1.   But investigators hired by the federal government put at least part of the blame on the businessman.

2.   Had the government put up trade barriers against Spanish tomato powder, barbecue chips may have become prohibitively expensive.

3.   Meanwhile, another umbrella group of labor unions said it will hold a symbolic one-hour strike Monday unless the government puts off the reform bill.

4.   The caretaker government put in place by President Jacques Chirac following his landslide election in May will largely remain in place, the presidential palace announced Monday.