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| Francois Hollande honoured at US state dinner | Francois Hollande honoured at US state dinner |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| French President Francois Hollande is being honoured at a lavish White House state dinner, capping a US visit aimed at renewing the partnership between the two long-standing allies. | French President Francois Hollande is being honoured at a lavish White House state dinner, capping a US visit aimed at renewing the partnership between the two long-standing allies. |
| His is the first official state dinner at the White House since 2011. | His is the first official state dinner at the White House since 2011. |
| The party comes as Mr Hollande and US President Barack Obama have hailed the nations' centuries-old friendship. | The party comes as Mr Hollande and US President Barack Obama have hailed the nations' centuries-old friendship. |
| They suggested the anger and mistrust over US spying and French opposition to the Iraq War had been soothed. | They suggested the anger and mistrust over US spying and French opposition to the Iraq War had been soothed. |
| Stars and spies | Stars and spies |
| Among the guests at Tuesday's state dinner are National Security Agency Director Gen Keith Alexander, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the US, IMF Director Christine Lagarde and US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, and presidential cabinet members, senators, congressmen, diplomats and media and business figures. | |
| Hollywood luminaries in attendance included Bradley Cooper, Mindy Kaling, Stephen Colbert, Julie Louis-Dreyfus and director JJ Abrams. | Hollywood luminaries in attendance included Bradley Cooper, Mindy Kaling, Stephen Colbert, Julie Louis-Dreyfus and director JJ Abrams. |
| More than 300 dignitaries and celebrities will dine on caviar, quail eggs and rib-eye steak, later dancing to the music of singer Mary J Blige. | More than 300 dignitaries and celebrities will dine on caviar, quail eggs and rib-eye steak, later dancing to the music of singer Mary J Blige. |
| After being welcomed to the White House by Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Mr Hollande was seated between the couple at the dinner table in a heated tent on the South Lawn. | After being welcomed to the White House by Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Mr Hollande was seated between the couple at the dinner table in a heated tent on the South Lawn. |
| The move was seen as a tactful way to handle the fact that Mr Hollande arrived stag after an ugly, widely publicised split from long-time partner Valerie Trierweiler following reports he had an affair with an actress. | The move was seen as a tactful way to handle the fact that Mr Hollande arrived stag after an ugly, widely publicised split from long-time partner Valerie Trierweiler following reports he had an affair with an actress. |
| The evening's focus is a toast by each president to cap the two-day visit. | The evening's focus is a toast by each president to cap the two-day visit. |
| At the news conference earlier on Tuesday, Mr Hollande said he and Mr Obama had resolved their issues over digital eavesdropping by the US National Security Agency. | At the news conference earlier on Tuesday, Mr Hollande said he and Mr Obama had resolved their issues over digital eavesdropping by the US National Security Agency. |
| "We wanted to fight against terrorism, but we also wanted to meet a number of principles," said Mr Hollande. | "We wanted to fight against terrorism, but we also wanted to meet a number of principles," said Mr Hollande. |
| "And we are making headway in this co-operation. Mutual trust has been restored." | "And we are making headway in this co-operation. Mutual trust has been restored." |
| Mr Obama announced he had accepted Mr Hollande's invitation to go to France in June to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy during World War Two. | Mr Obama announced he had accepted Mr Hollande's invitation to go to France in June to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy during World War Two. |
| The two leaders also discussed the conflict in Syria, a former French colony whose civil war both the US and France have been working to end. | The two leaders also discussed the conflict in Syria, a former French colony whose civil war both the US and France have been working to end. |
| Mr Obama registered "enormous frustration" over faltering peace talks. | Mr Obama registered "enormous frustration" over faltering peace talks. |
| He also threatened to "come down like a tonne of bricks" on any firms in violation of sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme. | He also threatened to "come down like a tonne of bricks" on any firms in violation of sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear programme. |
| On to San Francisco | On to San Francisco |
| The American president was responding to a reporter's question about last week's trip by more than 100 French executives to Tehran, a trip the US state department described as "not helpful". | The American president was responding to a reporter's question about last week's trip by more than 100 French executives to Tehran, a trip the US state department described as "not helpful". |
| Mr Hollande said he had reminded those business leaders that sanctions remain in effect and no commercial agreements could be signed without a comprehensive nuclear deal. | Mr Hollande said he had reminded those business leaders that sanctions remain in effect and no commercial agreements could be signed without a comprehensive nuclear deal. |
| Mr Obama, meanwhile, praised France's military role in helping quell extremist violence in Africa. The US has provided some help in French missions to Mali and the Central African Republic. | Mr Obama, meanwhile, praised France's military role in helping quell extremist violence in Africa. The US has provided some help in French missions to Mali and the Central African Republic. |
| On Wednesday, Mr Hollande, 59, will travel to San Francisco and meet chiefs of Silicon Valley giants including Facebook, Twitter and Google. | On Wednesday, Mr Hollande, 59, will travel to San Francisco and meet chiefs of Silicon Valley giants including Facebook, Twitter and Google. |