France on Sunday night became one of a long list of countries (almost 40 at the last count) to ban travel from the UK over fears of a new strain of the Covid-19 virus, as announced by the British government.

The French health minister says there is no proof that the new strain is actually significantly more contagious, but that France was taking precautions by putting in a ban on all passenger and accompanied freight traffic until new protection measures can be put in place.

Here’s a complete guide to the travel rules currently in place and here’s a round-up of which other countries in Europe have banned travel form the UK. The situation is changing all the time though, so keep an eye on our homepage for the latest if you’re planning on travelling.

Travel from France to the UK is not affected by the ban, but is very disrupted as operators have cancelled many services – here is what’s running.

Crime

French prosecutors have launched an investigation into anti-Semitic insults aimed at a runner-up in the Miss France contest.

The final, which was broadcast on TV on Sunday night, is a big deal in France. As well as the usual virtues of looking good in a frock and wanting world peace, contestants also have to answer a series of questions about France's culture and heritage – you can try your hand at the quiz here.

Health

The French health minister has confirmed that there will be no last-minute rule changes in France over Christmas.

He also added that the first Covid-19 vaccinations will start on Sunday – the first phase involved nursing home residents and staff.

Language

Did you ever, flushed with success at how your language classes were going, try to strike up a conversation with a French person only to become instantly and embarrassingly lost? We asked our French language expert to pinpoint where people generally go wrong.

If you do get lost, you might find our French phrase of the day handy too.