Paris - By a significant margin, the French believe that China has supplanted the United States as the most powerful country in the world, according to a survey made public on Monday.

Paris - French shares were down sharply in early trading on Monday following panic sell-offs on several Asian markets overnight.

At mid-morning, the CAC 40 index had lost 5.45 per cent, to 3,019.87, with 39 of its 40 listed stocks on the down side.

The bank Societe Generale was the biggest loser, off by 10.73 per cent, to 40.17 euros, while car maker Renault, which is drastically cutting back production, lost 7.88 per cent, to 20.45 euros.

Paris - A high-speed TGV train en route to Paris was delayed for over two hours after a passenger got his arm stuck in the toilet, France Info radio reported on Monday.

The 26-year-old man found himself in this embarrassing - and painful - position after inadvertently dropping his cellphone into the commode.

When he tried to retrieve the device, he found himself trapped by the john's suction action.

Paris - Frenchman Richard Gasquet withdrew on the opening day of the Paris Masters on Sunday, citing an elbow injury.

Paris - A 14-year-old Moroccan boy rode 1,300 kilometres from Tangiers right across Spain to the French city of Biarritz hiding and clinging in the axle area of a truck.

Paris - After falling to a five-year low, the Paris Bourse rebounded on Friday to limit its losses amidst anxiety about corporate earnings and OPEC's announcement that it will cut oil production by 1.5 million barrels per day.

The benchmark CAC 40 ended the session off by 3.54 per cent, at 3,193.79, after plunging more than 10 per cent earlier in the day to its lowest level since May 2003.

Car maker Renault was the day's biggest loser, giving up 12.55 per cent, to 22.20 euros, its lowest level in 10 years.