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A French MP ended a 39-day hunger strike yesterday when a Japanese company pledged not to close a factory in his constituency. Jean Lassalle, who has lost more than three stones in weight since his protest began on March 7, was admitted to hospital yesterday as the government went into talks with the company, Toyal [Toyo Aluminium]. The 50-year-old agreed to end his protest after Toyal told Nicolas Sarkozy, France's interior minister, that it would not close its paint factory in the Pyrenean town of Accous. With 150 workers, the factory is the largest employer in the area. Toyal had planned to open another factory 40 miles away and Mr Lasalle feared the Accous site would close as a result, despite the firm's insistence that it would not...more...
