France

PARIS (Reuters) - How the European Union responds to the coronavirus outbreak will determine its credibility and utility, a French minister said on Sunday, after the bloc failed to agree last week on measures to cushion the economic blow from the pandemic.

“If Europe is just a single market when times are good, then it has no sense,” European Affairs minister Amelie de Montchalin told France Inter radio.

She said Europe’s populist parties would be the winners if EU leaders failed to act together during a major crisis.

PARIS, March 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — As Europe and the United States struggle to contain the coronavirus pandemic, aid groups warn that without measures millions could die in low-income countries and war zones such as Syria and Yemen, where hygiene conditions are already dire.

The outbreak has infected some 580,000 people and killed over 26,000 around the world after emerging in China in December last year.

PARIS (AP) — Health workers racing to save lives as France contends with one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks have received a huge show of gratitude with the help of the Eiffel Tower.

The Paris landmark also had a message for the broader French public: Stay home.

Lights spelled out “Merci,” French for ’Thank you,” and “Stay at home” in English on Friday night along with the tower’s famous sparkling illuminations.

PARIS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Declaring a war against "an invisible enemy," President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced an army operation "Resilience" to back the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and support the population.

"We are at war and faced with the peak of the epidemic which is before us, I decided to launch the operation Resilience," Macron said on the sidelines of a visit to a military field hospital in Mulhouse, eastern France, the worst-hit region.

PARIS, March 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than three billion people have been asked to stay at home in almost 70 countries and territories as governments battle the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe.

Most of the countries concerned, including Argentina, Britain, France, India and Italy as well as many US states, have imposed mandatory lockdown measures. Others have introduced curfews, quarantines and other social distancing recommendations.

PARIS, March 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) —The African saxophone legend Manu Dibango has died in Paris after catching coronavirus.

Dibango – best known for his 1972 hit Soul Makossa – is one of the first global stars to die from Covid-19.

The 86-year-old fused jazz and funk music with traditional sounds from his home country, Cameroon.

He collaborated with numerous artists over a long career, including US pianist Herbie Hancock and Nigeria’s Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.

PARIS (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday that he would soon present to President Emmanuel Macron various plans and options to help the country’s biggest companies cope with the coronavirus crisis, including possible nationalizations.

“We have several options on the table for all of the major industrial companies which could face major threats on the market. It could be us raising our stake in their capital....or it could be nationalizations,” Le Maire told France Inter radio.

PARIS, March 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of deaths around the world linked to the new coronavirus has topped 7,000, after Italy announced a new surge in fatalities

A total of 7,007 people have died, with a 175,536 infections recorded globally.

China has the highest number of fatalities at 3,213, followed by Italy with 2,158 deaths and almost 28,000 cases.

Since 1700 GMT on Sunday there were 587 new deaths reported and 11,597 new cases globally.

PARIS, March 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France deployed 100,000 police and gendarmerie forces Tuesday to control people’s movements because of the coronavirus outbreak, according to the country’s interior minister.

Christophe Castaner said those who do not respect the new rules, would be fined up to 135 euros ($151).

President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday that movement would be limited for 15 days, starting midday Tuesday.

As of late Monday, France reported 6,633 infections and 148 dead, an increase of 21 deaths and 1,210 new cases from the virus known as COVID-19.

PARIS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The coronavirus situation in France is "deteriorating very fast," the country's director-general of health said Monday.

"The number of cases double every three days," Jerome Salomon told national radio broadcaster France Inter, saying the outbreak in the country is "very worrying."

The total number of confirmed cases in France as of Monday reached 5,923, with 126 confirmed deaths, according to the World Health Organization.