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/ FRANCE News: 20090325 Italy - Swiss - Glaciers - Land - Atmosphere - Global - Climate - Politics - History - France - Austria "Melting glaciers force Italy, Swiss to redraw border." ... "Melting glaciers in the Alps may prompt Italy and Switzerland to redraw their borders near the Matterhorn, according to parliamentary draft legislation being readied in Rome [Italy's capital]." ... "The Italian Military Geographic Institute says climate change is responsible for the Alpine glaciers melting." ... ""This draft law is born out the necessity to revise and verify the frontiers given the changes in climate and atmosphere," [Italy's Democratic Party member Franco] Narducci said. "The 1941 convention between Italy and Switzerland established as criteria [for border revisions] the ridge [crest] of the glaciers. Following the withdrawal of the glaciers in the Alps, a new criterion has been proposed so that the new border coincides with the rock."" ... "Narducci said the same negotiation will be proposed to France and Austria[.]" -CNN 20081108 Sarah Palin - John McCain - Clothes - Money - Comedian - Canada - France - Mexico - US - 2008 Election - 2012 Election "Palin calls critics among McCain aides ‘jerks’." ... "The [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate John] McCain campaign aides complained about the $150,000 that the Republican National Committee had spent on [2008 Election Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah] Ms. Palin’s clothes, the way a Canadian comedian was able to embarrass the campaign by calling her and pretending to be the president of France, and the political ambitions she seemed to harbor beyond 2008." ... "By the end of the week, their complaints had escalated considerably, with Fox News quoting unnamed McCain campaign officials as saying that Ms. Palin had not known that Africa was a continent, not a country, and claiming that she did not know which countries were covered by the North American Free Trade Agreement [the US, Canada, and Mexico]." ... "Ms. Palin told reporters in Alaska that the anonymous criticism was “cowardly,” and that she had discussed the campaign’s position on Nafta at her debate prep sessions." ... "“I remember having a discussion with a couple of debate preppers,” she said. “So if it came from one of those debate preppers, you know, that’s curious. But having a discussion about Nafta — not, ‘Oh my goodness, I don’t know who is a part of Nafta.’ ”" ... "“So, no, I think that if there are allegations based on questions or comments that I made in debate prep about Nafta, and about the continent versus the country when we talk about Africa there, then those were taken out of context,” Ms. Palin said. “And that’s cruel and it’s mean-spirited, it’s immature, it’s unprofessional, and those guys are jerks, if they came away with it taking things out of context and then tried to spread something on national news. It is not fair and not right.”" -By William Yardley and Michael Cooper with contributions by Julie Bosman and Brian Stelter -NYTimes -MSNBC 20080819 Afghanistan - French - US -Terrorism - History "Taliban kill 10 French troops in Afghanistan." ... "Taliban insurgents killed 10 French soldiers and wounded 21 in a major battle in Afghanistan, the French president's office said on Tuesday, the biggest single loss of foreign troops in combat there since 2001." ... "The Taliban have gradually closed in on Kabul [Afghanistan's capital] in the past year, making travel south, west or east of the capital extremely hazardous for troops, aid workers and civilians and spreading fear among the population." ... "The battle that ensued lasted deep into the night and the mixed French, Afghan and U.S. force summoned reinforcements and air support, General Jean-Louis Georgelin, chief of the army general staff, told a news conference in Paris." ... "France has 2,600 troops in Afghanistan, after Sarkozy sent an extra 700 soldiers this year in response to a U.S. call for NATO allies to provide more forces to check a surge in violence." ... "TALIBAN CLOSING IN" ... "The Taliban have stepped up attacks in provinces bordering the Afghan capital over the past year, closing in from the volatile south and east, where the bulk of the fighting has occurred since militants relaunched their insurgency in 2005." (1, 2, 3) -By Sayed Salahuddin with contributions by James Mackenzie, Elyas Wahdat in Khost, Jon Hemming, and Michael Winfrey -Reuters 20080813 Georgia - Russia - EU - Belgium - France - Military - History "Georgia Says Russian Troops Move Beyond Conflict Zone (Update2)." ... "Georgia accused Russia of sending troops beyond the South Ossetia [Republic of Georgia region] conflict zone in violation of a cease-fire. A Russian official denied the claim, saying the troops are eliminating Georgia's ability to renew attacks." ... "Georgian Security Council chief Kakha Lomaia said a column of Russian troops may be moving from the city of Gori [Republic of Georgia] toward the Uplistsikhe military base, which Georgian forces abandoned earlier in the conflict. The Russians are advancing ``well beyond the conflict zone,'' he said today." ... "The Russian troop movements come one day after Georgia and Russia agreed to a European Union-brokered peace plan to end five days of fighting. EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels [the capital of Belgium and the European Union] to push the peace deal forward. The 27-nation bloc may send military personnel to monitor the cease-fire, said French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country brokered the accord." ... "Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said Russian tanks continue to operate within Georgia, destroying ``infrastructure,'' as Russia said it was responding to sporadic attacks by Georgian snipers while observing the terms of a cease-fire declared by [Russian] President Dmitry Medvedev." ... "Medvedev ordered a halt to the military campaign, which was sparked by fighting between Georgia and South Ossetia on Aug. 7. Saakashvili said Russia launched a ``well-planned invasion'' of Georgia the next day. Nogovitsyn said Georgia planned its incursion into South Ossetia in advance and expected to meet resistance only from Ossetian forces and the 588 Russian peacekeepers deployed in the region." ... "South Ossetia and Abkhazia broke away from Georgian control in wars in the early 1990s and Russian forces have been stationed as peacekeepers in the regions under a Commonwealth of Independent States mandate. Most people living in both regions have Russian passports. Saakashvili yesterday said Georgia is quitting the CIS, a loose association of all former Soviet republics except the three Baltic states. " -By Henry Meyer and Lucian Kim -Bloomberg 20080630 John McCain - Barack Obama -US - Military - 2008 Election - World - Iraq - Afghanistan - Israel - Jordan - Germany - France - Britain - Ireland "Former Nato commander questions value of McCain's military experience." ... "A top supporter of [2008 Election Democratic Presidential Candidate] Barack Obama has questioned the value of Republican [2008 Election Presidential Candidate] John McCain's military experience, suggesting it did not qualify him to be president." ... "Former Nato [NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization] commander Wesley Clark described Mr McCain as "untested and untried", lacking the executive experience needed to lead the country." ... ""He [McCain] has been a voice on the Senate armed services committee. And he has travelled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility. That large squadron in the navy that he commanded - that wasn't a wartime squadron," Mr Clark said. "I don't think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president."" ... "Mr Obama hopes to beef up his foreign-policy credentials with a visit to Iraq and Afghanistan later this year. His campaign announced at the weekend that the Democratic candidate would go to the Middle East and Europe next month. Mr Obama will visit Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and Britain, but does not apparently plan to stop in Ireland, where he has ancestral roots in Co Offaly [Ireland, Irish county in the Province of Leinster]." ... ""This trip will be an important opportunity for me to assess the situation in countries that are critical to American national security and to consult with some of our closest friends and allies about the common challenges we face," Mr Obama said." -By Denis Staunton -IrishTimes.com 20080608 John McCain - Tom Loeffler - Susan E Nelson - Rick Davis - Illegal - 2008 Election - Politics - French - US - Military - Aircraft - Technology - EADS Airbus "McCain Lobbyist Ties Questioned in Ad, Complaint." ... "The TV ad from Campaign Money Watch, set to run on Washington, D.C., broadcast and cable outlets starting Monday, focuses on [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate John] McCain's role in the awarding of an Air Force contract that would eventually go to the French company Airbus [EADS] instead of the American company Boeing." ... ""Seven of McCain’s staff and fundraisers lobbied for Airbus," the ad says. "And guess what? John McCain intervened, which helped Airbus get that Pentagon contract. Tell John McCain to kick those lobbyists off the Straight Talk Express."" ... "The group is also asking the Federal Election Commission to investigate two other public reports that touch on McCain's connections to lobbyists: That a lobbying company, the Loeffler Group LLP, made payments this year to McCain's national finance director, Susan Nelson; and that a company controlled in part by campaign manager Rick Davis sliced more than $100,000 off of McCain campaign's tab, when the campaign was starved for cash last year." ... "While working for Loeffler, Nelson lobbied on behalf of Airbus. Newsweek reported last month that Nelson was rehired early this year as a consultant for the company, while on the McCain campaign's payroll." ... "Campaign Money Watch alleges that the payments made by the Loeffler Group and the discount arranged by the company 3eDC could amount to illegal corporate contributions, according to an FEC complaint to be filed Monday." -ABCNEWS.com WATCH: "The McCain File" ad claiming, "Some straight talk about John McCain and his lobbyists' involvement in a deal that landed a French defense contractor a big-money contract." via FireTheLobbyists.com and Public Campaign Action Fund's Youtube channel. 20080517 John McCain - Thomas Loeffler - Foreign - Politics - Saudi Arabia - French - Aerospace - Military - Manufacturing - Texas - US - 2008 Election - "Mccain vs. Lobbyists." ... "Stung by the news that two aides once lobbied for the Burmese junta, [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate] John McCain last week rolled out a sweeping new conflict-of-interest policy for his campaign, requiring all staffers to fill out questionnaires identifying past or current clients that "could be embarrassing for the senator."" ... "One top campaign official affected by the new policy is national finance co-chair Tom Loeffler, a former Texas congressman whose lobbying firm has collected nearly $15 million from Saudi Arabia since 2002 and millions more from other foreign and corporate interests, including a French aerospace firm [EADS] seeking Pentagon contracts. Loeffler last month told a reporter "at no time have I discussed my clients with John McCain." But lobbying disclosure records reviewed by NEWSWEEK show that on May 17, 2006, Loeffler listed meeting McCain along with the Saudi ambassador to "discuss US-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relations."" ... "Another potential problem: Loeffler's firm started paying $15,000 a month last summer to one of its lobbyists, Susan Nelson, after she left to become McCain's full-time finance director, said a source familiar with the arrangement (who asked not to be identified talking about sensitive matters)." -By Michael Isikoff -Newsweek  20080314 John McCain - France - Israel - Britain - US - Arizona - 2008 Election - Politics - "McCain Invites Fundraisers to London." ... "[2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate and Arizona Senator] Sen. John McCain and his staff have been adamant for days that his upcoming overseas trip to Britain, France and Israel is not political." ... "Apparently, though, there will still be room for fundraising." ... "McCain's campaign has sent out an invitation for a March 20 luncheon at Spencer House -- the neo-classical home built for an ancestor of Diana, the late Princess of Wales -- "by kind permission of Lord Rothschild OM GBE and the [Honorable] Hon. Nathaniel Rothschild."" ... "The price to attend is $1000 to $2,300. And the dress code for the event? "Lounge suits" -- British for business attire." -By Matthew Mosk -WashingtonPost  20080307 John McCain - France - European Union - US - Military - Aircraft - Manufacturers - Money - Jobs - 2008 Election - Arizona - Los Angeles - California - Seattle - Washington - Illinois - "Boeing backers blame McCain for losing deal." ... "Supporters of The Boeing Co. blame [2008 Election Republican Presidential Candidate and Arizona Senator] Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, for the company's failure to win the lucrative $35 billion contract to build new Air Force aerial refueling tankers." ... "The Air Force last week awarded the contract to a team of Airbus parent EADS and Northrop Grumman Corp., triggering a firestorm from Boeing advocates who said the victory by the European-led consortium ignored American national security interests and would cost U.S. jobs." ... "Boeing advocates say McCain was a major force behind the Air Force decision to ignore the issue of government subsidies to Airbus when the tanker contract was put up for competitive bidding last year." ... "The issue of European government subsidies for Airbus has been raised for years by Boeing supporters who claim that those financial breaks have allowed the Toulouse, France-based company to undercut Boeing's prices and thus gain market share in the global competition between the two aircraft manufacturers. (Both the U.S. and the European Union, which claims Boeing also receives subsidies, have filed cases with the World Trade Organization.)" ... "Boeing advocates assert that those same subsidies helped European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. and Los-Angeles[California]-based Northrop Grumman win the Air Force tanker project, with a value that could eventually top $100 billion." ... ""The only reason that (Airbus) could even bid a low price is because they receive a subsidy," said [Washington Democratic Representative] Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., whose Seattle-area district includes thousands of Boeing workers. "Senator McCain jumped into this and said that they (the Air Force) could not look at the subsidy issue, which I think is a big mistake," he told PBS." ... "McCain himself has received support from the EADS North America executive suite. He has received more than $12,000 in campaign donations from some of the company's top U.S. officials, support that continued even as his presidential campaign was foundering in mid- to late 2007." ... "McCain's donors include EADS North America Chief Executive Officer Ralph Crosby and Senior Vice President of Government Relations Samuel Adcock." ... ""The person that stopped (the tanker) from going to a U.S. company was Senator McCain," said [Illinois Democratic Represenative Rahm] Emanuel, "and now we are going to send major high-paying jobs overseas."" -By Eric Rosenberg with contributions by Daniel Lathrop -SeattlePI 20080121 Worldwide - US - Britain - France - Germany - Canada - Brazil - Argentina- "Stock Markets Plunge Worldwide." ... "Stocks fell sharply worldwide Monday following declines on Wall Street last week amid investor pessimism over the U.S. [United States] government's stimulus plan to prevent a recession." ... "U.S. markets were closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the downbeat mood from last week's market declines there circled through Europe, Asia and the Americas. Britain's benchmark FTSE-100 slumped 5.5 percent to 5,578.20, France's CAC-40 Index tumbled 6.8 percent to 4,744.15, and Germany's blue-chip DAX 30 plunged 7.2 percent to 6,790.19." ... "In Canada, the S&P/TSX composite index on the Toronto Stock Exchange fell 4.8 percent. Brazilian stocks plunged 6.6 percent on the main index of Sao Paulo's Bovespa exchange, and Argentina's benchmark Merval index fell 6.3 percent to close under 1,900 for the first time since August 2006." -By Toby Anderson with contributions by Cassie Biggs, Ramola Talwar Badam, Elaine Kurtenbach, and Carl Freire -AP via -Yahoo  20080120 Israel - Electronic - Cars - Manufacturing - Transportation - Technology - Company - Environmental - Health - Politics - California - US - Japan - France - "Israel Looks to Electric Cars." ... "The Israeli government announced a major initiative to push the nation's drivers toward electric cars on Monday, a move meant to both lessen dependence on foreign oil and address the environmental and health hazards of gas-burning vehicles." ... "It aligns policy makers and a major car company with an outfit prepared to build hundreds of thousands of electric charging stations across the country. In an interview with TIME, Israeli President Shimon Peres called the project, "an experimental lab, a pilot project, before it's applied to other, bigger industrialized nations."" ... "Automaker Renault-Nissan will manufacture the cars and Better Place, a California start-up founded by former SAP executive Shai Agassi, will build the infrastructure, which may eventually consist of 500,000 charging points and up to 200 battery-exchange stations." ... "The [Renault-Nissan] Japanese-French auto alliance has separately said that it will manufacture a hybrid by 2010 and an all-electric car by 2012." ... "Agassi figures that if he adds electrical outlets to at least 500,000 of Israel's three to four million parking spots, people will feel like they can charge their cars whenever they need to." ... "For longer drives, customers will be able to pull into a battery-swap station and get a fresh battery." -By Barbara Kiviat with contributions by Tim McGirk -TIME.com 20070810 Worldwide - United States - EU- France - Netherlands - Japan - Germany - Home - "Mortgage Losses Echo in Europe and on Wall Street." ... "Turmoil in the home loan market ricocheted from the United States to Europe and back again yesterday as stocks on Wall Street suffered their biggest one-day decline since February, reflecting growing concerns about tightening credit worldwide." ... "Big losses on packages of American home loan securities sold to investors turned up unexpectedly in French and Dutch [Netherlands] banks yesterday, adding to worries at hedge funds and financial institutions around the globe. With trillions of dollars of securities outstanding, those announcements raised expectations that more problems may soon emerge in other unlikely places as well." ... "The spreading fears forced the European Central Bank and, later, the Federal Reserve to inject billions of dollars into the financial system to help prevent borrowing and lending in credit markets from freezing up." ... "Japan’s central bank followed suit, injecting more than $8 billion into money markets as stocks there plummeted Friday morning." ... "Citing “tensions in the euro money market,” the European Central Bank in Frankfurt [Germany] lent more than $130 billion overnight at a rate of 4 percent to tamp down a surge in the rates banks charge each other for very short-term loans. The Federal Reserve injected $24 billion into the United States banking system to keep its benchmark overnight lending rate at 5.25 percent, after it opened this morning at 5.5 percent." (1, 2) -By Vikas Bajaj and Mark Landler with contributions by Julia Werdigier, James Kanter, and Julie Creswell -NYTimes

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LeMonde.fr MondeDiplo AFP  France News Sources: Economist Guardian WashingtonPost Search France News: News Search <France> in: <AllTheWeb-[News]> <AltaVista-[News]> <Google-[News]> <MSN-[News]> <RocketNews> <Teoma> Specialty search: <Google's U.S. "Uncle Sam," .gov and .mil>  Search: <France News> in: <Google> <MSN> <Yahoo> Search: <French News> in: <Google> <MSN> <Yahoo> France Brought to you by the alphabet letter F F ;-)

20070808
• US - Vietnam - France - Iraq - Military - Mitt Romney - Religion - Family - Ill - Quad City - Iowa - 2008 Election - "Romney speaks up for sons' decisions." ... "[2008 election] Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney on Wednesday defended his five sons' decision not to enlist in the military, saying they're showing their support for the country by "helping me get elected."" ... "Romney, who did not serve in Vietnam due to his Mormon missionary work [in France] and a high draft lottery number, was asked the question by an anti-war activist after a speech in which he called for "a surge of support" for U.S. forces in Iraq." ... ""The good news is that we have a volunteer Army and that's the way we're going to keep it," Romney told some 200 people gathered in an abbey near the Mississippi River that had been converted into a hotel. "My sons are all adults and they've made decisions about their careers and they've chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard."" ... "He added: "One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I'd be a great president."" ... "The woman who asked the question, Rachel Griffiths, 41, of Milan, Ill [Illinois]., identified herself as a member of Quad City Progressive Action for the Common Good, as well as the sister of an Army major who had served in Iraq." ... ""Of course not," Griffiths said when asked if she was satisfied with Romney's answer. "He told me the way his son shows support for our military and our nation is to buy a Winnebago and ride across Iowa and help him get elected."" -By Glen Johnson-AP via -Yahoo 

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20070624
• US - Vietnam - Military - History- France - Academic - Mitt Romney- 2008 Election - Politician - Utah - "Mormon church obtained Vietnam draft deferrals for Romney, other missionaries." ... "As the Vietnam War raged in the 1960s, Mitt Romney received a deferment from the draft as a Mormon "minister of religion" for the duration of his missionary work in France, which lasted two and a half years." ... "Before and after his missionary deferment, Romney also received nearly three years of deferments for his academic studies. When his deferments ended and he became eligible for military service in 1970, he drew a high number in the annual lottery that determined which young men were drafted. His high number ensured he was not drafted into the military." ... "The exemption for Mormon missionaries created controversy at the time. Non-Mormons in Utah filed a lawsuit against the federal government in 1968. The suit was still in court two years later, at a time when "the church and the Selective Service System work hand-in-hand in deferring the missionaries," according to an article from the period published by The New York Times." ... "Richard Leedy, the lawyer who brought the suit, said in a telephone interview that he did so because "the substantial number of deferments to missionaries made the likelihood of us non-Mormons going to Vietnam a lot more likely."" -By Michael Kranish -Boston/Globe

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20060819
• Israel - Lebanon - France - UN - Iran - Syria - "Israel mounts fresh Lebanon raid: Israel carried out an overnight raid inside Lebanon aimed at disrupting an arms transfer, the Israeli army says." ... "One soldier died and two were injured in the Bekaa Valley operation, it said. Lebanese sources earlier told Reuters agency that three militants also died." ... "The incident came hours after UN chief Kofi Annan warned of a "fragile" situation on the ground." ... "Meanwhile, 50 French troops arrived in the Lebanese port of Naqoura, the first soldiers to bolster the UN force." ... "They are among 200 extra troops promised by France, as the UN struggles to build its force." ... "The UN wants 3,500 troops on the ground speedily, to be expanded later to 15,000. It says it is disappointed with the French contribution and wants other European nations to offer more help too." ... "Israel's fresh operation inside Lebanon came five days after a UN-brokered ceasefire ended the month-long conflict." ... "Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the Israeli raid was a naked violation of the ceasefire." ... "The Israeli army said the raid was to prevent arms being delivered to Hezbollah by Iran and Syria." -BBC /News 

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20060731
• US - Iran - Nuclear - Military - UN - Germany - Britain- France - Russia - China - "Rice tells Iran to heed UN, or face sanctions." ... "U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Iran on Monday to heed a U.N. resolution demanding it suspend uranium enrichment by August 31 or face sanctions." ... "The United Nations passed a resolution on Monday which gives Iran until the end of this month to suspend its enrichment activities or face "appropriate measures" under Article 41 of Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which pertains to economic sanctions." ... "Rice said the U.N. resolution did not "close the door to diplomacy" with Iran, adding Tehran still had a package of incentives on the table presented by Germany and the five Security Council members with veto power -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China." -By Sue Pleming -WashingtonPost 

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20060330
• Iran - US - Germany - Russia - China - France - Britain - UN - Politics - "Iran Defiantly Rejects New U.N. Demands: Iran Rejects New U.N. Demands to Stop Uranium Enrichment; Rice Says International Community United." ... "Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran on Thursday the "international community is united" in the dispute over its nuclear program, but a Tehran envoy defiantly rejected a U.N. call to reimpose a freeze on uranium enrichment." ... "Rice spoke after a meeting in Berlin among diplomats from the five veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany over ways to press Iran to stop enriching uranium, which can be used for weapons. Iran says its program is peaceful." ... "The meeting follows agreement Wednesday by the 15-member Security Council to ask the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, to report back in 30 days on Iran's compliance with demands to stop enriching uranium." ... "Wednesday's statement from the Security Council took into account the Russian and Chinese reservations about too much toughness, while meeting U.S., French and British calls for keeping the pressure on Tehran." (1, 2, 3) -AP via -ABCNEWS.com 

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20060117
• Russia - China - Iran - Britain - France - Germany - US - UN - Nuclear - Military - Energy - "Russia, China join pressure against Iran." ... "The five nations with permanent seats on the UN Security Council agreed at a crisis meeting Monday that Iran must suspend attempts to make nuclear fuel, but Russia and China stopped short of demanding that Iran be referred to the Security Council for possible sanctions." ... "The crisis was set in motion in August when Iran broke the IAEA's monitoring seals on the fuel-conversion line at its Isfahan plant, thus breaking its agreement with Britain, France and Germany not to make nuclear fuel. The Europeans, backed by Washington, referred the matter to the IAEA, which passed a resolution criticizing Iran but declined to vote on referring the matter to the UN." ... "That emboldened the Iranians to push the envelope a bit further. This month they cracked the seals on the uranium-enrichment plant at Natanz, provoking the Europeans to declare that its 2 1/2-year effort to find a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear ambitions had reached a dead end." (1, 2) -By Tom Hundley and Alex Rodriguez -ChicagoTribune

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20051225
• Iran - Germany - France - Tourist - Waters - "Iran detains German and French tourists." ... "Iran said Sunday it is holding a German man and a Frenchman whose boat strayed into its territorial waters while they were on a sailing vacation last month." ... "The Rheinpfalz newspaper reported that the 52-year-old German had been on vacation with his wife and a French friend in the United Arab Emirates. The two men were arrested on Nov. 29 during a fishing trip in the Straits of Hormuz, apparently after straying into Iranian waters, it said." -AP via -SeattlePI.NWsource

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20051212
• France - Terrorism - Intelligence - "French target 'Islamic network': Police investigating suspected plans for attacks in France have arrested at least 20 people during raids in and around Paris." ... "They described the arrests as a "major operation aimed at disbanding an Islamist network linked to terrorism"." ... "Agents of the domestic intelligence service, the DST, raided homes around Paris before dawn." -BBC /News

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• Lebanon - Syria - France - UN - Media - Police - "Anti-Syrian legislator killed by Beirut car bomb." ... "A car bomb killed Lebanese newspaper magnate and anti-Syrian legislator Gebran Tueni in Beirut on Monday, less than 24 hours after he returned from Paris [France] where he lived for several months fearing assassination." ... "Several politicians blamed Syria and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said he would ask the U.N. Security Council to investigate a series of attacks that have rocked Lebanon since the February 14 killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri." ... "Syria denies any role in the attacks and said the latest killing was timed to smear it." ... "Police said Tueni, publisher of the An-Nahar daily newspaper, was among four people killed in the explosion that destroyed his armoured vehicle in the Mekalis area of mainly Christian east Beirut. More than 30 people were wounded." (1, 2, 3) -By Nadim Ladki and Lin Noueihed with contributions by Alaa Shahine and Ayat Basma -Reuters 

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20051206
• Iran - EU - France - Russia - US - UN - Politics - "Iran stays course on nukes: The EU has also drawn a firm line against allowing Iran to enrich uranium." ... "Iran says it is ready for "constructive and serious" talks over its controversial nuclear program, but Monday spelled out a bedrock position on enriching uranium that European negotiators deem "unacceptable."" ... "But just as Iran draws its red line, Europeans are sticking to theirs, insisting that no enrichment can take place in Iran." ... "France's foreign minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, expressed dismay at Iran's stance Monday, saying that its insistence on enriching uranium was a "unilateral" rejection of a Russian proposal to resolve the standoff." ... "The Europeans and the US will support action against Iran by the UN Security Council unless there is compromise over what they see as a proliferation risk. But on Saturday, Iran approved a bill that would halt international inspections of its atomic facilities if Iran were taken before the Security Council." -By Scott Peterson -CSMonitor 

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20051107
• France - Belgium - Germany - "Rioting in France Spreads to 300 Towns." ... "Rioting by French youths spread to 300 towns overnight and a 61-year-old man hurt in the violence died of his wounds, the first fatality in 11 days of unrest that has shocked the country, police said Monday." ... "As urban unrest was reported in neighboring Belgium and Germany, the French government faced growing criticism for its inability to stop the violence, despite massive police deployment and continued calls for calm. One riot-hit town in suburban Paris said it was preparing to enforce a curfew." ... "Meanwhile, governments worldwide urged their citizens to be careful in France." -By Angela Doland with contributions by Emmanuel Georges-Picot, Thierry Boinet and Jan Sliva -AP via -Guardian.co.uk

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20051106
• France - Cars - "French Police Arrest 186; Paris Riots Continue for 10th Night." ... "French police arrested 186 people overnight as gangs burned cars and buildings for the 10th consecutive night in Paris suburbs, other cities around France, and, for the first time, within the city of Paris itself. More than 900 vehicles were set ablaze across the nation." ... "More than 550 people have been arrested and more than 2,100 vehicles have been torched since Oct. 27." -By Alan Katz -Bloomberg 

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• France - Economic - Religious - "Youths' poverty, despair fuel violent unrest in France: Islamic underclass vents frustration." ... ""Islamic leaders and social commentators acknowledge that most of the looters and arsonists are Muslims of Arabic or black African heritage. But they insist that root causes of the violence are economic, not religious -- even though the rioters often use slogans of radical fundamentalism." ... "France has the largest Islamic population in Western Europe, about 5 million, many of whom dwell in communities beset by high unemployment, savage crime, blighted housing, and bad schools." ... "Unemployment in Islamic communities is estimated to be at 30 percent, more than three times the national average. Islamic leaders and social analysts say that racial and religious discrimination are rampant. Jobs available to even French-born Muslims, they say, tend to be menial positions." -By Colin Nickerson with contributions by Petra Krischok -Boston/Globe 

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20051103
• France - "Paris Rioting Continues for Eighth Night." ... "Rioters fired at police, stoned commuter trains and torched a school, shops and hundreds of vehicles in tough immigrant suburbs Thursday, spurring French authorities to deploy 1,000 riot police on an eighth night of street violence." ... "The main spark for the riots came Oct. 27 in the town of Clichy-sous-Bois when two teenagers died by electrocution while hiding from police in an electrical substation. One youth was of Tunisian descent, and the other was born in Mauritania. The two were at a soccer game when police arrived; the teenagers reportedly fled to the fatal hiding place, though investigators say police were not chasing them. Nonetheless, neighborhood youths began setting fires, destroying property and attacking police and firefighters." -By Sebastian Rotella -LAtimes 

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20051028
• World - Iran - Israel - France - Russia - Palestine - Nuclear - Military - "World Leaders Condemn Iranian's Call to Wipe Israel 'Off the Map'." ... "In a joint statement, the E.U. leaders "condemned in the strongest terms" the Iranian president's call, saying it "will cause concern about Iran's role in the region and its future intentions." President Jacques Chirac of France told reporters that Ahmadinejad risked Iran "being left on the outside of other nations."" ... "Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, in Israel, called the Iranian president's statement "unacceptable."" ... "The statement was widely reported in the Arab world; leaders there reacted for the most part with silence. Most Arab countries have no diplomatic relations with Israel. But the Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said, according to the Associated Press: "We have recognized the state of Israel and we are pursuing a peace process with Israel, and . . . we do not accept the statements of the president of Iran. This is unacceptable."" ... "U.S. and European leaders have grown increasingly worried about the bellicose attitude of Iran at a time when it is pursuing a nuclear program that they have said may be intended to produce a nuclear weapon." (1, 2) -By Mary Jordan and Karl Vick with contributions by Scott Wilson and Robin Wright-WashingtonPost 

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20051025
• France - US - Syria - Lebanon - Germany - UN - "France and U.S. to Press U.N. to Demand Syrian Cooperation." ... "The United States and France said Monday that they would push for Security Council action to demand that Syria end its obstruction of the United Nations investigation into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri." ... "Detlev Mehlis, the German prosecutor in charge of the investigation, is to present his report formally to the Security Council on Tuesday. The strongly worded 54-page document, made public on Thursday, implicated high-ranking members of the Syrian government in the killing on Feb. 14 of Mr. Hariri, who had incurred Syria's wrath by protesting its dominance of Lebanese politics." ... "The report also accused Syria of not cooperating with Mr. Mehlis and of giving him misleading information. It was that aspect of the report that the United States and France addressed Monday in deciding what action they would ask the Council to take." -By Warren Hoge and Steven R. Weisman with contributions by Joel Brinkley -NYTimes

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20051016
• US - Syria - Iran - France - Russia - Britain - Military - Nuclear - "Rice enlists support for Syria, Iran showdowns." ... "U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice mobilized support among major powers for diplomatic showdowns over the next few weeks with Syria and Iran on a trip that ended on Sunday." ... "Over three days, Rice held talks with the leaders of France, Russia and Britain -- all holders of vetoes at the U.N. Security Council - on how to make the two U.S. foes meet U.N. security demands." ... "In a show of diplomacy that reflected the Bush administration's efforts this year to consult partners more, Rice crisscrossed Europe seeking to build a common front against Syria's suspected support for militants in Lebanon and Iran's nuclear ambitions." (1, 2) -Reuters 

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20050920
• -  -  -  -  -  - Politics - "U.S., EU Want Iran Sent Before UN Security Council (Update3)." ... "U.S. and European diplomats drafted a resolution asking the United Nations Security Council to confront Iran about its intention to enrich uranium." ... "The resolution asks the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency to report Iran to the Security Council, according to a four-page draft obtained by Bloomberg News. The 15-member council should tell Iran to suspend uranium enrichment, it said." ... "Calls to send Iran before the Security Council intensified after talks with France, Germany and the U.K., representing the European Union, collapsed last month. Iran broke IAEA seals on an idled uranium conversion plant on Aug. 9. Iran says it needs nuclear fuel to generate electricity. The U.S. says the Islamic Republic wants to build an atomic bomb." -By Jonathan Tirone -Bloomberg 

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20050719
• -  -  -  -  - "Rumsfeld Argues for Keeping China Embargo." ... "China cannot be certain that its military, while steadily strengthening, is capable of conquering Taiwan, the Pentagon said in a new report on Chinese military power and strategy." ... "Over the longer term, however, an increasingly modern Chinese military could pose a threat to U.S. and other forces in the Asia-Pacific region, it said." ... "Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday prior to the release of the report that it illustrates why a European arms embargo against the Chinese should be kept in place." ... "Some members of the European Union, including France, have sought an end to the embargo, which was imposed after the Chinese military crushed student protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989." -By Robert Burns -AP via -SFGate.com

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20050706
• -  -  -  -  - "U.N. troops raid Haitian slum, at least 5 killed." ... "More than 350 U.N. troops in armored carriers stormed a house where gang leader Emmanuel Wilme, known as Dread Wilme, was believed to have taken refuge, said Col. Eloufi Boulbars, a military spokesman for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti." ... "Wilme, a loyalist to former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, led a well-armed gang that has waged deadly gunfights with rival gangs in Cite Soleil." ... "Aristide fled the country in February 2004 in the face of an armed revolt and under U.S. and French pressure to quit. He is living in exile in South Africa." ... "An interim government has scheduled elections to choose a new president and parliament on Dec. 13, with a possible runoff on Dec. 18. A ballot to elect local government officials is scheduled for Oct. 9." -By Joseph Guyler Delva with contributions by Evelyn Leopold -Reuters via -SignOnSanDiego.com 

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20050602
• - Netherlands - "Double 'no' to treaty plunges Europe into crisis." ... "The European Union faced a deepening crisis of confidence on Thursday after the Dutch joined the French in rejecting a new constitution in a move that could stall the bloc's expansion and disrupt decision-making." ... "EU leaders urged member states to press on with ratification of the treaty, drawn up to make the bloc run more smoothly after its enlargement to 25 states from 15 last year." ... ""The referendum result from the Netherlands was as expected, but it doesn't change our position. We will push ahead with ratification," said Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek." (1, 2) -By John Chalmers -Reuters via-WashingtonPost 

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• - Netherlands - "Latvia ratifies EU constitution: Message from 'new Europe' that expansion should continue." ... "After several European leaders urged other member states to press ahead with the endorsement process after convincing rejections in the French and Dutch referendums, Latvia's 100 member parliament voted 71 for the constitution with 5 votes against and 6 abstaining." -Reuters via -CNN

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20050530
• - "France Rejects Europe Charter." ... "Voters turn down a proposed constitution for the European Union, stirring a political crisis for the alliance and for their president, Chirac." ... "French voters rejected a proposed European Union constitution Sunday, igniting a political crisis in the alliance and dealing a sharp blow to French President Jacques Chirac." ... "Nine EU nations have approved the document, but it needs to be ratified by all 25 members to take effect. Although some prominent French and European leaders warned that France's rejection would doom the larger ratification process, others said that a second-chance vote might be possible." -By Sebastian Rotella with contributions by Achrene Sicakyuz -LAtimes

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20050516
• -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - "Countries circulate resolution to expand U.N. Security Council." ... "Brazil, Germany, India and Japan circulated a draft resolution Monday that would expand the U.N. Security Council from 15 to 25 members and give the four countries permanent seats along with two African nations." ... "The draft says the new permanent members should have "the same responsibilities and obligations as the current permanent members" — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France — which includes veto power over council resolution." -AP via -USATODAY 

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• -  -  -  -  -  - "Report: Saddam's Aides Used Oil As Reward." ... "Russian leaders received millions of dollars in Iraqi oil allocations from top representatives in Saddam Hussein's former government in hopes of ending U.N. penalties against Iraq, Senate investigators were told." ... "The Senate investigators said their interviews and documents from the former Iraqi government add to evidence in previous probes linking Russian officials to abuses in the $64 billion U.N. program. It was designed to permit Saddam to sell some oil and use the proceeds to buy food, medicine and other humanitarian items." ... "Documents released by the panel last week claimed former French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua and British politician George Galloway also accepted allocations, charges both men deny." (1, 2) -By Ken Guggenheim -AP via-WashingtonPost 

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20050512
• -  -  -  -  - "U.S. backs Europeans on Iran warning." ... "The United States on Thursday backed France, Britain and Germany in their warning to Iran that they will break off talks over Tehran's nuclear program if it resumes uranium enrichment." ... "France, Britain and Germany warned in a letter to Iran that they would end negotiations over Iran's nuclear program if Tehran went ahead with uranium enrichment as it has threatened to do."-Reuters via -AlertNet.org/Newsdesk 

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20050503
• -  -  -  -  -  - "Iran Rejects Efforts to Halt Its Nuclear Program (Update2)." ... "Iran rejects U.S. and European efforts to block its development of nuclear technology, and is determined to continue a uranium enrichment program, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said at the United Nations." ... "France, Germany and the U.K. have been in talks to convince Iran to halt an enrichment program, which the U.S. says is intended to produce nuclear weapons. Iran, one of 188 nations that have ratified the treaty, agreed in November to suspend its nuclear activities in exchange for trade and economic concessions." -By Bill Varner -Bloomberg 

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20050430
• -  -  -  -  - "Iran 'may restart nuclear program'." ... "Iran said Saturday it is likely to resume uranium enrichment-related activities within a week, a process it halted last year to build confidence in talks with European countries and avoid referral to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions." ... "Tehran's announcement came a day after talks in London with European negotiators yielded no results. France, Britain and Germany, acting on behalf of the 25-nation European Union, are seeking guarantees from Iran that it will not use its nuclear program to make weapons, as Washington suspects." -AP via -CNN 

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20050322
• -  -  -  -  -  -  - Photo - "News Agency Sues Google, Testing Fair Use: French News Agency AFP's Lawsuit Against Google Tests Fair Use in the Internet Age." ... "In a case that could set limits on Internet search engines, the French news agency AFP is suing Google Inc. for pulling together photos and story excerpts from thousands of news Web sites." ... "Agence France-Presse said the "Google News" service infringes on AFP's copyrights by reproducing information from the Web sites of subscribers of the Paris-based news wholesaler." (1, 2, 3) -By Anick Jesdanun with contributions by Randy Herschaft -AP via -ABCNEWS.com

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20050318
• -  -  -  -  -  -  - Photo - "Agence France Presse Sues Over Google News." ... "Agence France Presse has sued Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , alleging the Web search leader includes AFP's photos, news headlines and stories on its news site without permission." ... "The French news service is seeking damages of at least $17.5 million and an order barring Google News from displaying AFP photographs, news headlines or story leads, according to the suit filed on Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia." -By Lisa Baertlein -Reuters

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20050311
• -  -  - - "French court bans Christ advert: France's Catholic Church has won a court injunction to ban a clothing advertisement based on Leonardo da Vinci's Christ's Last Supper." ... "The display was ruled "a gratuitous and aggressive act of intrusion on people's innermost beliefs", by a judge." ... "The church objected to the female version of the fresco, which includes a female Christ, used by clothing designers Marithe et Francois Girbaud." ... "The authorities in the Italian city of Milan banned the poster last month." -BBC /News

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20050224
• -  - "Europe's rising class of believers: Muslims." ... "Religion's place in public life has shot to the top of the agenda in France, and in the rest of Europe, for one reason: Islam, and the growing millions of people on the Continent who practice it." ... "Shocked by the discovery of Islamic terrorist networks on their soil, Europeans have suddenly woken up to the existence of an often marginalized Muslim minority that takes religion more seriously than they do." ... "Today, the relationship between native Europeans and their Muslim neighbors is fraught with tension. Mistrust on both sides threatens to explode into violence. Late last year, arsonists destroyed two mosques and a Muslim school in the Netherlands after an Islamic radical there was arrested for murdering filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who had criticized Muslim treatment of women." -By Peter Ford -CSMonitor

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20040725
• - - "Lance Armstrong wins record sixth Tour de France." ... "Lance Armstrong rode into history Sunday, winning a record sixth Tour de France and cementing his place as one of the greatest athletes of all time." ... "Never in its 101-year history has the Tour had a winner like Armstrong — who just eight years ago was given less than a 50%  chance of overcoming testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and  brain." ... "Armstrong's victories and his inspiring comeback from cancer have drawn new fans to a race that has been won five times by four other riders. His professionalism, attention to detail, grueling training regimens and tactics have raised the bar for other riders hoping to win the three-week cycling marathon." ... "After more than 1,900 miles of racing, riders mostly took it easy on the 101-mile final stage, until they reached the crowd-lined Champs-Elysees." -By John Leicester -AP via -USATODAY

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20040721
• -  -  -  -  -  - "Poor Relations With Iran Turning Worse." ... "The Bush administration is pressing Britain, France and Germany for strong measures against Iran in response to its violation of a nonproliferation agreement reached with the three last fall, a State Department official said Wednesday." ... "The issue is part of a deepening American concern over recent Iranian activities that range from weapons programs to terrorism. To head off a potential crisis, some analysts believe the administration should work harder to promote a dialogue with Iran." ... "The United States believes Iran is developing nuclear weapons, a view reinforced by Iran's recent decision to resume construction of centrifuges. This is a key step in the development of a uranium-based bomb, one that Iran promised the Europeans last fall that it would not take." -By George Gedda -AP via  -Newsday.com 

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20040422
• -  -  -  - "Fury over Diana crash photos: Princess Diana's family, British media and the prime minister have expressed outrage at a U.S. television network's decision to broadcast pictures of the princess as she lay dying." ... "CBS, which aired the images in its "48 Hours" program, said the photos were included in a 4,000-page confidential French investigators' file on the accident and that they were not graphic or exploitative." ... "But British newspapers and friends and family of Diana and Fayed strongly disagreed." -CNN

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20040320
• -  -  -  -  -  -  - "Bush Asks Allies for Unity on Iraq: No Nation Exempt From Terrorism, President Says on War Anniversary." ... "President Bush yesterday marked the anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq with an appeal for international unity after a year of division by warning that there can be "no separate peace" with the West's enemies." ... "Bush spoke to an audience of 83 diplomats, including those from such countries as France and Germany, which opposed the war. But his remarks seemed directed toward such countries as Spain and Poland, allies in Iraq that are now expressing misgivings, and, in Spain's case, rethinking their cooperation with the United States." -By Dana Milbank -WashingtonPost

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20040304
• -  -  - "Brazil could lead Haiti UN peacekeeping mission." ... "French President Jacques Chirac and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan want Brazil to lead a U.N. peacekeeping mission due to go into Haiti in three months, Brazil said Thursday." ... "The request came in a phone call between Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Chirac and would represent a major success for Lula's ambitions of making Brazil a leader in Latin American affairs." -Reuters via -Forbes 

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• -  - "Government, troops get tentative grip on Haiti." ... "The government and foreign military forces gained a tentative grip on chaotic Haiti Thursday as U.S. and French troops stepped up patrols and armed rebels who helped oust the president prepared to leave the capital." ... "Banks reopened after two weeks of gun battles, looting and barricades in the capital forced President Jean-Bertrand Aristide into exile. The government says a monthlong rebel uprising cost Haiti about $300 million, roughly equivalent to its yearly budget." -By Jim Loney and Alistair Scrutton editing by Lori Santos -Reuters via -Forbes 

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20040301
• -  -  -  - "U.S. may step up [Haitian]peace force to 2,000." ... "The number of U.S. troops in Haiti could reach about 2,000, and a decision had not been made late Monday on whether to station ships off the coast of the troubled Caribbean nation, defense officials said." ... "U.S. Marines, along with French and Canadian troops, continued to arrive in Haiti and were expected to do so for several more days." ... "The U.N. Security Council authorized the deployment of an interim multinational force hours after Aristide's departure. According to the United Nations, a stabilization force is expected to take over from the interim operation in three months." -By George Edmonson contributed to by Mark Bixler -AJC 

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20040211
• -  - "France's ban on religious symbols in schools gets approval." ... "France's lower house of parliament voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to ban students from wearing Islamic head scarves and other conspicuous religious items in public schools." ... "The classroom ban, which also applies to Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses, was approved 494 to 36. In early March, the measure will go to the Senate, where there is little opposition." -By Elaine Ganley -AP via -StarTribune.com 

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20040113
• -  -  -  -  - "Bush: Canada eligible in Iraq reconstruction contracts." ... "President Bush moved to ease tensions with Canada Tuesday by reversing course and declaring Canadian companies eligible to bid on a second round of U.S.-financed prime reconstruction contracts in Iraq." ... "The reversal was seen as a goodwill gesture toward Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, who took office last month." ... "The White House indicated that other opponents of the war, including France and Germany, might be able to join the next round of bidding." -By Richard Benedetto with contributions by James Cox -USATODAY 

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20040109
• -  -  - "Libya signs $170M deal for for '89 French passenger jet bombing." ... "Libya on Friday signed a compensation accord worth $170 million with families of victims of a 1989 French passenger jet bombing, bringing closure to years of grief." ... "The deal, which came 14 years after the bombing of the French UTA passenger plane over the Niger desert that killed 170 people, also was expected to open the way to a new era of ties between Tripoli and Paris." -AP via -USATODAY 

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20040106
• Egypt - Water - "Crews Find 'Black Box' From Egypt Plane Crash, Says Item Is Too Deep for Immediate Retrieval." ... "[French] Rear Adm. Jacques Mazars told reporters at the popular resort [city of Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt] that more advanced equipment was needed to retrieve the box, which was believed to be 1,970 to 2,620 feet below the sea's surface." ... "A robot submarine sent by the French can operate no deeper than 1,320 feet. The seabed in the area drops at one point to about 3,300 feet." -AP via -ABCNEWS.com

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20031218
• -  -  -  -  -  -  - "Iraq Debt Relief Backing Rises, Hard Work Remains." ... "The Paris Club of creditor states can agree a debt relief deal for Iraq quickly but the agreement can be signed only when the country has an internationally recognized leadership, the Paris Club's president said on Thursday." ... "Increasing hopes that a deal will be reached, Britain said during a European tour by U.S. special envoy James Baker that it backed the idea of a substantial reduction in debts estimated at $120 billion." ... "The British comment echoed similar political pledges made this week by France, Germany and Italy after talks with Baker, who was visiting Britain and Russia on Thursday." (1, 2) -By Brian Love -Reuters 

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• - "France to Ban Religious Symbols from Schools." ... "French President Jacques Chirac has voiced support for a law which would ban the wearing of Muslim headscarves, Christian crosses and other religious symbols in public schools." ... "Chirac's announcement came in response to a report published last week by a government commission, which proposed the ban of religious symbols in the country's state-run schools. "In all conscience, I consider that the wearing of dress or symbols which conspicuously show religious affiliation should be banned in schools," Chirac said." ... "The decision comes after months of debate on the role of religion in French society and the difficulties the nation has encountered in the integration of its five million-strong Muslim population." -DW-World.de/english 

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20031210
• -  -  -  - -  - "Pentagon Bars Three Nations From Iraq Bids." ... "The Pentagon has barred French, German and Russian companies from competing for $18.6 billion in contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq, saying it was acting to protect "the essential security interests of the United States."" ... "The directive, issued Friday by Paul D. Wolfowitz, the deputy defense secretary, represents the most substantive retaliation to date by the Bush administration against American allies who opposed its decision to go to war in Iraq." ... "Under the guidelines, only companies from the United States, Iraq and 61 countries designated "coalition partners" will be allowed to bid on the contracts. France, Germany and Russia are not on the list." (1, 2) -By Douglas Jehl -NYTimes via -Google-News

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20031126
• -  - "Iran Faces Censure for Nuclear Cover-Ups: Iran Faces Censure for Past Nuclear Cover-Ups Under Draft Resolution at U.N. Atomic Energy Meeting." ... "Iran faces censure for past nuclear cover-ups but escapes a direct threat of sanctions under a draft resolution to be presented at a U.N. atomic energy meeting." ... "A session of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors is set Wednesday to approve the draft, which papers over the dispute between the United States and France, Germany and Britain." -AP via -ABCNEWS.com

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From the World Factbook:
• Country name:
• conventional long form: French Republic
• conventional short form: France
• local long form: Republique Francaise
• local short form: France
• Government type:  republic
• Capital: Paris

  AFP - Agence France-Presse - english version

 LeMonde.fr - Translate - To English - via AltaVista's BabelFish translation Tool - through:  systransoft.com - "You can now follow links on translated web pages." - new pages are subsequently translated.

 http://babel.altavista.com/ ?= http://world.altavista.com/

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