be abused in any part of the world. We have a responsibility and we are obliged to uphold it.”

The trial continues.

Carlos the Jackal on Trial in France is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nigerian comic actor Babatunde Omidina, known as Baba Suwe, is now a free man on $3,300 bail. He was initially arrested last October 12 at the Lagos international airport, accused of swallowing narcotics before boarding a flight to Paris.

Since he was suspected of ingesting the drugs, the only way for authorities to prove their claim was to closely watch his bowel movements. After 25 bowel movements over a period of 24 days and without finding any drugs, Omidina was ordered released.

High Court Judge Yetunde Idowu, in releasing Omidina, said:

“I wish you well. Take care of yourself. You are free to go home.”

His lawyer Bamidele Aturu argued:

“There have been several examinations carried out on him and no banned substances have so far been found He has excreted more than 25 times.”

The lawyer also revealed that the comedian may sue Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency over tests conducted without his consent.

Don’t you just pity the authorities who were tasked to observe the bowel movements?

Nigerian Actor Baba Suwe Released From Prison After Pooping 25 Times is a post from: The Inquisitr

Credit ratings agency Moody’s has downgraded Spain’s credit rating two notches, following in the footsteps of a recent Standard & Poor’s downgrade for the country.

Speaking about the recent downgrade the agency said:

“Spain continues to be vulnerable to market stress and event risk.”

The agency goes on to note that the European debt crisis has remained unresolved which in turn make Spain’s prospects look less than stellar.

In the meantime France has retained their triple-A credit rating although Moody’s says the country is the weakest of Europe’s current triple-A rated nations.

France’s president Nicolas Sarkozy in the meantime says he will press for “bold action” at this weekend’s EU summit as he addressed the debt crisis, noting:

 ”Allowing the destruction of the euro is to risk the destruction of Europe,” while he added, “Those who destroy Europe and the euro will bear responsibility for resurgence of conflict and division on our continent.”

Are you surprised that Spain’s rating has taken a hit and France may soon follow?

Moody’s Downgrades Spain, Says France Could Be Next is a post from: The Inquisitr

France has always had a history around protecting their culture, for example they kept their own language when Anglo-Saxon invaders took to the area and they protected their most precious structures when wars were waged and now they have another battle on their hands, ketchup.

French officials announced this week that the popular American condiment can only be served with french fries in schools and that french fries can only be offered once per week in school cafeterias.

Officials insist that the move isn’t a sentimental move against the American condiment but rather a way for the country to take a stand against the unhealthy eating habits of children.

The ban not only applies to young students, it reaches all the way to the college level.

Speaking of the new measure France’s Food and Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire said:

“France must be an example to the world in the quality of its food, starting with its children.”

The move shouldn’t come as a surprise in the region where Americanized offerings such as McDonalds and American television have been met with disdain by some of the countries cultural protectors.

Do you find it silly that during a time of economic hardship and uncertainty officials in France are taking a stand against ketchup?

Ketchup Comes Under Attack By France is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tragic news to report out of France, a furnace at a nuclear power plant exploded on Monday killing one employee and injuring four others.

According to French energy company EDF no radioactive leaks were detected and no waste was released during the explosion.

The blast occurred in one of the plants areas responsible for processing and decommissioning nuclear waste and inspectors were immediately released to the area in order to conduct inspections. Inspectors say the building was not structurally damaged.

The plant, located in Marcoule, in southeastern France use to produce weapons-grade plutonium and is one of the oldest nuclear facilities in the country. France no longer produces plutonium.

No power drain is expected on the country, France currently receives 80% of their electricity production from their nuclear power facilities.

In the meantime officials in the country continue to debate the use of such power after the March 2011 Fukushima explosions in Japan drew international attention.

The U.S. which stores used nuclear waste in the hopes of recycling it in the future has also come under fire since that low-level waste during an explosion or another disaster could pose significant threats.

In the meantime officials are expected to continue closely monitoring the area of the building where the explosion occurred to ensure all safety guidelines are met. As you can see from the map (shown above) Paris is a considerable distance from the Marcoule plant.

Do you think country’s around the world need to get away from nuclear waste and move towards more sustainable sources of energy such as wind and solar power?

France Nuclear Power Plant Blast Kills 1, Injures 4 is a post from: The Inquisitr

A French judge has put a price tag on the cost of sex or at least the lack of sex, ruling that a 51-year-old man in southern France must pay his wive $14,000 for “lack of sex over 21 years of marriage.”

Citing Article 215 of France’s civil code which calls for a “shared communal life” the judge handed down the judgement while Jean-Louis B. stated in court documents that his sex life lacked because of ”tiredness and health problems” which left him unable to satisfy or even try to satisfy his wife.

According to the Telegraph the man’s 47-year-old wife initiated the divorce because she didn’t have a sex life, eventually returning to court to ask for money in what I can only describe as “pain and suffering.”

In his ruling the French judge noted:

“A sexual relationship between husband and wife is the expression of affection they have for each other, and in this case it was absent,” while he added, “By getting married, couples agree to sharing their life and this clearly implies they will have sex with each other.”

So there you have it, an entirely new reason for men in France to buy Viagra or Cialis by the pallet.

I’ve heard of guys being arrested for soliciting sex from a prostitute but this is the first case I can recall where they were punished for not soliciting sex in any way.

Do you think the $14,000 penalty should have been leveraged? What price would you put on 21 years of no sex?

Judge Fines Man $14,000 For Lack Of Sex With Wife is a post from: The Inquisitr

The best Nintendo DSi XL advert you’ll see today is a post from: The Inquisitr

This is an ad for promoting the recycling of old electrical equipment that is being run in France

hat tip to Design You Trust

Who says robots don’t shit in the junk heap is a post from: The Inquisitr

Irish football fans are crying into their pints after a “blatant handball pass” by Thierry Henry in the 104th minute of play cost the Irish team the win.

Now France is headed to the 2010 World Cup and Ireland is headed to the pub to rant about it for time immemorial. Check out the controversial play, below:

Video: Thierry Henry handball costs Ireland win is a post from: The Inquisitr

Crass American consumerism is coming to one of France’s most revered cultural institutions.

Louvre staff and other artsy French types bristled at the inclusion of America’s most famous gastronomic low-culture eatery at the museum. The new McDonald’s will be France’s 1,142nd, but don’t expect any welcome mats:

“This is the last straw,” said one art historian working at the Louvre, who declined to be named. “This is the pinnacle of exhausting consumerism, deficient gastronomy and very unpleasant odours in the context of a museum,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

Didier Rykner, head of The Art Tribune website found the idea “shocking”.

“I’m not against eating in a museum but McDonald’s is hardly the height of gastronomy,” he said, adding that it was a worrying mixture of art and consumerism. “Today McDonald’s, tomorrow low-cost clothes shops,” he said.

Low cost clothing shops? Oh, non alors! While officials promise that the outlet will be “in line with the museum’s image,” skeptics are- well, skeptical. The restaurant’s location, in an underground approach known as the Carrousel du Louvre, may soon be the first view visitors have of the Louvre when new ticket booths are constructed.

Despite the protestations, France is McDonald’s second largest market globally, and sales were up 11% over the previous year in 2008.

Sacré bleu! French rankle at Louvre McDonald’s is a post from: The Inquisitr

French politicians are pushing a new law that will force publishers who use photoshopped pictures to print a disclosure that the pictures are photoshopped.

The new photoshopped disclosure law, which would apply to any “retouched photograph aimed at changing a person’s physical appearance” is being pushed as a way to combat body image issues in the general population.

“We want to combat the stereotypical image that all women are young and slim” MP Valerie Boyer told the Telegraph.
“These photos can lead people to believe in a reality that does not actually exist, and have a detrimental effect on adolescents. Many young people, particularly girls, do not know the difference between the virtual and reality, and can develop complexes from a very young age.”

“In some cases this leads to anorexia or bulimia and very serious health problems…It’s not just a question of public health, but also a way of protecting the consumer.”

The law, which would apply to political material and billboards as well as magazines, will be backed by fines of up to $50,000, or up to 50% of the cost of the publicity campaign.

(via Mashable)

France set to introduce disclosure law on photoshopped pics is a post from: The Inquisitr