Rivalry between President Sarkozy and ex-Premier Villepin at heart of French slander trial

PARIS — Two men who reached the pinnacle of French politics after a career-long battle stand at the heart of a slander trial opening in Paris on Monday.

UN culture and education agency undecided over new leader amid flap over Egyptian candidate

PARIS — The United Nations’ agency for culture and education remains undecided about who will be UNESCO’s next leader.

Farmers dump more milk across Europe to protest price slump, quota reform

PARIS — Angry French farmers dumped millions of liters of fresh milk next to one of France’s most famous tourist sites on Friday to denounce the slumping cost of milk and an EU plan to end production quotas, which could further drive prices down.

No new Unesco head after first round of voting

PARIS - Controversial Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosny failed to get the necessary majority late Thursday in the first round of voting to find a successor to outgoing Unesco director general Koichiro Matsuura.

Media rights group: journalists face increasing threats when reporting on the environment

PARIS — Journalists face increasing threats when they report on companies and governments damaging the environment, a media rights group said Thursday, citing arrests, violence and disappearances of those who denounce deforestation, pollution and other damage.

Debate burns on over ‘book burning’ comment as UNESCO votes for new leader

PARIS — He’s an Egyptian culture minister who once threatened to burn Israeli books — and he might soon become the face of the United Nations’ arm for learning and culture.

Paris catacombs closed to public after vandals scatter human skulls along underground paths

PARIS — Paris’ underground bone collection, the catacombs, has been closed to the public indefinitely after being vandalized.

Air France crash: Documents show trouble with airspeed sensors dated back at least 7 years

PARIS — Airbus knew since at least 2002 about problems with the type of speed sensor that malfunctioned on an Air France passenger plane that went down in June, the Associated Press has learned. But air safety authorities did not order their replacement until after the crash, which killed all 228 people aboard.

OECD forecasts unemployment in industrialized world to reach new post-WWII high in 2010

PARIS — Unemployment in the industrialized world will hit its highest level since World War II next year, surpassing the current peak, as the global economy looks set for only a timid recovery in 2010, an international organization said in a report Wednesday.

Total expects oil production to rebound in 2010 after OPEC cuts weigh on 2009 output

PARIS — Total SA expects its oil production to rebound in 2010 after cuts by OPEC and falling demand caused by the global recession weighed on its output this year, the company said Wednesday.

OECD forecasts unemployment to reach new postwar high of some 10 percent in 2010

PARIS — Unemployment in leading industrialized nations will hit a new postwar record next year, surpassing the current high, as the global economy looks set for only a timid recovery in 2010, the OECD said in a report Wednesday.

‘Unemployment to rise even as recession ends’

PARIS - Joblessness in the US, Europe and Japan is expected to continue rising even as their economies recover, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Wednesday.

French legislators approve bill to cut off Internet for illegal downloaders

PARIS — France’s lower house of parliament approved a pioneering bill Tuesday allowing authorities to cut off Internet access to people who download illegally, a measure that entertainment companies hope will be a powerful weapon against piracy.

French legislators vote on compromise bill that could cut off Internet for illegal downloaders

PARIS — French legislators vote Tuesday on a pioneering bill allowing authorities to cut off Internet access to people who download illegally, a measure that entertainment companies hope will be a powerful weapon against piracy.

France Telecom seeks to soothe staff after 23 suicides that raised government concern

PARIS — France Telecom SA was mobilizing all 20,000 of its managers Monday in an effort to respond to a string of 23 employee suicides that unions blame partly on layoffs and restructuring at the telecommunications giant.

France’s Sarkozy calls for ‘revolution’ in measuring economic growth to account for well-being

PARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy asked world leaders to join a “revolution” in the measurement of economic progress by dropping their obsession with gross domestic product to account for factors such as health-care availability and leisure time.

Sarkozy to walk out of G20 if executive bonuses are not capped

PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy has threatened to walk out of this month’s meeting of the G20 group of nations if no agreement is found on limiting the bonus of executives, the daily Le Figaro reported Monday.

Willy Ronis, one of France’s great photographers, dies at 99

PARIS — Willy Ronis, the last of the great French photographers best known for shots of the quirky corners of Paris, has died at age 99.

Colleagues defend French interior minister after alleged anti-Arab slur

PARIS — Cabinet members rushed Friday to defend France’s interior minister — a key ally of President Nicolas Sarkozy — amid calls for the man’s resignation after he allegedly was caught on camera making anti-Arab remarks.

France optimistic that G-20 will strike agreement on bonuses at summit

PARIS — French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde expressed optimism Friday that world leaders will agree to international rules on trader bonuses at this month’s summit of rich and developed nations in Pittsburgh.

France’s top cop defends remark that rights groups denounce as anti-Arab

PARIS — France’s interior minister has been caught on camera making what sound like anti-Arab remarks, infuriating anti-racism groups, even as he insisted Thursday that his words were innocent and misconstrued.

Book claiming rigged party vote leaves French Socialists in disarray, rival Sarkozy in control

PARIS — A new book alleges that a vote last year to elect the leader of France’s Socialist Party was rigged, sparking further disarray among the once-mighty champions of the left.

France’s Sarkozy pushes ahead with contested, ambitious plan to tax carbon emissions

PARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to tax carbon dioxide emissions by households and businesses, a measure aimed at helping France slash its output greenhouse gases over the coming decades — but viewed with skepticism by many.

Britain, France, Germany call for UN Afghan conference

PARIS - The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have called on the UN to hold a new international conference on the future of Afghanistan, officials said here Wednesday.

Muslim woman urges French parliamentary panel to press for laws that would ban burqas

PARIS — Her voice trembling with emotion, the leader of an advocacy group for Muslim women and girls urged a French parliamentary panel on Wednesday to press for laws that would ban the wearing of Islamic body- and face-covering veils.

Oil continues to push higher on weakening dollar as investors eye OPEC meeting

Oil prices pushed higher for a second straight day Wednesday on continued weakening of the U.S. dollar and as investors awaited the outcome of an OPEC meeting that is expected to result in no change in production levels.

EADS chief favors negotiated settlement in trade dispute over Boeing and Airbus subsidies

PARIS — The head of Airbus’ parent company says the European jet maker did nothing wrong in a trade dispute with the U.S. over government subsidies, and called for a negotiated settlement with archrival Boeing Co.

Vivendi plans €2 billion offer for Brazilian Internet and telecommunications company GVT

PARIS — Vivendi SA will offer euro2 billion ($2.9 billion) to acquire Brazilian Internet and telecommunications company GVT SA, the French media and entertainment company said Wednesday.

NYSE Euronext in talks with brokers over sale of “significant” stake in NYSE Amex options unit

PARIS — NYSE Euronext Inc. said Wednesday that it plans to sell a “significant” stake in its NYSE Amex options unit to seven Wall Street brokers.

British, French, German leaders call for UN-backed Afghanistan conference

PARIS — Three European powers called Wednesday for a new international conference on Afghanistan, hoping to accelerate and improve training of local forces and lay out a timetable in which Afghans can take back full control of their war-battered country.