 BBC News with Chris Barrow. The first round of France's parliamentary elections is taking place today, with the far-right national rally widely expected to come in first place. A second round will follow in a week's time. The UN says conditions for Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip are unbearable, following a flare-up in fighting in the Shajaya neighbourhood. The scale of the hostilities has been intense, with the Israeli military using warplanes, tanks and drones for three days.