France approves end to state of emergency

The French government on Tuesday approved the lifting of a state of emergency imposed two months ago amid nationwide riots.

The order, which was made by the cabinet, will take effect on Wednesday.

The state of emergency was introduced on Nov. 8 under a law dating back to 1955, which gives local authorities or prefects the powers to impose curfews, order house arrests and searches, and ban public gatherings in order to calm down the violence, which began in Paris suburbs on Oct. 27.

The violence was triggered after two teenagers were accidentally electrocuted while hiding in an electrical sub-station to flee a police identity check.

The unrest, which left nearly 12,000 vehicles torched across the country, was seen as France's worst civil unrest since student and worker protests in 1968.

Source: Xinhua