Workers for the power company in the city of Lille aren’t happy and want management to know it. So they sabotaged the grid, cutting off power to thousands of businesses and residences. Despite the inconvenience, the mayor, and even many residents, support the workers.

Cannabis use amongst French youth has more than doubled in the past ten years, and some parents are blaming it for their children’s erratic behavior. Specialists say that even moderate daily use can have detrimental effects on schoolwork.

While no one denies that the Queen Mary 2 rightfully flies the Union Jack, she was built in France and this is where she sails when feeling homesick. As she comes to drop anchor on French shores, proud spectators come out to welcome her ashore.

As Laurent Voulzy is walking down the beach, he chances upon a fan, and sings a little duet with her. At his concert that night, she’ll be in the front row. Can that “change the face of the world”?

Students taking the baccalaureate exam must complete an essay, choosing amongst several possible philosophical and political themes. France 2 talks with some students about the experience, and asks some prominent politicians what they might have written if presented with the same task.

Though we reported that some of the residents of Lille support the power workers and their blackout strikes, it turns out that not all of them do. Office workers shout from balconies to give the strikers a piece of their minds, and the workers respond in kind.

Meet a group of students as they prepare to take their baccalaureate test, a rite of passage for young French people on the cusp of adulthood. It can be a stressful time, but the students are pacing themselves well.

Julio Iglesias tours France for the first time in 27 years and is very warmly received, especially by the ladies. Julio not only sings a few songs in French, but can speak it as well, and proves as much during an on-camera interview.

French movie star Agnès Jaoui talks about playing a French movie star in the film Le rôle de sa vie. The film, which explores relationships between movie stars and average folk, is the directorial debut for François Favrat, who may become a celebrity in his own right if the film is a success.

Virtual service providers hope to provide a cheaper alternative to the French mobile phone market. Debitel, a German company, hopes to reach would-be cell phone users who have not yet purchased a phone.

“What’s in a name?” asks Shakespeare’s Juliet. Apparently quite a lot for the French, who consistently pass over job candidates whose names aren’t “ethnically French” – particularly those of African origin.

Joëlle Aubron, who died in 2006, was freed in 2004 after more than sixteen years in prison. She was a member of Action Directe, a movement which was responsible for a variety of violent events in the 1980s, most notably the assassination of the head of Renault in 1987.

The Three Musketeers is one of the greatest tales of brotherhoood in the Western canon, but this new movie from José Daillant shifts the focus to a female character, Milady, the story’s femme fatale. Look for the lovely and inimitable Arielle Dombasle in the starring role.

Two hundred sheep jumped to their death in the French Alps. Even though no predator was seen, wolves in the Alps have been causing a lot of controversy lately. Should we just allow Mother Nature to maintain the circle of life? Or should wolves be hunted and killed to protect the sheep and their shepherds?

Fans are boycotting Olympique de Marseille (OM), whose record hasn’t been stellar of late. Organizers say the team doesn’t deserve support and that the owners shouldn’t expect fans to continue filling the stands if something isn’t done to improve the level of play.