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Last year was the third “most severe” in terms of climate-related claims after 1999 and 2022, insurance industry federation France Assureurs has said.

Public deficit jumped to 5.5 percent of gross domestic product, or 154 billion euros ($167 billion), statistics agency INSEE said.

The trip will be followed by a visit to neighbouring Brazil, where Macron will address the issue of illegal mining in the border regions. 

Around 200 waiters and waitresses took part in the Sunday race, first held in 1914 and last held in 2011, where they had to walk hurriedly over a course of two kilometres holding a tray containing a cup of coffee, a croissant and a large glass of water, with the winner being he or she who arrived first after spilling none of their load.

French police patrolling Channel shores have been sharply criticised for risking lives by employing highly dangerous tactics to prevent small migrant boats from crossing to the UK, including ramming, flooding and puncturing the dinghies. 

A large majority of members of the upper house voted against ratification of the CETA free trade agreement, which many argued was one sided in favour of Canada, but the government, which supports the deal, has the option of not officially notifying Brussels of the vote, or delaying a future vote it would hope to win in the National Assembly, the lower house.

Official photos posted on Instagram of French president Emmanuel Macron boxing a punch bag in a tight-fitting T-shirt have prompted bemusement and sarcasm, with one opposition politician likening the PR stunt to those of Russian President Vladimir Putin, while a press commentator dismissed the 'Rocky Macron' image as 'quite appalling'.

Jail terms ranging from four to 18 months, some of which were suspended, were handed down to 28 people aged between 20 and 49 after they were found guilty by a Paris court of online bullying against Magali Berdah, nicknamed in France as 'the queen of influencers' and who, the court was told, had suffered mental 'consequences' from the harassment.

France's competition watchdog found the tech giant had breached EU intellectual property rules and a 2022 agreement which included conducting negotiations with publishers in good faith and providing transparent information.

The International Olympic Committee has announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will be banned from taking part in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics this summer, although they will be able to take part in the games as neutrals.