President Emmanuel Macron replaced his prime minister on Friday in the first stage of a high-stakes government reshuffle aimed at relaunching his troubled presidency for the final two years of his term.Jean Castex, the conservative mayor of the small southern town of Prades, succeeded Édouard Philippe, also a conservative.Mr Philippe, 49, whose adroit handling of the coronavirus epidemic made him is seen by some as a possible rival to Mr Macron in the 2022 presidential election.The reshuffle comes after a wave of Green local election victories humiliated Mr Macron’s centrist party last...…President Emmanuel Macron replaced his prime minister on Friday in the first stage of a high-stakes government reshuffle aimed at relaunching his troubled presidency for the final two years of his term.Jean Castex, the conservative mayor of the small southern town of Prades, succeeded Édouard Philippe, also a conservative.Mr Philippe, 49, whose adroit handling of the coronavirus epidemic made him is seen by some as a possible rival to Mr Macron in the 2022 presidential election.The reshuffle comes after a wave of Green local election victories humiliated Mr Macron’s centrist party last...WW…

Coronavirus cases in France continue to fall one month after ending the strict eight-week lockdown, with no 'second peak' in infections as restaurants open, children return to school and families travel for weekend breaks.The figures offer a rosy picture for Emmanuel Macron, the president, to present to the nation in an address on Sunday night that will attempt to reassure an anxious public that the government has a viable “post-virus” plan to put the country back on its feet.Authorities say there are only 933 virus patients in intensive care across the country, down from 7,148 in April....…Coronavirus cases in France continue to fall one month after ending the strict eight-week lockdown, with no 'second peak' in infections as restaurants open, children return to school and families travel for weekend breaks.The figures offer a rosy picture for Emmanuel Macron, the president, to present to the nation in an address on Sunday night that will attempt to reassure an anxious public that the government has a viable “post-virus” plan to put the country back on its feet.Authorities say there are only 933 virus patients in intensive care across the country, down from 7,148 in April....WW…

France reported more than 12,300 new coronavirus cases this week as the infection rate rose to its highest in more than two months, sparking fears of a deadly second wave.Young people have been blamed for failing to maintain social distancing and not wearing masks, perhaps because many think they will not fall seriously ill if they catch Covid-19.Infections are increasing fastest among people under 45, with a 45 per cent increase in the 15-44 age group, compared with 20 per cent for people aged 45 to 64, and five per cent among those aged 65 to 74, according to the public health...…France reported more than 12,300 new coronavirus cases this week as the infection rate rose to its highest in more than two months, sparking fears of a deadly second wave.Young people have been blamed for failing to maintain social distancing and not wearing masks, perhaps because many think they will not fall seriously ill if they catch Covid-19.Infections are increasing fastest among people under 45, with a 45 per cent increase in the 15-44 age group, compared with 20 per cent for people aged 45 to 64, and five per cent among those aged 65 to 74, according to the public health...WW…

A history teacher who showed his pupils cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in class was beheaded near his school in a Paris suburb on Friday by a suspected Islamist terrorist who shouted “Allahu Akbar", police said.Alerted by local residents, police confronted and shot dead a man armed with a kitchen knife and an air gun who refused to drop his weapons and surrender, and threatened them.Minutes later, officers found the body of the male teacher.A bomb disposal unit was called in to check whether the presumed assailant was wearing a suicide vest or belt.Witnesses told police they heard the...…A history teacher who showed his pupils cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in class was beheaded near his school in a Paris suburb on Friday by a suspected Islamist terrorist who shouted “Allahu Akbar", police said.Alerted by local residents, police confronted and shot dead a man armed with a kitchen knife and an air gun who refused to drop his weapons and surrender, and threatened them.Minutes later, officers found the body of the male teacher.A bomb disposal unit was called in to check whether the presumed assailant was wearing a suicide vest or belt.Witnesses told police they heard the...WW…

Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected a Eurosceptic party’s attempt to restrict immigration from the EU in a referendum yesterday (on Sunday) seen as a key test of attitudes towards foreigners.The Swiss People’s Party (SVP) called the referendum on scrapping a mutual free movement agreement with the EU. Echoing some of the arguments for Brexit, the Right-wing populist party pushed to take back control of immigration, which it said had become “uncontrolled and excessive”.Switzerland’s population of about 8.2 million includes some 1.4 million EU citizens. About half a million Swiss...…Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected a Eurosceptic party’s attempt to restrict immigration from the EU in a referendum yesterday (on Sunday) seen as a key test of attitudes towards foreigners.The Swiss People’s Party (SVP) called the referendum on scrapping a mutual free movement agreement with the EU. Echoing some of the arguments for Brexit, the Right-wing populist party pushed to take back control of immigration, which it said had become “uncontrolled and excessive”.Switzerland’s population of about 8.2 million includes some 1.4 million EU citizens. About half a million Swiss...WW…