English will be Larissa Hinds' second language for the next
few weeks as she prepares to travel to France for the Allons
en France international conference in Paris.
Francois Hollande was greeted by a thunderstorm in Paris and
storm clouds gathering over the euro zone as France's first
Socialist president in 17 years was sworn in before flying to
Berlin to plead his case for less austerity in Europe.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has appealed directly to far
right voters with pledges to get tough on immigration and
security, after a record showing in a first round election by
the National Front made them potential kingmakers.
Far-rightist Marine Le Pen has thrown France's presidential
race wide open by scoring nearly 20 percent in the first
round - votes that may determine a runoff between Socialist
favourite Francois Hollande and conservative President
Nicolas Sarkozy.
France have shrugged off a poor first-half performance to
draw 17-17 at home to Ireland in the Six Nations, ending its
hopes of a Grand Slam and leaving Wales alone at the top of
the standings.
France's new ban on Islamic face veils was met with a burst
of defiance, as several women appeared veiled in front of
Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral and two were detained for taking
part in an unauthorised protest.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has shuffled his Cabinet's
top diplomatic and security posts, jettisoning his foreign
minister, who has been roundly criticised for her ties to
Tunisia's ousted regime.
France's foreign minister has sent her resignation to
President Nicolas Sarkozy, saying she can no longer let
"political and media attacks" against her discredit France's
foreign policy.
The teenage waitress disappeared one night after her shift.
After a police hunt that gripped France, her severed limbs
and head were found in the waters of an abandoned quarry.
Police used tear gas and water cannon against rampaging youth
in Lyon while the French government showed its muscle in
parliament, short-circuiting tense Senate debate on a bill
raising the retirement age to 62.
