‘Gorgeous’ Jhumpa Lahiri among ‘thinking man’s sex symbols’

NEW YORK - Indian origin author Jhumpa Lahiri, with her ‘hypnotic eyes’, has been named among the top 10 ’sex symobls of the thinking man’ for 2008, which put Serbian tennis player Ana Ivanovic in the number one slot.

Paris Hilton wants to name first daughter London

LONDON - Socialite heiress Paris Hilton has announced to name first daughter after a city just like her name.

French warship foils attacks by Somali pirates

PARIS - A French warship Sunday foiled attacks by Somali pirates on two commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the French president’s office said.

France condemns Israel’s Gaza offensive

PARIS - The French government late Saturday sharply criticized Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, saying it ‘complicated’ peace efforts.

Gaza operation to continue: Livni

PARIS/JERUSALEM - Israel will continue its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip until it reaches a point where ‘the operation exhausts itself’ and militants no longer fire rockets at the Jewish state, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Thursday.

EU calls crisis meeting on Gaza violence

BRUSSELS/PARIS - The French government Monday called for an emergency meeting of the European Union’s (EU) foreign ministers to discuss the crisis in the Middle East, officials confirmed.

60 journalists killed in 2008, says press watchdog

PARIS - At least 60 journalists and one media assistant were killed around the world while carrying out their work this year, the press watchdog Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday.

European Union calls on Israel, Hamas to end violence

BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) Tuesday urged Israel and Hamas to put an end to the ongoing violence immediately as the fighting showed no sign of abating.

‘The Phantom…’ sequel to simultaneously premiere in three cities

LONDON - A sequel to acclaimed musical ‘The Phantom Of The Opera’ by Andrew Lloyd Webber is to make a theatrical history by opening in three cities at the same time next year.

France wants common EU policy on Guantanamo prisoners

PARIS - France Friday called for a common European Union (EU) policy to deal with prisoners currently held in the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after the camp is closed as planned by president-elect Barack Obama in 2009.