French press review 13 August 2014

The papers are all fretting over Russia's so-called humanitarian convoy to eastern Ukraine, with Le Figaro and Libération both running the same picture of an ominously endless looking line of white trucks driving at dusk from Moscow.

Libé says it's no surprise if the world is a little suspicious of Vladimir Putin, not exactly known as a great humanist. The 200 and some trucks driving down from the Russian capital may be an ill-disguised military annexation: Crimea #2. Libé notes that the convoy is also testing the EU's resolve and authority, and as usual, the EU fails to come up to expectations. The paper says Ukraine was indeed mistaken in believing in the European Dream.

Le Figaro's editorial leads with a doubtful reaction to the news in Iraq. The Kurds are the West's last allies in a country ravaged by war and careening into Islamists' control. But hedging bets on the Kurds to save Iraq is risky at best - the paper reminds us that the Kurdish dream has always been and still is the establishment of an independent nation that would unite the Kurds from Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Further on in the paper, Le Figaro notes that one man's misfortune is another man's gain: If the Kurds play their cards right, they may win out in the end. Suddenly thrown into the limelight because of the Iraqi crisis, the Kurds might be able to push for their own independence or at least autonomy as well.

Le Monde reports on a public beach where you can't wear the veil.
A young mother in a small town on the outskirts of Paris wanted to take her son to the beach set up by the city for the summer. But she was denied entry because of her hijab. So far, the veil has been banned from public buildings like schools. According to the leading paper, the rogue mayor of the small town has cracked down on the veil - by denying access to anyone wearing religious symbols. A group of locals have sued the mayor and the court is set to rule on the issue in upcoming days.

And some iconic French authors - or rather, their legacies - are also making the news.

L'Humanité brings us the story of how French resistant poet Paul Eluard's house has become an eye-sore for many in northern France. The writer lived there for three years and entertained surrealist greats like Andre Breton and Louis Aragon. The house today is a dump, and the current mayor wants to tear it down...to make way for a parking lot. The communist paper says the mayor's out of luck though, as the local community discovered his plans midway through construction. Currently the whole project is stalled.

And the Little Prince, or Le Petit Prince, one of the most famous French classics for children and for adults, now also gets a theme park in Alsace. Antoine de Saint Exupery, the writer of the classic, was also a pilot. And so the theme park incorporates flying - with a hot air balloon. The author of the tale of loneliness and friendship may be a little put off by his book being turned into a tourist attraction, but founders of the park hope to attract Germans from across the border.

Robin Williams is on the front page of most of the dailies. The American actor was also well loved by the French, who saw him as a great performer, who could make you laugh just about as easily as bringing you to tears.

Libé notes that his frenetic humor - funny as it was - also takes you to the edge of your seat. Especially when you knew that the comedian who wipped up a whirlwind of laughter on screen was in fact clinically depressed.

And Le Figaro says it's a pity he died during the summer holidays - or else all the American students would have stood up on their desks to recite Walt Whitman's famous poem "O Captain! My Captain!" in honor of the iconic scene in the movie Dead Poet's Society.