French minister says he is no paedophile

October 8th, 2009 PARIS - A French police union said Thursday it will ask the Paris public prosecutor to open an investigation of Culture Minister Frederic Mitterand on possible charges of soliciting a minor. "We feel it is our duty to protect society against sexual predators, even if they are ministers," the France Police trade union said in a statement.

October 8th, 2009 French culture minister denies sex with boysPARIS — French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand has denied paying underage boys for sex and defended a book he wrote describing frequenting brothels in Thailand. Calls for Mitterrand's resignation have erupted this week over passages from a 2005 book, "La mauvaise vie" or "The Bad Life" where he writes about paying for sex with "boys" in Thailand.

October 5th, 2009 French foreign minister urges Guinea interventionPARIS — France's foreign minister says international intervention is needed in Guinea after soldiers there opened fire on demonstrators last week. Bernard Kouchner also says France can no longer work with the government of Capt.

September 30th, 2009 3 French soldiers killed in Afghan stormPARIS — Officials in France say three French soldiers have been killed in a violent storm in northeastern Afghanistan. President Nicolas Sarkozy's office says the three died while taking part in an operation on Saturday night in the Afghanya Valley.

September 24th, 2009 2 French military jets crash during exercisePARIS — Officials say two French military fighter jets have crashed into the Mediterranean Sea during a training mission and that one pilot is missing. The French Defense Ministry says that one pilot was pulled from the water, but that helicopters and patrol planes are searching for the second pilot.

August 23rd, 2009 2 French teens killed in Las Vegas bus crashPARIS — France's Foreign Ministry says two French teenagers have been killed in an auto accident in the Las Vegas area. The ministry says four French teens were injured, one seriously, and the driver was also hurt in the accident.

August 21st, 2009 PARIS - A French tourist who had been kidnapped in May in southern Pakistan was freed, authorities here said Friday. "I was delighted to learn of the announcement of the release of our compatriot who had been held hostage in Pakistan," Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in a statement.

July 16th, 2009 Somali minister: Gov't in talks with kidnappersPARIS — The Somali government is negotiating with the kidnappers of two French security advisers taken hostage in Mogadishu earlier this week, a Somali minister told French TV. Social Affairs Minister Mohammed Ali Ibrahim said the two men, abducted Tuesday from their hotel, had been separated and were being held by two different groups.

July 13th, 2009 French official dismisses threat by former workersPARIS — A French official has dismissed a threat by laid-off workers to blow up their factory in western France, saying the gas canisters they placed in front of the automobile parts company are empty. Anne Frackowiak, top aide to the local governor in Chatellerault, 305 kilometers (190 miles) southwest of Paris, said Monday the former New Fabris factory workers will be meeting with France's industry minister to discuss their demand for euro 30,000 ($41,000) compensation each by the end of the month.

July 9th, 2009 French academic in Iran prison healthy but worriedPARIS — France's foreign minister says a French academic held in an Iranian prison is in good health but worried. Bernard Kouchner says the French ambassador to Iran met with the detained woman, Clotilde Reiss, in Iran's Evin prison and brought her books, clothes and a message from her family.

June 29th, 2009 LONDON - A 49-year-old woman ditched her husband of nearly two decades when she fell in love with her son's 16-year-old friend. Marilyn Buttigieg's seven children were disgusted with her behaviour - one even called her a paedophile.owever, Marilyn, newly married to William Smith, now 19, says she couldn't care less what anyone thinks.

June 8th, 2009 PARIS - Gabon's President Omar Bongo died Sunday of cancer at the age of 73, French weekly Le Point reported, quoting a French government source. Africa's longest serving head of state suspended his powers on May 6, ostensibly to mourn the death of his second wife Edith Lucie, who passed away in Rabat, Morocco, on March 14 after a long ailment.

May 4th, 2009 OECD report shows French sleep, eat more than mostPARIS — The French certainly know how to live: A new study says they sleep more than anyone in the world's most economically developed countries, and eat more, too. The report, which surveyed 18 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, shows the French sleep nine hours on average — an hour longer than the Japanese, who work and commute more than the leisure-loving French.

February 12th, 2009 PARIS - The French budget deficit rose to 56.2 billion euros ($72.5 billion) in 2008, an increase of 44 percent over the previous year, the budget ministry announced Friday. Budget Minister Eric Woerth immediately tried to reassure the French that there would be no tax increase in 2009 to make up for the revenue shortfall that helped create the large deficit.

January 18th, 2009 PARIS - At least seven soldiers were killed and one soldier remained missing after a French military helicopter crashed off the coast of the central African country of Gabon, the French government announced Sunday. One soldier was found dead shortly after the crash, while five bodies of the six missing were found by rescue divers later Sunday.