DIPLOMACY: French PM declares ‘war’ on al Qaeda after hostage killed
France is now at war with Al Qaeda, France’s Prime Minister Francois Fillon (pictured) said Tuesday, after the group’s North African branch executed 78-year old French national Michel Germaneau. Read More
FRANCE: Sarkozy condemns French hostage ‘assassination’
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has condemned the killing of French hostage Michel Germaneau, held captive since April by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, confirming the group’s claim on Sunday that they killed the 78-year-old aid worker. Read More
FRANCE: Govt holds urgent talks after al Qaeda claims it executed French hostage
French President Nicolas Sarkozy convened an emergency meeting on Monday, a day after Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said it had killed 78-year-old French hostage Michel Germaneau in a televised statement broadcast on Sunday. Read More
FRANCE: Police to question minister, L’Oreal heiress in donations probe
Police will question French Labour Minister Eric Woerth and L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt (pictured) on Monday in relation to allegations that Bettencourt made illegal donations to Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign. Read More
MAURITANIA: Fate of French al-Qaeda hostage unknown despite military raid
France said on Saturday it had no information as to the fate of Michel Germaneau, a 78-year-old engineer held hostage by al-Qaeda’s North African wing, as French-backed Mauritanian forces wrapped up four days of operations against the Islamist group. Read More
FOOTBALL: France axes all 23 World Cup players for Norway friendly
New French manager Laurent Blanc (pictured) has dropped all of the 23 players who played in the World Cup in South Africa for his first match as coach against Norway in August. Read More
MAURITANIA : France aids terror raid in Mauritania, bids to free hostage
The French Defense Ministry confirmed on Friday that it provided logistical and technical support to a Mauritanian military operation to rescue a French citizen held captive by militants linked to Al Qaeda. Read More
FRANCE: Judge rejects legal guardianship of L’Oréal heiress
A French judge has rejected a request by the daughter of Liliane Bettencourt, the billionaire L’Oréal heiress at the heart of a politically-charged tax fraud and corruption scandal, to place her mother under legal guardianship. Read More
FRANCE: The Bettencourt scandal: Sarkozy and the media face-off
Amid a growing scandal involving Labour Minister Eric Woerth, in which new revelations seemingly appear daily, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s already tense relations with the French press are being further strained. Read More
FRANCE: Outrage as Sarkozy says nomadic groups pose ‘problems’
French rights groups have accused President Nicolas Sarkozy of stigmatising “travelling people” and Roma, following his comments about “problems” posed by these communities. Sarkozy’s tough talk comes amid a renewed focus on security issues. Read More