Moreover, Mr Fillon claimed cheerily that economic growth would do half the repair work.

ECONOMIST: France's public finances

Less cheerily, the travails of migration all too often pose a challenge to the traditional family.

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"Our chilli won't be changing any time soon, " says Marta, cheerily slamming down a bowl of the house red.

BBC: The perfect chilli con carne in the heart of Texas

He came half an hour early and cheerily talked with the conference staff.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

And once on the trains, commuters - normally travelling in gloomy silence - cheerily exchanged stories about their first euro experiences.

BBC: EU praises euro changeover

Jeffrey Immelt, the boss of GE, in Delhi last week, cheerily agreed, insisting that a fast-growing market trumps all other concerns.

ECONOMIST: Business in India

When one curmudgeon shot them a "keep it quiet" glance, one of the students replied cheerily, "I didn't drive 16 hours not to yell!"

NPR: FINALS WATCH: Amherst Wins Division III Title

Last year GDP contracted by almost 6% and this year it may shrink by 2% (though next year's budget cheerily assumes growth of 1.5%).

ECONOMIST: More stumbles on the path to the European Union

And the scene at Qualcomm Stadium on Tuesday did seem to live up to Chertoff's expectations as volunteers cheerily handed out chairs, food and water.

CNN: Unrelenting fires char S. California, at least half a million flee

The budget released this week cheerily shows deficits dropping from a peak of 3.6% of GDP in 2004 to 3.0% next year and just 1.5% in 2009.

ECONOMIST: Holding the line? | The

The government cheerily dubs the brew newater, and despite a tide of scatological humour, insists that it is cleaner than the stuff that used to come out of the tap.

ECONOMIST: The city state's bid for self-sufficiency