Paris - As evidence grew that the US finance crisis had reached Europe, French shares fell sharply in early trading on Monday, with banking shares leading the decline.

After one hour of trading on Monday, the Paris Bourse's benchmark CAC 40 was down 3.17 per cent, at 4,031.27, with slumping issues outpacing winners by 12 to 1.

The Franco-Belgian financial services group Dexia was the biggest loser, giving up nearly one-fourth of its value, as the Belgian government declared that it would come to its support as it had with the Fortis financial group.

Marseilles (France), Sept 29: The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has said that he is looking forward to his meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Tuesday.

Briefing reporters ahead of his arrival in Marseilles, where he will address the Ninth India-EU Summit, Dr. Singh said: "We have already initialed the framework agreement in civil nuclear matters. It will certainly come up for review and possible signature during my visit."

Marseilles (France), Sept 29: Visiting Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will address the Ninth India-European Union Summit here today, a day before India and France ink a landmark agreement to conduct bilateral nuclear trade with each other.

The two-day Ninth India- EU Summit, hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, opens in Marseilles today.

According to Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations and the Neighbourhood Policy, the European Union views India as a vital partner.

Washington, Sept. 26 : India and France will discuss nuclear cooperation during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''s visit to Paris, said Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.

"It is on the agenda. We are working on it with them for some time.

Paris - After several delays caused by bad weather, Swiss adventurer Yves Rossi - also known as Fusionman - on Friday became the first person to fly solo across the English Channel between Britain and France using a single jet-propelled wing, French media reported.

Rossy, 49, leaped from a plane at more than 2,500 metres above the French port of Calais, fired up the jets on his home-made wing and landed 13 minutes later at Dover in southern Britain.

Rossy, a former Swiss airline pilot, followed the flight path of French aviation pioneer Louis Bleriot, who became the first person to fly across the Channel in a plane in 1909.

Brussels - The French presidency of the European Union said Friday there would be no delay to a planned ban by 2012 of the tiny "battery" cages used by many producers for laying hens.

"I would not like us to go back on that date. I would not like to see it postponed. The council position is that battery farming should cease on that day," French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier told the European Parliament.

Animal rights activists have long campaigned against the use of conventional battery cages, where floor space is the equivalent of a sheet of A4 paper. This prevents hens from making even the most basic of movements, such as spreading their wings or even turning around.