The French actress Juliette Binoche, known for her sweetness on and off screen, has gently savaged the actor Gérard Depardieu for publicly questioning her talent. In an interview with an Austrian magazine, Mr Depardieu last week attacked the Oscar-winning Ms Binoche as "an absolute nothing". In a series of interviews in Britain before her award-winning new movie is released today, the graceful Ms Binoche remained within character while implying that Mr Depardieu was suffering from psychological problems."I don't know him and I don't know what I did to him," she told the BBC Radio 4 culture programme Front Row. "I understand that you don't have to like everyone and you [can] dislike someone's work. But I don't understand the violence [of his words]. I think it has to do with himself. There's something going on," she said.
The French actress Juliette Binoche, known for her sweetness on and off screen, has gently savaged the actor Gérard Depardieu for publicly questioning her talent. In an interview with an Austrian magazine, Mr Depardieu last week attacked the Oscar-winning Ms Binoche as "an absolute nothing".
In a series of interviews in Britain before her award-winning new movie is released today, the graceful Ms Binoche remained within character while implying that Mr Depardieu was suffering from psychological problems.
"I don't know him and I don't know what I did to him," she told the BBC Radio 4 culture programme Front Row. "I understand that you don't have to like everyone and you [can] dislike someone's work. But I don't understand the violence [of his words]. I think it has to do with himself. There's something going on," she said.
On June 19, the day after France lost to Mexico in the first round of the South African World Cup, the French sports daily L'Equipe published a shocking insult as its front page headline. The paper said the insult was what striker Nicolas Anelka had yelled at the team's coach in the locker room at half-time. Anelka was subsequently suspended from the competition. In protest at Anelka's exclusion, the French players refused to participate in a training session. This action, in turn, led to sanctions against four of the squad's strike "ringleaders". According to le Point, the FFF investigation auditioned 18 players, three federation members and three team staff. Among those interviewed, three players said they thought it was Domenech himself who had leaked the incident to l'Equipe. In addition, le Point reported, the FFF investigation recommended that all 23 players "be sent before the disciplinary committee," and signalled that Domenech had made "unexplained decisions that led to uneasiness, even resentment", while making "no effort to resolve the incident [with Anelka]."
Anelka was subsequently suspended from the competition. In protest at Anelka's exclusion, the French players refused to participate in a training session. This action, in turn, led to sanctions against four of the squad's strike "ringleaders".
According to le Point, the FFF investigation auditioned 18 players, three federation members and three team staff. Among those interviewed, three players said they thought it was Domenech himself who had leaked the incident to l'Equipe.
In addition, le Point reported, the FFF investigation recommended that all 23 players "be sent before the disciplinary committee," and signalled that Domenech had made "unexplained decisions that led to uneasiness, even resentment", while making "no effort to resolve the incident [with Anelka]."
William Hague faced fresh questions about his judgement yesterday as he made his first public appearance since the resignation of his special adviser over "untrue and malicious" rumours of a gay relationship between the two men. Downing Street insisted yesterday that the Foreign Secretary was backed "100 per cent" by David Cameron, who continued to have full confidence in him. However, doubts were expressed by prominent figures in the Conservative Party over Mr Hague's wisdom in sharing a hotel room with 25-year-old Chris Myers, whom he subsequently put on the public payroll. Some reports claimed yesterday that Mr Hague may quit his job in exasperation at what he is undergoing. The Foreign Secretary said of Mr Myers: "He is clearly someone who is rather fed up with politics, and who can blame him" - drawing the inference that he too was feeling the same way.
William Hague faced fresh questions about his judgement yesterday as he made his first public appearance since the resignation of his special adviser over "untrue and malicious" rumours of a gay relationship between the two men.
Downing Street insisted yesterday that the Foreign Secretary was backed "100 per cent" by David Cameron, who continued to have full confidence in him. However, doubts were expressed by prominent figures in the Conservative Party over Mr Hague's wisdom in sharing a hotel room with 25-year-old Chris Myers, whom he subsequently put on the public payroll.
Some reports claimed yesterday that Mr Hague may quit his job in exasperation at what he is undergoing. The Foreign Secretary said of Mr Myers: "He is clearly someone who is rather fed up with politics, and who can blame him" - drawing the inference that he too was feeling the same way.
There's no pleasing hypocrites. The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
