Europe

France records 3,376 new COVID-19 cases

Editorial Bureau August 4, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – France has reported 3,376 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the last three days, according to the country’s health department on Monday. The seven-day moving average saw new cases above the 1,000 threshold for the fifth day in a row. France’s total number of

UK

Britain eyes France, Germany after imposing quarantine on those returning from Spain

Editorial Bureau July 27, 2020

LONDON (UK) – After imposing a two-week quarantine on those returning from Spain, Britain is closely scrutinising European destinations such as France and Germany. The quarantine for those visitors to Spain indicate that Europe is likely to face a second wave of economic turbulence as states scramble to stem the rising number of infections. Shares […]

Middle East

French foreign minister visits Lebanon to put pressure on Beirut to introduce reforms

Editorial Bureau July 23, 2020

BEIRUT (LEBANON) – French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who is on a visit to Lebanon, is slated to urge Beirut to come out with reforms to salvage the economy which has been battered. He is expected to meet President Michel Aoun on Thursday. The acute financial crisis has been the result of decades of […]

Europe

Le Maire says France is open for Huawei making investments

Ren Leen July 21, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday that France would not have problems with China’s Huawei from making investments in the country. Le Maire told France Info radio there was “no blanket ban” on Huawei in France, however, it also reinforced that locations found protective would be protected. Le Maire […]

Europe

Mask-wearing in banks and shops to be enforced in France from July 20

Editorial Bureau July 18, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – France will implement mask-wearing in enclosed public spaces including banks, shops and indoor markets from July 20, Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Saturday. He announced this as part of efforts to curb a second wave of COVID-19 across the country. The government has fastened plans to make wearing masks compulsory after […]

Business

Engie to appoint new CEO in September, says French newspaper

Editorial Bureau July 12, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper has reported that former French gas monopoly Engie would nominate a new chief executive officer in September. This comes as it surges ahead with a transformation towards renewable energies. Earlier, Engie’s board of directors decided against renewing the mandate of CEO Isabelle Kocher, the sole female head […]

Europe

New French PM says focus would be on any new coronavirus lockdown

Ren Leen July 8, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – In case of an outbreak of a new major coronavirus outbreak, any new lockdown would be aimed at, though not nationwide, New French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Wednesday. In an interview with news channel BFM, he also said that after talks on pension reform were suspended due to a two-month […]

Europe

France tells Airbus to reduce compulsory job cuts

Editorial Bureau July 1, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – The French government proposed Airbus on Wednesday to make as few compulsory excesses as possible after the European aircraft maker announced it was laying off 15,000 posts in Europe to get through the coronavirus crisis. Junior Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said the government estimated at least 2,000 of the planned 5,000 cuts […]

Europe

Groups set up adolescent migrant camp in Paris to highlight their condition

Editorial Bureau June 30, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and four other humanitarian groups installed a migrant campsite in Paris taking in about 100 adolescents, the organisations said on Tuesday, to draw attention to the dangers they face. The organisations set up the campsite overnight near the French capital’s Place de la Republique, to highlight the condition […]

Europe

French consumer sentiment moves up more than expected in June

Editorial Bureau June 26, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – French consumer confidence saw a resurgence more than expected in June despite persisting fears of households fears about unemployment and the economic outlook remained high, a monthly survey showed. The INSEE official statistics agency said its consumer sentiment index rose to 97 from 93 in May, beating an average forecast for 95 […]