French govt proposes to extend state of emergency

Youths set schools ablaze and torched cars as scattered arson attacks persisted across France early today, and the government said it would propose extending the country’s state of emergency by three months.

Despite a sharp fall in unrest, the Cabinet was to propose a bill today allowing a 12-day state of emergency to be prolonged until mid-February, said government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope. The measure empowers regions to impose curfews on minors and conduct house searches.