THE LOURDES DOCTOR

It’s Ascension Day in France which means a long weekend for many. It also means a quiet news day with dailies such as Libération and l’Humanité not going to the press.

In keeping with the theme of a religious holiday, the front page of La Dépêche du Midi leads with a story on Lourdes, the southern French city where Catholics believe Our Lady appeared some 150 years ago.

Meet Doctor Alessandro di Francisis who has just been appointed by the Church to verify ‘miracles’ that happen at Lourdes.

The International Medical Committee at Lourdes which he will lead says 5 remarkable incidents or healings took place in 2008. One woman who had been suffering from severe multiple sclerosis and was sceptical about the whole Lourdes experience was healed after bathing in local water. Since the creation of this International Medical Committee, 67 cases have been certified.

JUDICIAL REFORMS

A report is due to be issued in France in early June making recommendations on how to reform the judicial process in France. One major proposal, as explained in today’s Le Monde, is to abolish the position of ‘investigative judge’ or ‘juge d’instruction’. This would bring the French system more into line with the Anglo-Saxon model where the police conduct all investigations into criminal matters, not specially appointed judges.

Another planned reform as outlined in Le Figaro  would introduce a guilty plea into criminal cases. Up to now, one cannot plead guilty to a serious criminal charge (with sentences carrying over 5 years in prison). As a result, the courts are clogged up with cases that have unnecessarily long procedures which could be shortened where a defendant owns up to wrongdoing.

CANNES – TARANTINO

Cannes is all agog over the screening of Quentin Tarantino’s new movie, called ‘Inglorious Basterds’. The title is inspired by a 1978 Italian movie called ‘Inglorious Bastards but it is not a remake of that film.

Reaction to the film is mixed in the French press. The weekly news website Mediapart is largely impressed with Tarantino’s work. The movie charts a group of Jewish-American soldiers behind enemy lines in German-occupied France where they attempt to avenge the Nazis. In Le Figaro however, the review is less generous. Brad Pitt who plays the lead role is criticised for his hammy accent. This is not Tarantino at his best, the paper says.

EUROPEAN ASTRONAUTS

Also in the Figaro, an article on the six European ‘spacionauts’ chosen for missions to the International Space Station (ISS). Chosen from 8,000 candidates, the chosen six will now be based in Cologne at the headquarters of the European Space Agency. Up to seven trips to the ISS are planned between now and 2020 as well as a possible moon walk.