"When news broke that part of the A10 highway bridge had collapsed in Genoa, I knew exactly which one it was," writes Remi Banet, a journalist based in Paris.

"Although I never knew the Morandi Bridge by its name, I’ve driven on it countless times, on the way to visit my mother’s family in a village north of Naples. I was always struck by how the behemoth cut  its way through the rooftops of the city."

"Mashed potatoes may not be the first dish one associates with a top chef," writes Gersende Rambourg, who had covered gastronomy for three years for AFP.

"But in a way, the fact that Joel Robuchon, the celebrated French chef who died last week, had perfected such simple fare reflected who he was -- down to earth, accessible, an artist and lover of his craft who could make your mouth water with a description of a roast chicken."