news fish

-France Suffers 'Shock Wave' as Riots Spread
After 11 days of rioting, the first fatality was confirmed in France, where the rioting has spread to over 300 towns. "All told, 4,700 cars have been burned in France since the rioting began [on Oct. 27] and 1,200 suspects were detained at least temporarily". (anne? anne? are you ok?)

"The growing violence is forcing France to confront long-simmering anger in its suburbs, where many Africans and their French-born children live on society's margins, struggling with high unemployment, racial discrimination and despair - fertile terrain for crime of all sorts as well as for Muslim extremists offering frustrated youths a way out.

France, with some 5 million Muslims, has the largest Islamic population in western Europe.

President Jacques Chirac, whose government is under intense pressure to halt the violence, promised stern punishment for those behind the attacks, making his first public comments Sunday since the riots started.

"The law must have the last word," Chirac said Sunday after a security meeting with top ministers. France is determined "to be stronger than those who want to sow violence or fear, and they will be arrested, judged and punished."" - from the AP article linked above.