Paris - Following big losses overnight on Wall Street and in Asia, French shares slumped on Thursday as fears of a deep recession turned investors bearish.

The Paris Bourse's CAC 40 blue-chip index ended the day off by 5.92 per cent, at 3,181, as declining issues outpaced advancing shares by 9 to 1.

Insurance giant Axa was the day's biggest loser, plunging by 12.51 per cent to 16.33 euros. Industrial group Bouygues and transport manufacturer Alstom gave up 11.1 and 10.15 per cent, respectively.

Paris, Oct. 16 : French police are probing whether Russia''s leading human rights lawyer was poisoned by a suspicious substance found hidden in her car.

Detectives in the town of Strasbourg were examining whether Karinna Moskalenko, the country''s most prominent defender of Kremlin opponents, had been deliberately poisoned.

Moskalenko said on Monday her husband discovered "large" quantities of a mercury-like substance hidden under her car seat.

Moskalenko had been due yesterday to attend the Moscow trial of three men accused of involvement in the murder of the crusading Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

Politkovskaya, a fierce critic of Vladimir Putin, was shot dead two years ago outside her Moscow flat.

Paris - BMW has previewed the new X1 at the Paris Motor Show with a concept combining the needs of everyday traffic with all round functionality and a modern active lifestyle.

Although still described as a "concept", BMW is planning to launch sales in mid-2009 as a smaller version of the X3, measuring 11 cm shorter at 4.46 metres in length.

The concept comes with dual round headlights cut off at the top in the typical style of the BMW brand, complete with a white horizontal cover on the top edge. The position of the headlights and fog lamps brings back the three-eye face of other BMW X models.

Paris - Jeep unveiled the Patriot Back Country concept model in vibrant green with matching leather seats and aimed mainly at outdoor enthusiasts at the Paris Motor Show recently.

Modelled on the current Jeep Patriot Limited, the Back Country features several extras for an outdoor lifestyle such as the roof mounted cargo basket, mud flaps, extra spotlights and 18-inch wheels.

The rear loading area has a special rubber surface for transporting muddy shoes or other dusty outdoor equipment. The upholstery is inspired by wipe-clean scuba diving wetsuits.

Paris - Audi has given a preview of the 2009 serial production A1 by presenting a five-door Sportback concept with a combination of petrol and electric drive capable of powering the vehicle in electric mode for up to 100 kilometres at the Paris Motor Show.

The 1.4-litre TFSI engine develops 110 kW/150 hp with the power directed to the front wheels by means of the S tronic dual-clutch transmission. The 20 kW (27 hp) electric motor is integrated in the

drive train, delivering up to an additional 150 Nm of torque during acceleration.

Paris - The French government's bank rescue plan passed its first hurdle late Tuesday as lawmakers in the National Assembly approved the 360-billion-euro (490-billion-dollar) measure by a vote of 224 to 23.

The plan, announced Monday by President Nicolas Sarkozy, will make available up to 320 billion euros to guarantee interbank loans and another 40 billion euros for the recapitalization of struggling banks.

Opposition Socialist lawmakers said they supported the plan but abstained from voting because they said it only addressed the financial crisis, not the economic crisis.