On Tuesday, the French and British ambassadors plan to honor Hall, who died in 1982 at age 78, at a ceremony at the home of French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte in Washington.

British Ambassador Sir David Manning plans to present a certificate signed by King George VI to Hall's niece, Lorna Catling. Hall should have received the document in 1943, when she was made a member of the Order of the British Empire.

"I think it was ironic that the State Department turned her down because she was an amputee, and here she went on and did all this other stuff," said Catling, who lives in Baltimore. Catling said she didn't learn many of the details of her aunt's espionage career until after her death.

Hall, who was fluent in French, was living in Paris when the Nazis invaded in 1940, and she decamped for London, where she was recruited by the secret British paramilitary service, the Special Operations Executive, becoming its first female field operative.

Hall was sent to Lyon, becoming "the heartbeat" of the local French Resistance, said Judith L. Pearson, whose biography of Hall, "Wolves at the Door: The True Story of America's First Female Spy," was published last year.

"Any agent from London came through her flat. She coordinated them with Resistance members," Pearson said. "Most agents only stayed about three months in the field. She stayed 15 months."

After the Gestapo wanted posters made her situation untenable, she fled through the Pyrenees mountains into Spain. During the journey, she sent a radio message to London, reporting that "Cuthbert" - her nickname for her prosthetic leg - was giving her trouble.

Her commanders didn't understand the reference, and their reply suggested the gravity of Hall's circumstances and her value to the Allied cause: "If Cuthbert troublesome eliminate him."

Back in London, she joined the American Office of Strategic Services - the precursor to the
CIA - and returned to France in 1944, disguised as an elderly peasant. She located parachute drop zones where money and weapons could be passed to Resistance fighters and later coordinated guerrilla warfare. Her teams destroyed bridges, derailed freight trains and killed scores of German soldiers.

"I would certainly put her name in the pantheon of people who distinguished themselves in intelligence," said Peter Earnest, executive director of the International Spy Museum in Washington, which has an exhibit devoted to Hall.

Hall maintained her cloak of secrecy after the war. The certificate that went with her British OBE medal sat in a vault for more than 50 years because the British government was unable to track her down.

In the meantime, OSS chief William Donovan had presented Hall with a Distinguished Service Medal in September 1945 during a private ceremony in his office that was witnessed only by Hall's mother. She was the only civilian woman to win the medal for service in World War II.

In 1950 she married French-born OSS agent Paul Goillot. She took a job with the CIA in 1951 and retired in 1966, living out her days with her husband on a farm in Barnesville.

"She would talk about books and she was very into animals and things like that. But work, no. There was a big wall about anything like that," Catling said. "She always seemed kind of glamorous and mysterious."

On the rare occasions that Hall told war stories, they weren't particularly harrowing.

"One time she said she and Paul found a deserted chateau, and they discovered a whole wine cellar," Catling said. "They had a wonderful evening enjoying that."

Though Pinochet's dictatorship was far less murderous than Saddam's, just the same, at least three thousand people were killed or "disappeared" during the Chilean tyrant's reign. Thousands more were tortured and imprisoned, while others considered enemies of the regime were murdered abroad, including Allende's former Foreign Minister, Orlando Letelier, blown apart by a car bomb in Washington D.C. on Pinochet's orders.

Pinochet and Saddam also had friends in common. During some of their most repressive periods, both tyrants were strongly backed by the U.S. government. Pinochet was seen as a staunch ally by the U.S. in the 1970's ,during what the Nixon White House regarded as a life or death struggle against International Communism.

After first failing to block the election of Marxist Salvador Allende in Chile, under Nixon and Henry Kissinger's direction, the CIA then spent millions to destabilize the new Chilean government. When the Chilean army under Pinochet finally overthrew and murdered Allende, they launched a wave of brutal repression. As thousands of bodies piled up in Santiago's Central Morgue, Secretary of State Kissinger battled all attempts by the U.S. Congress to enact sanctions against Pinochet's regime.

In November 1975, when he met with Pinochet's foreign minister Patricio Carajal, Kissinger mocked his own State Department staff "who have a vocation for the ministry" for focusing on human rights. He reassured Carajal that the condemnation of Pinochet's human rights record is "a total injustice," but that "somewhat visible" efforts by the regime to alleviate the situation would be useful in changing Congressional attitudes. " That said he spent the rest of the meeting emphasizing the U.S. government's efforts to expedite Ex-Im Bank credits and multilateral loans to Chile as well as sales of military equipment..

When Kissinger finally met with Pinochet on June 7, 1976, the Secretary of State had just received a report saying that mass arrests, torture, and disappearances continued in Chile. "Numerous political prisoners have been killed arbitrarily or have died from torture received or from lack of medical treatment," the report said. An OAS report detailed those tortures: women beaten, gang raped, and forced to endure electric current applied to their bodies; men subjected to electric current, especially to their genitals, burned with cigarettes, hanged by the wrists or ankles.

Yet Kissinger assured Pinochet of the strong bond in their overriding anticommunism, and made it clear that, despite the U.S. Congress, the White House was determined to send new jet fighters to Chile. "In the United States, as you know, we are sympathetic with what you are trying to do here," Kissinger said. "We wish your government well." He later added, "My evaluation is that you are a victim of all leftwing groups around the world, and that your greatest sin was that you overthrew a government which was going Communist."

Though Kissinger warned Pinochet he was obliged to make some comments about human rights in his speech to the OAS, he never explicitly condemned the Chilean government. Back in Washington, Kissinger notified his staff that he did not want all he had said publicly applied too literally in practice.

Fifteen years later, in the 1980's, the White House would be backing another tyrant-Saddam Hussein, then seen as the bulwark against America's new archenemy of the day, the Ayatollah Khomeini and radical Islam, thought to be threatening the petroleum states of the Gulf. And, so it was that while Saddam's critics in Congress attempted to enact trade sanctions against the Iraqi tyrant, the Reagan and then the Bush White Houses ignored horrific human rights reports from their own State Department to throttle attempts by the Congress to enact trade sanctions against the Iraqi tyrant, while refusing to meet with his victims.

There are other ironic parallels. In 2002, Colin Powell would condemn America's policy towards Pinochet, saying, 'It is not a part of American history that we are proud of.'" But during the Reagan era, one of the White House officials leading the White House drive to protect Saddam Hussein from Congressional Sanctions was none other than the White House National Security Advisor, Colin Powell.

Barry Lando, a former 60 Minutes producer, is the author of "Web of Deceit: The History of Western Complicity in Iraq from Churchill to Kennedy to George W. Bush." He also blogs at Barrylando.com.

French judges issued international warrants for their arrest in 2001 and again in 2005, for illegal "arrests, abduction and detention accompanied by acts of torture" or complicity in those crimes.

Pinochet's death formally closes the chapter of the inquiry against him, while a second figure, former Chilean general Javier Palacios Ruhmann, died in June before he could be brought to trial.

But top figures including Manuel Contreras, founder of the secret police under Pinochet, and Paul Schaefer, who founded Colonia Dignidad, a sect and camp for political prisoners in the Andes mountains, still stand to face trial.


France renews arrest warrant for Pinochet
French judge Sophie Clement, who wrapped up her investigation on December 5, now has until March to refer the accused to be tried in absentia in a French criminal court. If she does so, the trial would start in 2008 at the earliest.

Foreign Minister Philippe-Douste Blazy on Monday voiced hope the accused would be made to stand trial, saying France "regrets" that Pinochet died before he could be brought to justice.

"Other judicial procedures, targeting officials from Chile's military dictatorship, remain ongoing," Douste-Blazy said in a statement. "France hopes that their conclusion will help us to allow us to bring the truth to light."

The four Frenchmen - a political adviser to ousted president Salvador Allende, a former priest and two members of a left-wing movement - are among the more than 3,000 people thought to have been killed under Pinochet's regime.

The victims' families insisted on Sunday that "the Chilean dictatorship will be put on trial in Paris" and that it would be "the only such trial in the world."

The Russian authorities are also threatening BP over alleged environmental violations on a Siberian field in what is seen as a wider attempt to seize back assets handed over to foreign companies when energy prices were low.
The moves will alarm many investors in the City of London as Shell and other share prices are hit, but the news will also increase ministers' concerns about Britain's energy security.

Russia is becoming a key source of natural gas to the UK and Gazprom has already made clear it would like to buy a company such as Centrica, which owns British Gas. One third of western Europe's natural gas is supplied by Russia - a figure expected to rise over the next decade. The security of energy supply is now the main political issue between the EU and the Kremlin. Nervousness about the Russians was heightened last winter when the gas supply to Ukraine was cut off in the middle of a political dispute.

Shell confirmed last night that its chief executive, Jeroen van der Veer, met Gazprom's chairman, Alexei Miller, in Moscow last Friday but would say only that the talks on Sakhalin-2 were "constructive". The Russian company said that "Shell did indeed make several proposals concerning Sakhalin-2" at the meeting which came after Shell was threatened with having its operating licence withdrawn.

The energy minister, Viktor Khristenko, is expected to give details today of a deal under which Shell and its Japanese partners are likely to get a cash payment in return for giving Gazprom a stake in the project.

Dmitry Peskov, the official spokesman of Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, hit out yesterday at critics in the western media who implicated the Russian government in manipulating oil projects and the poisoning of dissidents. He said there was too much "anti-Russian hysteria".With reference to BP's oil spills in Alaska, he added: "If it's an environmental problem in Alaska it's environmental. If it's in Russia you call it politics."

But other senior politicians in Moscow had no doubt Shell was being harassed into reducing its 55% stake in Sakhalin-2 to something close to 25% through relentless pressure from ministries.

"In the current situation Shell will not be able to defend its economic interests in a civilised process with the Russian authorities, so they will be obliged to give up control if they want to save at least some adequate part of the project," said Vladimir Milov, Russia's former deputy energy minister.

Bob Amsterdam, the lawyer of the jailed oil oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, said the Kremlin was "once again" using legal pretexts to cover what was essentially an expropriation of private resources in the energy sector. "The Kremlin ought to cease this behaviour," he said.

The Sakhalin-2 project is scheduled to start operations in 2008 and involves finding and producing oil and gas near Sakhalin island, formerly known only as a penal colony during the tsarist and Soviet eras.

The two fields that make up Sakhalin-2 have an estimated 1.2bn barrels of oil and 500bn cubic metres of natural gas. The gas is to be brought ashore, liquefied and frozen before being shipped to customers in Japan and elsewhere.

The scheme created almost immediate controversy with western conservation groups because it involves putting equipment close to breeding grounds of endangered western grey whales. There has also been criticism that sensitive salmon fishing areas are being hit by dumping of dredging spoil waste amid worries about oil spills from platforms in the Okhotsk and Japanese seas.

But even non-governmental organisations have expressed surprise at the way the Russian authorities have taken up environmental issues since the summer after taking little interest before.

Mr Peskov said it was a coincidence of timing and that it was "a process that is natural for every country" to come to eventually. Mr Putin's spokesman said Russia wanted to encourage western investment and wanted closer links with west European countries to foster mutual "interdependence".

For couple Librado and Martina Gallardo of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, the torture and the threats were so brutal they chose to commit suicide. They left nine children.

At about 9 a.m. October 11, they were found sprawled in the porch of their home in Barangay Conversion barely alive after ingesting Malathion, a powerful pesticide used to kill farm and house pests. The couple died while they were being brought to the hospital.

"Sinabi nila sa amin na hindi na nila kaya ang pagpapahirap sa kanila," (They told us they could no longer endure the torture), Jason Gallardo, a son of the couple told THE Gitnang Luzon News Service (GLNS).

Jason said two hours before the suicide, his parents gathered the family in the kitchen and amid tears, told them of their decision, bade them farewell and asked them to leave the house.

Fact-finding mission

Jason, 18, his two brothers Rolando and Rico, and other relatives recounted the tragic event to a fact-finding mission to Barangay (village) Conversion organized by the United Methodist Church (UMC) last November 8-10.

The mission was led by the United Methodist Church (UMC) Manila Episcopal Area Bishop Solito Tuquero and district superintendents from the south, central and north Nueva Ecija UMC districts. The 61-page mission report was released to media last December 5.

News of the suicide has trickled from various sources in the past months but could not be confirmed until the mission was conducted. The 50-member contingent arrived at the remote village after more than eight hours of travel from Metro Manila mostly over rough mountain roads.

The report said around midnight of October 8, some 50 soldiers of the 48th Infantry Battalion led by Lt. Noel Ruezal arrived in Conversion and occupied the village hall. The following morning, Librado and his sister Macera Villajuan, 50, were taken from their homes by soldiers and brought to the village hall.

Interrogation

Villajuan said they were taken to separate rooms in the second floor of the building where they were blindfolded while being interrogated.

Villajuan said the soldiers accused her of supporting the New People's Army (NPA) but she denied the accusation and defied the soldiers by removing her blindfold. She said she heard her brother crying in pain as he was being forced to admit that he was a member of the NPA.

The interrogation went on until 2 p.m. It was interrupted when the soldiers ordered Librado to attend a meeting with residents at the village plaza in front of the hall.

In the meeting the soldiers asked the residents to stop supporting the NPA and to surrender their firearms. The soldiers read a list of some 40 Bayan Muna (People First) members who they accused of being supporters or members of the NPA.

The Gallardo couple was in the list, as well as Eduardo Navalta Jr, the local UMC pastor. Librado is a lay leader of the congregation in the village. After the meeting, Librado was not allowed to go home and was interrogated until 8 p.m.

Rolando, 28, the oldest of the nine Gallardo siblings, said he was able to talk to his father on the night of October 9. He said his father looked weak and forlorn and complained that he was severely beaten in the chest, head and neck.

The elder Gallardo was also strangled and a plastic bag was put over his head to suffocate him. "Napatae siya sa salawal dahil sa sakit" (He defecated in his pants because of the pain), Rolando said.

'They will kill us all'

Early in the next day, October 10, Librado and his wife were again taken by the soldiers, along with Villajuan and at least 10 other residents who were in the military's list.

Librado was blindfolded inside his home before he was brought to an abandoned house in the village that the soldiers occupied and used as a detachment. His wife was with him but she was not allowed to go inside the house. Librado was tortured while blindfolded the whole day and was allowed to go home at around 9 p.m.

Rolando stayed in his father's house that night. He said his father could hardly eat because his throat ached from blows on his neck and severe beatings on his chest and head. He said his father was repeatedly strangled and a plastic bag was put over his head.

The soldiers told Librado that he will be killed the next day if he did not surrender an M-16 rifle, P40, 000 ($805.31 at an exchange rate of $1=49.67) in cash and documents -matters that his father knew nothing about, Rolando said.

"Pag wala daw siyang inilabas at hindi umamin, pati kaming pamilya niya ay idadamay ng mga sundalo. Papatayin daw kami lahat," (If he would not produce (the items) and confess, the soldiers would also go after his family. They will kill us all.) Rolando said quoting his father.

Maricel, 18, wife of Rico, one of the Gallardo siblings said the couple talked the whole night of October 10. Her home is just behind the elder Gallardo's residence at the back of the UMC chapel in the village.

October 11

At around 7 a.m. October 11, Martina, the wife of Librado went to the house of one of their relatives and asked that she be given pesticide. Maricel said the couple then gathered the family in the kitchen.

"Pakiwari ko sila ay naghahabilin at nagpapaalam. Sinabi nila sa mga nakakatandang magkakapatid na alagaang mabuti ang mga maliliit na kapatid," (I felt they were saying goodbye. They asked the older brothers to take care of the little ones), Maricel said.

She said the couple was in tears as they talked to the family and later asked them to leave the house. She said the five youngest Gallardo siblings, aged five to eleven years old, were in the house at that time.

Rico, 26, husband of Maricel said he passed by his parents' house at about 9 am on October 11 on his way to the forest to haul charcoal. He saw four soldiers talking to his parents in the porch.

"Pinipilit nila at tinaningan ng 20 minutos na pumunta na dun," (The soldiers were forcing my parents to go to the detachment and were given 20 minutes to do so) Rico said. He said he left the house at the same time as the soldiers did.

He said he had not gone far and was about to cross the river on his way to the forest when he was called by relatives and told that his parents have committed suicide by drinking poison.

He said it took them two hours to look for motorized tricycles to bring their parents to the nearest hospital in Carranglan town which was more than one hour ride away. He said his parents were still alive but barely conscious when they left the village but they died on the way.

Rico said his younger siblings told him soldiers came to their house after they left and took the suicide note of their parents from a table in the porch.

More victims

Aside from Villajuan and the Gallardo couple, other residents who were in the list were also summoned by the soldiers- Eduardo Navalta Jr, the local UMC pastor, Dante Castro, Bayan Muna party chairperson in the village, Arthuro Tarlino, Victor Castaneda, Delfin Castaneda, Rey Doria, Emmie Manahan, Boy Pascua and Boy Ramos, among others.

Tarlino, 47, was made to hold a hand grenade and a plastic bag was put over his head as he was beaten and interrogated. Victor Castaneda was subjected to electrocution and his brother, Delfin, was also beaten and a plastic bag placed over his head. All of the victims suffered injuries.

On November 3, Jason Gallardo was accosted by soldiers on his way to the village hall and punched in the stomach several times. He vomited blood because of the blows. He was being forced to produce the M-16 rifle and money that the soldiers tried to extract from his father.

On November 4, a group of young male teen-agers were forced by the soldiers to beat each other using a paddle. Some had their hair cut as punishment by the soldiers. Many of those who were in the military list have left the village because of fear.

Barangay Conversion

Barangay Conversion (pop. about 700 families) is a poor village nestled in the western slope of the Sierra Madre mountains at the edge of the Pantabangan dam, one of the country's major dam projects. It is a remote village reachable from Cabanatuan City by a five-hour drive through winding, rough mountain passes.

Residents make a living out of subsistence farming and fishing, making charcoal and gathering forest products. The Gallardo family, like the other victims and rest of the residents live on a hand-to-mouth existence. The village is considered by the military as a stronghold of the NPA.

On November 9, 2001, five young fishermen were killed allegedly by soldiers who were looking for NPA guerillas in Conversion. The victims' bodies were recovered only after two days on the shore of the dam used as a makeshift docking area for fishing boats. One of the five young men, Leo, is a son of the Gallardo couple.

Mission findings

Among the conclusions of the fact-finding mission are:

the 48th IB is 'hamletting' the village in 'total disregard of the supremacy of civilian authority and the civil rights' of residents
residents are arrested and detained without warrant and subjected to torture, intimidation, harassment and grave threats as part of the government's counter-insurgency campaign
torture and threats against the Gallardo couple and their family led them to commit suicide
the village hall is under control of the 48th IB and barangay officials are required to report to the army commanding officer
even children were interrogated by the military and teen-agers were subjected to cruel punishment in violation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of a Child

The mission team is demanding for the immediate pull-out of the 48th Infantry Battalion from Barangay Conversion. It is also asking for an impartial investigation to be conducted by the Commission on Human Rights to look into the accountability of the commanding officers of the 48th IB and their superiors, and to determine the accountability and civil liability of the State.

The centre-right government has progressively stepped up repatriations since coming to office in 2002, when there were 10,000 expulsions. In 2005 there were 20,000.

The numbers refer only to immigrants sent home from mainland France, and not from overseas territories - from where a further 22,000 will have been expelled in 2006, Sarkozy said.

Mainland France is believed to have between 200,000 and 400,000 illegal immigrants.

Under a government decree published over the weekend, businesses that employ illegal immigrants will be obliged to contribute to the costs of their expulsion.

The amount businesses will be charged is just over EUR 2,500 euros for immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, 2,300 for immigrants from southeast Asia and the Middle East, and 2,125 euros for north Africans.

Figures released last week showed that the number of legal immigrants entering France in 2006 fell slightly to 190,000.