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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: French

French stories: 9 news summaries

Old Paris Law Still Stands:
No Pants for Women 

1800s rule prohibits ladies from 'dressing like men'

(Newser) - Turns out fashion-forward Paris has some rather retro regulations. Namely, a ban on women wearing pants. It's the type of law associated with the Sudan, not the Champs-Elysées, but more than 200 years after it was enacted by the city's police chief, the law stands. But today's cops may... More »

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gender fashion law France sexism Paris pants French

OPINION

10 Days Is Enough 
 of the French Lifestyle 

Writer follows French Women Don't Get Fat advice, with mixed results

(Newser) - Finding herself in Paris for the fall—and wearing sweatpants and a holey T-shirt to the local bakery, as opposed to the French uniform of ankle boots and a mini-dress—Marisa Meltzer decided it was the ideal time to try following the advice of Mireille Guiliano, author of the More »

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diet style French diet books Jay-ZTV Mireille Guiliano

 Après Le Deluge: 
 French Battle 
 Anglo Terms 
 in Web Age 

Experts struggle to create equivalents for terms like 'cloud computing'

(Newser) - Defenders of the French language are fighting a rear-guard action against a flood of Anglo-Saxon computing terms. In a process that lags far behind advances in technology, experts are tasked with finding French equivalents for new computing technology. The terms must then be passed by a panel of linguists and... More »

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Internet France language translation terminology foreign languages computing French

(Newser) - French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy just loves her fleurs and she's often photographed arranging blooms in the Elysée Palace. Problem is, the flowers are costing French taxpayers $1,100 a day, and they want the spending nipped in the bud. The blooming bills were revealed in the first state... More »

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Nicolas Sarkozy France spending Elysee audit flowers Carla Bruni French

 French Are 
 World's Worst 
 Tourists: Survey 

Poll of 40,000 hotels ranks visitors on politeness, generosity

(Newser) - The French are the world’s worst tourists, AFP reports. A global survey asked staff at 40,000 hotels to rate tourists on categories ranging from politeness to generosity to willingness to learn local languages—and the French finished last in several categories. Japanese tourists took honors in just as... More »

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Spain Japan globalization tourism list hotel German Japanese tourists French

OPINION

 On Tough EU Trip, 
 French Oddly Likeable 

Obama has headaches on both sides of Atlantic

(Newser) - How's Obama doing on his first big diplomatic foray? Americans are relieved to have a president who doesn't embarrass us—no more spontaneous massages for German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But Europe is positively swooning. Perhaps EU leaders are secretly loving President Obama's "willingness to be a good loser,"... More »

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Barack Obama Europe Nicolas Sarkozy France French Republicans

 Boss Hijackings 
 Spike in France 

Anger moves to menace as economic tensions mount

(Newser) - Worrisome "hijackings" of bosses are spiking in France, underlining the threatening tensions within a staggering economy, reports the Wall Street Journal. Workers angered by layoffs surrounded the car of Salma Hayek's retail tycoon hubby François Pinault in Paris yesterday for over an hour until they were dispersed... More »

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France kidnapping Paris strike workers Salma Hayek hijacking French Francois-Henri Pinault recession depression

French Workers Lose Appetite for Leisurely Lunch 

Thousands of restaurants go pffft as French eat at their desks

(Newser) - Thousands of cafes and restaurants in Paris are closing as French workers change their eating and spending habits and dine at their desks just like Americans. French office workers are skipping traditional long lunches in favor of takeaway baguettes. Those who do opt for restaurant meals skip aperitifs, hors... More »

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Homeless Man Charged in UK Student Killings

33-year-old turns self in for brutal stabbings of French PhD pair

(Newser) - London authorities charged a homeless man today with the brutal murders of two French students, the Guardian reports. Nigel Edward Farmer, 33, is accused of stabbing the two a total of 243 times in a London flat June 29, and then setting the apartment on fire. Farmer was arrested after... More »

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London murder stabbing French research students

9 Stories