A man armed with a knife has attacked passers-by in a southern Paris park, injuring some, before being shot by police, French officials said.

An argument between teenage girls appeared to be behind a weekend fire in a suburban Paris housing project that killed 16 people, judicial officials said today.

A fire broke out in a high-rise apartment building east of Paris early today, killing at least 12 people and injuring 16 others, firefighters said.