The former mayor of the French city of Montpellier plans to erect a monument to Vladimir Lenin, the father of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, in the center of the city, the Libre Midi said on Friday.

In France and a large part of Germany, smoking has been banned in hotels, restaurants and bars. The ban has been introduced in 11 of the 16 German states, including the capital Berlin. The other five states will follow suit later in the year.

The six French workers, employed by Zoe's Ark and found guilty of attempting to kidnap 103 children in Chad have left the country and are on their way home to France.

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France announced plans to sell nuclear reactors to Libya as well as 10 billion euros of trade deals, as President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi for a five-day visit.

A parcel bomb explosion has killed one person and injured at least five others at law offices in Central Paris.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, visiting police officers injured in riots, has vowed to take a tough line against protesters after a sharp drop in the nightly violence.

Apple Inc. iPhone hits shelves in France at special late openings in 12 select Orange cell phone stores - including its brand-new boutique on Paris' most famous avenue, the Champs-Elysees.

Youths battled police for a second night in the Paris suburbs, burning down government buildings and injuring more than 70 officers, forcing tighter security in the troubled towns.

Riots have flared for a second night in flashpoint suburbs north of Paris, despite the launch of a judicial probe into the deaths of two teens that sparked the violence.

A transport strike that crippled the French rail network for nine days has petered out after workers voted to give talks on pension reform a chance.

French commuters are facing further delays, but there were signs of optimism as local chapters of the country's rail unions were voting to suspend their nine-day strike.