Flamboyant British comic Sacha Baron Cohen sent in his camel-riding alter ego General Aladeen to capture Cannes yesterday as the French Riviera resort launched its annual movie frenzy.
The fictional Middle Eastern dictator already saw military glory at this year’s Oscars and was in town to hijack media attention before the festival got officially under way. But yesterday as journalists crowded into the press screening in the beachfront festival palace, Baron Cohen’s alter ego emerged in a jockey’s outfit from the nearby Carlton Hotel, mounted a camel and set off for a morning stroll.
The media scrum that followed him clogged traffic on the chic La Croisette promenade. The Borat star, who turned up in military regalia at the Oscars has already premiered his movie and was in Cannes simply to cause a stir.
Dating violated regulations
A Taiwanese fighter pilot has received disciplinary punishment for dating a Chinese reporter stationed in Taiwan, the defence ministry said yesterday.
Although the pilot was not found to have committed any “improper conduct”, he had violated regulations, it said.
“The ministry continues to strengthen its anti-spying mechanism to prevent the Chinese communists from prying on our military intelligence,” it said in a statement.
According to Taiwanese media, the woman worked for China National Radio.
Cyclists ‘jump red lights’
As many as 57 per cent of cyclists in the UK have jumped red traffic lights, according to a survey.
And 14 per cent said they go through red lights regularly or sometimes, the poll by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) found. Based on responses from 1,600 people, the survey also showed that 73 per cent of cyclists ride on the pavement.
A total of 54 per cent of cyclists think cyclists should improve their riding behaviour and as many as 81 per cent of pedestrians who did not cycle felt threatened when cyclists took to the pavement.
Austerity queen gets pay rise
Chancellor Angela Merkel will soon have an extra €930 in her pocket each month after Germany’s cabinet awarded themselves their first pay rise in 12 years.
The salaries of Mrs Merkel and her ministers will rise by 5.7 per cent in three stages until August 2013.
Mrs Merkel, recently named the world’s most powerful woman by Forbes Magazine, is famously down-to-earth, snapped earlier this month shopping on her own for groceries.
Thought-guided robot arm
Scientists in the United States have enabled a paralysed woman to lift a drink to her lips with a thought-controlled robotic arm, boosting hopes that tetraplegics may regain their independence.
Cathy Hutchinson, 58, made history by using only her thoughts to get a robotic arm to grasp a flask of coffee on a table, lift it and hold it to her lips for a sip. A stroke had left her paralysed and unable to speak. This was the first time in nearly 15 years that she has been able to pick up anything solely of her own volition.