France strikes record unemployment high, again

Unemployment in France hit a new record in November, with official statistics published Wednesday showing 3.488 million people claiming jobless benefits. Reducing unemployment is one of President Francois Hollande's main pledges, but more than halfway through his five-year term, that has yet to happen. In an interview last month, he said he would not stand again for the French presidency in 2017 if he had not managed to live up to his promise to bring down unemployment by then. France'