G8 summit opens in France

Leaders of the Group of Eight have gathered in France to discuss the world economy, Libya's civil war, Iran's nuclear goals and the unrest in Syria.

This year's G8 meeting is under the tagline "New World, New Ideas". Officials from the US, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Russia gathered in the seaside resort of Deauville to hammer out common positions. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is hosting the summit, which runs until Friday. It's expected to approve a multi-billion-dollar aid package for Tunisia and Egypt, and to seal an agreement to back others in the region who want democracy.

Other topics on the agenda will include the replacement of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who's under house-arrest in New York following his indictment for sexual assault. The recent killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden raises the issue of counter-terrorism, while nuclear safety will be another issue.

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