French curfews approved, none declared as Paris riots continue

From the AFP:

The French government has approved giving curfew powers to regional authorities to stem the worst urban violence the country has seen in nearly four decades, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said after a cabinet meeting.

The decision was taken on Tuesday at a meeting of ministers chaired by President Jacques Chirac.

The measure will also allow police will be able to carry out raids when they suspect weapons are being stored in the poor city suburbs that have been at the centre of the unrest, Sarkozy said.

"We will watch how events develop to see how it might be applied in a targeted way on an area of the country," he said, stressing that it was a sign of the government's "firmness, coolness and level-headedness."

What kills me is that last sentence: "firmness, coolness and level-headedness". They are more concerned in how they are perceived then actually getting the job done.

Which is the reason Paris still burns.