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Paris is to deploy its amphibious assault ship, the Tonnerre, and the frigate Surcouf to sail twice through waters claimed by Beijing, to assert its own presence in the region. 

Comments by French health minister Olivier Véran came the day after Rome invoked European Union powers to block the export of 250,000 Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Australia.

Prime minister Jean Castex said that so far 3.2 million people have been vaccinated, including 1.8 million who have received two doses.

The space debris was spotted falling to Earth near Bordeaux but astronomer admits it is a ‘needle in a haystack’ search.

Prime minister Jean Castex did however announce a weekend lockdown for the northerly Pas-de-Calais area, like that already imposed on the French Riviera.

Eleven  indigenous groups, backed by NGOs in the US and France, are seeking €3.1m in damages from the Casino supermarket chain for allegedly selling beef linked to deforestation.

But former defence minister Francois Leotard, 78, was convicted of complicity in the misuse of assets and handed a suspended two-year prison term and a fine of 100,000 euros.

Christian Lantenois, 65, was assaulted in a car park in the north-eastern city of Reims while working for L'Union newspaper.

For the first time in months, a return to more normal living conditions was in sight, government spokesperson Gabriel Attal told reporters following a meeting of the French cabinet.

The group promotes ‘an ideology inciting hatred, violence and discrimination,’ says a French government decree.