Chirac excused from first day of public embezzlement trial
The trial of the former French president Jacques Chirac for misuse of public funds began yesterday, but proceedings were promptly delayed by an appeal from a co-defendant, which could see the trial postponed for months. Mr Chirac, 78, was excused from attending the first day of the trial, which marks the first time since 1945 that a former French head of state has faced criminal charges. Mr Chirac, still one of France's most popular politicians, is accused of embezzling public money to fund his political party during his time as mayor of Paris between 1977 and 1995, when he became president. He denies any wrongdoing.