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Thousands Rally in Paris Against Bush, Iraq War

PARIS (Reuters) – Thousands of people in the French capital demonstrated against the war in Iraq on Saturday as President Bush met France’s Jacques Chirac ahead of ceremonies commemorating the D-Day landings in Normandy.

Wearing T-shirts depicting Bush as a war criminal and carrying banners reading “Bush — Terrorist number one!” and “U.S. troops out of Iraq,” a colorful crowd of students, housewives and office workers marched through central Paris.

Police estimated 12,000 took part in the protest. Organizers were not available to give their own estimate.

Demonstrators chanted “Go home” and “Bush — Assassin,” but were banned from the area round the Elysee presidential palace, where the two leaders held their talks.

France, U.S. find common ground with D-Day

GRANDCAMP-MAISY, France — His name was Frank Peregory. He came from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to France, where he fought bravely and was killed. Sixty years later, heroism like his is still bringing people together.

Under the warm sun of a waning afternoon, French and Americans – hardly the closest of friends this past year – gathered before a stone monument that tells how the Medal of Honor winner captured a German machine gun nest outside this Normandy town on June 8, 1944 – two days after the D-Day invasion.

A tricolor sash draped from one shoulder, the local parliament member, Jean-Marc Lefranc, spoke in English to the aging veterans from Peregory’s 29th Infantry Division who joined with townspeople to honor his memory.

Bush Looks Past Differences With France

PARIS (AP) – President Bush sought on Saturday to move beyond bitter differences with a Western ally, yet French President Jacques Chirac said Iraq remains “extremely precarious” and he again questioned America’s justification for the war.

On the eve of celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of D-Day, the two leaders highlighted areas of agreement, from Afghanistan to the Middle East, Haiti and Africa.

Citing the lesson of World War II, Bush said at a joint news conference, “Free nations working together can overcome danger.”

Chirac sought to play down friction between Washington and Paris, and said his talks with Bush, which included the fight against terrorism, were “sincere” and “trusting.”

With pomp and music, France pins Legion of Honour on U.S. D-Day vets

French officers pinned the Legion of Honour on the chests of 99 former American soldiers Saturday, thanking them at a pomp-filled military ceremony for helping to free Europe from Nazism 60 years ago.

Children and grandchildren watched proudly, many shooting pictures and videos.

Most of the recipients landed on Normandy’s beaches on D-Day – others were pilots who backed the invasion with bombs, medics who treated the wounded, troops who landed elsewhere in France after the initial attack.

The government says it wanted to honour the 99 as representatives of all the Americans who helped liberate France from German occupation.

Renault aims to compete with Smart and Mini with new Twingo

Renault will remake its Twingo model to capture the cult appeal of the Smart and Mini brands.

Automotive News Europe said the next Twingo also will not use the B platform for small cars that Renault shares with its Japanese alliance partner Nissan, as has been widely assumed.

It will be built on the current Clio platform to save money, supplier sources said.

Renault wants to develop the Twingo into a car that matches the cool image of Mercedes car group’s Smart brand and BMW’s Mini.

“It will be a chic city car,” said Francois Hinfray, Renault’s sales and marketing chief. “It will have to be much more versatile than the Smart, and be fit for out-of-town driving, as is the case now,” added Renault spokeswoman Marie de Saint-Cheron.

France on Red Alert Ahead of D-Day Ceremonies

France went on red alert on Tuesday, stepping up security nationwide for the visit of a host of world leaders at the weekend for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings of World War II.

Measures taken by the French authorities included imposing a no-fly zone over the Normandy beaches in northern France where some 132,500 Allied troops stormed ashore on June 6, 1944 to drive German forces out of France.

Four thousand troops and an extra 1,000 police have been mobilized under the Vigipirate security plan, which will be raised to the maximum level — scarlet — from June 4, ahead of the arrival of dignitaries, thousands of war veterans and media.

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Euro finals will mark end of French golden generation

LA GRANDE MOTTE, France, May 31 (Reuters) – Whatever the outcome of Euro 2004 for defending champions France, the tournament will mark the end of the generation brought to life by coach Aime Jacquet.

In the space of 10 years, the team, arguably the best France has ever produced, wrote the brightest and the darkest pages of French soccer’s story under Jacquet and his successor Roger Lemerre.

They became the first side to clinch the World Cup and the European Cup in succession before they experienced one of the biggest failures in World Cup history.

The generation emerged when Jacquet was named to replace the sacked Gerard Houllier after France were eliminated by Bulgaria in their last qualifying match for the 1994 World Cup finals.

French honoring WWII vets

He is a successful business man, proud father of two and a highly decorated World War II veteran, but Charles Uranga will soon be adding something new to his list of accomplishments.

Uranga and 99 other former U.S. soldiers will soon receive the most prestigious award the French government can bestow.

The veterans are being decorated in France on the 60th Anniversary of the Normandy landing for their part in the liberation of France during World War II.

The French Government has chosen these soldiers to be named Knight of the Legion of Honor.

The former soldiers are also receiving an all expense paid trip to Paris so they can accept this award in person.

Serena wins over French

Serena Williams won her fourth-round match and the hearts of fans at the French Open yesterday, while Daniel Nestor of Toronto and partner Mark Knowles of the Bahamas are through to the quarter-finals. Williams, jeered earlier in the tournament, drew only cheers after beating Shinobu Asagoe of Japan, 6-3, 6-1.

It was the sort of dominating performance so typical of the Williams sisters. Second-seeded Serena smacked 24 winners to three for Asagoe.

Williams, the 2002 champion, closed out the victory when she put away a swinging volley from the baseline — a shot most players wouldn’t even attempt. She curtsied and smiled as the centre court crowd applauded.