France’s foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, says France wants African forces to assume security responsibility for the city of Timbuktu "very fast".
French President Francois Hollande has arrived in Mali on a one-day visit to support French troops fighting in the Sahel nation.
French troops have entered Kidal, the last major town in their lightning drive to drive out rebels from northern Mali, military officials have said.
Proposals to allow gay couples to marry and adopt children has gone before France’s parliament, after months of debate that has split the country.
French and Malian troops have sealed off Timbuktu after fleeing rebels torched buildings including a South African-funded prized manuscript library.
Rebel groups have recruited young boys to fight the messy war in northern Mali, a conflict that now includes 2 500 well-armed French soldiers.
Pressure has been growing on Malian troops over summary killings and rights abuses in a French-led assault on al-Qaeda-linked groups.
For African leaders who criticised French intervention in Cote d’Ivoire and Libya not too long ago, France’s advance in Mali must seem a nightmare.
The Malian army have retaken Konna, which fell to Islamist rebels advancing from the north and sparked French military intervention.
Al-Qaeda-linked fighters have killed two people in Algeria, taking more than 40 foreign hostages, while French troops battled Islamist rebels in Mali.
Air raids continue "day and night" in the battle with insurgents in Mali, but France’s president has dismissed suggestions of colonialism.
Despite intensive aerial bombardments by French warplanes, Islamist insurgents have grabbed more territory in Mali and got much closer to the capital.
The West African bloc Ecowas has authorised the immediate deployment of troops to Mali a day after French forces began a military operation there.
Al-Shabab insurgents have warned France of "bitter consequences" to a failed raid in Somalia which left two French soldiers and 17 "terrorists" dead.
French military helicopters have attacked a base belonging to al Shabaab insurgents in southern Somalia to rescue a French secret agent.
President Francois Hollande has acknowledged that French colonisation of Algeria was "brutal", but stopped short of apologising for it.
Tough talk around ArcelorMittal’s French plans has shone a spotlight on its local pricing structure.
French President Francois Hollande’s approval rating declined for the sixth month in a row in November, according to a new poll.
France has officially recognised the newly formed National Coalition of the Syrian opposition as the sole representative of Syria’s people.
Spain’s run of 24 qualifying wins was halted by France, while Germany spectacularly collapsed to allow Sweden to draw 4-4.
Minister Manuel Valls has assured the country’s Jews they could wear their skullcaps "with pride", in a dismissal of the far-right’s call for a ban.
France’s Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has stated that France would back an African lead military intervention in Islamist-held northern Mali.
Despite hopes to keep his private and public lives separate, French President Hollande’s image is facing attack following a family twitter feud.
The M&G chats to Laurent Clavel of the French Season in South Africa 2012 which sees collaboration in theatre, music and other arts.
Franois Hollande, Europe’s chief critic of one-size-fits-all austerity measures, is facing the headache of inescapable belt-tightening at home.
A woman confronting daunting challenges wonders how to spend more time with her family. Angelique Chrisafis reports.
France limped into the knockout round of Euro 2012 despite a 2-0 loss to Sweden, showing the team needs to improve to be true contenders.
France came from behind to force a 1-1 draw with England as a cagey Euro 2012 opener between the Group D rivals ended in a stalemate.
Francois Hollande has replaced France’s top three security officials after he criticised them for being too close to his predecessor.
France’s new president has unveiled a government featuring an equal number of women and men, with figures who reflect the country’s ethnic diversity.
Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande will clash in their only television debate, seen as the conservative incumbent’s last chance to turn the odds.
Nicolas Sarkozy has rejected a renewed claim that Muammar Gaddafi agreed to donate up to €50-million to his last presidential campaign.