The French President Francois Hollande will visit Ireland next year.

As the French hostage crisis came to a bloody end last night with the loss of 20 lives, al-Qaeda claimed it had directed the attack against the satirical magazine ‘Charlie Hebdo’ in Paris "as revenge for the honour" of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed.

THERE can be no doubting the importance of the new 208 range to Peugeot. This is a supermini which could well contribute greatly to the future wellbeing of the great French automotive giant.

Several French Resistance heroes (1939-45) will shortly be duly honoured as their remains are removed to the Pantheon in Paris.

Thousands of protesters are holding a 'day of rage' in Paris against the French president Francois Hollande.

Francois Hollande planned to announce to the world’s press last Tuesday that he and Valerie Trierweiler had officially split, but his plans were scrapped after his partner was hospitalised, according to reports.

French actress Julie Gayet has initiated a privacy suit against Closer magazine over its report that she was having an affair with President Francois Hollande.

A French presidential official has said that France's president, Francois Hollande, has agreed to act with the US on Syria.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has accused Enda Kenny of pretending that a bank debt deal “is on track when that is not the case”.

Ireland could see all or part of its bank debt refinanced by the EU’s bailout fund, cutting the cost of the debt, next year according to the French president.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny insisted today that getting a deal on Ireland's bank debt right, is more important that making it happen quickly.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will travel to Paris today to hold talks with French president Francois Hollande.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has spoken to his counterparts in France and Germany about the proposed £28bn (€35bn) of BAE Systems with European aerospace giant EADS.

French President Francois Hollande has vowed to find the killers who brutally shot dead a British family in their car while they were on holiday in the Alps.

Military jets trailing exhaust in the red, white and blue of the French flag opened Francois Hollande’s first Bastille Day parade as president on Saturday and parachutists gliding in on chutes in the same patriotic colours ended it, thumping down on Paris’ famed Champs-Elysees in front of the new French leader.

The country is bankrupt with an annual deficit of €15bn, which means we need to borrow €300m a week just to keep the country going.

In France, there has been a swing to the left, in favour of the President Francois Hollande after round one of parliamentary elections.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that the EU Fiscal Treaty won't be enough on its own to save the euro.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said that he expects any Europe-wide deal on bank debt will be applied retrospectively to Ireland.

Merkollande partnership forges ahead