France

Photo Story: Eiffel Tower goes dark in support for victims of explosion in Beirut

A combination image shows the Eiffel Tower is seen illuminated before its traditional night-time illumination is switched off (L) and after (R) in support of the victims of a massive explosion…

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France’s daily COVID-19 cases highest since end-May

France’s daily COVID-19 infections reached the highest in more than two months on Wednesday, at 1,695, and the seven-day moving average stood above the 1,300 threshold for the first time…

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France’s Charles-de-Gaulle airport enforces Covid-19 testing on arrival

France's Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport has begun compulsory testing on arrival for passengers from 16 countries where the coronavirus virus is circulating widely. It comes as the number of daily Covid-19 cases…

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Number of French in intensive care increase for second day in a row

The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units in French hospitals rose for the second day in a row, reversing a downtrend that has been in place for 16…

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French top scientific body sees second wave of COVID-19 in autumn or winter

A second wave of the coronavirus epidemic is "highly likely" to hit France in the autumn or winter, the government's top scientific body warned on Tuesday, as authorities seek to contain an increase in…

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French manufacturing picks up in July but new orders stagnate

French manufacturing activity picked up a touch in July although new orders remained stagnant, a monthly survey showed on Monday, as the euro zone's second-biggest economy feels the impact of…

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Wearing of masks made compulsory in much of French city of Nice

People will have to wear masks outdoors in many of the major areas of the southern French city of Nice, Mayor Christian Estrosi said on Monday, including parts of the…

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Travellers entering France from 16 countries will have to undergo tests

Travellers entering France from 16 countries where the coronavirus is circulating widely are having to undergo virus tests upon arrival at French airports and ports. French Prime Minister Jean Castex…

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French daily coronavirus infection rate back to lockdown levels

France reported 1,346 new coronavirus infections on Friday, taking the total to 187,919 as the daily tally of new cases remained above 1,300 for the third day running, a level…

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BNP Paribas to move 400 jobs to Europe due to Brexit

French bank BNP Paribas said on Friday it was creating 400 jobs in continental Europe due to Britain's exit from the European Union, and that it has taken all measures…

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French economy shrank by record 13.8%

The French economy contracted by a post-war record of 13.8% in the second quarter, as consumption, investment and trade all collapsed under a lockdown imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic,…

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France gives cities power to require face masks; mandate imposed in Lille

France gave local governments the power on Friday to make the wearing of face masks compulsory in public, and a mandate was imposed in the northern city of Lille, as…

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French cities tighten coronavirus rules

Face masks may need to be worn more widely in a number of French cities as cases continue to rise (masks are already required in all enclosed public spaces nationwide,…

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France’s crisis recovery may be better than expected

France's economic slump may not be quite as bad as forecast and activity in the euro zone's second biggest economy could return to pre-crisis levels in early 2022, the central…

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French luxury group Hermes sales tumble due to the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic

French luxury group Hermes said on Thursday comparable sales in the second quarter fell by 42% due to the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and that the impact of the…

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Macron’s popularity shoots up

French President Emmanuel Macron’s popularity shot up by six points in July to reach the 50% threshold in an opinion poll on Wednesday, after clinching a deal with other European…

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French health minister says observing social distancing ‘vital’ to avoid new lockdown

France's health minister urged the country on Wednesday not to drop its guard against COVID-19, saying it faced a long battle and that observing social distancing rules was vital to…

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France’s new COVID-19 cases hit one-month peak

The number of new coronavirus infections in France rose by 1,392 on Wednesday, the highest daily tally in a month and a figure likely to fuel fears of a second…

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Back to the future – The countries reintroducing Covid-19 restrictions

The UK - having imposed new restrictions on those returning from Spain, and previously introduced its first local lockdown in Leicester - is far from the only country to have…

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Volunteer at Nantes cathedral in France confesses to setting it blaze

A Rwandan refugee who volunteered as a warden at France’s 15th-century Nantes cathedral has confessed to setting the blaze that gutted its interior a week ago, his lawyer said on…

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Other countries, including France and Germany, could join Spain on UK’s quarantine list

The Telegraph reports that fears are growing that countries like France and Germany could join Spain on the UK’s quarantine list, as the Government warned it would take similar quick…

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Countries whose travellers will be tested for COVID in French airports

People arriving from 16 countries outside the European Union where the infection rate of COVID-19 is deemed to be high will be subject to compulsory testing on arrival at French…

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Progress in the fight against coronavirus since the end of lockdown had been “erased” – French Health Minister

France sounded an alarm call on Saturday, warning its progress in the fight against coronavirus since the end of lockdown had been “erased” as Europe faced a significant surge in…

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France expands free COVID-19 testing as infection rates rise

French health authorities are making COVID-19 tests available free of charge without prescription as they closely monitor an uptick in infections after the lifting of lockdown measures. PCR nasal swab…

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France to fight cannabis use with €200 on-the-spot fines

France’s new prime minister announced plans on Saturday to introduce on-the-spot fines for some drug offences amid mounting concern about over-stretched policing after a series of violent episodes in urban…

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France calls on Spain to limit border crossings amidst fear of second wave

France has called on Spain to severely limit border crossings following a rise in infection rates in the neighbouring country. Jean Castex, the French prime minister, also advised French against travelling…

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Neymar goal gives Paris St Germain Coupe de France victory over St Etienne

Paris St Germain’s Neymar struck early to secure a 1-0 win over 10-man St Etienne as they claimed a record-extending 13th Coupe de France on Friday in a near empty…

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France dispatches free Covid-19 face masks to 7 million amid hardship concerns

Face masks are mandatory in France as of Monday in closed public spaces with offenders subject to a €135 fine. And while the fact of donning a mask to stymie…

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Deputy mayor of Paris resigns over links with alleged child rapist

A deputy mayor of Paris resigned following protests over his links with alleged child sex abuser Gabriel Matzneff, an award-winning writer. Christophe Girard, one of newly re-elected mayor Anne Hidalgo's…

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France sees ‘significant’ surge in cases as COVID-19 traces found in Paris sewage system

France's public health authority said on Thursday there had been a significant rise in confirmed new cases of people suffering from Covid-19, as the number of deaths in the country edged…

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French economy to rebound to pre-crisis levels by 2022

The French economy is on course to rebound by 8% next year and should return to pre-crisis levels by 2022, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday. Le…

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Photo Story: France youngest Mayor poses in Paris

Hugo Biolley, the youngest Mayor of France poses in front of the National Assembly in Paris France. Biolley, 19-year-old, was elected in Ardeche, Central France, and became the youngest mayor…

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Restoration of France’s fire-damaged Nantes cathedral to take at least 3 years

Restoration of the 15th century cathedral in the French city of Nantes that was hit by fire last week will take at least 3 years, chief architect Pascal Prunet told…

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France’s Macron wants sanctions over violations in Greek and Cypriot maritime space

France's president on Thursday said it would be a serious error by the European Union to not respond to provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean and said he wanted more sanctions…

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Historic EU deal was all about European solidarity – French Foreign Minister

France's foreign minister dismissed accusations by far-left lawmakers that President Emmanuel Macron had struck an EU economic recovery deal that sold Paris short, saying on Tuesday (July 21) it was "historic" and showed European solidarity.…

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Covid-19 outbreaks in Spain and France disrupt travel plans

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in France and Spain have caused fears of a second wave, and potential disruption for holidaymakers this summer. Spain has identified 5,695 cases of Covid-19 in the…

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Police clear suspected man of all suspicion about Nantes cathedral fire

French police cleared a 39-year-old Rwandan refugee of all suspicion on Sunday and released him after questioning the man about a fire at the 15th-century cathedral in the French city…

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Libya: Germany, France and Italy threaten sanctions

The leaders of France, Italy and Germany urged "all foreign actors" to stop interfering in Libya and to respect the UN arms embargo on the country. The trio hinted at…

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UPDATED: French authorities treating Nantes cathedral fire as criminal act

A major fire broke out in the cathedral in the western French city of Nantes on Saturday, blowing out stained glass windows and destroying the grand organ in the 15th-century building, officials…

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Disneyland Paris, Eiffel Tower re-open for visitors

The French tourist industry received a further boost Wednesday with the partial reopening of Disneyland Paris and the opening up of the top floor of the Eiffel Tower. France 24…

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France to cut companies tax to boost economy

The French government will cut taxes French companies have to pay in addition to normal corporate income tax by 20 billion euros ($22.8 billion) over the next two years, Finance…

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Banksy mural stolen at Bataclan returned to France from Italy

Italy on Tuesday handed back to France a mural painted by British street artist Banksy which was stolen from the Paris Bataclan theatre, where militant Islamist gunmen killed scores of…

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Masks to become mandatory in France

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday France would turn the screw on mask-wearing among signs that the coronavirus is picking up again in some parts of the country. POLITICO reports that Macron…

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France scales down Bastille Day celebrations as Macron outlines recovery plans

France held a scaled-down annual Bastille Day celebration on Tuesday (July 14), with none of the usual tanks and troops parading down Paris's Champs Elysees avenue, in a concession to the…

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France reduces Chinese flights to Paris in tit-for-tat row

France on Monday started restricting Chinese airlines to one passenger flight per week, saying it was acting in response to curbs imposed by Beijing on French carriers. "From July 13,…

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French healthcare workers get significant pay rise after coronavirus efforts

The French government and unions reached an agreement providing a significant increase in pay to health care workers, worth some eight billion euros with the prime minister saying the move…

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French consumption has almost returned to normal levels

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Monday that French consumption has almost returned to normal levels and that forced household savings during the coronavirus lockdown period could boost…

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France and Britain agree to form joint unit to fight migrant traffickers

The interior ministers of France and Britain on Sunday signed an agreement creating a new joint police intelligence unit to combat migrant traffickers and reduce the "unsustainable" numbers crossing the…

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Photo Story: Mega-yacht ‘Sailing Yacht A’ anchors in Antibes

The sailing yacht 'Sailing Yacht A' is seen in the bay of Antibes, near Nice, southeastern France. The eight-deck 'Sailing Yacht A', built for Andrei Melnichenko, a Russian billionaire businessman,…

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Photo Story: Bastille Opera house tribute to French medical personnel

An installation by French street artists JR, composed of portraits of medical personnel, adorns the facade of the Bastille Opera house. The message says, 'Thank you to our healthcare professionals',…

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French officials call for vigilance to prevent second wave

As France passed the grim toll of more than 30,000 deaths due to coronavirus at the start of the weekend, officials began to warn of slight rise in cases in…

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Serbia, Kosovo resume ‘very difficult’ talks on normalising ties

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo at the beginning of the weekend held their first talks in 18 months on resolving one of Europe's most intractable territorial disputes, agreeing to…

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US announced 25% tariff on French handbags and cosmetics

The Trump administration announced a 25 percent tariff on $1.3 billion worth of French handbags, cosmetics and soaps in retaliation for a digital services tax on U.S. internet giants, but…

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Bus driver declared brain dead after attack by passengers who refused to wear face mask in France

A French bus driver declared brain dead after an attack by passengers who refused to wear face masks has died, according to his family. Philippe Monguillot, 59, died in hospital…

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French industrial output bounced back more than expected in May

French industrial output rebounded more in May than expected after slumping the previous month during a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, official data showed on Friday. Production at French factories, mines and…

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Notre Dame’s spire will be restored to 19th Century design

The spire of Notre Dame cathedral, which was destroyed in a fire last April, will be restored according to the original Gothic design. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the decision,…

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New coronavirus cases, deaths in France higher than average

The numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths in France reported on Wednesday were higher than the daily average seen over the last week, as health officials warned of a…

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