France

Riesch injured in downhill crash

Maria RieschVal d'Isere, France - Maria Riesch's world championship medal hopes were in danger after the German skier crashed in downhill training on Wednesday.

Riesch, 24, bruised her spine, damaged a ligament in her left knee and suffered light facial injuries when she crashed into the safety nets. She was able to ski down to the finish line on her own but it remains unclear how the injuries will affect her.

Riesch has won four of the last five slalom races of the season and is a medal contender in this event as well as the super combined race scheduled for Friday. She ranks second in the World Cup.

Major powers discuss Iran nuclear programme

Barack ObamaWiesbaden, Germany - Representatives of six major powers met Wednesday to discuss how they could resolve the stand-off with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme.

The meeting of China, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States is the first on the subject since the administration of US President Barack Obama took office last month.

A German foreign ministry spokesman said the talks in the city of Wiesbaden were intended to demonstrate the unity of the six powers in their approach to Iran.

Abbas asks EU to send peacekeepers to Middle East

Mahmoud AbbasStrasbourg, France - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday renewed his request to the European Union to send peacekeepers to the Middle East and to help him organize elections in the Palestinian territories.

"The time has come for the international community to bear its legal, political and moral responsibilities and provide it with adequate international protection," Abbas told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

"I would like to stress again our request to send international forces in order to protect our people," he said.

Cuche wins men's super-g to take his first world championship gold

Didier CucheVal d'Isere, France - Swiss veteran Didier Cuche claimed a first big alpine skiing title at last on Wednesday when he won world championship gold in the men's super-g.

Cuche, 34, mastered the treacherous Piste Bellevarde in 1 minute 19.41 seconds, shaking off his runner-up image to give Switzerland its first super-g world title in two decades since Martin Hangl's 1989 success.

Peter Fill of Italy was a distant second in 1:20.40 and two-time 2007 world champion Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway third in 1:20.43 minutes.

The standings were provisional after 40 of the 70 starters had competed.

New book accuses Kouchner of conflict of interest

Bernard KouchnerParis - A book published on Wednesday accuses French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of using his position as head of a public health organization to carry out high-paying consulting activities in Africa for private companies.

The book, The World According to K, by journalist Pierre Pean, alleges that from 2002 to 2007 Kouchner represented two private health consulting firms in Africa while at the same time heading the association Esther, the aim of which was to increase international hospital cooperation.

Bazin elected president of Paris Saint Germain

Paris - Investment fund manager Sebastien Bazin has replaced Charles Villeneuve as president of French league club Paris St Germain.

The club's majority shareholder Bazin was elected to the post late Tuesday after weeks of turbulence at the club following board member Jerome de Metz's letter at Christmas to Bazin that he doubted whether the shareholders would be prepared to spend 10 to 20 million euros (12.9-25.8 million dollars) a year on the club.

De Metz subsequently resigned, warning that the club could make a loss of up to 11,4 million euros by the middle of 2009, which would leave the club 7 million in the red.

Last month, the board resigned after Villeneuve demanded new powers and pointed out poor management.

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