Paris  - A demonstration of military techniques for use in hostage situations left 16 people wounded when a French soldier fired live ammunition instead of blanks, the French Defence Ministry said

Paris - Part of a long undersea mountain range between Iceland and the Azores is to be given official protected status, creating one of the largest protected marine areas in the world, the 15 member nations of the OSPAR Commission for the protection of the North-East Atlantic said Friday.

The WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF) said it was a "historic decision" to designate the northern section of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) a High Seas Marine Protected Area.

The decision was taken during a conference in the western French city of Brest.

Paris/Niamey  - Four French hostages held for three days by Tuareg rebels have been released in Niger to Red Cross officials, a company who employed them said Wednesday evening in Paris.

Jerusalem  - French President Nicholas Sarkozy arrived at the Knesset Monday prior to addressing the legislature, as he continued a three-day visit to Israel.

Sarkozy, accompanied by his wife Carla and escorted by Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, was given a red-carpet welcome and greeted by a guard of honour.

The president stood at attention, and his wife stood with her head bowed, as the French Tricolour was raised to fly alongside the Israeli flag and a band played the French national anthem.

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