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Wet south-east, dry north: France's reversed rainfall pattern March-May 2025
Precipitation exceeded seasonal averages by more than 60% in Alpes-Maritimes and Var
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French rail union announces June - September strike action
Rolling strike attempts to catch rail operator off guard with last-minute walkouts
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Two supermarket olive oil brands may pose health risk says French consumer organisation
Oil revealed as having the lowest level of pollutants is surprisingly affordable
Cigarette firms face cheat claim on tar tests
As cigarette prices rise to €8 a pack, it raises suspicions
Tobacco giants have been accused of cheating nicotine and tar tests meaning smokers are inhaling five times as much nicotine and up to 10 times as much tar as thought.
Anti-smoking group Comité National Contre le Tabagisme said its tests had shown that tiny holes in cigarette filters “falsified results” by allowing more air to pass when used on a test machine than when covered by a smoker’s fingers or lips.
It has started legal action in Paris against Philip Morris, British American, Japan Tobacco and Imperial Brands saying they are tricking “smokers who think they are smoking one packet a day but are actually smoking the equivalent of two to 10 packets”.
Tobacco is blamed for 75,000 deaths a year from cancer and cardiovascular problems in France. The industry has faced measures to cut smoking, including the introduction of plain packs and a series of price rises ending in €10 packets by 2020.