PARIS, April 29 (Reuters) – France will keep its defence
budget at the same level for the next six years after the
government decided that proposed cuts would hamper its ability
to mount military operations such as its intervention in Mali.

The freeze will still lead to the loss of 34,000 jobs in the
defence ministry at a time of growing unemployment in France,
according to a strategic review announced on Monday.

PARIS, April 23 (Reuters) – France has opened a probe into
whether British bank HSBC offered illicit products to
help French clients avoid tax in Switzerland, the Paris
prosecutors’ office said on Tuesday.

It is the latest sign of governments cracking down on tax
evasion and money laundering after the financial crisis. France
is also probing Swiss bank UBS over whether it offered
to help clients avoid tax.