French Lawmakers Sing National Anthem, Unplanned

National Assembly also extends airstrikes against ISIS
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 13, 2015 3:24 PM CST

France's lower house of parliament was holding a moment of silence today for last week's victims, and Slate reports that lawmakers spontaneously began singing their national anthem—the first time it's been sung by deputies since 1918. Apparently, one person began singing La Marseillaise, and the rest quickly joined in. In a less symbolic move, the National Assembly also voted to extend French airstrikes in Iraq against the Islamic State, reports AP. "France is at war against radical Islam," said Prime Minister Manuel Valls before the vote, but he stressed that "France is not at war against Islam." (More France stories.)

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