Germany has become the latest European country to witness mass anti-Islamic protests which have grown increasingly common across the continent. 

"In Europe in general, there is an anxiety, an anti-Islamic phobia, developing," said left-wing activist and Green euro MP Daniel Cohn-Bendit. 

Internet activists launched an attack on the website of the French defense ministry on Tuesday to protest the death of a young environmentalist during clashes with police last year.

"The site has been disrupted all day," a ministry of defense spokesman told Agence France-Presse, adding that they suspected a "denial of service" attack where a system is flooded with information in an effort to clog it up.

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its fleet will be deployed to the Gulf to support operations against the Islamic State group, a military news site reported on Tuesday.

The deployment of the marine battle group is due to be announced by President Francois Hollande when he gives his annual new year's speech to the armed forces onboard the Charles de Gaulle on January 14, according to the "Mer et Marine" news site.

Thirteen Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 17 injured when the bus they were travelling in collided with military trucks in bad weather in the war-torn east, officials said on Tuesday.

The collision Monday night was due to bad weather and took place during the rotation of professional soldiers and volunteers deployed in eastern Ukraine to fight the pro-Russian rebels who have waged an insurgency against Kiev since April, the National Guard said in a statement.

Syria has complained to the United Nations after U.S. Senator John McCain, former French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner and other prominent figures entered the country without visas.

Syria's U.N. ambassador Bashar Jaafari said in a letter to the Security Council that countries must take "immediate measures" against nationals who travel to his country illegally.

French President Francois Hollande shifted position Monday on implementing a long-sought financial transactions tax in Europe and said the money should go towards projects aimed at mitigating climate change.

In an interview on France Inter radio Hollande said such a tax should be put in place next year in willing European countries on "all financial products at a low rate".

French President Francois Hollande said on Monday his country would stand firm on its demand that Tehran vow not to pursue nuclear weapons ahead of fresh international negotiations.

"If there is no clear statement from Iran on giving up nuclear weapons, there will be no agreement," Hollande said on France Inter radio.

Ukrainian police on Monday launched a terror probe into a blast in the government-controlled port of Odessa after an explosion outside a building housing a soldiers' support center.

Local authorities said the late Sunday explosion in the city of one million caused no injuries but shattered windows in the office of volunteers helping soldiers fighting pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine.

French President Francois Hollande said Monday that biting Western sanctions against Russia should be lifted if progress were made in resolving the Ukraine crisis.

"I think the sanctions must stop now. They must be lifted if there is progress. If there is no progress the sanctions will remain," he said during a wide-ranging two-hour interview with France Inter radio station.

President Francois Hollande said Monday that France would not intervene unilaterally in Libya and urged the international community to take action to stem the deepening crisis in the country.

"We are acting to contain terrorism in the south, but France will not intervene in Libya because it's for the international community to live up to its responsibilities," Hollande told French radio.