Paris attacks: France falls silent to remember 130 victims

Riders and staff at the Tour de France are wearing black armbands today in tribute to the 84 people killed in the Bastille Day attack.

A minute's silence was observed before the start of today's stage and security has been tightened in response to the deaths.

Authorities in Belgium have detained five people after two days of raids related to the Paris attacks, AP reports.

A 34-year-old man has been arrested in Stuttgart in Germany on suspicion of arms dealing, but prosecutors have declined to comment on reports he may have supplied guns to the Paris attackers.

A spokesman for the prosecutor in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg told Reuters: "I can confirm that a man is in custody on suspicion of arms trading."

German newspaper Bild reported the man was suspected of supplying the Paris attackers with two AK47s and two assault rifles which were sold online on November 7.

Hundreds of people are due to gather for a memorial service on Friday in honour of those killed in the Paris attacks two weeks ago.

The families of the 130 people killed in the French capital on November 13 have been invited to the ceremony at Les Invalides, where President François Hollande is expected to speak.

Republican guards will hold photos of each of the victims, who died in a series of attacks across the city, including at the Bataclan concert hall, outside the Stade de France and at restaurants and cafés.

President Hollande has called for citizens to drape their homes in the red, white and blue of the nation's flag for the ceremony.

Nearly 11,000 police are expected to be deployed for the event as the city remains on high alert.