France's NATO allies are not pulling their weight in Libya and their forces should do more to help destroy Moamer Kadhafi's heavy weaponry, Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Tuesday.

"NATO must f

France's ban on full face veils, a first in Europe, went into force on Monday, exposing anyone who wears the Muslim niqab or burqa in public to fines of 150 euros ($216).

A Muslim property dealer, w

Paris police on Monday arrested two veiled women and several other people protesting in front of Notre Dame cathedral against France's new ban on wearing full-face niqab veils in public.

An AFP jour

French pol-ice will from Monday beco-me the first officers in Europe empowered to intercept Muslim women wearing full-face veils and to threaten them with fines if they refuse to expose their faces.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Thursday that Ivory Coast besieged strongman Laurent Gbagbo's departure was inevitable, although he could not say if it was a matter of hours or days.

"Aft

France said on Thursday that it was now only a question of how Muammer Gaddafi's regime meets its downfall rather than whether the veteran Libyan ruler can survive in power.

"The question today is to

Ivory Coast strongman Laurent Gbagbo was on Tuesday negotiating his surrender as rival forces laid siege to his residence in Abidjan, French leaders said.

"Two generals close to the former president

French illustrator Albert Uderzo, co-creator of Gallic hero Asterix, accused his daughter of judicial harassment on Tuesday after she launched a bid to have him declared mentally unfit.

The chapter i

French foreign minister Alain Juppe said on Thursday that coalition airstrikes against Libya had been a "success" and would continue, while denying civilians had been targeted.

Western air forces, with Arab League approval, went into action in Libya on Saturday to curb attacks by Muammar Gaddafi’s forces on the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, French President Nicolas Sarkozy s