France extends anti-riot powers by 3 months

Although the violence dropped again overnight, police said youths destroyed 284 vehicles in petrol bomb attacks in the 18th straight night of unrest in poor suburbs in the Paris region and major provincial cities.

Disturbances erupted with the deaths on October 27 of two youths apparently fleeing police, but grew into a wider protest by youths of African and North African origin at racism, poor job prospects and their sense of exclusion from French society.

The violence peaked a week ago giving riot-weary residents hope of calmer days ahead.

"I think it's over. I think the young people have let out their anger, and I think the government got the message," said Bernard Moutei, 40, walking among the high-rise estates in the Clichy-sous-Bois suburb where the unrest began.

Chirac, criticized for his low profile during the crisis, was to explain his decision to roll over the emergency powers in a television broadcast at 1900 GMT, the first time he will have addressed the nation directly on the violence.

The government is expected to introduce the measure to parliament on Tuesday and should secure a comfortable majority.

"This is a protective and precautionary measure," government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope quoted Chirac as telling a special cabinet meeting called to discuss the measure.

"It is a measure necessary to give law enforcement all the means they need to bring a permanent return to calm ... naturally this is a strictly temporary measure which will only apply where it is strictly necessary and with the full agreement of local elected officials," Chirac was quoted as saying.