A national tribute will be paid to Master Sergeant Florian Montorio, French soldier killed in Lebanon, this Thursday, April 23 in Montauban. The ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment, where he has served since 2021, in the presence of Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin and the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Pierre Schill. Florian Montorio was killed on Saturday in southern Lebanon, during an ambush targeting UNIFIL peacekeepers, attributed by France and the UN to Hezbollah. Hit by direct fire from small arms in the Deir-Kifa region, he was part of a unit engaged in a peacekeeping mission. Three other French soldiers were injured, two of them seriously. Two of them must be repatriated, while the third is no longer hospitalized.
In this context, Emmanuel Macron accused Hezbollah of having targeted French soldiers. Furthermore, the Minister of the Armed Forces also gave news of soldiers injured during a drone attack in Iraq in March, indicating an overall encouraging development for those most affected. This national tribute aims to salute the memory of a “exceptional soldier”according to his regiment, and to pay tribute to his commitment.
2 – Emmanuel Macron goes to Cyprus
Emmanuel Macron will travel to Cyprus this Thursday, April 23, to participate in an informal meeting of heads of state and government of the European Union, organized in Nicosia and Ayia Napa. This summit, which will be held on April 23 and 24, will bring together European leaders around several major issues. Discussions will first focus on the geopolitical context, particularly tensions in Iran and the Middle East. The leaders will discuss the EU’s role in de-escalation, the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as well as the consequences of rising fossil fuel prices. The war in Ukraine will also be discussed, with a videoconference intervention by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The summit will also be devoted to the future budget of the European Union for 2028-2034 (multiannual financial framework). Member states will debate the budget’s resources and its role in the EU’s economic competitiveness. This meeting will be chaired by António Costa, President of the European Council, and hosted by the Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidiswithin the framework of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU. Partners from the Middle East will also participate in a working lunch on April 24.
3 – Release of Gabriel Attal’s book
Gabriel Attal publishes his first book this Thursday, April 23, As a free manthe starting point of a strategy to impose itself in the run-up to the presidential election. The former Prime Minister is thus beginning a new political phase, accompanied by a signing tour and a strong media presence. Inspired in particular by the advice of Nicolas Sarkozy, whom he met in March, Attal intends to “event” his campaign, increase the number of speeches and mark the public debate with strong proposals. A major meeting is already planned for May 30 in Paris, where he could formalize his candidacy.
By the summer, he intends to present several measures considered “radical” by those around him, particularly on health, education and decentralization. At the same time, he seeks to distance himself from Édouard Philippe, with whom he shares political space and who remains, for the moment, better placed in the polls. Drawing on his experience during the 2024 legislative elections, where he made numerous trips and interventions, Gabriel Attal is banking on an intensive campaign to try to establish himself as a candidate.
4 – Canneseries International Festival
The 9th edition of Canneseries begins this Thursday, April 23 on the Croisette and will be held until April 28, confirming its status as an unmissable event dedicated to series and documentaries. The festival is once again focusing on a demanding and varied program, mixing cutting-edge creations and mainstream productions. Among the highlights, the Canal+ group stands out with several ambitious projects, including Prisonermarking the return of Tahar Rahim in an international series, as well as new fiction and expected seasons. The festival also highlights international productions such as The Terrorproduced by Ridley Scott, or even Half Man by Richard Gadd. On the casting side, figures like Helena Bonham Carter or Bill Nighy will be present on screen.
Documentaries also occupy an important place, notably with Platinidedicated to Michel Platini, and Cruyffdedicated to Johan Cruyff. With this narrow and ambitious selection, Canneseries is pursuing its objective: to offer a quality label and establish itself sustainably as a major event in the world of series.
5 – The good news of the day
New images of The Odysseythe film by Christopher Nolan, were unveiled at CinemaCon on April 15. This extract shows Matt Damon in the role of Ulysses, stranded on the island of Calypso (Charlize Theron), where he has been held for seven years and suffers from amnesia. Another scene features Telemachus (Tom Holland), to whom Menelaus relates the episode of the Trojan horse, illustrated by a tense sequence where the Trojans inspect the structure without discovering the hidden soldiers. Acclaimed during the presentation, Nolan explained that he wanted to adapt this 3,000-year-old story for a contemporary audience. The film traces Ulysses’ long return to Ithaca after the Trojan War, a ten-year journey strewn with obstacles. With a budget of $250 million, it is the director’s most ambitious film, shot entirely in IMAX with few digital effects and in many real locations. It is scheduled for release on July 15, 2026.
