Facebook and Google joined forces with news organisations on Monday to launch new fact-checking tools designed to root out &quot;fake news&quot; stories in France ahead of the country&#39;s presidential election.

Social networks and news aggregators came under fire during the US&nbsp;presidential vote when it became clear they had inadvertently fanned false news reports.

Facebook&nbsp;said it would work with eight French news organisations, including news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), news channel BFM TV, and newspapers L&#39;Express and Le Monde to minimise the risk that false news appeared on its platform.

Facebook, the world&#39;s biggest social network, has 24 million users in France, more than a third of the country&#39;s population. It will rely on users to flag fake news on its network so that the articles can then by fact-checked by its partner organisations.

Any news report deemed to be fake by two of its partners would then be tagged with an icon to show that the content is contested, Facebook said.

Facebook is also supporting a separate initiative launched by Google dubbed &quot;CrossCheck&quot; which calls on users to submit links to contested content to a dedicated website so that it can be investigated.

Seventeen French newsrooms have joined the project, including AFP and the French public national television broadcaster.

Facebook is also taking steps against fake news in Germany, where government officials have expressed concerns that false stories and hate speech online could influence a federal election in September in which chancellor Angela Merkel will seek a fourth term in office.

In the United States, Facebook has said users would in future find it easier to flag fake articles as a hoax&nbsp;and added that it will work with organisations such as fact-checking website Snopes, ABC News and the Associated Press to check the authenticity of stories.

(Reuters)

The move comes in after social networks and news agencies came under fire during US elections for unwittingly fanning false news reports

Facebook and Google joined forces with news organisations on Monday to launch new fact-checking tools designed to root out "fake news" stories in France ahead of the country's presidential election. Social networks and news aggregators came under fire during the US presidential vote when it became clear they had inadvertently fanned false news reports. Facebook said it would work with eight French news organisations, including news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), news channel BFM TV, and newspapers L'Express and Le Monde to minimise the risk that false news appeared on its platform. Facebook, the world's biggest social network, has 24 million users in France, more than a third of the country's population. It will rely on users to flag fake news on its network so that the articles can then by fact-checked by its partner organisations. Any news report deemed to be fake by two of its partners would then be tagged with an icon to show that the content is contested, Facebook said. Facebook is also supporting a separate initiative launched by Google dubbed "CrossCheck" which calls on users to submit links to contested content to a dedicated website so that it can be investigated. Seventeen French newsrooms have joined the project, including AFP and the French public national television broadcaster. Facebook is also taking steps against fake news in Germany, where government officials have expressed concerns that false stories and hate speech online could influence a federal election in September in which chancellor Angela Merkel will seek a fourth term in office. In the United States, Facebook has said users would in future find it easier to flag fake articles as a hoax and added that it will work with organisations such as fact-checking website Snopes, ABC News and the Associated Press to check the authenticity of stories. (Reuters)

Facebook, Google join drive against fake news in France ahead of Presidential elections

France&#39;s right-wing presidential candidate Francois Fillon apologised Monday over the fake job affair involving his wife, a controversy&nbsp;that has damaged his reputation and has crashed his ratings to an all-time low.

Fillon, who was the frontrunner for the French May 7 runoffs, sought to draw a line under the scandal, saying: &quot;It was an error, I profoundly regret it and I apologise to the French people.&quot;

Fillon found himself in the storm of a controversy when it emerged that his British-born wife Penelope was paid over 800,000 euros ($860,000) for being his parliamentary aide.

The conservative candidate had also&nbsp;used funds available to lawmakers to hire two of his children, paying them 84,000 euros ($91,000) pre-tax between 2005 and 2007.

The former prime minister, 62, said he had hired family members -- as allowed in France -- out of &quot;trust&quot; but recognised that such practises &quot;create distrust nowadays&quot;.

Although Fillon says his wife was paid to manage his local meetings when he was a lawmaker, Penelope in an interview in 2007 said&nbsp;she had &quot;never been actually his assistant or anything like that.&quot;

But the 62-year-old former prime minister rejected calls of his ouster, saying he wanted to turn a fresh page in his presidential bid.&nbsp;

&quot;From tonight, I announce here that it&#39;s a new campaign that&#39;s starting.&quot;

&quot;I am a candidate for the presidency to win it,&quot; he added.

France goes to the polls in April and May for a two-round presidential election.&nbsp;

Fillon, a devout Catholic who won the nomination of the Republicans party in November on a pledge to slash public spending, had been the frontrunner until two weeks ago.

Polls now show him possibly crashing out of the first round in April, likely leaving far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and rising star Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, to battle it out in May&#39;s runoff vote.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The conservative candidate has been accused of paying his wife over 800,000 euros for being his parliamentary aide

France's right-wing presidential candidate Francois Fillon apologised Monday over the fake job affair involving his wife, a controversy that has damaged his reputation and has crashed his ratings to an all-time low. Fillon, who was the frontrunner for the French May 7 runoffs, sought to draw a line under the scandal, saying: "It was an error, I profoundly regret it and I apologise to the French people." Fillon found himself in the storm of a controversy when it emerged that his British-born wife Penelope was paid over 800,000 euros ($860,000) for being his parliamentary aide. The conservative candidate had also used funds available to lawmakers to hire two of his children, paying them 84,000 euros ($91,000) pre-tax between 2005 and 2007. The former prime minister, 62, said he had hired family members -- as allowed in France -- out of "trust" but recognised that such practises "create distrust nowadays". Although Fillon says his wife was paid to manage his local meetings when he was a lawmaker, Penelope in an interview in 2007 said she had "never been actually his assistant or anything like that." But the 62-year-old former prime minister rejected calls of his ouster, saying he wanted to turn a fresh page in his presidential bid. "From tonight, I announce here that it's a new campaign that's starting." "I am a candidate for the presidency to win it," he added. France goes to the polls in April and May for a two-round presidential election. Fillon, a devout Catholic who won the nomination of the Republicans party in November on a pledge to slash public spending, had been the frontrunner until two weeks ago. Polls now show him possibly crashing out of the first round in April, likely leaving far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and rising star Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, to battle it out in May's runoff vote. (WION with inputs from AFP)

France's presidential candidate Fillon sorry about fake job affair

France&#39;s far-right leader Marine Le Pen launched her presidential campain on Sunday by promising to reject the tenets of mainstream politics and quit the eurozone.

Le Pen has also vowed to impose heavier taxes on foreign workers and remove red-tape in small firms, themes that has catapulted the eurosceptic as one of the likely winners in this year&#39;s elections in France.

Although polls show her in second place behind the centrist former banker&nbsp;Emmanuel Macron, the recent attack on a soldier near Louvre Museum has fuelled her presidential bid as one of her 144 &quot;commitments&quot; to the nation is also about arming the police &quot;massively&quot; to thwart terrorist action.

Le Pen, trotting her trump card of exiting Europe, said that she would hold a referendum if other European partners refuse to agree with her decision of quitting the eurozone.

She spoke about seeing her country not lose its identity by the influx of immigrants and refugees, and a state with its own borders.

Le Pen has previously spoken about her consternation related to immigrants and refugess, saying their presence was not only a dilution of French values but also risked the possibility of terror attacks in the country.

The 48-year-old leader of the National Front (FN) favours an overhauled European Union without a single currency.&nbsp;

Le Pen has also benefitted from the scandal that has rocked her conservative rival Francois&nbsp;Fillon, who was widely tipped to win the May 7 runoffs.

Fillon has been swamped with allegations&nbsp;about&nbsp;his wife Penelope earning more than 800,000 euros ($860,000) as a parliamentary aide without apparently ever working in the National Assembly building.

He also allegedly helped his children earn an additional&nbsp;84,000 euros working as parliamentary aides.

Le Pen hopes to capitalise on the same rejection of mainstream politics that helped the Brexit camp win in Britain and swept Donald Trump to the US presidency.

She has worked to rid the FN of its more extremist, anti-Semitic fringe since taking over from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, who has repeatedly referred to the Nazi gas chambers as a &quot;detail&quot; of history.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

The far-right leader has vowed to exit the eurozone and impose higher taxes on foreign workers

France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen launched her presidential campain on Sunday by promising to reject the tenets of mainstream politics and quit the eurozone. Le Pen has also vowed to impose heavier taxes on foreign workers and remove red-tape in small firms, themes that has catapulted the eurosceptic as one of the likely winners in this year's elections in France. Although polls show her in second place behind the centrist former banker Emmanuel Macron, the recent attack on a soldier near Louvre Museum has fuelled her presidential bid as one of her 144 "commitments" to the nation is also about arming the police "massively" to thwart terrorist action. Le Pen, trotting her trump card of exiting Europe, said that she would hold a referendum if other European partners refuse to agree with her decision of quitting the eurozone. She spoke about seeing her country not lose its identity by the influx of immigrants and refugees, and a state with its own borders. Le Pen has previously spoken about her consternation related to immigrants and refugess, saying their presence was not only a dilution of French values but also risked the possibility of terror attacks in the country. The 48-year-old leader of the National Front (FN) favours an overhauled European Union without a single currency. Le Pen has also benefitted from the scandal that has rocked her conservative rival Francois Fillon, who was widely tipped to win the May 7 runoffs. Fillon has been swamped with allegations about his wife Penelope earning more than 800,000 euros ($860,000) as a parliamentary aide without apparently ever working in the National Assembly building. He also allegedly helped his children earn an additional 84,000 euros working as parliamentary aides. Le Pen hopes to capitalise on the same rejection of mainstream politics that helped the Brexit camp win in Britain and swept Donald Trump to the US presidency. She has worked to rid the FN of its more extremist, anti-Semitic fringe since taking over from her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, who has repeatedly referred to the Nazi gas chambers as a "detail" of history. (WION with inputs from AFP)

France's Le Pen launches presidential campaign with anti-EU rhetoric

&nbsp;French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Monday entered the race to be the Socialist candidate for next year&rsquo;s presidential election and said he was quitting the government to focus on campaigning.

Opinion polls bill the 54-year-old Valls as favourite to win his party&#39;s nomination in late January primaries.

But the centrist with a business-friendly stance on economic policies combined with a reputation as a hardliner on law and order will face stiff competition from party rivals.

In any case, opinion polls predict that no left-wing candidate is likely to gather enough support in the presidential election and that conservative Francois Fillon would eventually beat far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a two-way run-off.

&quot;Yes, I am candidate for the presidency of the Republic,&quot; Valls said to applause from supporters in his fiefdom of Evry, the gritty southern suburb of Paris where he was mayor for over a decade.&nbsp;

&quot;I am outraged at the idea that the Left could be disqualified from these presidentials,&quot; Valls said, referring to his camp`s poor poll ratings and its divisions. &quot;We must unite,&quot; said Valls who later added: &quot;My candidacy is one of conciliation, of reconciliation.&quot;

Valls had made no secret of his desire to seek the Socialist ticket and President Francois Hollande&#39;s decision not to run for a second mandate opened the way for him.

Valls announced his resignation as prime minister, saying it would be effective on Tuesday.

 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Valls announced his resignation as prime minister, saying it would be effective on Tuesday

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Monday entered the race to be the Socialist candidate for next year’s presidential election and said he was quitting the government to focus on campaigning. Opinion polls bill the 54-year-old Valls as favourite to win his party's nomination in late January primaries. But the centrist with a business-friendly stance on economic policies combined with a reputation as a hardliner on law and order will face stiff competition from party rivals. In any case, opinion polls predict that no left-wing candidate is likely to gather enough support in the presidential election and that conservative Francois Fillon would eventually beat far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a two-way run-off. "Yes, I am candidate for the presidency of the Republic," Valls said to applause from supporters in his fiefdom of Evry, the gritty southern suburb of Paris where he was mayor for over a decade. "I am outraged at the idea that the Left could be disqualified from these presidentials," Valls said, referring to his camp`s poor poll ratings and its divisions. "We must unite," said Valls who later added: "My candidacy is one of conciliation, of reconciliation." Valls had made no secret of his desire to seek the Socialist ticket and President Francois Hollande's decision not to run for a second mandate opened the way for him. Valls announced his resignation as prime minister, saying it would be effective on Tuesday. (Reuters)