France is keen that Lebanon state its clear position on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, whether it is positive or negative, revealed French diplomatic sources to the daily al-Mustaqbal Sunday.

They added that the ties between the two countries will remain the same until Lebanon reveals its stance on the tribunal.

Western nations on Wednesday condemned opponents of UN action against Syria with France accusing many Security Council powers of "indifference" toward killings being carried out by government forces.

A Security Council debate on protecting civilians reopened diplomatic wounds over the NATO airstrikes in Libya as well as the failure to agree to a stance on President Bashar al-Assad's deadly crackdown in Syria.

In a species of hawk, males dress themselves up as females to gain a sneaky advantage in the mating game, according to an unusual study published Wednesday.

Most male marsh harriers (Circus aeruginosus) are grey, but more than a third have permanent plumage that mimics the colors of females, which are mainly brown with a white head and shoulders.

It has masterpieces, media frenzy, a contested gem — everything but the "Mona Lisa." London's latest blockbuster art show confirms Leonardo da Vinci as a Renaissance rock star.

A new exhibition of the artist's paintings at London's National Gallery is opening amid A-list levels of hype and anticipation.

French bank Societe Generale said on Tuesday it was scrapping its 2011 dividend and making a "significant" cut to bonuses after a tough third quarter owing to a Greek debt write-down.

The market welcomed this clearing of the decks and SocGen shares surged 7.26 percent to close 18.77 Euros, far outpacing Paris's benchmark CAC 40 index which gained 1.28 percent.

Naharnet Exclusive Report - Paris

High-ranking French officials have complained that the Lebanese leaderships have not devised a clear way to deal with the repercussions the Iranian and Syrian developments may have on the internal Lebanese scene.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon announced plans on Monday to save 100 billion euros to eliminate France's budget deficit by 2016, including 500 million Euros in extra state budget savings next year.

"The time has come to adjust France's efforts. With the president, we have only one goal: to protect the French people from the serious difficulties that many European countries are now facing," Fillon said during a press conference.

Heavy rain and flooding hit southern France at the weekend, seeing hundreds of people evacuated, three killed in flood-related accidents and 12 regions still on alert on Sunday.

Authorities were called in to assist more than 2,300 people after rivers overran their banks and streets and homes were flooded, with some residents having to be rescued with helicopters.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Sunday it was clear that Syrian President Bashar Assad was not going to implement an Arab peace plan and there was "nothing more to expect" from his regime.

"I personally think there is nothing more to expect from this regime and that despite its occasional announcements it will not commit to a program of reforms," Juppe told Europe 1 radio.

France said Friday that Syria was breaking its commitments to an Arab League peace plan by continuing a deadly crackdown on protesters and cast doubt on President Bashar al-Assad's dedication to the deal.

"The continuing repression can only strengthen the international community's doubts about the Syrian regime's sincerity to implement the Arab League peace plan," the French foreign ministry's deputy spokesman, Romain Nadal, told journalists.