The French government today moved to cut short Senate debate on its controversial bid to raise the retirement age as unions vowed to keep up the campaign which has hit petrol supplies and brought thousands onto the streets.

Nicolas Sarkozy remained defiant over his plan to raise France’s retirement age to 62 and his government vowed to defeat efforts to block fuel after strikes sparked fears of a shortage.

FRENCH police probing a party financing scandal linked to L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt have searched the headquarters of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s majority UMP, the party said yesterday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy today vowed to continue with his changes to the pension system and unions promptly announced new national strikes.

Striking French unions went on strike today shutting down trains, planes, buses, underground services, post offices and schools in a dispute over raising the age of retirement.

POLICE questioned France’s richest woman yesterday about suspected tax evasion and money laundering, her lawyer said, in a scandal that has shaken the government.

THE financial adviser to the L’Oreal cosmetics heiress at the centre of a French government financial scandal was taken in for questioning by prosecutors yesterday.

A KEY aide of French president Nicholas Sarkozy yesterday agreed to resign amid a scandal involving claims of illegal political financing.

A key aide of French president Nicolas Sarkozy today agreed to resign amid a scandal involving claims of illegal political financing.

FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy urged a minister at the centre of a furore over alleged illegal political donations to step down as treasurer of his ruling UMP party, but said he had been cleared of any wrongdoing.

AFTER weeks of turmoil over a political donations scandal, French President Nicolas Sarkozy will make a rare summer address to the nation today, before a key pension reform is presented to the cabinet tomorrow.

PROSECUTORS yesterday opened an official investigation into claims that France’s richest woman secretly funded President Nicolas Sarkozy’s election campaign.

Prosecutors today opened an official investigation into claims that France’s richest woman secretly funded President Nicolas Sarkozy’s election campaign.

POLICE yesterday probed allegations that President Nicolas Sarkozy’s election campaign received illegal donations from France’s richest woman throwing up the biggest crisis of his mandate.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy today denied allegations that his 2007 presidential campaign received €150,000 in secret cash donations from France's richest woman.

FRENCH president Nicolas Sarkozy’s ratings have hit an all-time low, dragged down by scandals over his ministers, discontent over pension reform and a disastrous World Cup for the French soccer team.

RECORDINGS of L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt’s conversations about political dealings and Swiss bank accounts may play a key role at a trial over whether the 87-year-old was manipulated into giving a friend about €1 billion in gifts.

France is to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 in 2018 in an effort to get the country's spiralling public finances under control, the labour minister said today.

Strikes across France delayed flights, closed schools and frustrated commuters today as workers protested over government plans to raise the retirement age past 60.

FRANCE’S government has put a key carbon tax plan on hold as workers held mass strikes over pensions and jobs, turning up the heat on President Nicolas Sarkozy after an election humiliation.

FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy prepared yesterday to shake up his government after a humiliating defeat by the left in regional elections pressured him to recast his reform programme.

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.

French police fired tear gas at protesting prison guards in Paris today.

Workers ransacked offices at a French car parts factory today in a protest over job losses.

A new wave of nationwide strikes by French workers demanding President Nicolas Sarkozy do more to fight the economic crisis hit the country today.

HUNDREDS of thousands of strikers marched through French cities yesterday to demand pay rises and protection for jobs, challenging President Nicolas Sarkozy to do more for workers.

Civil servants, from teachers to postal workers, began a mass walkout across France today, the seventh day of a transport strike that has caused havoc on French rails.

FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy unveiled a broad-based cabinet yesterday, naming popular leftist Bernard Kouchner as foreign minister in a slimline government that radically reshaped the finance ministry.