By French standards, it was a peaceful New Year’s Eve.

Only 1,067 cars and vans were destroyed by arson, a “significant” reduction of   more than 10 per cent compared to the number of vehicles set ablaze last   year, according to Manuel Valls, the Interior Minister.

All things considered, it was a “positive result”, Mr Valls told a press   conference on Wednesday. He said he regretted the deaths of three people in   knife attacks in Paris and in eastern and southern France.

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