According to socialist lawmaker René Dosière, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had a 245,772 euro shower installed for his personal use for a one day summit in Paris’ Grand Palais. The figure, although not quite accurate, is just one of many reports that have emerged about the Sarkozy government’s extravagant spending. Read more...

The prospect of Nicolas Sarkozy's 23 year-old undergraduate son being catapulted to the head of a major public agency has sparked widespread accusations of favouritism both at home and abroad. Our Observers in Gabon and China give their views on Sarkozy's latest imperial move. Read more...

The day that Ali Ben Bongo was proclaimed the winner of Gabon's presidential poll, opposition supporters set fire to the French consulate in Libreville, underscoring the level of anti-French anger fuelled by Bongo's victory. Read more...

Niger President Mamdou Tandja dissolved the country's constitutional court on Tuesday, removing yet another obstacle to his plans to stand once more for the presidency, in defiance of a constitutional ban.

Two months earlier, Niger's government granted French state-owned nuclear giant Areva a crucial uranium contract. Coincidental timing? Although France has condemned Tandja's actions, a specialist on the subject tells us that there's still cause for concern.

UPDATE (3 July 09 - 11am Paris time): Areva has responded to Daniel's comment. Read the statement.

The French parliament has launched an inquiry into how many women wear head-to-toe Islamic veils in France. President Nicolas Sarkozy used the occasion to spell out that "the burqa is not welcome in France", leading to concerns that he would ban it in public places. A French Muslim explains to us why she chooses to wear the sitar - the Saudi full-face cover - and why Sarkozy's comments frighten her. Read more...

This is the front page of today's French satirical magazine Sine Hebdo, a recently launched weekly.

On today's menu in France you'll find general strikes and national protests. The main ingredient? Brilliant slogans! Here's our selection of the ones that didn't get lost in translation. Read more...

Both the press and politicians in France have come to the defence of a French woman condemned to sixty years of jail in Mexico for kidnapping charges. Former victims of the crime however see the accused in a much darker light. Read more...

Last July, Sarkozy passed a law that meant public services are forced to keep a minimum service going during strikes. "These days when there's a strike in France, nobody notices" said the French President. It was not, however, the case on Thursday. Our Observers who took part give us their accounts.

Our Observer Joel Schalit shares his analysis on Sarkozy's ceasefire plan from an Israeli point of view, and what the move represents in terms with Europe's relationship with Israel and the Middle East, while the US remains the most influential ally to the Jewish state. Read more...