Free Republic

California Portland Cement Co. had planned to build more plants this year but put its expansion on hold as it awaits a decision by state lawmakers that the company says could force it to cut production. Cement manufacturers represent just one of several industries that would be required to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they emit under a bill that would make California the first state in the nation to impose such regulations on businesses. The bill has set off a sharp debate in California over the need to balance environmental goals with the concerns of businesses that say...

French film legend Brigitte Bardot is defending herself in Paris against criminal charges of inciting racial hatred. In the best-selling book "Islamicization of France," Bardot allegedly speaks out against people of mixed race and the "infiltration" of France by Islamic extremists. The 69-year-old film star told a Paris court Thursday she never meant to hurt anybody -- and apologized if she did. Bardot could face one year in prison -- though a fine is expected if she's convicted.