'Hundreds' of rebels killed, France to leave Mali from March
French-led forces have killed hundreds of militants in fighting to reclaim northern Mali and with the rebels' last bastion secured, France said Tuesday it will begin withdrawing troops in March.
Next Iran talks: stalemate on the steppes?
Agreeing a venue for the next round of talks between Iran and six world powers on Tehran's nuclear drive was hard enough. Achieving progress will be tougher still.
France asked to explain support for alleged rapist in India
An Indian mother whose daughter was allegedly raped by her French father has asked France's Foreign Ministry to explain why their diplomats are providing support for him but not the little girl.
France bombs Islamist supply routes in Mali
French fighter jets have pounded Islamist supply bases in northern Mali seeking to flush the insurgents out of hiding, as France and the US on Monday called for African troops to quickly take over the operation.
French mosque vandalised with anti-Islam graffiti
Vandals have targeted a French mosque in a graffiti attack, tagging the worship centre with swastikas and anti-Islam slogans.
In Paris, Hopper show is smash hit with 780,000 visitors
A smash-hit Paris exhibition of works by US artist Edward Hopper closed Sunday after attracting more than 780,000 visitors in less than four months.
Timbuktu chose 'passive resistance' to Islamist occupiers
Timbuktu has been part of three empires, survived invasions and had countless rulers, and it met its 10-month occupation by Islamist extremists with the stoicism of a city that has seen centuries of history.
French troops at gates of last major city in northern Mali
French troops were at the gates of the last major city in northern Mali still outside their control early Wednesday after their forces landed at the airport in Kidal.
French, Malian troops patrol Timbuktu after hero's welcome
French and Malian forces were patrolling Mali's fabled desert city of Timbuktu on Tuesday, after a hero's welcome following their lightning advance north.
Piano legend Lang Lang puts faith in insight, creativity
Chinese-born classical superstar Lang Lang believes that the struggling music industry must be creative to find the right mechanisms to drive the business forwards.
International donor conference for war-torn Mali opens
An international donor conference to drum up funds and troops to help the military operation against Islamist militants in Mali opened on Tuesday at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia's capital.
Cycling: Alexandre Vinokourov had surgery in Paris
Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov was operated to remove a metal frame from his hip.
French-led troops close in on Timbuktu
French-led troops were closing in on Mali's fabled desert city of Timbuktu after capturing a string of other towns in their offensive against Islamists in the north of the country.
Australia joins Europeans in Benghazi threat alert
Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia have all urged their citizens to leave the Libyan city of Benghazi due to a "specific, imminent threat to Westerners", linked to French action in Mali.
Music industry finally on road to recovery
News that the global music industry has finally turned the corner and is on the road to recovery should help get the annual four-day gathering of many of the world's top music execs at the MIDEM trade fair.
French planes destroy Islamist bases in Mali
French warplanes have destroyed two Islamist bases in northern Mali as an Al-Qaeda-linked group there split, with the splinter group calling for talks to end the offensive against the militants.
Robuchon outlets top Asian restaurant poll
Two restaurants run by French celebrity chef Joel Robuchon in Macau and Hong Kong have placed first and third in an annual poll of Asia's Top 20 fine dining establishments.
Mexico top court frees French woman jailed for kidnap
A French woman was freed from Mexican prison Wednesday after the Supreme Court ruled that police violated her rights by staging her arrest for kidnapping on national television seven years ago.
France, Germany forget differences to fete 50 years of landmark pact
France and Germany on Tuesday will celebrate 50 years since a landmark treaty sealed their post-war reconciliation aiming to paper over nagging differences between Europe's two powerhouse neighbours.
France says military goal is 'total reconquest of Mali'
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday the end goal of France's military action in Mali was to retake control of the whole country from Islamist militants who have seized the north.