PARIS, Oct 23 (Reuters) - France will deploy 70,000 police at nationwide protests ⁠on ⁠Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Friday, looking to ⁠prevent a repeat of the violence and looting that shocked the country last weekend.

Hundreds of thousands earlier attended largely peaceful protests, with demonstrations also taking place in Italy, Belgium and Albania.

French unrest pushed bond yields to a 24-year high as investors weigh budget, growth and sectors risks ahead of more protests.

French President Emmanuel Macron blamed "ultra-left groups" for riots and looting as Paris businesses board up windows ahead of Saturday protests.

About 70,000 police and security officers, mobilized ahead of mass protests, will try to avert the arson and looting that shocked the country last weekend.

France responds to ICE's criticism of protests with U.S. gun crime statistics as Trump blames unrest on migrants.

Some shops decided staying open was too risky after last week's events, when rioters smashed and looted hundreds of shops in Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux.

Moody’s held the country’s credit rating steady amid political uncertainty and a rise in borrowing costs that have worsened France’s debt situation.

PARIS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - France ⁠reported ⁠the first human case of the ⁠Shamonda virus usually found in livestock on Thursday in a hospital patient who died, though ​authorities said there was no risk to the general population.