Yesterday France registered its first death linked to Swine Flu. It was a 14 year old girl in the western city of Brest. Aujourd’hui en France/ le Parisien says it was inevitable that a death linked to the flu would happen in France eventually. Belgium also registered its first death incidentally. But this girl was already suffering from a serious illness since her birth – something similar to tuberculosis.

Le Figaro says that health scares such as this one become big political footballs in France very quickly. For example in August 2003 a severe heat wave which caused 15,000 deaths in France led to heavy criticism of the authorities. Roselyn Bachelot, the Health Minister, wasted no time in ordering a batch of vaccines to treat the possibility of a swine flu epidemic in France. She has been heavily criticised by a UMP party colleague and doctor, Bernard Debré. Le Figaro recounts that he has called the virus nothing more than a ‘little flu’ (grippette) and says the Government’s mobilisation against it amounts to “scaremongering”. Bachelot says that Debré is simply jealous and would like to be the Health Minister himself.

To sports and the world swimming championships in Rome where France’s great hope Alain Bernard only came 2nd reports l'Equipe. The Olympic champion came in behind the Brazilian César Cielo who beat the world record. France can console itself by not alone having won silver but also bronze. Frédérick Bousquet came in third.

One of Nicolas Sarkozy’s big media coups on entering office was negotiating the freedom of five Bulgarian nurses held and a Palestinian doctor in July 2007. They had been accused of giving Aids to hundreds of Libyan children through injections The President’s ex-wife and then first lady, famously travelled to Libya to accompany the nurses back to France. At the time, France claimed that it was pure diplomacy that had secured their freedom. Now Rue89 says a 72 million dollar ransom may have been paid to Libya as part of that deal. The new Bulgarian Prime Minister says the previous Bulgarian government may have arranged for the cancellation of monies owed in arms deals with Libya. That would account for some 40 million euros. France claims it didn’t spend any money on the deal. The Elysee would no doubt prefer to keep the image of a brilliant negotiation led by Nicolas Sarkozy where diplomacy alone clenched the deal.

In Le Monde we read that an experimental goose farm in Dordogne has created a prototype to see if electricity can be produced from goose waste. These geese already produce foie gras but could now have a whole other raison d’etre! The methane in the goose waste allows the farm to power its own facilities and they could even sell 40% of the electricity produced onto the national grid. Nice idea! Just don’t mix up the foie gras with the goose waste please.