French screen icon Brigitte Bardot on Friday threatened to follow compatriot Gérard Depardieu to Russia, who was granted citizenship for tax exile, unless two elephants who are in danger of being put down, are spared.
FRENCH PAPERS, Fri. 04/01/13: It’s back to work for the French government after the Christmas break - a chance for François Hollande to refocus his cabinet and announce his plans for 2013. The new year also gives the government a fresh start in terms of its public image. Meanwhile, actor Gérard Depardieu is back in the press after Vladimir Putin offers him Russian citizenship.
Depardieu? Depardiovsky? One of France's best-known actors becomes Russian! Also, Argentinean President Cristina Kirchner takes out a strongly-worded ad in British newspapers, saying the UK is a "colonial power".
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday granting Russian citizenship to French actor Gerard Depardieu, who has vowed to leave France and give up his passport to protest against a proposed 75% tax rate on the wealthy.
Republicans and Democrats battled right up to the last moment but finally struck a last-minute deal to stop the US economy from falling over a cliff. Meanwhile, a home in the United States is now an impossible dream for Russian orphans as President Putin brings in a new law. Finally, the number of Mexicans crossing illegally into the United States drops sharply - we take a look at some of the reasons why.
Tbilisi and Moscow severed diplomatic links in the aftermath of the 2008 war and Russia's subsequent recognition of two Georgian breakaway territories, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But since oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili became Georgian Prime Minister in October, there have been signs that a rapprochement could be on the cards. In 2013, bilateral trade could resume and diplomatic ties be rejuvenated between Georgia and its powerful neighbour.
A plane belonging to Russian airline Red Wings overshot the runway at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Saturday, splitting into three pieces and killing at least four people, officials said. The aircraft was travelling from the Czech Republic.
The UN and Arab League special envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, held talks on Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as Moscow stepped up its diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the 21-month conflict.
Syria’s opposition leader on Friday rejected an invitation from Russia for peace talks, instead asking that Moscow apologise for supporting President Bashar al-Assad. Russia is one of the few countries to not recognise the opposition coalition.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured right) has signed a controversial bill banning US citizens from adopting Russian children, marking the latest step in an escalating row between the former Cold War foes.