An update on the piece a few days ago reporting the unauthorised use of President Sarkozy and his then squeeze now spouse Carla Bruni. The newlyweds have have won a case against low-cost airline Ryanair for using their picture without consent.
But the court in Paris awarded Ms Bruni only 60,000 euros (US$89,000; £45,000) - a fraction of the 500,000 euros she had asked for. Mr Sarkozy was given the symbolic single euro he had claimed for himself.
Ms Bruni - a former model - said 500,000 euros would have been her normal professional fee for appearing in an advertisement. But the court put her loss of earnings at only 60,000 euros.
Ryanair had apologised before the case came to court for using the couple's image without their consent, insisting it meant no offence. "It was a humorous comment on a matter of great public interest," a Ryanair spokeswoman in Dublin said.
We have also heard that Ryanair has been quoted as saying that they're so grateful for the enormous amount of publicity that the whole thing has generated they're happy to donate a further £45,000 to a charity of Ms Bruni/Mme Sarkozy's choice. That's why we love 'em!
Ven 28 Nov 2008 - 5:36