At a party rally the Communist leader, Robert Hue, described the decision, outlined as Michelin announced a 17% climb in profits for the first half of this year, as revolting and unacceptable. He said legislation should be introduced to prevent such layoffs.

The Greens said Michelin must be financially penalised.

Russia claims Dagestan gains
Russian forces have driven separatist guerrillas from the two Dagestan villages of Karamakhi and Chabanmakhi, their only remaining strongholds in the central region, a Russian military spokesman in the capital, Makhachkala, said yesterday.

Meanwhile, Chechnya has accused Russia of bombing four villages and a town at the weekend, killing one man and a woman. Russia said it struck rebel bases in Chechnya, but denied hitting civilian targets.

Taliban accused over women
A United Nations human rights investigator yesterday accused Afghanistan's ruling Taliban of systematic discrimination against women, and said there was little hope of any improvement.

Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN special rapporteur on violence against women, said women had no right to work, prostitution was rising and women accused of moral offences were publicly lashed.

She noted official discrimination in health, education, employment, and physical security.

Nationalists head India poll
India's Hindu nationalist-led governing alliance forged ahead as the second part of the parliamentary elections was completed at the weekend, reports said.

An exit poll during the first round of voting last week, covering 133 of the 145 seats contested, suggested the prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and his allies would gain 17 seats, taking their total to 77, and the Congress party and its partners lose 13, for a tally of 56.