Najat Vallaud-Belkacem

Efforts were underway Friday to confirm the killing of a notorious Al-Qaeda commander during fighting with French troops in Mali, with Washington calling reports of his death "very credible".

Algeria has carried out DNA tests to try to confirm the reported death of a senior Al-Qaeda figure in fighting in northeastern Mali, El Khabar newspaper reported on Friday.

For the first time in the history of Paris, the battle for the mayor's office -- viewed as a springboard to higher office -- is shaping to be an all-female affair in a watershed step forward for women.

Paris hit back Wednesday after the head of US tyremaker Titan mocked French workers for putting in only "three hours" a day, accusing the American of displaying "perfect ignorance".

France on Wednesday urged its citizens to leave northern Cameroon after seven members of a French family were seized in a kidnapping officials suspect was carried out by Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram.

France on Wednesday urged its citizens to leave northern Cameroon after seven members of a French family were seized in a kidnapping officials suspect was carried out by Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram.

European Union farm ministers hold crisis talks in Brussels on Wednesday to agree a response to a scandal over mislabelled frozen meat products which is spreading across Europe.

The Indian wife of a French consular official charged with raping their daughter has requested a meeting with Francois Hollande this week, presenting the French president with a diplomatic dilemma on his first state visit to India.

The Indian wife of a French consular official charged with raping their daughter has demanded a meeting with Francois Hollande this week, presenting the French president with a thorny diplomatic dilemma on his first state visit to India.

Women in Paris can finally wear trousers without fear of criminal prosecution after the government said a more than 200-year-old ban no longer had any legal effect.

French auto giant Peugeot, recently rescued by the government, reported on Wednesday a 16.5-percent plunge of sales last year because of problems in southern Europe and Iran and despite strong demand in Russia and China.

French actor Gerard Depardieu, who has announced he wants to quit his homeland to avoid higher taxes, said Thursday he was pleased after President Vladimir Putin granted him Russian citizenship.

Russian President Vladimir Putin granted citizenship Thursday to Gerard Depardieu after the disgruntled French movie star said he was quitting his homeland to avoid paying a new millionaires' tax.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was caught in the eye of a Twitter storm on Wednesday after telling French Vogue that her generation had no need for feminism.

European stock markets rose on Tuesday as solid US housing data outweighed Moody's stripping France of its coveted triple-A rating.

European stock markets slipped lower on Tuesday as investors took profits after Moody's stripped France of its coveted triple-A rating, and before more eurozone talks on Greece's latest bailout cash.

Thousands of Catholics and other opponents of French government plans to legalise gay marriage and same-sex adoption marched in Paris on Sunday, a day after more than 100,000 turned out across France for the cause.

France's Socialist government on Wednesday adopted a draft law to authorise gay marriage and adoption despite fierce opposition from the Roman Catholic Church and the right-wing opposition.

French President Francois Hollande's partner Valerie Trierweiler admitted Wednesday she had made a mistake in firing off a tweet snubbing Hollande's ex-companion and said she regretted it.

Some of France's leading intellectuals have poured scorn on the government's goal of eradicating prostitution.