News Summary: Depardieu gets Russian citizenship

FAIT ACCOMPLI: The Kremlin approved an application by French actor Gerard Depardieu for Russian citizenship.

VIVE LA DIFFERENCE: Depardieu, like other high-profile French citizens, has criticized plans by French President Francois Holland to raise the tax on earned income above €1 million ($1.3 million) to 75 percent from the current 41 percent. Russia has a flat 13 percent tax rate.

ABOUT GERARD DEPARDIEU: The actor has made more than 150 films and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Cyrano de Bergerac in the 1990 film of the same name.