France

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy reviews sailors in Lanveoc-Poulmic before a speech in which he called the violence in Syria "a massacre." (Associated Press)

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives with European People's Party President Wilfried Martens for the 20th Congress of the EPP in Marseille, France, on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy (left) smiles as he greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel prior to their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday, Dec. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, right, speak to the media during a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday , Dec. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy waves goodbye to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday as she leaves the Elysee Palace after their meeting in Paris. The two leaders discussed a cohesive plan to help save the euro through stricter oversight of government budgets. The warning by Standard & Poor's of a possible credit downgrade of European nations over the debt crisis came after U.S. financial markets closed Monday. (Associated Press)

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel before their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday, Dec. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

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** FILE ** German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy say goodbye after their meeting in Strasbourg, France, on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

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Chestnuts were once a staple of life in hard times in parts of France. Today, they are a treat, and a favorite for the end-of-year holidays. (Associated Press)

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In this Oct. 13, 2011 photo, chestnut trees are seen alongside the road to Collobrieres, France. (Associated Press)

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Sweet marronge chestnuts are a way of life in Collobrieres, France, where Germaine Rubi (right), Jacqueline Rinaldi (center) and Jean-Michel Rinaldi make growing and sorting a family affair. (Associated Press)

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Alyce Dixon, who served at a military post office in France during World War II, speaks with Kwame R. Brown (left), chairman of the D.C. Council, and Eleanor Holmes Norton (right), the city's delegate to Congress, during a rededication ceremony Thursday at the District of Columbia War Memorial. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/The Washington Times)

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Alyce Dixon, center, a 104-year-old District resident who served in a military post office in France during WWII, speaks to the press with Kwame Brown, left, chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, and Eleanor Holmes Norton, right, the District's delegate to Congress, during a rededication ceremony following renovations of the District of Columbia WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 10, 2011. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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Alyce Dixon, left, a 104-year-old District resident who served in a military post office in France during WWII, attends a rededication ceremony following renovations of the District of Columbia WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 10, 2011. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/ The Washington Times)

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An inadvertent "open mic" night caught French President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Obama disparaging their Israeli counterpart. (Associated Press)

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An international crew of researchers - from left, Alexey Sitev of Russia, Romain Charles of France, Suhrob Kamolov of Russia, Alexander Smoleevskiy of Russia, Diego Urbina of Italy/Colombia and Wang Yue of China - gives a thumbs-up after a 520-day simulation of a flight to Mars, in Moscow on Tuesday. (Associated Press)