France News

Phantom of the Opera 'curse' hits as fire menaces Paris debut

By AFP

Paris - The curse of the "The Phantom of the Opera" appears to have struck again with a fire at a Paris theatre on Sunday which is threatening to derail the musical's debut in France next month.

France at UN says war crimes committed in Syria's Aleppo

By AFP

New York - France's envoy to the United Nations asserted Sunday that war crimes were being committed in Syria's battered city of Aleppo, as the Security Council met for urgent talks on the escalating military campaign.

Two teenage girls held in France over 'terror plot'

By AFP

Paris - Two teenage girls from the French city of Nice are being held on suspicion of planning an attack directed by a notorious Syria-based French jihadist, a source close to the investigation said Sunday.

'No camps in France,' vows Hollande, under rightwing pressure

By AFP

Tours - President Francois Hollande, under pressure from the right wing, on Saturday stepped up his pledge to combat illegal migration, vowing to dismantle a squalid settlement near Calais and prevent similar camps from becoming established in France.

Pope urges 'sincere dialogue' as he meets Nice attack victims

By AFP

Rome - Pope Francis on Saturday called for a "sincere dialogue" between Christians and Muslims as he met grieving relatives and survivors of France's Bastille Day attack, in which a jihadist ploughed his truck into a crowd.

Chirac remains ill in hospital, wife discharged

By AFP

Paris - Former French president Jacques Chirac remains in hospital in Paris where he is being treated for a lung infection, while his wife Bernadette has been discharged after four days recovering from "exhaustion", their family said Saturday.

Pope to meet families of Nice attack victims

By AFP

Rome - Pope Francis will on Saturday hold a multi-faith meeting of grieving relatives and survivors of an attack in France in July when a jihadist ploughed his truck into a crowd in Nice.

France accuses Assad of seeking to break up Syria

By AFP

New York - France on Friday accused Bashar al-Assad and his allies of seeking to break Syria apart, as Russian-backed regime forces prepared to storm rebel-held eastern Aleppo.

French 'rogue trader' Kerviel's legal rollercoaster

By AFP

Paris - A French appeal court on Friday ordered "rogue trader" Jerome Kerviel to pay one million euros ($1.2 million) to his former employer, Societe Generale, one of France's top three banks.

Mid East peace 'Quartet' hears from France and Egypt

By AFP

New York - The diplomatic "Quartet" piloting efforts to nudge Israel and the Palestinians towards a negotiated solution to their conflict on Friday heard from France and Egypt on their parallel peacemaking efforts.

French 'rogue trader' Kerviel must pay 1.0 mn euros to bank

By AFP

Versailles - A French appeals court on Friday ordered "rogue trader" Jerome Kerviel to pay a million euros to Societe Generale over the nearly five billion euros he squandered through his reckless risk-taking.

Man caught smuggling arms to Paris goes on trial in Germany

By AFP

Berlin - A Montenegrin went on trial in southern Germany Friday accused of helping to prepare a terror attack after he was found driving to Paris last November with Kalashnikovs and explosives hidden in his car.

Switzerland arrests wanted ex-Algerian rebel

By AFP

Geneva - A former member of the Algerian rebel Armed Islamic Group, who is wanted in France, was arrested Thursday in Switzerland and is seeking asylum, Swiss authorities said.

Belgian police helped migrants cross French border: officials

By AFP

Lille - Two Belgian policemen were arrested for helping a group of migrants return to France after they wound up in Belgium by mistake while heading to Calais, officials said Thursday.

French defence minister heads to India over jet deal

By AFP

Paris - French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian left on Thursday for New Delhi where he is expected to sign a long-delayed deal to sell 36 Dassault fighter jets to India.

France becoming land of 'imbeciles and stinky cheese' says Depardieu

By AFP

Rome - Larger-than-life actor Gerard Depardieu said his homeland France is becoming a playground for foreigners "populated by imbeciles making wine and stinky cheese", according to an interview published Thursday.

Rafale: France's versatile fighter jet

By AFP

Paris - France's Rafale multi-role fighter jet, the subject of a major deal approved Wednesday by an Indian government committee, is a versatile plane that is currently being used for bombing missions over Syria and Iraq.

Indian ministers approve Rafale fighter jet deal

By AFP

New Delhi - An Indian cabinet committee gave its approval Wednesday to a long-delayed deal to buy 36 fighter jets from France's Dassault, as the country looks to bolster its military in the face of China's growing clout.

Chirac's wife hospitalised as ex-French leader remains ill

By AFP

Paris - The family of Jacques Chirac said Wednesday his wife Bernadette had also been hospitalised "suffering" from exhaustion, and quashed rumours that the 83-year-old former French president had died.

France charges two with suspected jihadist links

By AFP

Paris - Two men allegedly linked to French extremist Rachid Kassim have been charged with "associating with terrorists", Paris prosecutors said Wednesday.

Sarkozy, Juppe seek nomination that could decide French election

By AFP

Paris - France's presidential race started in earnest Wednesday as seven rightwing candidates including ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy were confirmed to contest a November primary, with the nominee seen as the likely winner of next year's election.

Sarkozy, Juppe seek nomination that could decide French election

By AFP

Paris - France's presidential race accelerates on Wednesday as the candidates vying for the conservative nomination, including ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, are confirmed in the campaign to try to win back the Elysee Palace.

France's Hollande on Syria tells UN: 'Enough is enough'

By AFP

New York - French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday appealed for an end to the carnage in Syria, telling the United Nations: "Enough is enough".

French MPs propose mandatory cameras in abattoirs

By AFP

Paris - French lawmakers on Tuesday proposed mandatory surveillance cameras for abattoirs to combat cruelty against livestock after an animal rights group published shocking slaughterhouse videos.

Work starts on wall near Calais 'Jungle' migrant camp

By AFP

Calais - Building work began Tuesday on a wall in the northern French city of Calais to clamp down on repeated attempts by migrants to stow away on trucks heading for Britain.

Australian burkini wearer was 'indecent': French mayor

By AFP

Nice - The rightwing mayor of a French Riviera beach town where bathers asked a burkini-wearing Australian to leave has defended their complaints -- calling her behaviour "indecent".

Eight arrested over links to Nice truck attacker

By AFP

Nice - French police on Tuesday arrested eight associates of the jihadist who killed 86 people when he ploughed his truck into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, an investigation source said."They are associates of the perpetrator.

Sarkozy says immigrants should 'live like the French'

By AFP

Franconville - French Presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy said that once immigrants are granted citizenship in France they "should live like the French".

Migrant numbers in Calais 'Jungle' up 12%: NGOs

By AFP

Lille - The squalid migrant camp known as the "Jungle" in France's northern port of Calais has become home to nearly 1,000 more people since August, bringing the total to more than 10,000, two charities working there said Monday.

Don't confuse Islam and terror, says French Muslim woman

By AFP

Paris - A young French Muslim woman who lost three family members in the July 14 jihadist attack on Nice made an impassioned plea Monday not to confuse the Islamic faith with terrorism.