LiveParis attacks updates

Three people have died in a blast at the Stade de France, the president of the French Football Federation Noël Le Graët has said, quoted by L'Equipe.

A number of others were injured in the explosion at one of the entrances to the stadium, Le Graët said.

The Associated Press is reporting a French police official confirming two suicide attacks and one bombing near the Stade de France stadium.

Jonathan Hill from Cardiff is working in Paris. He says he saw a man directing people into the Bataclan concert hall where people are being held hostage.  

I heard three distinct firing shots that at first I didn't believe were actual shots from a gun. They almost sounded like fireworks cracking off in the middle of the street. And while that happened I saw a guy probably 6' 4" - 6' 5", quite a heavy set man looked Caucasian from about 50 yards away. And he was in the middle of the street shouting "Allez! Allez!" at people. He almost seemed to be a good Samaritan telling people to get out of from the cafes and go inside. As that happened I saw another shot and I saw someone collapse to the floor outside the Bataclan

Here's what US President Barack Obama said in the last hour on the attacks in Paris:

Paris itself represents the timeless values of human progress. Those who think they can terrorise the people of France or the values they stand for are wrong. It endures beyond terrorism and beyond those who are committed to these whose hateful vision were perpetrated this evening. We will do whatever we can to work with the French people to bring these terrorists to justice”

We have been working with French people to offer our prayers to those wounded."

Click here for more pictures that have been taken from various scenes in Paris.

Police have told the AFP news agency that at least 15 people were killed at the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris - only about 200m from the former office of Charlie Hebdo which was attacked by jihadists in January.

The BBC's Europe Editor Katya Adler is following the Paris events:

Here's the latest we have on the attacks in Paris:

• Dozens of people are dead after multiple shootings in the French capital
• Between 60 and 100 people are reportedly being held hostage at the Bataclan arts centre

• Three explosions were reported outside a bar near the Stade de France, where France were playing Germany in a football match 
• French President Francois Hollande has declared a state of emergency and closed the country's borders 
• Paris authorities have asked people to stay indoors

The UK Foreign Office has issued a brief statement: 

We are very concerned about the attacks in Paris. We are in close touch with the French authorities and are urgently investigating whether any British nationals are caught up in them."

US President Barack Obama has made a statement on the shootings in France.

"We stand together with them in the fight against terrorism and extremism," he said.

"This is a heartbreaking situation and those of us here in the US know what it's like we have gone through these kind of episodes ourselves."

One of the attackers at the Bataclan has explosives, according to a Liberation journalist quoting a police officer at the scene.

Meanwhile Julien Pierce, a Europe 1 journalist who was inside the Bataclan, has described what he saw:

"Several armed men came into the concert. Two or three men, not wearing masks, came in with what looked like Kalashnikovs and fired blindly on the crowd.

"It lasted between 10 and 15 minutes. It was extremely violent and there was panic. The attackers had enough time to reload at least three times. They were very young."

A journalist from the French newspaper Le Monde has been shot in the arm, tweets another journalist from the newspaper, Elise Barthet.

French media, quoting Paris police, are now reporting that at least 42 people are dead.

Shooting at the Bataclan venue began one hour into the concert of a California rock group called Eagles of Death Metal, BFM TV said.

It added that one or two people came in and began shooting in the air.

At least 60 people are being held hostage. It is unclear whether band members are among the hostages.

Eurosport journalist Maxime Dupuis is watching spectators congregating on the pitch at the Stade de France, where the French and German football teams were playing, following reports of an explosion nearby. He says the evacuation is taking place calmly.  

Residents in Paris near the locations of the shootings are offering shelter on social media under the hastag #PorteOuverte

An assault of the Bataclan concert venue is under way, tweets Libération journalist Matthieu Ecoiffier.

It is reported that there are between 60 and 100 hostages inside.

French TV is reporting that 100 hostages have been taken at the Bataclan concert venue in the 11th arrondissement. 

BFMTV reported that shooting at the Bataclan began an hour into the concert of a California rock group called Eagles of Death Metal.

All other reports indicate there could be around 60 people at the venue.

French journalist Erwan Desplanques says a friend who was able to escape from the Bataclan concert venue has told him there were five or six gunmen there and they mentioned Syria during their attack. Bodies were seen lying on the ground.

There were several gunshots over five minutes, he says.

Two police officials have told the AP news agency that at least 26 people have been killed in shootings and explosions around Paris.

One of the police officials said 11 people were killed in a Paris restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and about 15 killed in the Bataclan theatre, where there is an ongoing hostage crisis.

Paris' deputy mayor has told CNN there are 18 casualties, however.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron responds:

There have been several shootings reported in the French capital.

At least one man opened fire with an automatic gun at the Petit Cambodge restaurant in the 11th district.

Shooting has also been heard near the Bataclan arts centre with reports of hostages have been taken there.

Three explosions are also reported outside a bar near the Stade de France, where France were hosting Germany.

The France 24 network has interviewed a witness to a shooting outside the restaurant, Anne-Sophie.

“Everyone was outside on the terrace of the restaurant when all of a sudden we saw these masked men start firing in all directions. It felt like it lasted a long time.”

She said there was “an enormous amount of injured”.

A BBC journalist at the Petit Cambodge restaurant says he can see 10 people on the road either dead or seriously injured.

He says police have now arrived and sealed off the area.

At least 18 people have been killed in Paris, French police have told AFP news agency.

Police also said there was an ongoing hostage crisis in the Bataclan, a concert hall in the French capital, it reported.

Welcome to the BBC's live coverage of a series of attacks taking place in Paris. Shootings have been reported in the north east of the city, causing casualties.

A BBC journalist at the scene said he saw 10 people on the road either dead or seriously injured. Reports suggest some of the shots were fired from a car.

An explosion was also reported to have taken place near the Stade de France where the French football team was playing Germany.