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Leaders of French charity in child kidnap affair freed

Agence France-PresseApril 19, 2013 10:01
The founder of French charity Arche de Zoe (Zoe's Ark) and his partner, who tried in 2007 to abduct 103 children from Chad, have been released from jail, their lawyer said Friday. A court of appeal on Thursday morning decided to free Eric Breteau and Emilie Lelouch under police surveillance pending their appeal due on November 20, according to the lawyer. Breteau, 42, and Lelouch, 37, were sentenced on February 12 to a three-year jail term, one year of which was suspended, notably on conviction of fraud.

UN offices looted in Central Africa: spokesman

March 25, 2013 14:32
Looters raided UN offices and staff homes when rebels overran the capital of the Central African Republic, a spokesman said Monday. The gunfire and pillaging continued as the UN Security Council was set to discuss the crisis later in the day, said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky. "It seems from our assessment so far that there is still some gunfire and that there is still some looting in Bangui," Nesirky told reporters. "Several United Nations offices and residences of staff members, both national and international, have been looted," he added.

UN Council to hold emergency Central Africa talks

March 25, 2013 11:46
The UN Security Council will hold emergency consultations Monday on the crisis in the Central African Republic after rebels seized the capital, diplomats said. The 15-nation body is expected to release a statement calling for a return to constitutional government after President Francois Bozize fled the rebel advance on Sunday.

UN force for Mali to take months to set up: France

February 27, 2013 20:16
France, which is battling Islamist militants in Mali, will not formally propose setting up a UN peacekeeping force to take over until at least April, the French UN ambassador said Wednesday. France sent troops to Mali in January to halt an Islamist advance on the capital and force rebels out of cities they had seized in the north of the country. French and Chadian forces are now embroiled in a guerrilla war there.

CORRECTED: French aid workers jailed over fake African adoptions

February 12, 2013 13:16
A Paris court on Tuesday sentenced two French aid workers to two years in jail for attempting to illegally bring 103 children from Chad to France for adoption, falsely claiming they were orphans from Darfur. Eric Breteau, who founded the Zoe's Ark charity that was involved in the failed attempt, and his partner Emilie Lelouch, were tried in absentia after refusing to show up for the proceedings.

French aid workers jailed over fake African adoptions

February 12, 2013 11:30
A Paris court on Monday sentenced two French aid workers to two years in jail for attempting to illegally bring 103 children from Chad to France for adoption, falsely claiming they were orphans from Darfur. Eric Breteau, who founded the Zoe's Ark charity that was involved in the failed attempt, and his partner Emilie Lelouch, were tried in absentia after refusing to show up for the proceedings.

France tells UN that Mali operation to last as long as necessary

January 11, 2013 22:15
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 11 (Reuters) - France informed the U.N. Security Council on Friday that its military operations in support of the Malian army against Islamist rebels in the north would last as long as needed. "This operation, which takes place within the framework of international law, will last as long as necessary," France's U.N. ambassador, Gerard Araud, wrote in a letter to the Security Council obtained by Reuters.
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