Europe, France | featured news

The passage of the “marriage for all” law came after months of sometimes angry debate and a series of major protests.

Interpol has joined the hunt for a French bandit who escaped from prison after taking four guards hostage and blasting through a series of armored doors to a waiting car.

France's top rabbi has taken leave from his post after becoming ensnared in a scandal over alleged plagiarism and lies about his educational background. Richard Prasquier, the head of a leading French Jewish group, said Rabbi Gilles Bernheim asked for the leave at an emergency meeting Thursday of leaders of the Central Consistory of France. On Tuesday, Bernheim acknowledged making "mistakes" in an interview with Radio Shalom.

French forces launch one of their biggest offensives against militants in northern Mali before the start of their troop withdrawal later this month.

A doctor overseeing the French version of the "Survivor" reality show has committed suicide following the sudden death of a contestant who he had treated, France's biggest TV station says. Dr. Thierry Costa killed himself on location Monday on an island in Cambodia, the TF1 station said. Costa, 38, blamed the press for damaging his professional reputation in a handwritten suicide note that TF1 published on its website.

French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy has been placed under formal investigation over claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations from France's richest woman. Mr Sarkozy is accused of accepting thousands of euros from L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, now aged 90.

The Hertz Corporation recently expanded its Supercar rental offerings in Europe, increasing the number of cars and models available in Britain and Spain, and adding Italy, France and (beginning in April) the Netherlands, to the countries where the premium cars can be rented. Renters can now choose brands including McLaren, Lamborghini (shown) and Aston Martin. What European financial crisis?

Donors need to pour aid into Mali over the next six months to rebuild its strife-hit north and stop defeated militants taking advantage of the chaos to return, France's development minister said on Tuesday.

Bow Wow has to cough up nearly $80,000 to a French porn star .... for allegedly jacking footage of her dancing and splashing it all over one of his videos without her permission ... TMZ has learned.

With its long vacations, short hours and myriad workers' rights, France has a reputation for being a hard place to do business. Now add this to the mix: A law working its way through parliament would grant amnesty to workers who have ransacked their company's offices or threatened their bosses during a labor dispute.