France could use its veto to block a post-Brexit deal with the United Kingdom if it does not meet Paris' demands, especially on fishing, Europe Minister Clement Beaune said Friday.

Former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing, a leading advocate of European integration who led his country into a new modern era, has died of Covid-19, his family said. He was 94.

The French presidency reportedly said the US sanctions against the political class in Lebanon had “no impact” so far and will not ease the government formation gridlock, media reports said Wednesday.

French activists fear that a proposed new security law will deprive them of a potent weapon against abuse — cellphone videos of police activity — threatening their efforts to document possible cases of police brutality, especially in impoverished immigrant neighborhoods.

French President Emmanuel Macron's government is pushing a new security bill that makes it illegal to publish images of police officers with intent to cause them harm, amid other measures. Critics fear the new law could hurt press freedoms and make it more difficult for all citizens to report on police brutality.

Dozens of rallies are planned Saturday against a new French law that would restrict sharing images of police, only days after the country was shaken by footage showing officers beating and racially abusing a black man.

France had announced Thursday that it will host a video conference with international partners on December 2 to discuss humanitarian aid for crisis-stricken Lebanon.

The conference will be held in conjunction with the United Nations. It aims to attract the highest-level representation possible, with the aim of encouraging aid to the debt-strapped Lebanese economy, media reports said.

Four teenage students have been charged in France over the killing of Samuel Paty, including three for allegedly pointing out the teacher to his murderer, a judical source said Thursday.

France said Tuesday it was preparing to kick off a nationwide Covid vaccination campaign in January when it hopes virus shots will be approved and available.

In silence and mourning, France marked five years since 130 people were killed by Islamic State extremists who targeted the Bataclan concert hall, Paris cafes and the national stadium in a series of coordinated attacks.

It was France's deadliest peacetime attack, deeply shaking the nation. It led to intensified French military action against extremists abroad and a security crackdown at home.

Home to Europe's largest Muslim population, France is often accused of being "against" Islam because of its ban on the burqa and religious symbols such as headscarves in schools.