Saturday, April 28 in the news....
- Ségolène Royal, the Socialist candidate in the French presidential election on May 6, accused Nicolas Sarkozy, her conservative opponent, on Wednesday of having 'apologized' to President Bush for France’s decision not to back the United States militarily in Iraq. Royal has been a vocal supporter of France's history of defeat and surrender.
- The sharp divide in Washington over Iraq became clearer this week as the Democrat-controlled Congress approved legislation to set a timetable for troop withdrawal. President Bush threatened to veto, the Democrats threatened another Michael Moore box office hit.
- The French dislike themselves even more than the Americans dislike them, according to an opinion poll published on Friday. The survey of six nations found that the Germans had the highest regard for their neighbors, with 73 percent saying they had a positive view of the French - some elderly Germans adding how they just loved the hospitality after they invaded the country.
- President Vladimir Putin on Friday renewed criticism of U.S. plans to deploy a missile shield in Eastern Europe, saying Russia would take "appropriate measures" to counter the system. Those plans included arming more Russian military higher ups with moonshine vodka to improve unpredictability.
- The New York governor plans to introduce a bill legalising gay marriage. Gay marriage being defined as any ceremony where both the Groom and Best Man are crying during the vows.
- Pope Benedict XVI is planning to visit New York City for a trip to the United Nations headquarters. Organisers are still figuring out how they are going to fit the Pope Mobile in the elevator.
- The U.S. Congress has approved a bill on Iraq linking troop withdrawals to war funding. One Iraqi on a street in Baghdad heard the news and responded: "That's great. So when can we vote out the guys kidnapping bombing and beheading us?"
