France

PARIS (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Monday that he would hold new meetings this week with representatives of the country’s automotive industry, which has been hit hard by the impact of the coronavirus.

Le Maire also told BFM Business radio that he regretted a decision by the CGT trade union to prevent a reopening of a Renault plant at Sandouville, just as the French government tries to get the country back to work as lockdown measures start to ease.

PARIS, May 7 (Xinhua) -- France would start to ease restrictions on movement from next Monday through "a very gradual process" which would stretch over several weeks at least to avoid a resurgence of COVID-19, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed on Thursday.

"Following the data of the past few days, the gradual lifting of the confinement can be started on May 11. This is a new step in the fight against the epidemic," Philippe announced.

PARIS, May 5 (Xinhua) -- French people would have to spend summer holidays at home as international trips and travel within Europe may have to be limited on risks of new wave of coronavirus epidemic, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.

"It is too early to say whether we can take holidays. What I can say is that we will limit major international travel, even during the summer holidays," Macron said during a visit to a school in Paris suburbs.

PARIS (Reuters) - French carrier Air France is to require all passengers on board its flights to wear masks from May 11 to comply with French government guidelines on COVID-19 protection measures.

The company said in a statement that passengers would have to supply the masks themselves, and would be expected to keep them on for the duration of their flight.

Major airlines, among them Lufthansa, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, have already mandated face masks for all passengers.

PARIS, May 3 (NNN-XINHUA) – The French government decided to extend the state of health emergency until July 24, to fight against the virus pandemic, Minister of Health, Olivier Vrran, announced.

The state of health emergency, installed since Mar 24, is to be extended because lifting it, as previously scheduled on May 23, “would be premature” as the risks of an epidemic resurgence are present, the minister told a press conference.

PARIS, May 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France reported 289 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, a drop of more than 100 from the previous day, as well as another decline in the number of patients in intensive care.

Top health official Jerome Salomon said the increase brought the country’s total death toll to 24,376, the world’s fifth highest figure after the United States, Italy, Britain and Spain.

The daily toll was well down from the 427 reported on Wednesday.

PARIS, May 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Criminals are using food delivery services as a cover to transport drugs and other illegal goods during the Coronavirus crisis, which has seen countries around the world go into lockdown, said the Interpol police organisation.

Interpol said it had received reports from police in Ireland, Malaysia, Spain and Britain identifying delivery drivers transporting drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, ketamine and ecstasy.

PARIS, April 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — COVID-19 is expected to cause global energy emissions to fall a record eight percent this year due to an unprecedented drop in demand for coal, oil and gas, the International Energy Agency said.

The IEA’s Global Energy Review was based on an analysis of electricity demand over more than 100 days, during which much of the world has entered lockdown in a bid to control the pandemic.

30 April 2020; AFP: COVID-19 is expected to cause global energy emissions to fall a record eight percent this year due to an unprecedented drop in demand for coal, oil and gas, the International Energy Agency said Thursday.

The IEA's Global Energy Review was based on an analysis of electricity demand over more than 100 days, during which much of the world has entered lockdown in a bid to control the pandemic.

27 April 2020; AFP: French police have seized 140,000 face masks intended for the black market in a record haul since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is the largest seizure since the French government banned the resale of protective masks to prioritise their distribution to health workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two individuals were arrested while they were unloading boxes in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, a police source said on Sunday.