France

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France Arrests Basque Terror Group's Leader

ETA's No. 1 busted in joint police sting with Spanish

(Newser) - The suspected leader of the ETA, the Basque separatist group and terrorist organization, has been arrested by a joint Spanish and French police operation. Some 30 armed officers raided the Bordeaux apartment of Javier López Peña, who is believed to have headed the ETA since 2004. López...

ScarJo Snubs Woody Premiere
 ScarJo Snubs
 Woody Premiere 
May 19, 2008 12:59 PM CDT

ScarJo Snubs Woody Premiere

Johansson ditches Cannes showing after movie execs deny diva demands

(Newser) - Scarlett Johansson ditched the Cannes premiere of her Woody Allen-directed film Vicky Cristina Barcelona over the weekend after movie execs refused to comply with the 23-year-old actress's over-the-top travel demands, the Daily Mail reports. ScarJo demanded a personal $8,000-a-day make-up artist and a special hotel suite 30 miles from...

Penn Endorses Obama, Then Blasts Him

Cannes jury prez 'excited,' but Dem's voting record 'inhuman'

(Newser) - Sean Penn used his platform as president of the Cannes jury to express his excitement "by the hope that Barack Obama is inspiring," the Telegraph reports—though the firebrand actor-director also had some choice words for the Democratic candidate. Obama has much to live up to, Penn said,...

Stars Align as Cannes Kicks Off
 Stars Align as Cannes Kicks Off  
May 14, 2008 10:22 AM CDT

Stars Align as Cannes Kicks Off

Blockbusters and indies premiere on the Riviera

(Newser) - The Cannes Film Festival gets under way today with the premiere of Blindness, a new film by City of God director Fernando Meirelles that stars Julianne Moore. A jury led by Sean Penn will award the Palme d'or to one of 22 films. But as the Telegraph reports, paparazzi will...

Credit Agricole Hoping to Raise $9B

Battered by subprime losses

(Newser) - Subprime losses at Crédit Agricole’s Calyon investment bank are likely to prompt the French company to raise $9.17 billion in capital, reports the Wall Street Journal. A hit of $1.87 billion reduced its first quarter net profit to $1.38 billion from $1.82 billion the...

Broke in the City of Light? Pay a Visit to 'Auntie'

City-owned pawnshop has helped great artists and authors pay for Paris' pleasures

(Newser) - The Credit Municipal of Paris, known about town as "Auntie," is pretty glamorous for a pawnshop. Since 1777, the city-operated institution has served Rodin, Monet, Zola, Verlaine, and Victor Hugo, who mentioned it in Les Miserables. The newest development? Auntie now accepts wine. "People can now exchange...

Pentagon May Boost US Troops in Afghanistan

Number would be highest since war began

(Newser) - The Pentagon may send 7,000 more troops to Afghanistan to make up for a NATO shortfall, administration officials say.The move would bring US troop levels there to 40,000 and require relocating American forces from Iraq, the New York Times reports. While NATO countries have promised to send...

French PM Lobbies US on Weak Economy

In Washington, Fillon seeks alliance to spur Chinese revaluing

(Newser) - While Nicolas Sarkozy struggles with the sputtering French economy at home, his prime minister has traveled to Washington to spur international action. François Fillon will meet with Ben Bernanke and Hank Paulson today, where he is expected to press the US on the subprime crisis, the weak dollar, and...

Absinthe's Secret Revealed
 Absinthe's Secret Revealed 
Apr 30, 2008 3:11 PM CDT

Absinthe's Secret Revealed

Mind-altering effect is really just the booze talking

(Newser) - Absinthe's "Green Fairy,” which spurred the likes of van Gogh and Picasso to creative heights, may have been more of a drunken sprite than psychedelic pixie. A study of century-old bottles of the green liqueur revealed that its potency most likely stems from its 70% alcohol content—making...

French Wine Goes Pop
French Wine Goes Pop
Apr 27, 2008 6:09 PM CDT

French Wine Goes Pop

Wineries try 'New World'-style screw caps, snazzy labels to revive sales

(Newser) - A screw-top Bordeaux? The once-laughable notion is bubbling up in France these days as wine makers try to reverse decades of sour sales, the AP reports. Even snazzy labels and boxed-wine-with-a-straw are fair game, after French wineries exported a record $15 billion last year with "New World"-style packaging.

Rogue Trader Gets a Job
Rogue Trader Gets a Job
Apr 26, 2008 2:37 PM CDT

Rogue Trader Gets a Job

IT company hires man behind biggest trading scandal in history

(Newser) - Jérôme Kerviel is working once again, despite having cost France’s Société Générale $7.68 billion in unauthorized trading. Released from prison a few weeks ago, the rogue trader is employed as an IT consultant for a French company specializing in networks and security, the...

Joie de Vivre Sapped, French Turn to Web

Site houses tales of woe, provides outlet, voyeuristic thrill

(Newser) - French website Vie de Merde is receiving all the misery it can handle, Der Spiegel reports. Since its February launch, France’s answer to group therapy (translated "life is shit") has posted 2,400 tales of woe. Another 40,000 are waiting in the wings, says its founder.

Sarko Too Nice to China: Critics

French president assailed for abandoning human-rights concerns

(Newser) - Paris seems to have reversed a tide of anti-French sentiment in China, but critics wonder if President Nicolas Sarkozy’s charm offensive has undermined his country’s commitment to human rights, Der Spiegel reports. Since Sarkozy’s messages of conciliation have gone out, China’s Foreign Ministry has praised the...

China Protests Slam Tibet Push for Freedom

Rallies call for boycott on French goods

(Newser) - Chinese demonstrators today responded to pro-Tibet protests around the world with rallies of their own, blasting Tibet’s calls for independence and demanding a boycott of French goods, Reuters reports. “Oppose Tibet independence, support the Olympics,” said banners hoisted by protesters in at least four cities. A number...

SocGen CEO Resigns Over Rogue Trader

Bouton steps down at last; future remains grim for French bank

(Newser) - The CEO of Société Générale will step down, at last bowing to pressure in the wake of the $7.8 billion rogue trading scandal. Although investors and politicians—including French President Nicolas Sarkozy—had demanded Daniel Bouton's resignation immediately after the revelation of Jérôme Kerviel's...

Bardot On Trial, Once Again, Over Racism

'60s sex kitten, oft-convicted, says rant was in defense of animals, not anti-Islam

(Newser) - Brigitte Bardot is on trial for racism—again. The 1960s French sex symbol, now 73, is a stridently anti-immigrant and seemingly anti-Muslim politician, Time reports. Bardot is on trial for “inciting racial hatred,” a charge she’s been convicted of four times. The current case involves a letter...

France Moves to Outlaw 'Inciting' Thinness

Anti-eating disorder bill cites 'death messages,' could affect fashion

(Newser) - France’s lower legislative body today approved a law banning the promotion of anorexic behavior, the Guardian reports. Applicable to magazines, advertising and the web, the law can impose up to a $47,000 fine and two years in prison for “excessively inciting others to deprive themselves of food....

Lowbrow Sarkozy Causes French Culture Shock

Sarko's no highbrow, but his wife gives some hope

(Newser) - French presidents have traditionally positioned themselves as guardians of high culture, and no term in office is complete without constructing a major new museum. But while François Mitterand might have loved Russian literature, Nicolas Sarkozy is more of a Céline Dion man. As the New York Times reports,...

Strike Keeps Le Monde Off Newsstands

French paper's staff, management square off over job cuts, debt

(Newser) - Le Monde was absent from French streets today for the first time in more than 30 years as staff went on strike at the debt-ridden newspaper. In the ongoing battle over the future of the prestigious evening title, which saw the editor-in-chief pushed out, management is now trying to eliminate...

Blake, Roddick Give US 2-0 Davis Cup Lead

Blake comes back to win in five sets, Roddick blasts 30 aces

(Newser) - James Blake's perseverance and Andy Roddick's power gave the United States a commanding 2-0 lead over France in the Davis Cup quarterfinals on Friday. Blake overcame his fifth-set woes, fighting off two match points to beat Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 and Roddick ripped 30...

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