France

Peugeot Citroen turnover down nearly 25 per cent in first quarter

Peugeot Citroen turnover down nearly 25 per cent in first quarter Paris - French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen said Wednesday that turnover for the first quarter of 2009 had fallen by 24.9 per cent, to 10.973 billion euros (14.2 billion dollars).

Every segment of the group's business was hit by the economic crisis, with sales in its automobile division down 23 per cent, at 8.68 billion euros.

In addition, turnover of the group's auto equipment supplier Faurecia plunged by 38 per cent, to 2 billion euros.

UNESCO, Library of Congress launch first World Digital Library

UNESCO, Library of Congress launch first World Digital LibraryParis - UNESCO, the US Library of Congress and 32 partner institutions around the world launched Tuesday the World Digital Library, the first cultural website of its kind.

The site includes manuscripts, maps, rare books, films, sound recordings and prints and photographs from libraries and archives around the world.

Are Sarkozy and Obama still "buddies"? By Siegfried Mortkowitz,

Are Sarkozy and Obama still "buddies"? By Siegfried Mortkowitz, Paris - With schools and politicians on Easter holiday, the big news in France these days is what President Nicolas Sarkozy reportedly told a group of lawmakers about several Western leaders, as reported by the left-leaning daily Liberation.

Most of the controversy concerns the president's assessment of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero as "not very clever."

Four hurt, scores arrested as Tamil protest turns violent in Paris

Four hurt, scores arrested as Tamil protest turns violent in ParisParis - Four people were hurt and more than 200 were taken into custody when a protest demonstration by ethnic Tamils in Paris turned violent, France Info radio reported Tuesday.

More than 500 Tamils had gathered late Monday near the Gare du Nord railway station to call attention to the deaths of nearly 1,500 Tamils, including hundreds of children, during a recent offensive by Sri Lankan government troops against Tamil rebels.

France to stay at UN racism conference, to sign declaration

France to stay at UN racism conference, to sign declarationParis - France will remain at the UN racism conference in Geneva and plans to sign its concluding declaration, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Tuesday.

"Yesterday (Monday) we all left the hall together," Kouchner told Europe 1 radio, referring to the walkout of European ambassadors in reaction to comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about Israel. "But we are not leaving the conference."

Two more executives "boss-napped" in France

Molex Paris - Employees at a French factory belonging to the US auto equipment supplier Molex held two company executives hostage overnight in an attempt to prevent the site from being shut down in the summer, French media reported Tuesday.

Co-manager Marcus Kerriou and the head of human resoruces, Coline Colboc, were forced to spend the night on mattresses in a conference room at the site, near the southern city of Toulouse.

The factory's 283 employees, who are to be made redundant in June, have made a number of demands, including compensation of 100 million euros (130 million dollars).

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