While the rest of the world has their eyes turned to the Benazir Bhutto assassination, I thought I’d take a look at what’s capturing the French newspaper headlines as we slide into 2008.

This is great news for me, but possibly traumatic to a trillion others, so I’ll try and be a little empathetic: No smoking in cafes, restaurants, bars and discos (otherwise get hit with a 450€ fine for patrons or 750€ for proprietors). This follows a measure in February 2007 banning smoking in public areas such as railway stations, airports, hospitals, schools, offices and shops. As a committed non-smoker (but not one of those infuriating born-again or reformed non-smokers), this is the best news I could have all year. Previously, an evening at a concert or bar would be enough to evaporate the aqueous layer from my eyes, and I would walk around snow-blind for the following two days. So hello Paris nightlife – I’ll be back!

Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni – this is a little older now, but frankly, will it ever get too old? I think not!?! Whenever there is Euro Disney to traipse through holding hands or Egypt to loll idly, there will always be a story. I wish I could have been there when Guillaume first found out. I’ll paint the picture as it was painted for me though – Guillaume, in full business attire, in the very serious grown-up world of his office, reading Le Monde for the news and insightful comment of the day… lets out a yelp that echoes through the office. One of the secretaries asked him what was wrong to which he could only point a hesitant finger at the paper. She took a quick look and replied “Oh yes, Sarkozy and Carla Bruni, I can understand your shock.”

Columbia and Betancourt. This is not an issue about FARC or kidnapped politicians. This is a continuation of the Sarkozy media circus. In Italy, Berlusconi actually had to purchase the media; here, Sarkozy just owns it. I cynically pointed out earlier that in future national crises, Sarkozy would have to continue divorcing members of his family to deflect media attention from the more pressing issues at hand, but he’s found a far more enjoyable way to distract the populous. Gaddafi pitches his heated Bedouin-style tent in Paris during a five-day diplomatic visit to France, there hasn’t been a government in Belgium since June due to a political deadlock over Wallonia/Flanders autonomy… who cares!?! What kind of shameless self-exhibition is Sarkozy performing now – that’s where the real news is!

Miss France, Valerie Begue, keeps her crown after being asked to stand down by pageant organisers over some controversial photographs. I see from BBC World that this story has been popular all over, the most popular story from Europe on Friday 28, December. In what could be quite possibly the most interesting international issue to raise a perfectly arched eyebrow in France at the moment (that doesn’t involve Sarkozy), campaigning from her Indian Ocean home island, Reunion, has ensured Begue her crown. I like to read a good story about post-colonial protest… at the moment, though, it’s only revolving around Miss France…