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.

President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged to achieve a budget surplus for the first time since 1974 and cut France’s swelling debt if re-elected on May 6, warning that his Socialist rival would lead the country towards the fate of Greece or Spain.

FRANCE’S lower house voted yesterday to back President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to raise the minimum retirement age to 62, in the teeth of angry street protests and a fierce battle in parliament.

France’s National Assembly approved a sweeping retirement reform plan today, including a highly contested measure to increase the retirement age from 60 to 62.

British comic Stephen Fry has announced plans for an unscripted one-man show inspired by his fans on the social networking site Twitter.

ROSS BRAWN yesterday insisted his team are innovators rather than cheats as he endured a grilling in the diffuser row hearing.

Lewis Hamilton has rubbished suggestions the Formula One world title is his to lose.

Lewis Hamilton will discover his fate into his Spa corner-cutting manoeuvre ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix later this month.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is attending Bastille Day celebrations in Paris today.

MAX MOSLEY’S call for unity is set to fall on deaf ears after he won a vital vote of confidence yesterday that will see him remain in his role as FIA president.

Motorsport’s governing body will today vote on whether to retain Max Mosley as their president, 64 days after allegations first surfaced about his private life.

Max Mosley’s fate as president of the FIA will finally be decided tomorrow, 64 days after allegations about his private life surfaced and having resisted all calls to resign.

A towering 71-storey skyscraper to rival the Eiffel Tower is to be built on the edge of Paris.

The coroner in the Diana, Princess of Wales, inquest today vowed to "leave no stone unturned" in his efforts to have the paparazzi who pursued her to the scene of her death give evidence.

The jury in the Diana, Princess of Wales inquest travelled today to the notorious scene of her fatal car crash.

Lewis Hamilton conceded to being “relaxed and confident” ahead of today’s latest hearing into the spy scandal.

SPAIN’S Alberto Contador last night insisted he was determined to enjoy the “extraordinary” feat of winning the Tour de France despite the doping scandals which have once again plunged the sport of cycling into controversy.

McLaren have avoided any sanction in the 'spy' scandal that has rocked Formula One on the basis of insufficient evidence.

Lewis Hamilton is confident McLaren will be exonerated at next week’s hearing into the Formula One ’spy’ scandal such is his belief in the “honesty” of boss Ron Dennis and the team.

People could be forgiven for believing the centuries-old feud between Britain and France was about to be ended by the son of a Hungarian ad salesman who officially takes over as President of France today.

“Nicolas!” tens of thousands chanted, kissing and waving French flags and blue balloons to ring in victory for conservative Nicolas Sarkozy, elected president of France after a hotly contested campaign.

French presidential hopeful Segolene Royal said that Turkey must recognise the mass killing of Armenians early last century as a genocide if it hopes to join the European Union.

JACQUES CHIRAC officiated at the traditional July 14 military parade in central Paris yesterday, on what is almost certainly his last Bastille Day as president.

France celebrated Bastille Day in Paris today with a colourful military parade under tight security to ward off any possible terrorist attacks.

Paris turned back the clock today for a grand fete to remember the tears, the joy and the euphoria that heralded the liberation of the French capital 60 years ago as it threw off the shackles of Nazi occupation.

The tears, the joy and the euphoria that ushered in the liberation of Paris 60 years ago today are on the agenda of a grandiose fete meant to help Parisians relive the day they threw off the shackles of Nazi occupation.

FRENCH leaders used their traditional Bastille Day interviews yesterday to press for the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq, saying such a move could help settle doubts over Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass murder.

Giancarlo Fisichella was today declared the winner of last Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix at the expense of Kimi Raikkonen after race stewards overturned their original decision when reconvening in Paris.

Jordan's Giancarlo Fisichella admits he is “irritated” at missing out on his maiden victory celebrations, even though he looks set to be belatedly declared the winner of the Brazilian Grand Prix tomorrow.

The future of the millennium wheel in the heart of Paris is to be settled by a court after the owner defied an order from the mayor to dismantle it.