| Fire kills last survivor from Bangladesh building collapse Posted: SAVAR (AFP) - A fire broke out in the wreckage of a Bangladesh factory complex Sunday night killing the last known survivor from the buildings collapse five days earlier, the national fire chief said.Fire fighters and rescuers were seen weeping live on television following the death of the female garment worker, identified as Shahnaz, whose 110-hour battle for survival had touched the nation following its worst industrial disaster.The fire broke out as we were cutting a beam to bring out what we believe was the last remaining survivor from the collapsed building. We managed to douse it, but as we came back we saw her dead, Ahmed Ali told AFP.She was a brave lady and fought until the end. We worked for 10-11 hours today just to try to bring her out alive. We took the challenge but we lost.The rescue teams had earlier postponed a decision to clean up the debris with cranes and earth-moving equipment just to make sure it did not harm the womans chance of survival.Rescue workers said although she was weak, she was able to make feeble cries for help from underneath the debris on Sunday morning.Fire fighter Abul Khayer who spoke to throughout the operation identified her by her first name, Shahnaz, and said she was the mother of a ten-year-old boy.She clung on for the boy. At one stage we told her to remove her clothes, which would make the rescue easier. She told me youre my brother, please dont leave me alone Khayer said.All these hours we kept talking to her. We gave her food, water, oxygen and saline and she hung on. And then this engineer came and we got this fire, he said.After her death, the rescue teams abandoned their manual rescue work and began using their earth-moving equipment to lift slabs and reinforced concrete, the fire chief said.The eight-storey building that housed five garment factories caved in on Wednesday, killing at least 381 people and trapping thousands others, most female garment workers, Dhaka police officer Liakot Hossain told AFP.Some 2,500 people were rescued alive from the rubble, which included about 1,000 seriously injured workers many of whom had to have their limbs amputated to free them from the rubble.Police earlier arrested the owner of the building and three proprietors of export-oriented garment factories for forcing the workers to work in the building despite it developing visible cracks a day before the tragedy.  |
| Missile fired on Syria town kills 4 civilians: NGO Posted: BEIRUT (AFP) - A ground-to-ground missile was fired on a town in northern Syria on Sunday and killed at least four civilians, two of them children, a watchdog reported, as violence shook several Damascus neighbourhoods.Anti-regime activists of the Aleppo Media Centre said the missile, which slammed into a residential area of Tal Rifaat, was a Scud, although this could not be independently verified.The attack also killed two women, wounded several other people and destroyed many homes in the town in Aleppo province, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.The Syrian Revolution General Commission, an activist network, reported 30 wounded and 10 houses destroyed, adding a mother and her two daughters were among the dead.The toll could rise, with bodies buried under the rubble, said the Observatory.Amateur video footage posted online by activists showed men clearing away debris in the dark and then removing the body of a child, as cries are heard from the crowd.In February, the Observatory cited activists as saying the army fired Scuds on Aleppo city, killing 58 people, including 36 children.Damascus has denied using Scuds.Elsewhere in Aleppo province, fierce clashes raged inside the Kwiyres military airport, as rebels tried to seize the facility.Since the beginning of the year, rebel forces have been fighting what they call the battle of the airports in Aleppo to deprive the regime of a key supply route.Rebels have set their sights on the Aleppo international airport, along with the Jarrah, Kwiyres, Minnigh and Nayrab military fields. They took the Jarrah military airport on February 12.Meanwhile, in Idlib province, the Observatory reported clashes around the Abu al-Dohur military airport, which rebels have laid siege to for about a month.The rebels have broken into the airport but they are still on the periphery and are engaged in violent clashes with soldiers, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.The Observatory also reported clashes in several districts of the capital Damascus, including in the northern area of Barzeh where fighting has been raging for several days between rebels and regime forces.Regime aircraft raided the industrial zone in Qabun district of northern Damascus and Jubar in the east while shells rained in the afternoon on the Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp in the south of the capital, the watchdog said.Fighting also rocked Daraya, south of Damascus, which according to the towns rebel opposition council the army has been trying to overrun for the past 167 days.Insurgents reported air raids and artillery fire on Daraya, saying there was a shortage of medicines due to the siege imposed by regime forces.Meanwhile, the Observatory reported that a man from the (jihadist) Al-Nusra Front (rebel group) blew up a car near a gathering of regime forces in the town of Kamam in Homs province.Sundays violence killed at least 42 people across Syria, reported the watchdog which relies on a vast network of activists and medical staff inside Syria.  |
| Gunmen surround Libya Foreign Ministry Posted: TRIPOLI (AP) - Libyas prime minister warned of a perilous security situation Sunday after armed men stormed the Interior Ministry and a state-owned television station after blocking access to the Foreign Ministry.Two years after the countrys civil war, Libya is struggling to maintain security, build a unified army and reign in militias, which include rebels who fought to oust longtime dictator Moamer Gaddafi in 2011.About 200 armed men surrounded the Foreign Ministry building in Tripoli, demanding the ministry hire former fighters who helped overthrow Gaddafi. The men allege that many supporters of the old regime are still holding senior positions in the ministry and its missions abroad.About 38 trucks, some with machine guns, surrounded the ministry all day. After sundown, gunmen were still blocking access to the building.Some in Libya are calling for a political isolation law that would ban members of the former regime from political roles.Others counter that such a law would oust experienced technocrats, including the current prime minister, who served in government under Gadhafi years ago.In another bold move Sunday, gunmen stormed the Interior Ministry, which oversees police, and forced employees out.The men charge that the ministry is not paying them their salaries, according to an official in the ministry who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal.Also, armed men stormed the main state-run al-Wataniya TV channel, forcing its employees out. Live shows were cancelled, and al-Wataniya was airing only archive video on Sunday. Similar to those outside the Foreign Ministry, the men were demanding the removal of Gaddafi-era officials from the station. The station was temporarily shut down recently when employees protested against militias providing security for the building instead of regular forces.It was not immediately clear if the armed men coordinated their moves Sunday.Prime Minister Ali Zidan told reporters in Tripoli that the security situation continues to be perilous. He stopped short of saying which militias or armed groups might be behind the incidents.If the situation persists, it will give Libya a bad reputation and lead to foreign companies pulling out and embassies closing down, he warned.Zidan was himself besieged in his office last month by militiamen over remarks he made threatening to summon outside help to confront the armed groups.Sundays unrest prompted the countrys parliament to put off discussing protests by military officers who are demanding the dismissal of the army chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Youssef al-Mangoush. Some militias are believed to favor al-Mangoush remaining in his post, because he has been unable to replace militias with a strong unified force.  |
| 3 killed in French building collapse after blast Posted: REIMS (AP) - A possible gas explosion ripped off the side of a five-story residential building in Frances Champagne country on Sunday, killing at least three people and injuring 14 others, officials said.More than 100 rescue workers, firefighters, sniffer-dog squads and bomb and gas experts were deployed to the gutted building in a subsidized housing complex in the city of Reims, east of Paris, officials said. Heaps of debris spilled out of the building onto a grassy esplanade below.The explosion of a residential building in Reims is a terrible drama, the office of French President Francois Hollande said in a statement, conveying his condolences to the victims relatives.Michel Bernard, the top government official in Reims, said crews searching for survivors turned up the body of a woman under the rubble Sunday afternoon, raising the death toll to three. He said it was unlikely that the toll would rise any higher.Through most of the day, authorities had said at least two people had died. One person was hospitalized with serious, but not life-threatening injuries, and another 13 people had minor injuries, officials said. Authorities used backhoes to help clear away the rubble.We dont know the cause of the explosion. It was probably due to gas, Reims mayor Adeline Hazan said at the scene.An official investigation was under way to determine the cause, she said. Authorities say the three people known to have died were adults.Witnesses described a powerful blast.The explosion was very strong, like a sonic boom from a fighter plane. We had been playing football on a field about 30 meters (100 feet) away, and ran to the scene, housing project resident Abdel Kader said. The building had fallen like a house of cards ... 30 seconds after that we saw a man calling for help, he was on a slab. His legs were caught.Later, he died, Abdel Kader, a 27-year-old job seeker who declined to provide his family name, said.Bernard, the government official in Reims, said the building dated to the 1960s. About 10 of the 40 or so apartments were affected on the end of the rectangular building, he said.The precariousness of some buildings has come to light internationally in recent days following the collapse Wednesday of an eight-story building in a suburb of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where at least 362 people have been confirmed to have died.Officials said three floors of the building, which had housed garment factories, had been built illegally.  |
| Texas downpours lead to many water rescue calls Posted: HOUSTON (AP) - A Houston fire spokesman says firefighters responded to at least 50 calls for water rescues after heavy downpours and thunderstorms hit the area.Spokesman Jay Evans says most of the calls Saturday came from motorists who mistakenly drove into high water and became trapped. He says there have been no reports of injuries or deaths.The Houston Chronicle reports that officials are warning people to stay off the roads. Flood Control District officials reported as much as 7 inches of rainfall in some parts of Harris County in three hours, mostly in the west, southwest and central parts of the area.County officials say at least three bayous and creeks are close to capacity, which could potentially cause surrounding streets and low-lying areas to flood.  |
| Nadal wins record eighth title in Barcelona Posted: BARCELONA (AFP) - Rafael Nadal extended his record number of Barcelona titles to eight as he brushed off a slow start to beat Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday.Last weekend's Monte Carlo runner-up regained his accustomed position on an ATP winner's podium with his fourth title of 2013 and his third on clay for the year.He rallied from two breaks down on a day of drizzle and heavy conditions, beating Almagro for the tenth time without defeat.I'm very happy, said Nadal. This has been an important week for me. To win here again is a great joy after everything I've been through.It was a fantastic match for me, he told a crowd which had huddled under umbrellas for the duration of the contest. Thanks to the people who watched us.The world number five has made a storming comeback to tennis after missing seven months from last summer with knee injuries. Since his February return, he has played finals in all six events he has entered.Nadal went into recovery mode after trailing Almagro 0-3 in less than a quarter hour on the heavy court.But as quickly as he had temporarily let his guard down, Nadal was able to muster his resources to fight back.He claimed an epic ninth game for a 5-4 lead before serving out the opening set a game later as Almagro couldn't reach a forehand to the corner.The second seed sped away with the second set in the testing conditions and finished off the victory with an overhead smash.I'm used to losing to Rafa, said Almagro. But matches like this are what makes you a better player.I started well but after it really started to rain the balls got heavy and Rafa found his game in the conditions.Nadal becomes the first man this season to win four ATP titles, adding Barcelona to those he lifted in Brazil, Mexico and California.The 26-year-old who is rediscovering the form that habitually makes him the favourite when the French Open comes around in May.This victory took his Barcelona win streak to 39 matches.In clay finals, the impeccable Spaniard has lost only to Djokovic (three times), Roger Federer (twice) and Horacio Zeballos (once). He now stands 40-1 in Barcelona.The win was the second of the season for Nadal over Almagro after beating his countryman in the Acapulco semi-final.Nadal will now prepare for another home event, the Madrid Masters, beginning next weekend.  |
| Chelsea beat Swansea 2-0 in Premier League Posted: LONDON (AP) - Chelsea kept up its push for a Champions League spot by beating Swansea 2-0 on Sunday with both goals coming shortly before the halftime break.Oscar put Chelsea ahead at Stamford Bridge in the 44th minute and Frank Lampard then doubled the lead from the penalty spot a minute later for his 201st goal for the club, moving him within one of Bobby Tambling's record.Lampard began the game on the bench but came on because of a thigh injury for Oscar and scored his 15th goal of the season.Last season's European champions were unable to add to their total in the second half as Rafael Benitez's side moved into third place in the Premier League, one point ahead of Arsenal and three clear of rival Tottenham in the battle for a place in the top four. Swansea extended its winless run to six games.Chelsea's next Premier League clash comes at Manchester United before the London derby with Spurs on May 8 which could prove decisive in the Champions League qualifying race.For now they remain on course to achieve their two remaining targets this term and they will seek to confirm their place in the Europa League final in Thursday's semifinal second leg with Basel.John Obi Mikel was left on the substitutes' bench as referee Mark Clattenburg took charge of a Chelsea match for the first time since he was cleared of using inappropriate language towards Mikel in October.Chelsea's last home loss came on Jan. 9 against Swansea in the League Cup semifinal in a competition which saw the Blues' exit embarrassingly when Eden Hazard was sent off and banned for kicking a ball boy in the away leg.The Belgian had the game's first shot, which Michel Vorm held comfortably, before the Swansea goalkeeper blocked a swerving effort from Demba Ba from 25 yards.The hosts' opener came after John Terry intercepted a long ball forward before striding purposefully into midfield. He fed Lampard, who in turn found Oscar, and the Brazil forward drilled a shot across goal inside the far post.Chelsea doubled their advantage before the interval after Juan Mata combined with Hazard before being pulled down by Leon Britton.Lampard fired the ball low into the right corner and immediately Stamford Bridge erupted into chants of sign him up. The midfielder's contract expires after this season, and he has not been offered a new deal.  |
| Arsenal held to 1-1 draw by Man United Posted: LONDON (AP) - Robin van Persie marked his return to Arsenal by scoring a penalty amid a chorus of boos to give newly crowned Premier League champion Manchester United a 1-1 draw on Sunday that also hurt his former team's chances of making the Champions League.Arsenal fans had already had to watch their team form a guard of honor for Van Persie and his United team before kickoff at the Emirates Stadium to salute the new champions.The crowd then reveled in Van Persie giving the ball away inside two minutes to allow Theo Walcott to put Arsenal in front. But after Van Persie was brought down by Bacary Sagna just before halftime, the former Arsenal captain sent the spot kick into the net.The draw meant Arsenal was dislodged from third place by Chelsea, which beat Swansea 2-0.  |
| Badminton: Lee, Thai teen win India Open titles Posted: NEW DELHI (AFP) - Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia maintained his perfect record against Kenichi Tago, seeing off the challenge of the Japanese player to win the India Open badminton tournament in New Delhi on Sunday.The Malaysian, ranked number one in the world, needed just over an hour to down a battling Tago 21-15, 18-21, 21-17 for his 13th victory over his opponent in as many matches.In the women's singles, Thai teenager Ratchanok Intanon claimed her maiden Super Series title with an impressive 22-20, 21-14 victory over second-seeded German Juliane Schenk.Lee and Tago entertained a near-capacity crowd with some exciting badminton, with the Malaysian eventually ending the match with a smash to claim his second India Open title in three years.Top-seeded Lee was the winner in 2011 and runner-up last year.Sixth-seeded Tago lost the opening game but raised his performance to level the match and gave his illustrious opponent some anxious moments in the decider.Lee led 16-9 in the final game, only to see the margin cut to 17-16. The Malaysian then won three points in a row to make it 20-16, with the Japanese saving one match point before slipping to defeat.It was a tough match as Tago did very well. I have played him a lot of times and hope to keep winning against him, said Lee.Thanks to Indian fans who came to support me today. Last time, I lost in the final at the India Open, but this time I won, said Lee. I am very happy with my performance.Third-seeded Ratchanok, 18, trailed 10-5 in the opening game but came back strongly to lead 20-13. But she was forced to wait as Schenk saved seven game points before losing 22-20.Ratchanok looked in control in the second game, building an 18-12 lead before completing her sixth victory over the German in nine matches.I am very excited to win my first Super Series title. I lost seven points in a row (after leading 20-13 in the opening game) as I tried to finish the game in a hurry, she said.Schenk, who lost to Ratchanok at the 2012 London Olympics, said her opponent played better on deciding points.Chinese pair Liu Xiaolong and Qiu Zihan claimed the men's doubles title with a 22-20, 21-18 over South Koreans Ko Sung-Hyun and Lee Yong-Dae.Japan's Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna won the women's doubles when they rallied to down Denmark's Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl 12-21, 23-21, 21-18.Top-seeded Indonesians Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir won the mixed doubles, defeating South Koreans Ko Sung-Hyun and Kim Ha-Na 21-16, 21-13.  |
| Kiprop of Kenya wins Madrid Marathon Posted: MADRID (AP) - Francis Kiprop of Kenya won the Madrid Marathon on Sunday, a race marked by a minute's silence before the start in commemoration of the victims of the Boston bombings.Kiprop finished in 2 hours, 10 minutes, 37 seconds, with Vanessa Veiga of Spain winning the women's event in 2:36.38.Some 26,000 runners participated, many holding forefinger and thumb together to make a lower-case b'' as a symbol of solidarity with the victims of the two bombs that exploded near the Boston Marathon's finish line.Spanish authorities beefed up security for the marathon, deploying 1,100 police and other security personnel.Madrid is competing with Tokyo and Istanbul for the right to host the 2020 Olympics. The winner will be announced in September.  |
| Bangladesh close in on series tying win Posted: HARARE (AFP) - Bangladesh will go into the final day of the second Test against Zimbabwe requiring just six wickets to earn a share of the two-match series after dominating another day at Harare Sports Club.Having set Zimbabwe 401 for victory on the back of half-centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim and Nasir Hossain, Bangladesh reduced their hosts to 138 for four to give themselves every chance of avenging their heavy defeat in the first Test.All of Zimbabwe's top five made starts, but Hamilton Masakadza was the only one able to hold off the twin threat of Shakib Al Hasan and Ziaur Rahman, who claimed two wickets apiece.Masakadza went to stumps unbeaten on 46, with his younger brother Shingirai sent up the order to see out 30 deliveries for his 7 not out.Zimbabwe's task was clear in the statistical evidence on offer - they have never successfully chased more than 162 to win a Test, while the highest run chase by anyone on this ground is 192 - achieved by Pakistan in a three-wicket win over the African side 15 years ago.It's very daunting, but I think the guys are still confident, said batting coach Grant Flower.We've had probably three soft dismissals, but it's a new day tomorrow.The pressure is on Bangladesh because they're in the driving seat and they will have expectations from back home, so hopefully we can use that.Bangladesh began day four on 163 for five - an overall lead of 272, which they extended to exactly 400 before declaring on 291 for nine midway through the second session.Rahim's 93 was at the heart of their second innings, but he received excellent support from Nasir, who registered his second half-century of the match before finishing unbeaten on 67.We were in a bit of trouble early on, so credit goes to Mushfiqur and Shakib Al Hasan for pulling us out of it, Nasir said.We're in a good position in the match now and if we can take two or three wickets in the morning then we should win.The Masakadza brothers claimed seven of the nine wickets to fall in the Bangladesh innings, with Shingirai claiming figures of 4 for 58 and Hamilton taking 3 for 24.  |
| 13 killed in Mexico prison riot Posted: MEXICO CITY (AFP) - At least 13 inmates were killed and 87 others injured in a prison riot in the state of San Luis Potosi, north of Mexico City, said state governor Fernando Toranzo.Of those injured, at least 22 were hospitalized with serious injuries, Toranzo said in a late Saturday press conference.The inmates were killed in a battle involving some 100 prisoners, many armed with home-made knives, Toranzo said.Mexico, engaged in a multi-year war on its powerful drug cartels, faces a serious problem of prison overcrowding.The governments Human Rights ombudsman office reported that, in 2011 and the first half of 2012, 278 inmates died in Mexican prisons in incidents ranging from fights to suicides.Mexico has the infrastructure to house 188,200 prisoners, but currently has an incarcerated population of 237,600, according to the ombudsmans office.One result of the overpopulation is the number of mass jailbreaks. In September, 131 inmates escaped through the front door of a prison in Piedras Negras, a city on the US border.A jailbreak at a prison in the northern state of Nuevo Leon in February 2012 saw 44 prisoners killed during fighting between two warring drug cartels.  |
| Morsis aides visit Iran to discuss Syria war Posted: CAIRO (Reuters) - Senior aides to Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi made a rare visit to Tehran for talks with Iran on an Islamic initiative to seek a peaceful solution to Syrias civil war, the two sides said on Sunday.Tehran is Syrias closest ally and has provided money, weapons, intelligence and training for President Bashar al-Assads forces, while Egypt has given political support to the opposition Syrian National Coalition fighting to oust him.Mursis foreign affairs adviser Essam Haddad and his chief-of-staff Rifaa El-Tahtawy met Iranian officials in a follow-up to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads groundbreaking visit to Cairo in February for an Islamic summit.An Iranian Foreign Ministry statement said they agreed on the necessity of an action plan...to act on the Egyptian presidents plan on the Syria crisis through an acceptable political solution which can help end the violence and help national reconciliation with the participation of the people ofSyria.Mursi included Iran, alongside Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, in a diplomatic Islamic Quartet of countries established last year to try to broker a solution in Syria.The Egyptian leader proposed negotiations between Syrian government representatives not directly involved in repression and opposition leaders under regional or UN auspices on a transition of power.However, the Saudis stayed away from the group in February in apparent irritation at the inclusion of the Iranians, and Syria has rejected foreign involvement in the national dialogue proposed by Assad.The visiting Egyptian officials met Ahmadinejad and senior figures in Irans foreign policy establishment, national security adviser Saeed Jalili, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.The relationship between Cairo and Tehran is extremely sensitive, and should be managed wisely. And this is what Egypt is doing, Haddad said on a television talk show broadcast on Saturday.The two countries do not have full diplomatic relations, which were broken off after Egypt gave sanctuary to the deposed shah following Irans 1979 Islamic revolution and signed a peace treaty with Israel in the same year.Ties have thawed gradually since the 2011 uprising that toppled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, but ultraconservative Sunni Salafists in Egypt protested against the launch of tourist flights with Iran, prompting the government to suspend the plan.The Salafis contend that Iran is trying to spread Shiite Islam in Sunni Muslim countries such as Egypt, a charge that Tehran denies.  |
| Syrian rebels, troops clash at 3 air bases Posted: BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian rebels seeking to topple President Bashar Assad fought intense battles with his troops on Sunday to try to seize control of three military air bases in the countrys north and curtail the regimes use of its punishing air power, activists said.Rebels, who have been trying to capture the air fields for months, broke into the sprawling Abu Zuhour air base in northwestern Idlib province and Kweiras base in the Aleppo province on Saturday. Fighting raged inside the two facilities Sunday.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least seven fighters were killed in the fighting in Abu Zuhour, in addition to an unknown number of soldiers. The group, which relies on a network of activists on the ground, said the Syrian air force conducted an airstrike on Abu Zuhour village during the fighting to ease pressure on government troops inside the base.Rebels control much of Idlib and Aleppo provinces, which border Turkey, although government troops still hold some areas including the provincial capital of Idlib province and parts of the city of Aleppo, Syrias largest urban center.The Aleppo Media Center said rebels also seized 60 percent of the Mannagh helicopter base near the border with Turkey. Rebels from the Islamist al-Burraq Brigades announced that fighters from multiple factions in northern Aleppo have launched a large-scale offensive to seize full control of the facility.Government troops regularly shell nearby areas from the Mannagh base, including a rocket attack overnight on the town of Tal Rifaat near the border with Turkey that killed at least four people, including two women and a child.Syrias conflict started with largely peaceful anti-government protests in March 2011 but eventually turned into a civil war. More than 70,000 people have been killed, according to the United Nations.  |
| Hollande holds firm despite record low popularity Posted: PARIS (AFP) - His government has been damaged by a major scandal, his countrys economy is stagnant and his popularity at a record low, but French President Francois Hollande has vowed to hold firm and not to be intimidated.As the one-year anniversary of his election nears, opinion polls show the Socialist leader, perceived by some as indecisive and meek, has become deeply unpopular at a time of economic and social malaise in France.I became president at an exceptional time. Exceptional from an economic standpoint -- a long crisis, a recession in Europe, unemployment at a historic level, Hollande told AFP and other news agencies in an interview held days ago but only allowed out now.He also pointed to Frances military intervention in Mali to help push back Islamic extremists, as well as a rise in populism in the country and elsewhere in Europe.It is the duty of the president to hold firm and see further ahead, beyond storms of the moment, he added, referring to concern among the French and even members of his Socialist majority over the direction of his policies.At the time of his election on May 6 last year, Hollande had promised to jump start the economy and create jobs by stimulating growth, but a year on, unemployment has reached record highs and growth is almost non-existent.Many of his projects have also been met with opposition, such as a landmark gay marriage bill and proposed transparency and anti-fraud reforms following a scandal involving ex-budget minister Jerome Cahuzac, charged with tax fraud.A survey by polling firm Ifop published in the Journal du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper last weekend showed Hollande is currently more unpopular than any other French president since 1958 when Ifop launched its leader popularity ratings.Of the nearly 1,900 people questioned, 74 percent said they were unhappy with Hollande, citing his general record and image but also the Cahuzac scandal.And on Sunday, another Ifop poll published in the JDD revealed more than three-quarters of respondents wanted a national unity government put in place.Last month, a Socialist member of parliament caused shockwaves after he openly criticised Hollande, calling the current economic situation very serious.When youre president of France... you take stock of the situation and you shift gears, Pascal Cherki said.Hollande said that while he understood the French people were directing their anger at him as president, he thought accusations that he is indecisive were totally inappropriate.You can criticise my decisions, think that Im going down the wrong path, say that I didnt go in the right direction, but if there is one thing Im sure of it is that for one year, I have made major choices for France, he said.He pointed to measures unveiled in November implementing tax breaks for businesses worth up to 20 billion euros a year to try and address the flagging competitiveness at the heart of the countrys economic malaise.The French leader also highlighted labour law reforms that are being pushed through parliament, aiming to boost jobs and competitiveness by giving more flexibility to employers.Of his critics, he said that he had long understood that if I allowed comments to affect me, I could not go forward.As president, and I think that was true for all my predecessors, whoever they were, I have set myself a course of action, never be intimidated, follow ones path. And make sure its the right one.  |
