France Sarkozy refuses to back down over reform The French government has set up a crisis cabinet to deal with the situation. In the Normandy coastal resort of Deauville for a tri-partite summit 19/10/2010
ZEW index reduces slowdown fears German investor confidence fell in October but by less than expected. The latest survey from the ZEW economic research institute bolstered hopes 19/10/2010
France Fuel workers: "We can strike for several weeks" The Total refinery at Feyzin near Lyon supplies 70% of the Rhone-Alpes region’s fuel. At least it did before the current turmoil. Like virtually all 19/10/2010
France France once more in the grip of protests Protestors have hit the streets of France for the sixth day of nationwide strikes and protests against plans to reform the country’s pension 19/10/2010
Delay likely for Porsche VW merger The bosses of Porsche and Volkswagen have said various legal disputes and tax issues could delay their merger to beyond the end of next year but 19/10/2010
France Police struggle for control in Paris and Lyon Two of the fiercest flashpoints were in France’s two biggest cities. For a second day a school in the northern Parisian suburb of Nanterre was the 19/10/2010
EU moves to regulate hedge funds EU finance ministers have agreed new rules for previously unregulated European hedge funds and other alternative investment firms. It is part of 19/10/2010
France Fuel not wine runs dry in France France has tapped into its emergency oil reserves as refinery blockades and panic buying has hit fuel supplies hard. The government says it has 19/10/2010
Fewer contracts for IBM International Business Machines has announced stronger profits and raised its full-year outlook but said it had signed fewer contracts for computer 19/10/2010
Japanese weakness highlights currency tensions Japan’s government has said the country’s economy is now at a standstill and with exports and industrial output weakening it has downgraded its 19/10/2010
No European legal pursuit of France over Roma Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner for Justice, who had strongly considered taking France to court over its expulsion this year of thousands 19/10/2010
"Poor labour relations" at root of pensions strife The French say they understand the necessity for change. However, as was the case 15 years ago, they are again in the streets saying “no” to pensions 19/10/2010
Europeans will work longer towards pensions The proportion of working people paying to support pensions for retired people is projected to shrink dramatically in the future. That means 19/10/2010
Africa's "Slumdog" premieres Africa United follows a group of plucky Rwandan children as they try to travel across the continent for the opening of the 2010 World Cup in South 19/10/2010
SoHo hedonistic: 1970s New York Step into 1970s New York, experience the wild pre-Aids party scene, the music, the art and meet iconic figures such as Mick Jagger and John Lennon 19/10/2010
Longest cable car links Armenian monastery Billed as the world’s longest cable car, the Tatev aerial tramway in Armenia has just been inaugurated, crossing the spectacular Vorotan River Gorge 19/10/2010
Turkey Wulff uses Turkey visit to slam immigration critics Germany’s President Christian Wulff is on a state visit to Turkey, the first official trip there by a German head of state in a decade, and Wulff’s 19/10/2010
Philippines Typhoon Megi leaves Luzon and heads for China Super typhoon Megi appears to have cleared the Philippines main island and is picking up momentum as it heads to southern China. The winds, in 19/10/2010
France Youths clash with police in French pension protests While retirement is a long way off for secondary school pupils, up and down France, young demonstrators have been voicing their opposition to 19/10/2010
Islamist rebels attack Chechen parliament Islamist rebels have stormed the parliament of the Russian republic of Chechnya in a brazen suicide attack. At least three gunmen hurled bombs and 19/10/2010
Fair trial rights A European facing criminal prosecution in an EU country where he or she does not have mastery of the language is at a disadvantage. What European 19/10/2010
European consumer centres to help you Have you ever had a trouble sorting out a problem with a product or service that was bought in another European country? Then the European Consumer 19/10/2010
terra-viva E-recycling: when electronic gadgets die Condensers, capacitors and cables – just some of the electronic components that are thrown away each year as 21st century gadgets become last year’s 19/10/2010
France Russia could join NATO missile shield Russia has said it wants to take part in the proposed NATO-backed anti-missile shield in Europe. The announcement was made by President Dmitry 19/10/2010
France Clashes as French youths protest pension reform They are not about to claim their pension anytime soon. But French youths have clashed with security forces in protests linked to the raising of the 19/10/2010
France France hit by fresh pension reform protests It is not a good day to be travelling in or through France, with fresh industrial action over pension reforms causing widespread chaos. Train 19/10/2010
Parliament is attacked in volatile Chechnya Authorities say four gunmen who attacked the parliament building in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya have been killed. A suicide bomber 19/10/2010
Clashes in Paris and Lyon Clashes erupted in the French cities of Paris and Lyon between young people and police. Riots started near high schools as pupils either tried to 19/10/2010
Strikes bite in France French oil refinery workers have been tightening their grip on the country’s fuel supplies as their union intensifies the fight against unpopular 19/10/2010