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NEWS ABOUT: Francois Hollande

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No. 14: Gay Marriage Now Legal in France

It joins 13 other countries in allowing same-sex weddings

(Newser) - French President Francois Hollande fulfilled a major campaign promise today by signing into law a measure legalizing gay marriage, reports Reuters . The first same-sex weddings can be held in 10 days, notes the BBC . Opponents in the heavily Catholic country aren't done protesting the move, however, and plan another... More »

Kidnapped Family Freed in Cameroon

French government denies paying ransom to Islamic extremist group

(Newser) - A French family of seven, kidnapped in February by Islamic extremists in northern Cameroon, was freed last night, reports the AP . Officials from neither France nor Cameroon have yet offered any details about their release, but Cameroonian TV captured the family exiting an airplane, all thin but walking steadily; a... More »

Clashes Erupt at Paris Anti-Gay Marriage Protest

Dozens arrested at last-ditch effort to block marriage law

(Newser) - A massive anti-gay marriage protest in Paris ended in violence yesterday as police used tear gas and batons on activists who tried to get past police barricades onto the Champs-Elysees. Hundreds of thousands of people had traveled to the French capital for what was seen as a final protest before... More »

Rebels Overthrow Central African Republic's Prez

Francois Bozize has fled, thought to be headed for Congo

(AP) - Rebels who invaded the capital two months after signing a peace agreement overthrew Central African Republic's president of a decade today, as fighters seized the presidential palace and declared him the country's former leader, according to witnesses and an adviser to longtime President Francois Bozize. Former colonial power... More »

Sarkozy Costs French Taxpayers $2.6M a Year

He gets quite a lot of perks as an ex-prez

(Newser) - French President Francois Hollande is trying to fix the country's debt problems—but he's being foiled just a bit by his predecessor. French taxpayers spend $2.6 million a year, possibly more, on Nicolas Sarkozy's upkeep, Bloomberg reports. That's because former French presidents are entitled to... More »

French Hostages Falsely Reported Rescued

Family of 7 still in hands of kidnappers, say France, Cameroon

(Newser) - A French family abducted in Cameroon this week was reported to be "safe and sound and ... in the hands of Nigerian authorities," according to a Cameroon military officer, but now multiple sources including the BBC , Reuters , and France24 are reporting that's not true. France's foreign ministry... More »

French Family Kidnapped in Cameroon

7 victims abducted by gunmen near Nigeria

(Newser) - A French family has been kidnapped by gunmen in Cameroon, near the Nigerian border, French president François Hollande says. The attackers were a "known terrorist group based in Nigeria," he adds, and probably took the family there. The seven victims included children. The attack comes just days... More »

Hollande Visits as French Army Continues Mali Strikes

France keeps up pressure in country's north via airstrikes

(AP) - France's Defense Ministry has said the country's military forces continued aerial strikes in northern Mali, just a few hours after a visit to the country by President Francois Hollande. French troops bombarded Islamist sites in Kidal and Tessalit in northern Mali overnight yesterday into today, according to a... More »

Frenchwoman Freed From Mexico Prison After Outcry

Florence Cassez had been sentenced for kidnapping

(Newser) - A Frenchwoman whose 60-year Mexican prison sentence caused international controversy was released from jail yesterday. Florence Cassez was sentenced in 2005 for her role in a kidnapping gang after television showed her arrest as three victims were freed. But the segment was staged by police: In fact, she'd been... More »

US to Step Up Aid to Mali Campaign

French-led mission will get US drones, airlifts, but no troops

(Newser) - The US is planning to step up its support for France's campaign against Islamist rebels in Mali, reports the Los Angeles Times . The US military, which is already providing the French with intelligence help, plans to help move hundreds more French troops to the African country and officials say... More »

France: Mali Campaign Over Within 'Weeks'

But Islamist militants seized another town today

(Newser) - France's foreign minister is optimistic about the campaign it started in Mali Friday, saying it will be over within "weeks." He rejected a comparison to the Afghanistan war, adding, "we have no intention of staying forever," the BBC reports. The country's defense minister was... More »

French Rally Against Gay Marriage

Government says huge Paris protest won't affect its plans

(Newser) - As French troops battled Islamist rebels in Mali, hundreds of thousands of their countrymen had gay marriage on their minds instead. Huge crowds joined a rally next to the Eiffel tower yesterday to protest the government's plans to give gay people the right to marry and to adopt children,... More »

France Launches Airstrikes in Mali

President Hollande says terrorists 'threaten us all'

(AP) - France launched airstrikes today to help the government of Mali defeat al-Qaeda-linked militants who captured more ground this week, dramatically raising the stakes in the battle for this vast desert nation. French President Francois Hollande said the "terrorist groups, drug traffickers, and extremists" in northern Mali "show a... More »

France Council Blocks 75% Tax on Millionaires

Government plans to resubmit plan soon

(Newser) - French President Francois Hollande's controversial plan to levy a 75% tax on income above 1 million euro ($1.3 million) has been rejected by a constitutional council, reports Reuters . The tax had been set to go into effect in 2013, despite the protests of many the nation's high... More »

US Closes Embassy in Central African Republic

Country's president seeks help against rebels

(Newser) - With rebels advancing in the Central African Republic, the US has evacuated its ambassador and his staff and closed its embassy in the country. Washington is urging Americans not to visit the country, where violence is surging, the AP reports. Rebels have captured 10 northern towns, and locals in the... More »

EU Accepts Peace Prize Amid Protest

Former winners, local demonstrators slam award

(Newser) - The European Union officially received the Nobel Peace Prize today in an Oslo ceremony attended by some 20 EU leaders, including Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande, and UK deputy PM Nick Clegg. The prize committee applauded the EU's efforts toward peace in Europe after World War II, and called leaders... More »

US Pledges $30M More in Syria Aid

France formally recognizes opposition coalition

(Newser) - Two pieces of good news this week for the newly-formed Syria opposition coalition : France became the first Western country to officially recognize it as the only valid representative of the Syrian people, and the US pledged $30 million in humanitarian aid. Hillary Clinton pledged the additional aid today at a... More »

France's Gay-Rights Bill Takes Step Forward

Ministers back it, so it's now on to National Assembly and Senate

(Newser) - France's top ministers have given the nod of approval to the country's rather suddenly contested gay-marriage and adoption-rights bill, reports CNN . President Francois Hollande's Cabinet today pushed the bill forward, sending it to the National Assembly and Senate, which are expected to vote on it in February... More »

The World Reacts to Obama's Win

Netanyahu and the Dalai Lama among those sounding out

(Newser) - The world reacted to President Obama's reelection this morning with a mix of optimism, skepticism, and a healthy dose of blah, the AP reports. Among the murmurs from abroad:
  • British Prime Minister David Cameron: "One of the first things I want to talk to Barack about is how
... More »

France: We're OK With Gay Marriage ... Right?

Suddenly it's a political hot potato

(Newser) - New French President Francois Hollande rode to victory promising to legalize gay marriage, and with a majority of the public supporting it, what could go wrong? A lot, it turns out: Religious and rural leaders are opposing him, ambitious conservative politicians are piping up, and even his own Socialist ministers... More »

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