French lawmakers extend state of emergency after Nice attack

French President Francois Hollande.

Paris: French lawmakers approved a six-month extension of emergency rule on Wednesday after last week's truck attack on holiday crowds in Nice, the third deadly assault in just 18 months for which Islamist militants have claimed responsibility.

President Francois Hollande's Socialist government, accused by political opponents of doing too little to avert the attack that killed 84 and hurt hundreds, also said it would step up strikes against Islamic State in its strongholds in Iraq and Syria.