Free Republic

Finland's prime minister Matti Vanhanen on Monday urged the United States to step up action in reducing global warming and expressed hopes that the next U.S. president would make the issue a priority. Vanhanen, who plans to meet senior U.S. officials including Vice President Dick Cheney Tuesday, praised the U.S. engagement in recent international negotiations to reach a new climate change agreement. But he implied that he would like to see more commitment from Washington to international cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. «All nations need to show determination and leadership in the efforts to tackle climate change. The United...

Finland's sexiest man is its prime minister, says French president Sun Sep 10, 12:58 PM ET HELSINKI (AFP) - Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen is the sexiest man in Finland, French President Jacques Chirac said in off-the-cuff remarks recorded by television crews at a Europe-Asia summit in Helsinki. "Let me introduce you to the sexiest man in Finland," Chirac joked to Spain's prime minister when he spotted the 51-year-old Vanhanen entering a meeting room. "You can believe it because it's in all the papers, it's in the press." Spain's Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero smiled at the remark Sunday. Last year Chirac...