Europe’s fear of IS and the US’s election uncertainty have diverted attention from Vladimir Putin’s ambitions, writes Agnia Grigas

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has taken down a tweet showing the execution of US reporter James Foley after his family protested — but left up two other gruesome images of violence by Islamic State (IS) extremists.

Marine Le Pen has been cleared of charges of incitement to hatred after comments she made five years ago comparing Muslim street prayers to a foreign occupation.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has gone on trial over comments she made five years ago comparing Muslim street prayers to a foreign occupation.

In Brazil, another generation of France’s mix of ‘black, blanc, beur’ (black, white, Arab) will try to unite the country through football, writes Eoin O’Callaghan.

France’s Socialist government will not resign and will press forward with tax cuts and other reforms despite a record victory for the French far right in European parliament elections, the prime minister said today.

Far-right and Eurosceptic parties have made sweeping gains in European Parliament elections, triggering what one prime minister called a political "earthquake" by those seeking to slash the EU's powers or abolish it altogether.

Madonna was booed off stage by fans who had paid €250 per ticket for a concert lasting just 45 minutes.

The leader of France’s main far-right party said today that she is demanding a recount after her razor-thin loss to a Socialist in northern France as part of nationwide legislative elections.

Allies of French President Francois Hollande mobilised today in hopes of securing a crushing parliamentary majority for the Socialists that could bolster him in talks on how to save the embattled euro currency and revive Europe’s economic fortunes.

France’s once-fractious Socialists are looking to hold on to new-found unity in the second and final round of legislative elections, after a strong first-round showing in the vote for the National Assembly.

President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party, bolstered by left-wing allies, is poised to take control of France’s lower house of parliament so he can revamp a country his partisans see as too capitalist and push to save the eurozone through growth.

In a whirlwind first day after winning the French presidency, Socialist François Hollande already has a to-do list that includes an invite to the White House, visits to the G8 and Nato summits, and a Second World War ceremony with his defeated rival.

In a whirlwind first day after winning the French presidency, Socialist Francois Hollande already has a to-do list that includes an invite to the White House, visits to the G8 and Nato summits and a Second World War ceremony with his defeated rival.

France woke to a new era today after electing Socialist Francois Hollande as president, a leftist pledging to buck Europe’s austerity trend and Nato’s timetable for Afghanistan.

The leader of France’s resurgent, anti-immigrant far right, Marine Le Pen, is refusing to endorse either candidate in the country’s presidential run-off and said today she will cast a blank protest ballot.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy, seeking support from the far right as he fights an uphill battle for a second term, said today that his country has too many immigrants and is failing to integrate them.

A special new effort is being made to mobilise French Muslims to speak up at the ballot box in Sunday's presidential race - amid an increase of criticism of Islam among the French right.

Francois Hollande, a mild-mannered French Socialist who wants to take better care of the jobless and the poor, is heading to a presidential run-off election against tough-on-immigration Nicolas Sarkozy in a vote that could alter Europe’s political and economic landscape.

Socialist challenger Francois Hollande stamped his authority on the French presidential race yesterday, beating Nicolas Sarkozy in the first round of polling in which the far right also made major gains.

The founder of France’s far right National Front party has been convicted of contesting crimes against humanity for saying the Nazi occupation was not “particularly inhumane”.

Allegations of sexual assault in a New York hotel have torn France’s presidential race asunder and savaged the reputation of the suave and self-assured Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

THE leading figures of France’s chief religions are protesting plans by President Nicolas Sarkozy’s party to hold a debate next week on Islam’s role in the country.

MARINE LE PEN, the daughter of France’s longtime far-right leader who now heads his National Front party, said Europe doesn’t have the capacity to cope with illegal migrants from northern Africa after she toured a centre for illegal migrants on Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa.

FRANCE’S far-right National Front party has elected the daughter of its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, as its new president.

France's far-right National Front party has elected the daughter of its founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, as its new president.

President Nicolas Sarkozy dismissed his labour minister and reshuffled several other Cabinet posts today after a heavy defeat for his conservatives in France’s regional elections – a loss which exposed his inability to convince the public on his economic reforms.

President Nicolas Sarkozy suffered a national beating by voters who took their frustrations over the economic crisis to the ballot box and clearly favoured his leftist challengers in regional elections.

Far-right French leader Jean-Marie Le Pen’s daughter today announced she will attempt to succeed her father as head of the National Front party.

TWO-THIRDS of French people do not want culture minister Frederic Mitterrand to resign for having written about paying young male prostitutes for sex in Thailand, an opinion poll showed yesterday.

French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand is facing calls for his sacking over a growing scandal involving an old admission that he had paid for sex with boys.

French far-right firebrand Jean-Marie Le Pen plans to retire from politics before the next presidential race in 2012, a magazine reported today.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, aiming to push through his reform-driven renaissance of the country, looked set to win a powerful majority as the French voted in today’s run-off elections for parliament. The only question was the size of the victory – large or massive.

Jean-Marie Le Pen’s far right National Front party today rallied thousands around his pledges to halt immigration, pull France out of Nato and slash taxes - but only for the French – if he becomes the nation’s next president.

France’s highest court today convicted far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen of inciting racial hatred for telling a newspaper in 2003 that Muslims would one day run France and strike fear into the hearts of the non-Muslim population.

TROUBLE is brewing in France over a broth of pig’s tail, pig’s feet and other pig parts, all tossed into a pot with turnips, carrots and onions, perfumed with bacon and served hot.

FRANCE’S worst rioting since the 1960s seems to be nearing an end, the national police chief said last night, with fewer cars torched nationwide and Paris calm despite an alert that sent thousands of riot police into the capital’s streets.

Paris escaped renewed urban violence overnight but 374 vehicles were set alight elsewhere in France, according to police reports.

AUTHORITIES imposed curfews in the French Riviera cities of Nice and Cannes yesterday to prevent rioting, while the interior minister called for the deportation of foreigners convicted of participating in the unrest.

A new poll indicates the gap is shrinking between the two camps ahead of the French referendum on the EU Constitution next month – with 52% of respondents saying they plan to vote to reject the charter.

French President Jacques Chirac has set May 29 as the date for his country’s referendum on the European constitution, his office announced today.

French film star Brigitte Bardot has voiced her support for a campaign to ban hare coursing in Ireland, it emerged tonight.