Lightning strikes plane

 Francois Hollande’s first trip out of the country as France’s new president was more eventful than he was likely anticipating.

 Shortly after takeoff Tuesday, Hollande’s Falcon 7X aircraft was hit by lightning. The plane returned to the Villacoublay air base outside Paris for inspection as a precaution.

 The president and his entourage were transferred to another aircraft, a Falcon 900, and took off shortly thereafter for his meeting in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Associated Press