The United States is not the only one issuing stiff sentences for white collar offenders.  Abroad, in Paris, an appeals court  increased a prison sentence of a former official at oil company Elf Aquitaine (now Total) convicted in a "massive corruption scandal"  The sentence was initially four years and the court increased it to seven.  There was also a fine of 2 million euros.   It remains to be seen what the high court in France will do with this sentence. (For more see AP story here).

(esp)