Latest news reports on FRANCE, French politics and culture

Sharapova stunned by Kerber at Paris Open

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 18:05)

Top seed Maria Sharapova crashed out of the WTA Paris Open in the quarter-finals on Friday after falling 6-4, 6-4 to German ninth seed Angelique Kerber.

Sharapova had breezed past Kerber in straight sets en route to the Australian Open final last month but the 24-year-old exacted sweet revenge on the world number three at a disbelieving Pierre de Coubertin indoor arena.

Latvala leads way in Sweden

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 18:05)

Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland led the way in the Rally of Sweden, the second leg of the World Rally Championship, after afternoon action on the first full day Friday.

Latvala, driving a Ford, was in early command after the first nine special stages having started out from Karlstad and then led the way across the border into Norway through to special stage nine.

The Finn had a provisional 17.2sec lead over compatriot Mikko Hirvonen of Citroen despite the latter winning on his favoured terrain in the last two editions.

India probes Google over 'forex transactions'

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 18:05)

Indian authorities are probing whether online giant Google broke domestic foreign-exchange transactions rules while shifting funds abroad, the Press Trust of India reported on Friday.

Quoting unidentified sources, the news agency said India's Directorate of Enforcement, which monitors foreign exchange dealings, has informed Google about the probe.

The department is scrutinising the shifting of money by Google to its foreign entities and also its receipt of funds from abroad, the news agency said.

Google did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment.

'Extremely Close' director calls for more 9/11 films

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 18:05)

The director of Oscar-nominated 9/11 drama "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," Stephen Daldry, told the Berlin film festival Friday he was amazed by the scarcity of movies about the attacks.

The 50-year-old British film-maker said a decade on, cinema still had little to say about the suicide hijackings in New York and Washington in which some 3,000 people were killed, as well as the ensuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nissan recalls 39,000 vehicles in US, Canada

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 18:05)

Nissan is recalling 39,000 vehicles in the United States and Canada to fix a problem with the gear shift, the Japanese automaker said Friday.

"Due to interference between the shift rod and the shift knob, the vehicle may be shifted out of the park position without depressing the brake pedal," Nissan said in a letter to safety regulators.

"The operator can inadvertently shift the vehicle into gear without the brake pedal being depressed, increasing the risk of a crash or injury to a nearby pedestrian.

Alonso gives Ferrari boost

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 17:45)

Former double world champion Fernando Alonso clocked the fastest time on the final day of Formula One testing on Friday, ending a frustrating week for the Italian giants on a high.

His time of 1min 18.877sec, off 39 laps, was good enough to keep out French driver Jean-Eric Vergne in the Toro Rosso, who timed 1:19.597 for second place.

World champion Sebastian Vettel, in a Red Bull, was third fastest in 1:19.606 with former champion Lewis Hamilton taking fourth spot with a time of 1:19.640 in his McLaren.

France: Air France resumes normal operations as strike ends

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 14:03)

Air France said on Friday that its services were returning to normal after a four-day staff strike over a draft law that would require workers to give 48 hrs notice before striking. The strike caused hundreds of flight cancellations.

France: Further cancellations on last day of French airline strike

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 13:22)

Air France cancelled 65% of its long-haul flights and 75% of its medium- and short-haul flights on Thursday, the final day of a strike over the airline's striking policies. The airline claims the stoppage is costing EUR8-10mn per day.

POLITICS: French Presidential Race: the German Candidate

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 10:27)

The "Franco-German couple" is taking on a new political role. Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, as two conservative leaders, are joining hands not only to salvage the euro but also to boost Sarkozy's re-election bid. Is the German strategy a good one for Nicolas Sarkozy? And is Angela Merkel taking too many risks, given that Socialist François Hollande might end up being president instead?

France: Firemen control blaze at iconic Marseille building

   (Friday, 10 February 2012 07:16)

Firemen in Marseille on Friday brought under control a fire that had broken out at the city's iconic ‘Cité Radieuse’ housing complex. The full extent of the damage is still not yet known.

France: Sarkozy ally Woerth under formal investigation in campaign finance scandal

   (Thursday, 09 February 2012 21:02)

Former Labour Minister Eric Woerth was placed under formal investigation Thursday for his involvement in a complicated campaign finance scandal that comes inauspiciously close to the expected re-election bid of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

France: Sarkozy sets stage for re-election bid

   (Thursday, 09 February 2012 21:00)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy set the stage for his re-election promises in an interview, saying he intends to hold a referendum on whether unemployed people receiving benefits should be allowed to turn down jobs.

FRANCE - JUSTICE: Perfumier Guerlain on trial for racist slur

   (Thursday, 09 February 2012 15:56)

Perfume impresario Jean-Paul Guerlain went on trial in Paris Thursday over a 2010 incident in which he described himself as working like a "negre" – a racist slur - and then implying that black people were lazy.

France : Sarkozy opposed to Israeli military action on Iran

   (Thursday, 09 February 2012 09:42)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned against the possibility of Israeli military strikes on nuclear-minded Iran at a dinner hosted by France's main Jewish group on Wednesday, which Socialist leader Francois Hollande also attended.

AVIATION: A380 fleet to be checked for further wing cracks

   (Thursday, 09 February 2012 06:27)

The European Aviation Safety Agency ordered Airbus to check all superjumbo A380 planes for wing cracks Wednesday after cracks were found during "an unscheduled internal inspection". Airbus claims there is no safety risk.

FRANCE: Government seeks to turn page after ‘Nazi’ jibe

   (Wednesday, 08 February 2012 19:39)

French Interior Minister Claude Gueant (pictured) has been accused of reviving Nazi ideology by saying some civilisations are more equal than others. The government is hoping the dust will settle quickly.

ALGERIA - FRANCE: Paris commemorates deadly Algerian War protest

   (Wednesday, 08 February 2012 16:01)

France's left-wing parties commemorated the 50-year anniversary of the Feb. 8, 1962 killing by French police of nine demonstrators protesting the war in Algeria at the Paris Charonne metro station. The state's role in the killings remains divisive.

FRANCE: More cancellations as French airline strike continues

   (Wednesday, 08 February 2012 15:09)

Air France said it cancelled 40% of its long-haul flights on Wednesday, marking day three of a four-day strike by aviation unions. The airline is expected to run 70 percent its short- and medium-haul journeys.

FRANCE: French power levels soar as big freeze bites

   (Wednesday, 08 February 2012 09:04)

Most of France remained on high alert on Wednesday as Arctic conditions continued to bite a day after electricity consumption in the country hit record levels as residents battled the bitter cold. Freezing temperatures are set to continue.

DIPLOMACY: France recalls ambassador to Syria over 'worsening repression'

   (Tuesday, 07 February 2012 15:13)

France joined Britain, Spain, Italy and Belgium in recalling its ambassador to Syria, Eric Chevallier (far right), "for consultations" on Tuesday. A foreign ministry spokesman cited Syria's "worsening repression" in announcing the move.

FRENCH ELECTIONS: Merkel throws her weight behind Sarkozy

   (Tuesday, 07 February 2012 14:57)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made good her promise to support fellow conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy’s re-election campaign on Monday, by making a series of TV appearances with the leader who has yet to formally announce his candidacy.

FRANCE: French minister's controversial remarks an election ‘stunt’

   (Tuesday, 07 February 2012 13:23)

France’s interior minister Claude Gueant (pictured) is the subject of controversy after statements in which he said not all civilisations had equal value, but some say his remarks, far from a slip-up, are part of a calculated electoral strategy.

FRANCE: French airport workers strike over ‘right to strike’

   (Monday, 06 February 2012 18:58)

Hundreds of striking aviation workers gathered outside Paris’s main airports Monday to protest against a draft law designed to protect passengers from industrial action, which they say threatens their “right to strike”.

CULTURE: Depardieu to star in US film on Strauss-Kahn scandal

   (Sunday, 05 February 2012 17:13)

American director Abel Ferrara plans to make a film starring Gerard Depardieu (pictured) as Dominique Strauss-Kahn, whose political career was destroyed by a hotel maid's allegations of rape, with Isabelle Adjani in the role of his wife.

FRENCH POLITICS: Far right's economic plans not credible, French say

   (Sunday, 05 February 2012 15:23)

The economic policies espoused by the far-right National Front of Marine Le Pen (pictured) ahead of April's presidential election, including a plan to leave the euro, lack credibility among 70% of French voters, a poll released Saturday showed.

FRANCE: French minister slammed for ‘unequal civilisations’ comment

   (Sunday, 05 February 2012 10:58)

France’s Interior Minister Claude Gueant (pictured) has drawn angry criticism from opposition members after suggesting in a speech to a right-wing student group that all civilisations are “not of equal value”.

FRANCE: ‘Extras’ bussed in for Sarkozy publicity stunt

   (Friday, 03 February 2012 13:43)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy made a visit to a social housing building site Thursday to highlight his work on this key election issue - but according to builders at the site, many of the ‘workers’ Sarkozy met on the tour had been bussed in.

POLITICS: French presidential election: Bye-bye Mr President?

   (Friday, 03 February 2012 09:22)

Is it all over for Nicolas Sarkozy? His rivals are almost certain he is living his last weeks in the Elysée palace. Even some of his fellow conservatives have serious doubts. Only the president is convinced he can be like Bill Clinton - the comeback kid. So does he still have a chance of being re-elected?

FRANCE - RELIGION: French court upholds fraud charges against Scientology

   (Thursday, 02 February 2012 22:10)

A French court has rejected an appeal by the Church of Scientology, upholding 2009 fraud charges and a 600,000 euro fine for convincing members into spending tens of thousands of euros.

FRANCE-TURKEY: Turkey welcomes appeal of ‘genocide’ law

   (Wednesday, 01 February 2012 17:43)

Some 130 French parliamentarians have lodged an appeal with the country’s constitutional court to overturn a controversial bill that would criminalise denying that the 1915 mass killing of Armenians in Turkey was genocide.

POLITICS: Presidential Election: François Hollande makes his move

   (Friday, 27 January 2012 10:24)

After a successful keynote speech last Sunday, Socialist leader François Hollande unveiled his platform today. So is he on his way to the Elysée? In any case, incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy is struggling in the polls, is faced with record unemployment and has even started musing about losing the election...