By , PARIS (Reuters) - France reported 35,879 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the total to 1.86 million, overtaking Russia and making France the worst affected country in the European region.With a total of 1,865,538 confirmed cases, France is the fourth-worst affected country in the world for novel coronavirus infections, according to a Reuters tally.Italy surpassed the one-million infections mark on Wednesday, leap-frogging Mexico to become one of the top 10 worst-affected countries, while the United Kingdom passed 50,000 deaths in the eight-month long pandemic.France is almost...…By , PARIS (Reuters) - France reported 35,879 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the total to 1.86 million, overtaking Russia and making France the worst affected country in the European region.With a total of 1,865,538 confirmed cases, France is the fourth-worst affected country in the world for novel coronavirus infections, according to a Reuters tally.Italy surpassed the one-million infections mark on Wednesday, leap-frogging Mexico to become one of the top 10 worst-affected countries, while the United Kingdom passed 50,000 deaths in the eight-month long pandemic.France is almost...WW…

By , PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday ordered France into its third national lockdown and said schools would close for three weeks as he sought to push back a third wave of COVID-19 infections that threatens to overwhelm hospitals.With the death toll nearing 100,000, intensive care units in the hardest-hit regions at breaking point and a slower-than-planned vaccine rollout, Macron was forced to abandon his goal of keeping the country open to protect the economy.“We will lose control if we do not move now,” the president said in a televised address to the nation.His...…By , PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday ordered France into its third national lockdown and said schools would close for three weeks as he sought to push back a third wave of COVID-19 infections that threatens to overwhelm hospitals.With the death toll nearing 100,000, intensive care units in the hardest-hit regions at breaking point and a slower-than-planned vaccine rollout, Macron was forced to abandon his goal of keeping the country open to protect the economy.“We will lose control if we do not move now,” the president said in a televised address to the nation.His...WW…

By PARIS (Reuters) - Three Paris police officers being held over the beating of a Black music producer during an arrest a week ago will remain in custody for now, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said on Sunday.Heitz told a press briefing that judicial authorities wanted to make sure that the three did not have any contact with one another and that they could not exert any pressure on witnesses.The minutes-long beating of producer Michel Zecler was recorded on CCTV and has been widely circulated on social media, sparking an outcry in the national and foreign press and demonstrations against...…By PARIS (Reuters) - Three Paris police officers being held over the beating of a Black music producer during an arrest a week ago will remain in custody for now, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said on Sunday.Heitz told a press briefing that judicial authorities wanted to make sure that the three did not have any contact with one another and that they could not exert any pressure on witnesses.The minutes-long beating of producer Michel Zecler was recorded on CCTV and has been widely circulated on social media, sparking an outcry in the national and foreign press and demonstrations against...WW…

By , ISTANBUL/PARIS (Reuters) - France recalled its ambassador on Saturday after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his counterpart Emmanuel Macron needed mental help over his attitude towards Muslims.“Outrage and insult are not a method,” Macron’s office said.The French leader this month declared war on “Islamist separatism”, which he believes is taking over some Muslim communities in France.France has since been shaken by the beheading of a teacher by an Islamist radical, avenging the use of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a class on freedom of expression.“What is the problem of...…By , ISTANBUL/PARIS (Reuters) - France recalled its ambassador on Saturday after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his counterpart Emmanuel Macron needed mental help over his attitude towards Muslims.“Outrage and insult are not a method,” Macron’s office said.The French leader this month declared war on “Islamist separatism”, which he believes is taking over some Muslim communities in France.France has since been shaken by the beheading of a teacher by an Islamist radical, avenging the use of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a class on freedom of expression.“What is the problem of...WW…

By , ISTANBUL/PARIS (Reuters) - France recalled its ambassador on Saturday after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his counterpart Emmanuel Macron needed mental help over his attitude towards Muslims.“Outrage and insult are not a method,” Macron’s office said.The French leader this month declared war on “Islamist separatism”, which he believes is taking over some Muslim communities in France.France has since been shaken by the beheading of a teacher by an Islamist radical, avenging the use of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a class on freedom of expression.“What is the problem of...…By , ISTANBUL/PARIS (Reuters) - France recalled its ambassador on Saturday after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his counterpart Emmanuel Macron needed mental help over his attitude towards Muslims.“Outrage and insult are not a method,” Macron’s office said.The French leader this month declared war on “Islamist separatism”, which he believes is taking over some Muslim communities in France.France has since been shaken by the beheading of a teacher by an Islamist radical, avenging the use of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a class on freedom of expression.“What is the problem of...WW…

By , PARIS/MADRID (Reuters) - Europe faces a lengthy battle against the coronavirus at least until mid-2021, France warned on Friday, as anxious governments introduced ever more restrictions to curb the disease once again accelerating through the continent.Europe’s daily infections have more than doubled in the last 10 days, reaching a total of 7.8 million cases and about 247,000 deaths, as a second wave right before winter has crushed economic revival hopes.“When I listen to scientists I see that projections are for at best until next summer,” French President Emmanuel Macron said during a...…By , PARIS/MADRID (Reuters) - Europe faces a lengthy battle against the coronavirus at least until mid-2021, France warned on Friday, as anxious governments introduced ever more restrictions to curb the disease once again accelerating through the continent.Europe’s daily infections have more than doubled in the last 10 days, reaching a total of 7.8 million cases and about 247,000 deaths, as a second wave right before winter has crushed economic revival hopes.“When I listen to scientists I see that projections are for at best until next summer,” French President Emmanuel Macron said during a...WW…

By PARIS (Reuters) - 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 last seen during lockdown.At the end of the first month of school holidays, with millions of French people traveling and mingling with friends and family not seen for weeks, the infection rate has risen back to a level last reported in late April, when the epidemic was in full swing and a strict lockdown was in place.Comparisons can be difficult, as the health ministry does not publish data every...…By PARIS (Reuters) - 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 last seen during lockdown.At the end of the first month of school holidays, with millions of French people traveling and mingling with friends and family not seen for weeks, the infection rate has risen back to a level last reported in late April, when the epidemic was in full swing and a strict lockdown was in place.Comparisons can be difficult, as the health ministry does not publish data every...WW…

By PARIS (Reuters) - Being overweight is a major risk for people infected with the new coronavirus and the United States is particularly vulnerable because of high obesity levels there, France’s chief epidemiologist said on Wednesday.Slideshow Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, who heads the scientific council that advises the government on the epidemic, said as many as 17 million of France’s 67 million citizens were seriously at risk from the coronavirus because of age, pre-existing illness or obesity.“This virus is terrible, it can hit young people, in particular obese young people....…By PARIS (Reuters) - Being overweight is a major risk for people infected with the new coronavirus and the United States is particularly vulnerable because of high obesity levels there, France’s chief epidemiologist said on Wednesday.Slideshow Professor Jean-François Delfraissy, who heads the scientific council that advises the government on the epidemic, said as many as 17 million of France’s 67 million citizens were seriously at risk from the coronavirus because of age, pre-existing illness or obesity.“This virus is terrible, it can hit young people, in particular obese young people....WW…

By , PARIS (Reuters) - France’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 348 to 26,991 on Tuesday, overtaking Spain to become the country with the world’s fourth-highest number of fatalities after the United States, Britain and Italy.Official data had showed France’s coronavirus casualty rate trailing Spain’s closely for several weeks, with both countries’ tolls above 22,000 since April 24 and Spain’s less than 100 more than France’s over several days last week.On Tuesday the United States’ COVID-19 death toll stood at 80,606, Britain at 32,065 and Italy at 30,911. Spain followed France with...…By , PARIS (Reuters) - France’s death toll from the coronavirus rose by 348 to 26,991 on Tuesday, overtaking Spain to become the country with the world’s fourth-highest number of fatalities after the United States, Britain and Italy.Official data had showed France’s coronavirus casualty rate trailing Spain’s closely for several weeks, with both countries’ tolls above 22,000 since April 24 and Spain’s less than 100 more than France’s over several days last week.On Tuesday the United States’ COVID-19 death toll stood at 80,606, Britain at 32,065 and Italy at 30,911. Spain followed France with...WW…