& for your main course...

Well—this is one you don’t hear every day: the camel given French President François Hollande by the government of Mali is being replaced. Because the family that was looking after it ate it.

An unnamed source from north Mali assures us that it will be a “bigger and better-looking camel”. I get how it could be bigger, but I’m not sure how you measure beauty amongst camels.

I’m quite interested in the choice of a camel—given personally in gratitude for France sending ground troops to repel Al Qaeda invaders. I mean, weren’t there some nice native crafts they could have presented to Hollande? Cloth? Gold jewelry? A camel’s a big responsibility.

I’m also interested in the idea that the family (unnamed) didn’t put it to work, but instead put it on the menu. Must have been the extended family. And a hell of a barbecue.