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Footage of French police using apparently excessive force while breaking up an immigrant squat has prompted outrage as activists and intellectuals accuse Nicolas Sarkozy of pursuing policies that target the vulnerable while giving free reign to the police. The video, filmed by a member of the social housing charity Droit au Logement (DAL), shows officers roughly handling women and children as they break up a group of 150 squatters who were evicted from a tower block in La Courneuve, north-east of Paris. At one point, a woman is shown being pulled by her legs across the ground, her baby –...

Two Muslim women were ordered out of a swimming pool in France because they were wearing 'burkinis'. They jumped into the water wearing garments that covered their entire bodies, including veils over their heads. The incident came ten days after French MPs voted to outlaw the burka in public places. The new law, which brands the garment 'an insult to the country's values', means women will be fined or jailed for hiding their faces in public. The women at the Rives des Corbieres holiday camp in Port Leucate, southern France, were told the rules stated only swimming costumes may be...

PARIS -- French lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to ban the wearing of face-covering veils in public spaces, as Europe toughens its approach to integrating Muslim immigrant communities. On the eve of Bastille Day, when France celebrates the birth of what was to become a staunchly secular republic, the 577-seat National Assembly lower house voted by 335 votes to one for a total ban. The bill will now go to the Senate in September, but opponents of the ban in its proposed form worry that it will eventually be overturned by the judges of the Constitutional Council, France’s highest legal body.

In English-speaking countries, the French armed forces have become a joke. Literally. Entire websites are devoted to one-liners like: “How many gears do French tanks have? Six: five reverse and one forward.” This is a gross slander of a nation that, back in the days of Louis XIV and Napoleon, was synonymous with military excellence. Those skills, that courage, that panache did not suddenly disappear in the 20th century, notwithstanding France’s string of humiliating defeats. There is no better reminder of that than the career of General Marcel Bigeard, who died on June 18 at age 94.

Californian teen sailor Abby Sunderland was rescued by French fishermen today after two days of battle with gale force winds and freezing temperatures while stranded on her stricken boat in the Indian Ocean. The 16-year-old was said to be in good health when the Ile de la Reunion, a French fishing vessel, reached her battered yacht Wild Eyes in heavy seas earlier today. Speaking outside the family home in Thousand Oaks, southern California, her father Laurence Sunderland said maritime authorities had contacted him to confirm the successful rescue operation, which took place at 7.45pm eastern Australian time (10.45 BST). An...

Francesca Schiavone defied all odds and became the first Italian Grand Slam singles champion by defeating the Australian powerhouse Samantha Stosur in the final of the 2010 French Open, the year's second major being held in the historic Roland Garros. Schiavone started the match on a good note and kept avoiding any breaks of serve against her till the ninth game when Stosur lost serve and gave the Italian a chance to seal the opening set 6-4. Stosur made a mini-comeback to race to a formidable 4-1 lead in the second set which was soon squandered by Schiavone's strong baseline...

One in seven French people admit to being racist and many have prejudicial views of immigrants, homosexuals, blacks, Arab and Jews, according to a survey released on Sunday. A poll by the BVA institute for two anti-discrimination groups found, for example, that 30 per cent of the French agree with the idea that Jews have more influence on finance and the media than other groups. Almost as many, 28 per cent, think that Arabs are more likely to commit crimes than members of other ethnic groups, a number that has more than doubled since a similar poll was conducted last...

PARIS (AFP) – French farmers turned the Champs Elysees into a vast farm covered with plants, trees, flowers and livestock on Sunday to draw attention to the crisis hitting the country's agricultural sector. Dubbed Nature Capital, over a stretch of 1.2 kilometres (0.8 miles) from the Arc de Triomphe halfway to the Place de la Concorde, more than one hundred varieties of grain, fruit and vegetables dotted Paris' most famous avenue. Cows, pigs, goats and lambs were also out on the Champs, but in small numbers with a view to showcasing some of the famous breeds such as the enormously...

Washington -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi laid down the law this year: To prevent the appearance of Congress doing unethical favors for big campaign contributors, she told Democrats they could no longer steer federal money directly to corporations. The only "earmarks" members could seek in spending bills would be for nonprofits... But not everyone is obeying Pelosi’s tough talk... U.S. Reps. Dan Maffei and Michael Arcuri have found a way to work around the new orders: Simply pass the federal money to not-for-profit organizations and let them forward it to corporations.... Maffei and Arcuri accepted campaign contributions from the same...

1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic is one of two known to exist. An undisclosed buyer has purchased a prized 1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic belonging to the late car collector Dr. Peter D. Williamson for between $30 and $40 million, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Three men sprayed tear gas on an elderly Jew outside a French synagogue Sunday, the second violent attack on Jews in the country in three days. The attackers of the elderly man left behind an anti-Semitic slogan, according to the London Telegraph. The attackers, still at-large, launched the attack as the man, described as being in his 80s, was waiting outside to attend daily prayer services, Nimes Jewish community leader Paul Benguigui told the newspaper. Nimes is located in southern France.

Thierry Mugler, the French parfumer, designer and label all wrapped into one, shows off his Spring/Summer 2010 collection thanks to model Daria (via Supreme Management) and photographer Miguel Reveriego. The Mugler creations are bold and wow-provoking in some instances, especially the diagonally, chunky-striped dress, sure to be an attention-getter in whatever setting it’s worn. Thierry also has the Fashion Fu at a high level with his flirtatious and dynamic rompers and jumpsuits, which seem to bring out the best in a woman’s body.

A French military supply ship off the coast of Somalia was attacked by pirates mistaking it for a merchant ship. Six pirates were later captured, the EU’s naval force said Wednesday. AFP - Six pirates have been arrested after they launched an attack on a French military supply ship by mistake off the coast of Somalia, the EU's naval force said Wednesday. "The pirates, mistaking the FS Somme's silhouette for that of a merchant vessel, opened fire on the French ship. FS Somme responded with warning shots, causing the two pirate skiffs to flee," EUNAVFOR said in a statement. "The...

Marcel, who hobnobs with the likes of Marc Jacobs and Daphne Guinness at cocktail parties and frequently jets to owner Francois Nars’ private island in the South Pacific, was chosen by Nars, a former makeup artist and photographer, to be the face of his new, Pro Prime line, which is designed to smooth skin, fill in fine lines, keep makeup in place, and give the skin a jump start on perfection prior to makeup application.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – France will not give up its nuclear weapons, because doing so would "jeopardize" its security, President Nicolas Sarkozy has said as global leaders gathered for a summit on nuclear security. "I cannot jeopardize the security and safety of my country," Sarkozy told CBS News hours before US President Barack Obama opened the landmark summit of 47 nations in Washington. The French leader said on Monday he could not abandon his nation's nuclear weapons program "on a unilateral basis, in a world as dangerous as the one in which we live today." He also hinted that countries like...

PARIS, March 31 - The French government said it has chosen the winning submissions from schoolchildren seeking to replace English-sounding words with more French-sounding terms. The panel of judges picked "randam" to replace "buzz," a term for French-language Internet trends, "bolidage" to replace "tuning" when referring to souping up cars and "debat" to replace "talk" when discussing talk radio, The Independent, a British newspaper, reported Wednesday. The words, along with several others, will now be discussed by the 18 ministerial committees charged with replacing Anglicisms with French-sounding equivalents. Terms approved by the committees will be printed in the Official Journal...

Sarkozy arrives at White House * From correspondents in Washington * From: AFP * March 31, 2010 7:09AM FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived at the White House today for his first visit since President Barack Obama took office, with talks focusing on Iran and the global economy. Mr Obama was due to host his visitor for Oval Office talks, then make a public statement and short press availability before both leaders were to be joined by their wives Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni for a private dinner. The White House said the talks would showcase the "very important and close...

FRANCE'S top administrative body has advised the government against slapping a complete ban on the full Islamic veil but says outlawing the burqa in some places was justified for security reasons. MPs from President Nicolas Sarkozy's party said they were determined to push for a total ban of the full-face veil in draft legislation to be presented in the coming weeks. Jean Leonetti, insisted a total ban was the only answer and that MPs could well decide to ignore the State Council's recommendations. "A ban needs to be complete or else it is misunderstood," said Mr Leonetti. "We still are...

Now the stereotype has been confirmed - by a French poll that completed the character assassination by labelling the capital's inhabitants "snobbish" and "self-regarding". "We find them to be hard working and cultivated," the political magazine Marianne said of Parisians in an editorial published alongside the survey. "But we consider them to be above all way too arrogant, aggressive, flirtatious, stressed, chauvinistic, snobbish, and self-regarding than other French people.

impressions of american troops by a french soldier. A little old (2008) but not what you are going to hear in the NYT.