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French town told park's Virgin Mary statue must go

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A court has given the town of Publier, in eastern France, three months to comply with a national ban on religious symbols in public spaces.

France commits $30m to protect endangered cultural heritage

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French president François Hollande announced the contribution to saving war-torn sites during a conference in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi.

France's PM Manuel Valls expected to launch presidential bid

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Self-styled socialist strongman has been preparing a potential bid for weeks and with President Hollande out of the running now has his chance.

French MPs vote to ban abortion websites that intimidate women

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French government seeks to criminalise sites that pose as neutral sources of information but in fact promote anti-abortion propaganda.

France detects first H5N8 bird flu case on farm

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The virus killed 2,000 out of a flock of 5,000 ducks on a farm in the Tarn area of south-west France and the remaining birds are to be culled.

François Hollande will not seek re-election as president of France

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President made surprise announcement in emotional live statement on TV, saying he was conscious of “risks” to French Left if he stood again.

Satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo launches German edition

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First German edition of the French magazine that was nearly wiped out by murderous attack in January 2015 hits newsstands this week.

In EU, French and Austrians fear globalisation the most

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Study shows 55 percent of Austrians and 54 percent of French see it as a threat, the only surveyed countries where a majority voiced that view.

Three get suspended jail sentences in Air France shirt-ripping trial

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Video footage showed airline executive Xavier Broseta stumbling to the ground, his shirt in tatters, as he fled staff angry over job cut plans.

French students rank last in EU for maths, study finds

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France came last in maths and next to last in science among EU nations in the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study.