Paris prosecutors probe alleged foreign smear campaigns in local elections

By Gabriel StargardterPARIS, May 27 (Reuters) - Paris prosecutors have opened a probe to determine whether three hard-left mayoral candidates were targeted by a foreign state seeking to meddle in French elections, they said on Wednesday, in a move that could help shed light on the mysterious campaign.Reuters revealed this month that French officials suspect the alleged smearing of three mayoral candidates from the pro-Palestinian party France Unbowed (LFI) ahead of March's municipal elections was carried out by an obscure Israeli firm called BlackCore.