Several French regions have banned the sale of petrol in containers during the Christmas holiday period amid fears of a flare-up of violence such as last month's riots, when youths used petrol bombs in nationwide clashes, Reuters reported. The local government authority of Yvelines, to the west of Paris, said on Saturday it had banned the sale of petrol in container cans from Dec. 24 and Jan. 2. Other areas extended earlier bans on such sales of petrol, including several areas in the suburbs of Paris which bore the brunt of last month's unrest. Urban riots broke out throughout France in November as youths in rundown suburbs rampaged in several cities. Even before November's riots, disaffected youths had tended to burn cars during New Years Eve festivities, and French police forces have warned there could be similar disturbances this year.
