Resolutions at the United Nations or African Union could alter the mission of French troops in Chad, France's Foreign Minister said on Monday as a first planeload of evacuees landed at a Paris airport. Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Defence Minister Herve Morin said French forces secured Chad's airbases and were protecting French and foreign civilians.
Spending caps, advertising restrictions and a total ban on TV commercials have made for a visually austere French presidential race, a stark contrast to the style of campaigning seen in the United States. Interest in politics is surging and voter registration has spiked, but it's not because of spending on advertising.