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Members of France's 'yellow vest' social protest movement have joined up with a counter-G7 summit of about 50 anti-globalisation and environmental NGOs being held a short distance from the world leaders' meeting in Biarritz, in south-west France.

The crisis of wildfires raging in the Amazon is to be the subject of emergency talks at this weekend's G7 summit in south-west France, while President Emmanuel Macron has announced he is withdrawing support for the Mercosur free-trade deal between the EU and South American nations, accusing his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro of 'lying' about his commitments on combating the climate emergency.

Paris prosecution services have launched an investigation to determine whether the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein, accused of multiple sex offences before he was found dead in his New York prison cell earlier this month, had committed crimes in France, where he owned and regularly used a luxurious property. 

A photo showing UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson putting his foot up on a stool in front of President Emmanuel Macron at their meeting inside the Elysée Palace appeared garrulous and insulting, as widely commented on social media, but the photographer who captured the image has revealed that it was a comic gesture after the French president joked that he could use it to put his legs up.

Retired surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, 66, who is awaiting trial for his alleged rape of two girls aged four and six, is now suspected of assaulting about 250 other children over a 30-year period after investigators discovered a hidden diary belonging to him which detailed attacks, including on his young patients.

A deal for the supply by France to India of a further 36 Rafale fighter jets is to be discussed at a meeting between President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of this weekend's G7 summit in Biarritz, according to Indian media reports quoting unnamed sources. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Paris on Thursday, said the so-called 'backstop' arrangement for the border on the island of Ireland was 'indispensable' to the UK leaving the EU with an agreed deal, but also added that a solution to the disputed issue was possible 'if there is a good will on both sides'.

The French government regards a departure of the UK from the European Union without a mutual deal as the most likely outcome on the deadline date of October 31st according to an official from President Emmanuel Macron’s office, speaking on the same day that German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested a solution to the key issue of the Irish border 'backstop', which is blocking agreement, may be found.

The town of Biarritz in south-west France is already the scene of unprecedented security measures ahead of the G7 summit to be held there next weekend, with some locals complaining that its summer season economy is being hit, while the authorities, fearing violent protests, have ordered that a counter-summit organsied by leftwing groups should be held 30 kilometres away in Hendaye, on the Spanish border.