The 6am-7pm curfew was also extended from the 19 regions including Paris to all of mainland France and Corsica.

France: Schools, Non-essential shops to remain shut

French energy giant Total has shut its operations and withdrawn all staff from a site in northern Mozambique following last week's deadly jihadist attack in the area, security sources said Friday.

"Total has gone," a security source in Maputo told AFP, adding that "it will be hard to persuade them to return" this year.

And a military source added, "all the facilities are abandoned.

"Total made a decision to evacuate all of its staff", after drone surveillance showed insurgents were in areas "very close" to the gas plant in Afungi.

Another source confirmed the were reports that insurgents were not far from the site.

Afungi peninsula is only 10 kilometres (six miles) from the town of Palma, which came under attack more than a week ago, resulting in the death of dozens of people, including at least two expatriate workers.&nbsp;

The brazen assault on March 24 was the latest in a string of more than 830 organised raids by the Islamist militants over the past three years during which more than 2,600 people have died.&nbsp;

Total had already evacuated some staff and suspended construction work in late December following a series of violent attacks near its compound.

But last week's raid is seen as the biggest escalation of the Islamist insurgency ravaging Cabo Delgado province since 2017.

Many&nbsp;civilian survivors fled their homes flocking towards the heavily secured gas plant.

- 'Security compromised' -

An estimated 15,000 people have gathered near the site, while more are still arriving and "security is compromised", said another source.

The humanitarian "situation continues to deteriorate," added the source&nbsp;

Total's clear-out came as Afungi army commander Chongo Vidigal declared on Thursday the gas project was "protected".

"We are currently in the special area in Afungi and never had a terrorism threat," he said.&nbsp;

Total did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Most means of communication were cut after the Palma onslaught began.

Thousands of troops have been deployed to Cabo Delgado, but Mozambique's ability to fight the insurgency has long been questioned, with analysts pointing to poor training and lack of equipment.&nbsp;

Government security forces are also bolstered by a South African private military company, Dyck Advisory Group (DAG).

Total and its partners planned to invest $20 billion in the project, the largest amount ever for a project in Africa.

In February, &nbsp;Total chief executive Patrick Pouyanne insisted that the project, which it inherited from the US energy firm Anadarko, was still on track to begin operations in 2024.

He said this having reached agreement with Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi to set up a 25-kilometre (15-mile) radius secure zone around the site.

But last week the jihadists attacked, just 10 kilometres from the compound and reportedly beheaded residents and ransacked buildings in the latest rampage.

Hundreds, including many foreign workers, have been evacuated by air and sea while thousands of locals walked to safety.

The UN said it has recorded at least 9,100 people internally displaced by the latest violence.

The violence has uprooted nearly 700,000 people from their homes since October 2017.

Cabo Delgado's jihadists have wreaked havoc across the province with the aim of establishing a caliphate.

The insurgents are affiliated with the Islamic State group, which claimed the Palma attack.

French energy giant Total has shut its operations and withdrawn all staff from a site in northern Mozambique following last week's deadly jihadist attack in the area, security sources said Friday.

French energy giant Total has shut its operations and withdrawn all staff from a site in northern Mozambique following last week's deadly jihadist attack in the area, security sources said Friday. "Total has gone," a security source in Maputo told AFP, adding that "it will be hard to persuade them to return" this year. And a military source added, "all the facilities are abandoned. "Total made a decision to evacuate all of its staff", after drone surveillance showed insurgents were in areas "very close" to the gas plant in Afungi. Another source confirmed the were reports that insurgents were not far from the site. Afungi peninsula is only 10 kilometres (six miles) from the town of Palma, which came under attack more than a week ago, resulting in the death of dozens of people, including at least two expatriate workers. The brazen assault on March 24 was the latest in a string of more than 830 organised raids by the Islamist militants over the past three years during which more than 2,600 people have died. Total had already evacuated some staff and suspended construction work in late December following a series of violent attacks near its compound. But last week's raid is seen as the biggest escalation of the Islamist insurgency ravaging Cabo Delgado province since 2017. Many civilian survivors fled their homes flocking towards the heavily secured gas plant. - 'Security compromised' - An estimated 15,000 people have gathered near the site, while more are still arriving and "security is compromised", said another source. The humanitarian "situation continues to deteriorate," added the source Total's clear-out came as Afungi army commander Chongo Vidigal declared on Thursday the gas project was "protected". "We are currently in the special area in Afungi and never had a terrorism threat," he said. Total did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Most means of communication were cut after the Palma onslaught began. Thousands of troops have been deployed to Cabo Delgado, but Mozambique's ability to fight the insurgency has long been questioned, with analysts pointing to poor training and lack of equipment. Government security forces are also bolstered by a South African private military company, Dyck Advisory Group (DAG). Total and its partners planned to invest $20 billion in the project, the largest amount ever for a project in Africa. In February, Total chief executive Patrick Pouyanne insisted that the project, which it inherited from the US energy firm Anadarko, was still on track to begin operations in 2024. He said this having reached agreement with Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi to set up a 25-kilometre (15-mile) radius secure zone around the site. But last week the jihadists attacked, just 10 kilometres from the compound and reportedly beheaded residents and ransacked buildings in the latest rampage. Hundreds, including many foreign workers, have been evacuated by air and sea while thousands of locals walked to safety. The UN said it has recorded at least 9,100 people internally displaced by the latest violence. The violence has uprooted nearly 700,000 people from their homes since October 2017. Cabo Delgado's jihadists have wreaked havoc across the province with the aim of establishing a caliphate. The insurgents are affiliated with the Islamic State group, which claimed the Palma attack.

France's Total shuts gas plant after Mozambique attacks, sources say

Amid rising cases of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> in the country, France is set to enter the third lockdown beginning Saturday.

The decision has come a few days after the French president Emmanuel Macron had hinted against imposing a lockdown. However, after heavy criticism, the government decided to impose another lockdown to contain the widespread of the deadly virus.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-orders-closure-of-schools-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases-374640">Macron orders closure of schools amid surge in coronavirus cases</a>

Macron is also hoping to utilise this time to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccinate</a> as many people as possible. “We will do everything to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate! Without rest, without holidays. Saturday and Sunday just like in the week,” he said.

He has also claimed that France will have caught up with the UK on the number of people being vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.

"In a few weeks we will have completely caught up with the British, who will meanwhile be increasingly dependent on us to vaccinate their population," he told a local newspaper.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-will-depend-on-us-soon-macron-assured-france-will-match-britain-vaccine-targets-soon-373926">'UK will depend on us soon': Macron assured France will match Britain vaccine targets soon</a>

The order of lockdown came a little after Macron announced a temporary closure of schools in the country.

"We have adopted a strategy since the beginning of the year that aims to contain the epidemic without shutting ourselves in," he said.

On Wednesday, while addressing the nation with the concern of rising cases, Macron announced the tightening of restrictions in form of school closure, travel restrictions across the country and closure of non-essential shops.

Earlier, Macron had said that by not imposing lockdown, "we gained precious weeks of liberty, weeks of learning for our children, we allowed hundreds of thousands of workers to keep their head above water, without losing control of the epidemic".

Amid rising cases of coronavirus in the country, France is set to enter the third lockdown beginning Saturday. The decision has come a few days after the French president Emmanuel Macron had hinted against imposing a lockdown.

Amid rising cases of coronavirus in the country, France is set to enter the third lockdown beginning Saturday. The decision has come a few days after the French president Emmanuel Macron had hinted against imposing a lockdown. However, after heavy criticism, the government decided to impose another lockdown to contain the widespread of the deadly virus. Also read | Macron orders closure of schools amid surge in coronavirus cases Macron is also hoping to utilise this time to vaccinate as many people as possible. “We will do everything to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate! Without rest, without holidays. Saturday and Sunday just like in the week,” he said. He has also claimed that France will have caught up with the UK on the number of people being vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus. "In a few weeks we will have completely caught up with the British, who will meanwhile be increasingly dependent on us to vaccinate their population," he told a local newspaper. Also read | 'UK will depend on us soon': Macron assured France will match Britain vaccine targets soon The order of lockdown came a little after Macron announced a temporary closure of schools in the country. "We have adopted a strategy since the beginning of the year that aims to contain the epidemic without shutting ourselves in," he said. On Wednesday, while addressing the nation with the concern of rising cases, Macron announced the tightening of restrictions in form of school closure, travel restrictions across the country and closure of non-essential shops. Earlier, Macron had said that by not imposing lockdown, "we gained precious weeks of liberty, weeks of learning for our children, we allowed hundreds of thousands of workers to keep their head above water, without losing control of the epidemic".

France set to enter third lockdown amid coronavirus surge

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed his concern over a growing surge in COVID-19 infections in France. Describing the Coronavirus situation in France as sad and alarming Johnson suggested that Britain could also be impacted by another wave within weeks.

UK PM Johnson expresses concern on France's COVID-19 surge

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 the third wave of COVID-19 infections that threatens to overwhelm hospitals.

Macron extends COVID-19 lockdown to all of France for 2 weeks

Amid a surge of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> cases in France, President Emmanuel Macron has announced a nationwide closure of schools and a limited lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.

In a bid to confront the COVID-19 infections, Macron has ordered a temporary closure of all schools in the area a few days after announcing that the country will not be going into a lockdown.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-15-million-doses-of-johnson-johnson-coronavirus-vaccine-destroyed-374630">US: 15 million doses of Johnson &amp; Johnson coronavirus vaccine destroyed</a>

"We have adopted a strategy since the beginning of the year that aims to contain the epidemic without shutting ourselves in," he said.

The 43-year-old leader has faced immense criticism from the opposition for not being able to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

Macron had taken the decision to not impose a third lockdown despite the recommendation from medical experts and doctors.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-says-no-age-related-risk-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-found-so-far-374549" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-says-no-age-related-risk-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-found-so-far-374549&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjHm-uLi9zvAhUwyDgGHQvnB9U4ChAWMAJ6BAgIEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AgmE1_40hVHdRzAJboRmc" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-says-no-age-related-risk-of-astrazeneca-vaccine-found-so-far-374549" target="_blank">EU says no age-related risk of AstraZeneca vaccine found so far</a>

On Wednesday, while addressing the nation with the concern of rising cases, Macron announced the tightening of restrictions in form of school closure, travel restrictions across the country and closure of non-essential shops.

However, as expected, the President did not ask people to stay at home or avoid public gatherings.

Defending his move to not shut down the country in January during a surge helped the economy, he claimed. Macron said by not imposing lockdown, "we gained precious weeks of liberty, weeks of learning for our children, we allowed hundreds of thousands of workers to keep their head above water, without losing control of the epidemic".

On Wednesday, the European nation registered more than 53,000 new cases and 304 new deaths, bring its total toll to 95,667.

The number is expected to rise as more and more people are stepping outdoors to enjoy the incoming summer sun in parks.

He also took this opportunity to urge people to go and get <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">vaccinated.</a> "Thanks to the vaccine, the way out of the crisis is emerging," he said. "We will do everything to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate! Without rest, without holidays. Saturday and Sunday just like in the week."

Amid a surge of coronavirus cases in France, President Emmanuel Macron has announced a nationwide closure of schools and a limited lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.

Amid a surge of coronavirus cases in France, President Emmanuel Macron has announced a nationwide closure of schools and a limited lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. In a bid to confront the COVID-19 infections, Macron has ordered a temporary closure of all schools in the area a few days after announcing that the country will not be going into a lockdown. Also read | US: 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine destroyed "We have adopted a strategy since the beginning of the year that aims to contain the epidemic without shutting ourselves in," he said. The 43-year-old leader has faced immense criticism from the opposition for not being able to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Macron had taken the decision to not impose a third lockdown despite the recommendation from medical experts and doctors. Also read | EU says no age-related risk of AstraZeneca vaccine found so far On Wednesday, while addressing the nation with the concern of rising cases, Macron announced the tightening of restrictions in form of school closure, travel restrictions across the country and closure of non-essential shops. However, as expected, the President did not ask people to stay at home or avoid public gatherings. Defending his move to not shut down the country in January during a surge helped the economy, he claimed. Macron said by not imposing lockdown, "we gained precious weeks of liberty, weeks of learning for our children, we allowed hundreds of thousands of workers to keep their head above water, without losing control of the epidemic". On Wednesday, the European nation registered more than 53,000 new cases and 304 new deaths, bring its total toll to 95,667. The number is expected to rise as more and more people are stepping outdoors to enjoy the incoming summer sun in parks. He also took this opportunity to urge people to go and get vaccinated. "Thanks to the vaccine, the way out of the crisis is emerging," he said. "We will do everything to vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate! Without rest, without holidays. Saturday and Sunday just like in the week."

Macron orders closure of schools amid surge in coronavirus cases

A French air strike in January killed 19 civilians and three armed men at a wedding in the remote desert of central&nbsp;Mali, United Nations investigators said on Tuesday, contradicting France's account that only Islamist militants were hit.

France immediately rejected the findings, which are likely to fuel domestic criticism of&nbsp;Mali's former colonial master. France has more than 5,000 troops in&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;and neighbouring countries to battle groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

The human rights division of the United Nations mission in&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;(MINUSMA) said it had visited the village of Bounti where the attack took place on Jan. 3, analysed satellite images and interviewed more than 400 people, including at least 115 in face-to-face, individual sessions.

"MINUSMA is able to confirm that a wedding celebration was held that brought together about 100 civilians at the site of the strike, among whom five armed individuals, presumed members of Katiba Serma, were present," the report said.

Katiba Serma is an armed group affiliated with al Qaeda.

The MINUSMA report said 19 people, including 16 civilians and three of the armed men, were killed immediately in the air attack, while three more civilians died while being transferred to medical care.

In a statement, France's armed forces ministry said the strike followed a "robust targeting process" that identified the targets as militants.

"The only concrete sources on which this report is based are local testimonies. They are never transcribed, the identity of the witnesses is never specified, nor the conditions in which the testimonies were gathered," it said.

"It is therefore impossible to distinguish credible sources from false testimonies by possible terrorist sympathisers or individuals under the influence (including threats) from jihadist groups."

The MINUSMA report said each witness account was verified with other evidence and that some witnesses were relocated to allow them to speak freely.

RULES OF CONFLICT

Its report said forensics experts found no evidence of incinerated motorcycles, weapons or ammunitions that would have suggested the presence of a large number of armed men.

"This strike raises important concerns about the respect of the rules of armed conflict," it said. "MINUSMA recommends that the&nbsp;Malian and French authorities lead an independent, credible and transparent investigation."

Malian officials had no immediate comment.

Local officials in northern&nbsp;Mali&nbsp;accused France's military last week of killing six civilians in another air strike. French forces said they had again struck Islamist militants.

France has been embroiled in&nbsp;Mali's conflict since 2013, when it intervened to push back Islamist militants who were advancing south after seizing the desert north.

The conflict has since spread to neighbouring countries in the West African Sahel region like Burkina Faso and Niger, leading to rising criticism of French forces from local activists and some politicians.

The Jan. 3 air strike came after five French soldiers were killed the previous week in two attacks carried out with improvised explosive devices.

A French air strike in January killed 19 civilians and three armed men at a wedding in the remote desert of central Mali, United Nations investigators said on Tuesday, contradicting France's account that only Islamist militants were hit.

A French air strike in January killed 19 civilians and three armed men at a wedding in the remote desert of central Mali, United Nations investigators said on Tuesday, contradicting France's account that only Islamist militants were hit. France immediately rejected the findings, which are likely to fuel domestic criticism of Mali's former colonial master. France has more than 5,000 troops in Mali and neighbouring countries to battle groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State. The human rights division of the United Nations mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said it had visited the village of Bounti where the attack took place on Jan. 3, analysed satellite images and interviewed more than 400 people, including at least 115 in face-to-face, individual sessions. "MINUSMA is able to confirm that a wedding celebration was held that brought together about 100 civilians at the site of the strike, among whom five armed individuals, presumed members of Katiba Serma, were present," the report said. Katiba Serma is an armed group affiliated with al Qaeda. The MINUSMA report said 19 people, including 16 civilians and three of the armed men, were killed immediately in the air attack, while three more civilians died while being transferred to medical care. In a statement, France's armed forces ministry said the strike followed a "robust targeting process" that identified the targets as militants. "The only concrete sources on which this report is based are local testimonies. They are never transcribed, the identity of the witnesses is never specified, nor the conditions in which the testimonies were gathered," it said. "It is therefore impossible to distinguish credible sources from false testimonies by possible terrorist sympathisers or individuals under the influence (including threats) from jihadist groups." The MINUSMA report said each witness account was verified with other evidence and that some witnesses were relocated to allow them to speak freely. RULES OF CONFLICT Its report said forensics experts found no evidence of incinerated motorcycles, weapons or ammunitions that would have suggested the presence of a large number of armed men. "This strike raises important concerns about the respect of the rules of armed conflict," it said. "MINUSMA recommends that the Malian and French authorities lead an independent, credible and transparent investigation." Malian officials had no immediate comment. Local officials in northern Mali accused France's military last week of killing six civilians in another air strike. French forces said they had again struck Islamist militants. France has been embroiled in Mali's conflict since 2013, when it intervened to push back Islamist militants who were advancing south after seizing the desert north. The conflict has since spread to neighbouring countries in the West African Sahel region like Burkina Faso and Niger, leading to rising criticism of French forces from local activists and some politicians. The Jan. 3 air strike came after five French soldiers were killed the previous week in two attacks carried out with improvised explosive devices.

French air strike killed 19 civilians at Mali wedding party: United Nations

France is deploying its Carrier Battle Group to the Indian Ocean and participating in two major exercises– La Perouse a French Naval war game which will have the Quad countries and the other Ex Varuna a trilateral exercise with India and the UAE in the western Indian Ocean.

India and Quad nations to join France for naval exercises

Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India on Tuesday said that five extra Rafale jets will be ferried to India by the end of April. This would be other than three Rafale which is arriving on Wednesday.

The Ambassador said that It's a matter of great pride, "we've been able to deliver on schedule and even ahead of schedule" in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Right now 21 Rafales delivered to India, 11 already ferried to India, three are right now being ferried and 5 extra will be ferried by end of April," French Envoy to India said.

He added, "Total in 2022, the 36 aircraft will have been delivered as per contract."

Have a look |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/as-india-eyes-more-rafale-jets-why-france-is-developing-future-combat-air-system-362608">As India eyes more Rafale jets, why France is developing Future Combat Air System</a>

The aircraft had started joining the Air Force fleet in the July-August timeframe last year and were quickly operationalised by the Air Force in the shortest possible time.

The aircraft had also been deployed for patrolling along the China front in eastern Ladakh and other fronts during the height of the China confrontation.

The planes equipped with the Hammer missiles have enhanced their capability to carry out air to ground strikes like the one in Balakot.

The Ambassador was in Kochi and boarded Tonnerre ship which will be making a port call.

Two French Navy ships, the Tonnerre and the Surcouf will make a port call in Kochi from March 30 to April 1. Following the port call, the two warships will sail to the Bay of Bengal to take part in the France-led joint naval exercise, La Perouse, which will bring together the navies from India, Australia, Japan, and the United States from April 5-7.

The Tonnerre, an amphibious assault helicopter carrier, is a versatile ship that can deploy assets for amphibious and air assault, conduct troop transport, as well as command a maritime task force and hospital ship. The Surcouf, a La Fayette-class frigate, is designed for high stealth and reduced acoustic signature, and can act as escort to capital ships like the Tonnerre.

The Tonnerre and the Surcouf, together, form the battlegroup Jeanne d'Arc which set sail from France in February 2021 for a five-month-long deployment in the Indo-Pacific region with the aim of providing training for the new cohort of 148 on-board French naval officer cadets, demonstrating France's capacity to deploy assets in strategic areas and strengthening interoperability with major partners in the Indo-Pacific, particularly India, France's foremost strategic partner in Asia.

After this joint exercise, the Tonnerre and the Surcouf will continue their deployment through the Indo-Pacific region, all the way to Japan, before sailing back to France to reach their home port on 14th July, France's National Day. During their voyage, the ships will sail through the South China Sea twice.

In the coming weeks, in addition to the La Perouse exercise, France and India will hold a large-scale Varuna bilateral exercise in the Western Arabian Sea which will involve the French aircraft carrier, battle group.

Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India on Tuesday said that five extra Rafale jets will be ferried to India by the end of April. This would be other than three Rafale which is arriving on Wednesday.

Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India on Tuesday said that five extra Rafale jets will be ferried to India by the end of April. This would be other than three Rafale which is arriving on Wednesday. The Ambassador said that It's a matter of great pride, "we've been able to deliver on schedule and even ahead of schedule" in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Right now 21 Rafales delivered to India, 11 already ferried to India, three are right now being ferried and 5 extra will be ferried by end of April," French Envoy to India said. He added, "Total in 2022, the 36 aircraft will have been delivered as per contract." Have a look | As India eyes more Rafale jets, why France is developing Future Combat Air System The aircraft had started joining the Air Force fleet in the July-August timeframe last year and were quickly operationalised by the Air Force in the shortest possible time. The aircraft had also been deployed for patrolling along the China front in eastern Ladakh and other fronts during the height of the China confrontation. The planes equipped with the Hammer missiles have enhanced their capability to carry out air to ground strikes like the one in Balakot. The Ambassador was in Kochi and boarded Tonnerre ship which will be making a port call. Two French Navy ships, the Tonnerre and the Surcouf will make a port call in Kochi from March 30 to April 1. Following the port call, the two warships will sail to the Bay of Bengal to take part in the France-led joint naval exercise, La Perouse, which will bring together the navies from India, Australia, Japan, and the United States from April 5-7. The Tonnerre, an amphibious assault helicopter carrier, is a versatile ship that can deploy assets for amphibious and air assault, conduct troop transport, as well as command a maritime task force and hospital ship. The Surcouf, a La Fayette-class frigate, is designed for high stealth and reduced acoustic signature, and can act as escort to capital ships like the Tonnerre. The Tonnerre and the Surcouf, together, form the battlegroup Jeanne d'Arc which set sail from France in February 2021 for a five-month-long deployment in the Indo-Pacific region with the aim of providing training for the new cohort of 148 on-board French naval officer cadets, demonstrating France's capacity to deploy assets in strategic areas and strengthening interoperability with major partners in the Indo-Pacific, particularly India, France's foremost strategic partner in Asia. After this joint exercise, the Tonnerre and the Surcouf will continue their deployment through the Indo-Pacific region, all the way to Japan, before sailing back to France to reach their home port on 14th July, France's National Day. During their voyage, the ships will sail through the South China Sea twice. In the coming weeks, in addition to the La Perouse exercise, France and India will hold a large-scale Varuna bilateral exercise in the Western Arabian Sea which will involve the French aircraft carrier, battle group.

Five extra Rafale jets will be delivered by April-end: French Envoy

La Perouse will be followed by another important naval exercise, the Indo-French Varuna exercise. This time, Varuna will also include the United Arab Emirates.

India to participate in France's 'La Pérouse' naval exercise

A zoological park in western France has recently welcomed a baby red howler monkey in a boost to conservation efforts for the threatened species.

French zoo welcomes baby red howler monkey to the world

Residents of a small town in Switzerland voted in a referendum to decide whether they will be citizens of Germany or France.

Located in northwestern Switzerland, the town of Moutier has a population of 7,500. The issue of whether the town should remain a part of the German-speaking canton or join the French-speaking one has been an underlying issue for decades.

In 1978, when Switzerland established a French-speaking canton of Jura, a handful of districts opted to stay with the German-speaking Bern. Moutier was one such town.

However, separatist administrations have been hoping to break away from Bern for a long now, and they believe the town would progress more as a part of the French-speaking canton of Jura.

Before this, a referendum was put to vote in 2017 but was immediately overturned because of electoral irregularities. In the 2017 referendum, only a small amount of people had voted to join the Jura.

This time, the security forces took the charge of assuring that there are no irregularities in this year's vote.

However, a local media house, RTS, reported that the television channel had received a letter from the canton of Bern to the federal authorities claiming that a suspicious and unexpected influx of residents in Moutier has been observed in recent days.

These residents were "people... for whom it is difficult to understand their connections with Moutier," RTS claims the letter reported.

Residents of a small town in Switzerland voted in a referendum to decide whether they will be citizens of Germany or France. Located in northwestern Switzerland, the town of Moutier has a population of 7,500.

Residents of a small town in Switzerland voted in a referendum to decide whether they will be citizens of Germany or France. Located in northwestern Switzerland, the town of Moutier has a population of 7,500. The issue of whether the town should remain a part of the German-speaking canton or join the French-speaking one has been an underlying issue for decades. In 1978, when Switzerland established a French-speaking canton of Jura, a handful of districts opted to stay with the German-speaking Bern. Moutier was one such town. However, separatist administrations have been hoping to break away from Bern for a long now, and they believe the town would progress more as a part of the French-speaking canton of Jura. Before this, a referendum was put to vote in 2017 but was immediately overturned because of electoral irregularities. In the 2017 referendum, only a small amount of people had voted to join the Jura. This time, the security forces took the charge of assuring that there are no irregularities in this year's vote. However, a local media house, RTS, reported that the television channel had received a letter from the canton of Bern to the federal authorities claiming that a suspicious and unexpected influx of residents in Moutier has been observed in recent days. These residents were "people... for whom it is difficult to understand their connections with Moutier," RTS claims the letter reported.

German or French? Switzerland's town votes to decide its fate of nationality

The European countries and UK have been at crossroads when it comes to coronavirus vaccination, with the UK leading the race.

However, French President Emmanuel Macron has claimed that France will have caught up with the UK on the number of people being vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.

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As of now, only 11.45 per cent of French locals have received the first jab of coronavirus, which is much less than 43.79 per cent of British locals.&nbsp;

France has been criticised for its slow speed of vaccination drive. However, Macron has now told the local media that France has significantly ramped up the pace of vaccination drives, and will soon be catching up with the UK.

"In a few weeks we will have completely caught up with the British, who will meanwhile be increasingly dependent on us to vaccinate their population," he told a local newspaper.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-vaccine-summit-macron-expresses-frustration-over-lagging-vaccination-drive-373185">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-vaccine-summit-macron-expresses-frustration-over-lagging-vaccination-drive-373185/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

His statement is being understood to be a reference to the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, which are produced in EU member states.

The EU has threatened to ban pharma firms from exporting COVID vaccines to the UK and other countries if the companies fail to achieve the target of the vaccine deliveries to the EU.

French foreign minister, meanwhile, feels that while the UK has rushed to give the first jab of coronavirus vaccine to as many citizens as possible, the ex-EU member will struggle to procure doses needed for the second jab.

"The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

The European countries and UK have been at crossroads when it comes to coronavirus vaccination, with the UK leading the race. However, French President Emmanuel Macron has claimed that France will have caught up with the UK on the number of people being vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus.

The European countries and UK have been at crossroads when it comes to coronavirus vaccination, with the UK leading the race. However, French President Emmanuel Macron has claimed that France will have caught up with the UK on the number of people being vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus. Also read | France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool As of now, only 11.45 per cent of French locals have received the first jab of coronavirus, which is much less than 43.79 per cent of British locals. France has been criticised for its slow speed of vaccination drive. However, Macron has now told the local media that France has significantly ramped up the pace of vaccination drives, and will soon be catching up with the UK. "In a few weeks we will have completely caught up with the British, who will meanwhile be increasingly dependent on us to vaccinate their population," he told a local newspaper. Watch | His statement is being understood to be a reference to the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, which are produced in EU member states. The EU has threatened to ban pharma firms from exporting COVID vaccines to the UK and other countries if the companies fail to achieve the target of the vaccine deliveries to the EU. French foreign minister, meanwhile, feels that while the UK has rushed to give the first jab of coronavirus vaccine to as many citizens as possible, the ex-EU member will struggle to procure doses needed for the second jab. "The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.

'UK will depend on us soon': Macron assured France will match Britain vaccine targets soon

An emergency online cheese sale has been announced in a French monastery that is also pleading to their cows not to produce so much milk.

The French monastery, founded in 1908, is famous for selling its raw-milk, semi-soft discs specifically to restaurants and to visitors of its on-site shop. However, the coronavirus pandemic has hit the demand for the product massively.

Now, the monks of the monastery, located in the heart of Burgundy, is struggling to get rid of thousands of cheeses that are stored in the monastery.

"Our sales are down nearly 50%," said brother Jean-Claude, in charge of marketing at the monastery. "We need to clear out our stock."

"We tried explaining to our 75 cows that they needed to produce less milk but they don’t seem to have understood," he laughed.

The drop of 50 per cent in demands has left the monks with nearly 4,000 cheese — a 2.8-tonne problem.

As of now, nearly 700kg of cheese has already been ordered in this emergency online cheese sale, bringing a ray of hope to the monastery.&nbsp;

"We’re going to make it," the marketing head of the monastery hopes.

To assure successful sale, the monks teamed up with internet startup Divine Box, that has experience in selling products manufactured in abbeys in France and other regions.

The monks are hoping to sell at least a tonne of cheese by Tuesday, with the minimum order being two wheels at £20, plus shipping.

An emergency online cheese sale has been announced in a French monastery that is also pleading to their cows not to produce so much milk. The French monastery, founded in 1908, is famous for selling its raw-milk, semi-soft discs specifically to restaurants and to visitors of its on-site shop.

An emergency online cheese sale has been announced in a French monastery that is also pleading to their cows not to produce so much milk. The French monastery, founded in 1908, is famous for selling its raw-milk, semi-soft discs specifically to restaurants and to visitors of its on-site shop. However, the coronavirus pandemic has hit the demand for the product massively. Now, the monks of the monastery, located in the heart of Burgundy, is struggling to get rid of thousands of cheeses that are stored in the monastery. "Our sales are down nearly 50%," said brother Jean-Claude, in charge of marketing at the monastery. "We need to clear out our stock." "We tried explaining to our 75 cows that they needed to produce less milk but they don’t seem to have understood," he laughed. The drop of 50 per cent in demands has left the monks with nearly 4,000 cheese — a 2.8-tonne problem. As of now, nearly 700kg of cheese has already been ordered in this emergency online cheese sale, bringing a ray of hope to the monastery. "We’re going to make it," the marketing head of the monastery hopes. To assure successful sale, the monks teamed up with internet startup Divine Box, that has experience in selling products manufactured in abbeys in France and other regions. The monks are hoping to sell at least a tonne of cheese by Tuesday, with the minimum order being two wheels at £20, plus shipping.

'Cows, stop producing milk': Monks in France organise emergency cheese sale

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

So has Kübra Gümüsay, a German writer of Turkish descent.

As has Uda Strätling, a translator, who is white.

Literary translation is usually a solitary pursuit, but German publisher Hoffmann und Campe went for a team of writers to ensure the translation of Gorman’s poem — just 710 words — wasn’t just true to Gorman’s voice. The trio was also asked to make its political and social significance clear and to avoid anything that might exclude people of color, people with disabilities, women or other marginalized groups.

“It was a gamble,” Strätling said of the collaborative approach.

For nearly two weeks, the team debated word choices, occasionally emailing Gorman for clarifications. But as they worked, an argument was brewing elsewhere in Europe about who has the right to translate the poet’s work.

“This whole debate started,” Gümüsay said, with a sigh.

It began in February when Meulenhoff, a publisher in the Netherlands, said it had asked Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, a writer whose debut novel won last year’s Booker International Prize, to translate Gorman’s poem into Dutch.

Rijneveld was the “ideal candidate,” Meulenhoff said in a statement. But many social media users disagreed, asking why a white writer had been chosen when Gorman’s reading at the inauguration had been a significant cultural moment for Black people.

Three days later, Rijneveld quit. (Rijneveld declined an interview request for this article.)

In March, the debate reignited after Victor Obiols, another white translator, was dropped by the Catalan publisher Univers. Obiols said he was told his profile “was not suitable for the project.” (A Univers spokeswoman declined to comment.)

Literary figures and newspaper columnists across Europe have been arguing for weeks about what these decisions mean, turning Gorman’s poem into the latest flash point in debates about identity politics across the continent. The discussion has shone a light on the often unexamined world of literary translation and its lack of racial diversity.

“I can’t recall a translation controversy ever taking the world by storm like this,” Aaron Robertson, a Black Italian-to-English translator, said in a phone interview.

“This feels something of a watershed moment,” he added.

On Monday, the American Literary Translators Association waded into the furor. “The question of whether identity should be the deciding factor in who is allowed to translate whom is a false framing of the issues at play,” it said in a statement published on its website.

The real problem underlying the controversy was “the scarcity of Black translators,” it added. Last year, the association carried out a diversity survey. Only 2% of the 362 translators who responded were Black, a spokeswoman for the association said in an email.

In a video interview, the members of the German team said they, too, felt the debate had missed the point. “People are asking questions like, ‘Does color give you the right to translate?’” Haruna-Oelker said. “This is not about color.”

She added: “It’s about quality, it’s about the skills you have, and about perspectives.” Each member of the German team brought different things to the group, she said.

The team spent a long time discussing how to translate the word “skinny,” without conjuring images of an overly thin woman, Gümüsay said, and they debated how to bring a sense of the poem’s gender-inclusive language into German, in which many objects — and all people — are either masculine or feminine. “You’re constantly moving back and forth between the politics and the composition,” Strätling said.

“To me it felt like dancing,” Gümüsay said of the process. Haruna-Oelker added that the team tried hard to find words “which don’t hurt anyone.”

But whereas the German translators were happy to engage with the identity politics, others expressed frustration at the translator departures and their implications. Nuria Barrios, the translator of the poem’s Spanish edition, who is white, wrote in the newspaper El País that Rijneveld's stepping down from the project was “a catastrophe.”

“It is the victory of identity politics over creative freedom,” she wrote, adding: “To remove imagination from translation is to subject the craft to a lobotomy.”

Some Black academics and translators have also expressed concern. “There is a tacit idea that we are supposed to be especially concerned about the ‘appropriateness’ of a translator’s identity in the particular case of blackness,” John McWhorter, a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, said in an email.

Other differences between writers and their translators — such as wealth levels, or political views — were not sparking concern, McWhorter added. “Instead, our sense of ‘diversity’ is narrower than that word implies: It’s only about skin color,” he said.

Couching the discussion in terms of appropriateness was “really ridiculous,” said Janice Deul, a Black Dutch journalist and activist who on Feb. 25 wrote an opinion piece for De Volkskrant, a Dutch newspaper, calling Rijneveld’s appointment “incomprehensible.” The following day, Rijneveld resigned.

“This is not about who can translate, it’s about who gets opportunities to translate,” Deul said. She listed 10 Black Dutch spoken-word artists who could have done the job in her article but said all of them had been overlooked.

The one opinion missing in all of this is, of course, Gorman’s. Viking is releasing “The Hill We Climb” in the United States on Tuesday. Apple TV Plus on Friday began streaming her interview with Oprah Winfrey, but she has not commented on the debate her work has spurred. Her spokeswoman didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Gorman, or her agent, Writers House, which represents the translation rights, appeared to have influence on who was selected. Aylin LaMorey-Salzmann, the editor of the German edition of “The Hill We Climb,” said that the rights owner had to agree to the choice, which had to be someone of similar profile to Gorman.

Irene Christopoulou, an editor at Psichogios, the poem’s Greek publisher, was still waiting for approval for its choice of translator. The translator was a white “emerging female poet,” Christopoulou said in an email. “Due to the racial profile of the Greek population, there are no translators/poets of color to choose from,” she added.

A spokeswoman for Tammi, the poem’s Finnish publisher, said in an email that “The negotiations are still going on with the agent and Amanda Gorman herself.”

Several European publishers named Black musicians as their translators. Timbuktu, a rapper, has completed a Swedish version, and Marie-Pierra Kakoma, a singer better known as Lous and the Yakuza, has translated the French edition, which will be published by Editions Fayard in May.

“I thought Lous’ writing skills, her sense of rhythm, her connection with spoken poetry would be tremendous assets,” Sophie de Closets, a publisher at Fayard, said in an email explaining why she chose a pop star.

Issues of identity “should definitely be considered” when hiring translators, de Closets added, but that went beyond race. “It is the publisher’s responsibility to look for the ideal combination between one given work and the person who will translate it,” she said.

Haruna-Oelker, one of the German translators, said one disappointing outcome of the debate in Europe was it had diverted attention from the message of Gorman’s poem. “The Hill We Climb” spoke about bringing people together, Haruna-Oelker said, just as the German publisher had done by assembling a team.

“We’ve tried a beautiful experiment here, and this is where the future lies,” Gümüsay said. “The future lies in trying to find new forms of collaboration, trying to bring together more voices, more sets of eyes, more perspectives to create something new.”

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration. So has Kübra Gümüsay, a German writer of Turkish descent. As has Uda Strätling, a translator, who is white. Literary translation is usually a solitary pursuit, but German publisher Hoffmann und Campe went for a team of writers to ensure the translation of Gorman’s poem — just 710 words — wasn’t just true to Gorman’s voice. The trio was also asked to make its political and social significance clear and to avoid anything that might exclude people of color, people with disabilities, women or other marginalized groups. “It was a gamble,” Strätling said of the collaborative approach. For nearly two weeks, the team debated word choices, occasionally emailing Gorman for clarifications. But as they worked, an argument was brewing elsewhere in Europe about who has the right to translate the poet’s work. “This whole debate started,” Gümüsay said, with a sigh. It began in February when Meulenhoff, a publisher in the Netherlands, said it had asked Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, a writer whose debut novel won last year’s Booker International Prize, to translate Gorman’s poem into Dutch. Rijneveld was the “ideal candidate,” Meulenhoff said in a statement. But many social media users disagreed, asking why a white writer had been chosen when Gorman’s reading at the inauguration had been a significant cultural moment for Black people. Three days later, Rijneveld quit. (Rijneveld declined an interview request for this article.) In March, the debate reignited after Victor Obiols, another white translator, was dropped by the Catalan publisher Univers. Obiols said he was told his profile “was not suitable for the project.” (A Univers spokeswoman declined to comment.) Literary figures and newspaper columnists across Europe have been arguing for weeks about what these decisions mean, turning Gorman’s poem into the latest flash point in debates about identity politics across the continent. The discussion has shone a light on the often unexamined world of literary translation and its lack of racial diversity. “I can’t recall a translation controversy ever taking the world by storm like this,” Aaron Robertson, a Black Italian-to-English translator, said in a phone interview. “This feels something of a watershed moment,” he added. On Monday, the American Literary Translators Association waded into the furor. “The question of whether identity should be the deciding factor in who is allowed to translate whom is a false framing of the issues at play,” it said in a statement published on its website. The real problem underlying the controversy was “the scarcity of Black translators,” it added. Last year, the association carried out a diversity survey. Only 2% of the 362 translators who responded were Black, a spokeswoman for the association said in an email. In a video interview, the members of the German team said they, too, felt the debate had missed the point. “People are asking questions like, ‘Does color give you the right to translate?’” Haruna-Oelker said. “This is not about color.” She added: “It’s about quality, it’s about the skills you have, and about perspectives.” Each member of the German team brought different things to the group, she said. The team spent a long time discussing how to translate the word “skinny,” without conjuring images of an overly thin woman, Gümüsay said, and they debated how to bring a sense of the poem’s gender-inclusive language into German, in which many objects — and all people — are either masculine or feminine. “You’re constantly moving back and forth between the politics and the composition,” Strätling said. “To me it felt like dancing,” Gümüsay said of the process. Haruna-Oelker added that the team tried hard to find words “which don’t hurt anyone.” But whereas the German translators were happy to engage with the identity politics, others expressed frustration at the translator departures and their implications. Nuria Barrios, the translator of the poem’s Spanish edition, who is white, wrote in the newspaper El País that Rijneveld's stepping down from the project was “a catastrophe.” “It is the victory of identity politics over creative freedom,” she wrote, adding: “To remove imagination from translation is to subject the craft to a lobotomy.” Some Black academics and translators have also expressed concern. “There is a tacit idea that we are supposed to be especially concerned about the ‘appropriateness’ of a translator’s identity in the particular case of blackness,” John McWhorter, a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, said in an email. Other differences between writers and their translators — such as wealth levels, or political views — were not sparking concern, McWhorter added. “Instead, our sense of ‘diversity’ is narrower than that word implies: It’s only about skin color,” he said. Couching the discussion in terms of appropriateness was “really ridiculous,” said Janice Deul, a Black Dutch journalist and activist who on Feb. 25 wrote an opinion piece for De Volkskrant, a Dutch newspaper, calling Rijneveld’s appointment “incomprehensible.” The following day, Rijneveld resigned. “This is not about who can translate, it’s about who gets opportunities to translate,” Deul said. She listed 10 Black Dutch spoken-word artists who could have done the job in her article but said all of them had been overlooked. The one opinion missing in all of this is, of course, Gorman’s. Viking is releasing “The Hill We Climb” in the United States on Tuesday. Apple TV Plus on Friday began streaming her interview with Oprah Winfrey, but she has not commented on the debate her work has spurred. Her spokeswoman didn’t respond to requests for comment. Gorman, or her agent, Writers House, which represents the translation rights, appeared to have influence on who was selected. Aylin LaMorey-Salzmann, the editor of the German edition of “The Hill We Climb,” said that the rights owner had to agree to the choice, which had to be someone of similar profile to Gorman. Irene Christopoulou, an editor at Psichogios, the poem’s Greek publisher, was still waiting for approval for its choice of translator. The translator was a white “emerging female poet,” Christopoulou said in an email. “Due to the racial profile of the Greek population, there are no translators/poets of color to choose from,” she added. A spokeswoman for Tammi, the poem’s Finnish publisher, said in an email that “The negotiations are still going on with the agent and Amanda Gorman herself.” Several European publishers named Black musicians as their translators. Timbuktu, a rapper, has completed a Swedish version, and Marie-Pierra Kakoma, a singer better known as Lous and the Yakuza, has translated the French edition, which will be published by Editions Fayard in May. “I thought Lous’ writing skills, her sense of rhythm, her connection with spoken poetry would be tremendous assets,” Sophie de Closets, a publisher at Fayard, said in an email explaining why she chose a pop star. Issues of identity “should definitely be considered” when hiring translators, de Closets added, but that went beyond race. “It is the publisher’s responsibility to look for the ideal combination between one given work and the person who will translate it,” she said. Haruna-Oelker, one of the German translators, said one disappointing outcome of the debate in Europe was it had diverted attention from the message of Gorman’s poem. “The Hill We Climb” spoke about bringing people together, Haruna-Oelker said, just as the German publisher had done by assembling a team. “We’ve tried a beautiful experiment here, and this is where the future lies,” Gümüsay said. “The future lies in trying to find new forms of collaboration, trying to bring together more voices, more sets of eyes, more perspectives to create something new.”

Amanda Gorman’s poetry united critics; it’s dividing translators

France bears overwhelming responsibilities over the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and was "blind" to preparations for the massacres, a report by historians said Friday, while adding there was no evidence Paris was complicit in the killings.

A historical commission set up by President Emmanuel Macron concluded there had been a "failure" on the part of France under former leader Francois Mitterrand over the genocide that saw around 800,000 people slaughtered, mainly from the ethnic Tutsi minority.

Historian Vincent Duclert, who heads the commission, handed over the damning report to Macron at the Elysee Palace after years of accusations France did not do enough to halt the massacres and was even complicit in the crimes.

The genocide between April and July of 1994 began after Rwanda's Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, with whom Paris had cultivated close ties, was killed when his plane was shot down over Kigali on April 6.

The issue still poisons modern relations a quarter of a century on between France and Rwanda under its controversial President Paul Kagame, a former Tutsi rebel who has ruled the mountainous nation in Africa's Great Lakes region since the aftermath of the genocide.

"Is France an accomplice to the genocide of the Tutsi? If by this we mean a willingness to join a genocidal operation, nothing in the archives that were examined demonstrates this," the report's conclusions said.&nbsp;

"Nevertheless, for a long time, France was involved with a regime that encouraged racist massacres... It remained blind to the preparation of a genocide by the most radical elements of this regime."

It criticised the French authorities under Mitterrand for adopting a "binary view" that set Habyarimana as an "Hutu ally" against an "enemy" of Tutsi forces backed by Uganda and then offering military intervention only "belatedly" when it was too late to halt the genocide.

"The research therefore establishes a set of responsibilities, both serious and overwhelming," it said.

'Personal relationship'

Macron ordered the creation of the commission in May 2019 to analyse France's role in Rwanda from 1990-1994 through archival research.

France notably led Operation Turquoise, a military-humanitarian intervention launched by Paris under a UN mandate between June and August 1994. Its critics believe that it was in reality aimed at supporting the genocidal Hutu government.

And there have also been repeated accusations that authorities in Paris helped suspects in the Rwanda genocide to escape while under French military protection.

The report concluded that in July 1994 "murderers but also the masterminds of the genocide" were in a safe zone established by French forces in the west of the country "who the French political authorities refused to arrest."&nbsp;

Socialist Mitterrand and his inner circle were also fearful of the encroachment of English-speaking influence into francophone Africa under influence from Uganda and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) of Kagame.

The report tells of French decision-makers trapped in "post-colonial" thinking who supported the "racist, corrupt and violent" regime of Habyarimana facing to a Tutsi rebellion considered as directed from English-speaking Uganda.&nbsp;

Mitterrand "maintained a strong, personal and direct relationship with the Rwandan head of state" Habyarimana, it said.&nbsp;

"Hovering over Rwanda was the threat of an Anglo-Saxon world, represented by the RPF and Uganda, as well as their international allies."&nbsp;

French authorities behaved as if "acting in the face of a genocide was not in the realm of possibility" when there was a "moral obligation" to ensure genocides never happen again, it said.

Tackling taboos

The 15-member commission does not have any specialist on Rwanda, a move the French presidency argues was necessary to ensure complete neutrality.

But the historians -- who include experts on the Holocaust, the massacres of Armenians in World War I and international criminal law -- have been given access to archives including those of Mitterrand himself which were long closed off to researchers.

While he seeks to position France as an assertive player on the world stage, Macron has taken tentative steps to come to terms with once taboo aspects of the country's historical record, although many would like to see far bolder steps.

Historian Benjamin Stora was tasked with examining France's actions during Algeria's war of independence and he called for a "truth commission" and other conciliatory actions in a major report delivered in January.

Macron has ruled out an official apology for torture and other abuses carried out by French troops in Algeria.

The contents of the Rwanda report are likely to have a major bearing on future relations between France and Rwanda, which Macron has said he wants to visit later this year.

France bears overwhelming responsibilities over the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and was "blind" to preparations for the massacres, a report by historians said Friday, while adding there was no evidence Paris was complicit in the killings.

France bears overwhelming responsibilities over the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and was "blind" to preparations for the massacres, a report by historians said Friday, while adding there was no evidence Paris was complicit in the killings. A historical commission set up by President Emmanuel Macron concluded there had been a "failure" on the part of France under former leader Francois Mitterrand over the genocide that saw around 800,000 people slaughtered, mainly from the ethnic Tutsi minority. Historian Vincent Duclert, who heads the commission, handed over the damning report to Macron at the Elysee Palace after years of accusations France did not do enough to halt the massacres and was even complicit in the crimes. The genocide between April and July of 1994 began after Rwanda's Hutu president Juvenal Habyarimana, with whom Paris had cultivated close ties, was killed when his plane was shot down over Kigali on April 6. The issue still poisons modern relations a quarter of a century on between France and Rwanda under its controversial President Paul Kagame, a former Tutsi rebel who has ruled the mountainous nation in Africa's Great Lakes region since the aftermath of the genocide. "Is France an accomplice to the genocide of the Tutsi? If by this we mean a willingness to join a genocidal operation, nothing in the archives that were examined demonstrates this," the report's conclusions said. "Nevertheless, for a long time, France was involved with a regime that encouraged racist massacres... It remained blind to the preparation of a genocide by the most radical elements of this regime." It criticised the French authorities under Mitterrand for adopting a "binary view" that set Habyarimana as an "Hutu ally" against an "enemy" of Tutsi forces backed by Uganda and then offering military intervention only "belatedly" when it was too late to halt the genocide. "The research therefore establishes a set of responsibilities, both serious and overwhelming," it said. 'Personal relationship' Macron ordered the creation of the commission in May 2019 to analyse France's role in Rwanda from 1990-1994 through archival research. France notably led Operation Turquoise, a military-humanitarian intervention launched by Paris under a UN mandate between June and August 1994. Its critics believe that it was in reality aimed at supporting the genocidal Hutu government. And there have also been repeated accusations that authorities in Paris helped suspects in the Rwanda genocide to escape while under French military protection. The report concluded that in July 1994 "murderers but also the masterminds of the genocide" were in a safe zone established by French forces in the west of the country "who the French political authorities refused to arrest." Socialist Mitterrand and his inner circle were also fearful of the encroachment of English-speaking influence into francophone Africa under influence from Uganda and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) of Kagame. The report tells of French decision-makers trapped in "post-colonial" thinking who supported the "racist, corrupt and violent" regime of Habyarimana facing to a Tutsi rebellion considered as directed from English-speaking Uganda. Mitterrand "maintained a strong, personal and direct relationship with the Rwandan head of state" Habyarimana, it said. "Hovering over Rwanda was the threat of an Anglo-Saxon world, represented by the RPF and Uganda, as well as their international allies." French authorities behaved as if "acting in the face of a genocide was not in the realm of possibility" when there was a "moral obligation" to ensure genocides never happen again, it said. Tackling taboos The 15-member commission does not have any specialist on Rwanda, a move the French presidency argues was necessary to ensure complete neutrality. But the historians -- who include experts on the Holocaust, the massacres of Armenians in World War I and international criminal law -- have been given access to archives including those of Mitterrand himself which were long closed off to researchers. While he seeks to position France as an assertive player on the world stage, Macron has taken tentative steps to come to terms with once taboo aspects of the country's historical record, although many would like to see far bolder steps. Historian Benjamin Stora was tasked with examining France's actions during Algeria's war of independence and he called for a "truth commission" and other conciliatory actions in a major report delivered in January. Macron has ruled out an official apology for torture and other abuses carried out by French troops in Algeria. The contents of the Rwanda report are likely to have a major bearing on future relations between France and Rwanda, which Macron has said he wants to visit later this year.

'Blind' France bears responsibility on Rwanda genocide, says report

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>deliveries.&nbsp;

"The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-pm-johnson-suggests-pubs-might-require-customers-to-produce-vaccine-certificate-373216/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"You are vaccinated when you have had both doses. Today there are as many people vaccinated with both in France as the United Kingdom," he said.

He added that Britain is "handicapped" now because it hurried to vaccinate people with the first dose, but now faces a shortage of the second one, thereby using "blackmail" tactics.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-accuses-russia-of-using-its-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccine-as-propaganda-tool-373370">France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool</a>

"You can't be playing like this, a bit of blackmail, just because you hurried to get people vaccinated with a first shot, and now you're a bit handicapped because you don't have the second one," the foreign minister said.&nbsp;

The comments came in the backdrop of EU-UK row on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson argues is part of the British supply chain.

Reacting to this, the EU warned the UK on Thursday that it would ban coronavirus vaccines export to the country and other nations with plenty of drugs if they don't commit their deliveries to the bloc.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over coronavirus vaccine deliveries. "The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP.

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over coronavirus vaccine deliveries. "The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP. Watch | "You are vaccinated when you have had both doses. Today there are as many people vaccinated with both in France as the United Kingdom," he said. He added that Britain is "handicapped" now because it hurried to vaccinate people with the first dose, but now faces a shortage of the second one, thereby using "blackmail" tactics. Also read | France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool "You can't be playing like this, a bit of blackmail, just because you hurried to get people vaccinated with a first shot, and now you're a bit handicapped because you don't have the second one," the foreign minister said. The comments came in the backdrop of EU-UK row on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson argues is part of the British supply chain. Reacting to this, the EU warned the UK on Thursday that it would ban coronavirus vaccines export to the country and other nations with plenty of drugs if they don't commit their deliveries to the bloc.

France hits out at UK over 'blackmail' of coronavirus vaccine deliveries

France's Health Minister Olivier Veran on Thursday announced ban on outdoor gatherings of more than six people. He said that 45,000 new coronavirus cases were detected in previous 24 hours.

Meanwhile, 3 additional French regions including the Rhone department around Lyon will be put under tightened COVID-19 restrictions for four weeks from Friday (March 26). This follows after similar measure in Paris region a week earlier.&nbsp;

Veran said that pressure on the hospital system will continue to increase in coming days.

New restrictions come on top of nationwide curbs. A nightly curfew is in place and restaurants, bars, museums and cinemas are closed across the country.

(With Reuters inputs)

France's Health Minister Olivier Veran on Thursday announced ban on outdoor gatherings of more than six people. He said that 45,000 new coronavirus cases were detected in previous 24 hours.

France's Health Minister Olivier Veran on Thursday announced ban on outdoor gatherings of more than six people. He said that 45,000 new coronavirus cases were detected in previous 24 hours. Meanwhile, 3 additional French regions including the Rhone department around Lyon will be put under tightened COVID-19 restrictions for four weeks from Friday (March 26). This follows after similar measure in Paris region a week earlier. Veran said that pressure on the hospital system will continue to increase in coming days. New restrictions come on top of nationwide curbs. A nightly curfew is in place and restaurants, bars, museums and cinemas are closed across the country. (With Reuters inputs)

France bans outdoor gatherings of more than six people as COVID-19 cases rise

Turkey condemned French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that it was meddling in France's next presidential elections.

The Turkish foreign ministry said it found Macron's words "unacceptable and contrary to the friendship and alliance between our countries".

This week, Macron told French television that Turkey was "playing on public opinion" and spreading "lies" in France through the use of state-controlled media.

"There will be attempts at interference in the next (French) presidential elections" in 2022, Macron said. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan often criticise each other's countries that oppose each other in regional conflicts.&nbsp;

The barbs hit a low late last year at the time Erdogan told Macron to undergo "mental checks". He had urged France to "get rid of" their president

Months earlier, Macron had suggested that the Turkish people "deserve something else" than the policies of Erdogan.

The Turkish statement on Wednesday said Macron's "dangerous" comments threatened to alienate France's 800,000-strong Turkish community.

(With AFP inputs)

Turkey condemned French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that it was meddling in France's next presidential elections. The Turkish foreign ministry said it found Macron's words "unacceptable and contrary to the friendship and alliance between our countries".

Turkey condemned French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that it was meddling in France's next presidential elections. The Turkish foreign ministry said it found Macron's words "unacceptable and contrary to the friendship and alliance between our countries". This week, Macron told French television that Turkey was "playing on public opinion" and spreading "lies" in France through the use of state-controlled media. "There will be attempts at interference in the next (French) presidential elections" in 2022, Macron said. Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan often criticise each other's countries that oppose each other in regional conflicts. The barbs hit a low late last year at the time Erdogan told Macron to undergo "mental checks". He had urged France to "get rid of" their president Months earlier, Macron had suggested that the Turkish people "deserve something else" than the policies of Erdogan. The Turkish statement on Wednesday said Macron's "dangerous" comments threatened to alienate France's 800,000-strong Turkish community. (With AFP inputs)

Turkey slams French claim of election 'interference'

WION Global Summit: '2020 may be perceived as the year of the digital revolution' says Digital Champion at the European Commission for France Gillies Babinet as we discuss how the world went online last year.

WION Global Summit | Gillies Babinet's keynote address

&nbsp;French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 26-year-old who passed away a few days after he received a shot of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine.</a>

The 26-year-old was a medical student who died on March 18 in Nantes, 10 days after receiving a jab of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-prez-promises-faster-vaccine-roll-out-as-infections-explode-372556" hreflang="en">French Prez promises faster vaccine roll-out as infections 'explode'&nbsp;</a>

While an interrogation has been launched into the matter, the authorities have stressed that no link has been established yet between the death of the medical student and the AstraZeneca jab.

The authorities had carried out an autopsy on him a day after his death but the public prosecutor in Nantes, Pierre Sennes, said that “it was necessary to carry out further tests to determine the causes and circumstances of his death”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/astrazeneca-to-release-more-data-after-us-raises-questions-on-shots-potential-372554" hreflang="en">AstraZeneca to release more data after US raises questions on shot's potential</a>

For now, the ANSM national drug safety watchdog has been informed about the death of the medical student “as part of our increased monitoring of thrombosis cases”, but stressed that no link has been established yet with AstraZeneca.

The watchdog also first stated the deceased’s age as 24, which the prosecutor’s office later corrected to be 26. “This death is the subject of an in-depth clinical investigation,” it said in a statement.

This news has come five days after France and several other European countries resumed AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccines. Earlier, several EU nations had suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over reports of blood clots in a handful of people who had received a jab of this vaccine.

The WHO said reported rates of so-called thromboembolic events after Covid-19 vaccines were in line with the usual number of people suffering these conditions.

French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 26-year-old who passed away a few days after he received a shot of the coronavirus vaccine.

French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of a 26-year-old who passed away a few days after he received a shot of the coronavirus vaccine. The 26-year-old was a medical student who died on March 18 in Nantes, 10 days after receiving a jab of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine. Also read | French Prez promises faster vaccine roll-out as infections 'explode' While an interrogation has been launched into the matter, the authorities have stressed that no link has been established yet between the death of the medical student and the AstraZeneca jab. The authorities had carried out an autopsy on him a day after his death but the public prosecutor in Nantes, Pierre Sennes, said that “it was necessary to carry out further tests to determine the causes and circumstances of his death”. Also read | AstraZeneca to release more data after US raises questions on shot's potential For now, the ANSM national drug safety watchdog has been informed about the death of the medical student “as part of our increased monitoring of thrombosis cases”, but stressed that no link has been established yet with AstraZeneca. The watchdog also first stated the deceased’s age as 24, which the prosecutor’s office later corrected to be 26. “This death is the subject of an in-depth clinical investigation,” it said in a statement. This news has come five days after France and several other European countries resumed AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccines. Earlier, several EU nations had suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine over reports of blood clots in a handful of people who had received a jab of this vaccine. The WHO said reported rates of so-called thromboembolic events after Covid-19 vaccines were in line with the usual number of people suffering these conditions.

France launches investigation into death of student who got AstraZeneca vaccine

France will offer Covid-19 shots to anyone over 70 from this weekend, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday, as he sought to breathe more urgency into his country's vaccination campaign.&nbsp;

France and its neighbours are suffering a third wave of infections that threatens recovery in Europe's largest economies.&nbsp;

Hospitals could face an 'unprecedented shock' within three weeks as infections explode, said the head of France's hospital federation as he urged tougher curbs on social interaction if the spread did not slow soon.&nbsp;

New Covid restrictions that closed non-essential stores and limited how far people can move came into effect in Paris and much of the north last weekend, but Macron stopped short of a full lockdown.&nbsp;

"We're going to accelerate the vaccine roll-out from Saturday," Macron said, while visiting a vaccination centre in the north.&nbsp;

The president later said he hoped there would be targeted campaigns for certain professions, such as teachers, by April or May and that in a race against time, public holidays should be no barrier to delivering injections.&nbsp;

From Saturday, people over 70 will be able to get inoculated. Previously, the government had slated opening up vaccine slots for the age-group in mid-April. Vaccinations are currently available for over-75s and anyone over 50 with a serious pre-existing condition.&nbsp;

France's faltering campaign has been slowed by bureaucracy and public mistrust of vaccines at home, and Europe-wide supply delays, in particular from AstraZeneca.&nbsp;

The European Union has threatened to ban exports of the Anglo-Swedish vaccine to Britain in order to secure doses after the company this month said it expected to deliver three times fewer vaccines by the end of June than it had contractually committed to.&nbsp;

The EU says AstraZeneca shots manufactured on its territory have been exported to Britain even amid the shortfall. French Europe Minister Clement Beaune demanded Britain reciprocate. &nbsp;

Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher, whose ministry is responsible for procurement in France, insisted AstraZeneca meet its contractual obligations.&nbsp;

"It is up to them to propose an action plan," she told France Info radio.&nbsp;

The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care hit a four-month high in France on Monday.&nbsp;

"The epidemic is gathering pace, the figures are exploding," Frederic Valletoux, who heads the French hospital federation, told LCI television.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

France will offer Covid-19 shots to anyone over 70 from this weekend, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday, as he sought to breathe more urgency into his country's vaccination campaign.

France will offer Covid-19 shots to anyone over 70 from this weekend, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday, as he sought to breathe more urgency into his country's vaccination campaign. France and its neighbours are suffering a third wave of infections that threatens recovery in Europe's largest economies. Hospitals could face an 'unprecedented shock' within three weeks as infections explode, said the head of France's hospital federation as he urged tougher curbs on social interaction if the spread did not slow soon. New Covid restrictions that closed non-essential stores and limited how far people can move came into effect in Paris and much of the north last weekend, but Macron stopped short of a full lockdown. "We're going to accelerate the vaccine roll-out from Saturday," Macron said, while visiting a vaccination centre in the north. The president later said he hoped there would be targeted campaigns for certain professions, such as teachers, by April or May and that in a race against time, public holidays should be no barrier to delivering injections. From Saturday, people over 70 will be able to get inoculated. Previously, the government had slated opening up vaccine slots for the age-group in mid-April. Vaccinations are currently available for over-75s and anyone over 50 with a serious pre-existing condition. France's faltering campaign has been slowed by bureaucracy and public mistrust of vaccines at home, and Europe-wide supply delays, in particular from AstraZeneca. The European Union has threatened to ban exports of the Anglo-Swedish vaccine to Britain in order to secure doses after the company this month said it expected to deliver three times fewer vaccines by the end of June than it had contractually committed to. The EU says AstraZeneca shots manufactured on its territory have been exported to Britain even amid the shortfall. French Europe Minister Clement Beaune demanded Britain reciprocate. Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher, whose ministry is responsible for procurement in France, insisted AstraZeneca meet its contractual obligations. "It is up to them to propose an action plan," she told France Info radio. The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care hit a four-month high in France on Monday. "The epidemic is gathering pace, the figures are exploding," Frederic Valletoux, who heads the French hospital federation, told LCI television. (With inputs from agencies)

French Prez promises faster vaccine roll-out as infections 'explode' 

France has warned China's ambassador to comply "as quickly as possible" with a foreign ministry summons over recent tweets that targetted French lawmakers and a researcher.

The foreign ministry of France has called in Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye to talk about the recent tweets which they termed as "insults and threats" which are "unacceptable comments".

However, the summons have been ignored and snubbed by Shaye, reported Europe MInister Clement Beaune, on 
Tuesday.

The office of Shaye said there are "scheduling issues" because of which the envoy would appear later.

This excuse has, however, not been believed by the French ministry. "I don't really believe there's a scheduling problem, and this isn't how these things work," Beaune told a local radio station.

He also warned the Chinese embassy against trying any such thing while citing excuses such as scheduling issues.&nbsp;

"Neither France nor Europe is a doormat," he said. "When you are summoned as an ambassador, you pay a visit to the foreign ministry."

Lu Shaye, infamous for being an aggressively outspoken envoy, targetted Antoine Bondaz, a China specialist at the 
Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS) think-tank, through social media platform, Twitter recently.&nbsp;

Bondaz was labelled as a "small-time hoodlum", a "crazed hyena" and "ideological troll" with "anti-Chinese" stances 
by Shaye.&nbsp;

The comments came after Bondaz criticised the pressure from the Chinese on French lawmakers hoping to visit 
Taiwan.&nbsp;

The Chinese envoy also targeted the French lawmakers who wanted to travel to Taiwan.

France has warned China's ambassador to comply "as quickly as possible" with a foreign ministry summons over recent tweets that targetted French lawmakers and a researcher.

France has warned China's ambassador to comply "as quickly as possible" with a foreign ministry summons over recent tweets that targetted French lawmakers and a researcher. The foreign ministry of France has called in Chinese ambassador Lu Shaye to talk about the recent tweets which they termed as "insults and threats" which are "unacceptable comments". However, the summons have been ignored and snubbed by Shaye, reported Europe MInister Clement Beaune, on Tuesday. The office of Shaye said there are "scheduling issues" because of which the envoy would appear later. This excuse has, however, not been believed by the French ministry. "I don't really believe there's a scheduling problem, and this isn't how these things work," Beaune told a local radio station. He also warned the Chinese embassy against trying any such thing while citing excuses such as scheduling issues. "Neither France nor Europe is a doormat," he said. "When you are summoned as an ambassador, you pay a visit to the foreign ministry." Lu Shaye, infamous for being an aggressively outspoken envoy, targetted Antoine Bondaz, a China specialist at the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS) think-tank, through social media platform, Twitter recently. Bondaz was labelled as a "small-time hoodlum", a "crazed hyena" and "ideological troll" with "anti-Chinese" stances by Shaye. The comments came after Bondaz criticised the pressure from the Chinese on French lawmakers hoping to visit Taiwan. The Chinese envoy also targeted the French lawmakers who wanted to travel to Taiwan.

France warns Chinese envoy to 'strictly comply' to summons after offensive tweets

Europe must take action as Lebanon collapses, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, adding that he would press EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday to discuss solutions to the economic and political crisis in Beirut.&nbsp;

Paris has spearheaded international efforts to rescue the former French protectorate from its deepest crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, but after seven months has failed so far to persuade squabbling politicians to adopt a reform roadmap or form a new government to unlock international aid.&nbsp;

The crisis has accelerated in recent days, with the currency plunging in value and some grocery shops temporarily shutting for lack of supplies. President Michel Aoun is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri later on Monday to try and break the deadlock in forming a government.&nbsp;

"France wishes that we discuss the Lebanon question," Le Drian said as he arrived at the EU foreign ministers' meeting. "The country is drifting away, divided ... when a country collapses, Europe must be ready."&nbsp;

French and Western diplomats have said that after months of stalemate, France is now ready to discuss the prospect of sanctions, at EU or national level, on senior Lebanese officials, although it is not likely to be immediate.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Europe must take action as Lebanon collapses, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, adding that he would press EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday to discuss solutions to the economic and political crisis in Beirut.

Europe must take action as Lebanon collapses, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, adding that he would press EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday to discuss solutions to the economic and political crisis in Beirut. Paris has spearheaded international efforts to rescue the former French protectorate from its deepest crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, but after seven months has failed so far to persuade squabbling politicians to adopt a reform roadmap or form a new government to unlock international aid. The crisis has accelerated in recent days, with the currency plunging in value and some grocery shops temporarily shutting for lack of supplies. President Michel Aoun is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri later on Monday to try and break the deadlock in forming a government. "France wishes that we discuss the Lebanon question," Le Drian said as he arrived at the EU foreign ministers' meeting. "The country is drifting away, divided ... when a country collapses, Europe must be ready." French and Western diplomats have said that after months of stalemate, France is now ready to discuss the prospect of sanctions, at EU or national level, on senior Lebanese officials, although it is not likely to be immediate. (With inputs from agencies)

Europe must act as Lebanon collapses: France 

As countries race against time to inoculate citizens for better protection from COVID-19, many countries are witnessing a resurgence of cases.

In France, the number of people kept in intensive care units has risen over the weekend. French hospitals recorded 66 new cases requiring ICU, taking the total to 4,353 - a record high for 2021.

The country’s health ministry revealed the numbers on March 20, suggesting an upsurge in the number of serious cases in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/frances-macron-urges-iran-to-stop-worsening-nuclear-crisis-371516" hreflang="en">France's Macron urges Iran to 'stop worsening' nuclear crisis</a>

Cases are rising in France again, increasing by 35,327 to reach a total of 4.25 million.&nbsp;On Wednesday alone, the country witnessed a surge of 35,088 cases. The death toll in the country rose by 185 to reach 92,167. On Thursday, the country had recorded 285 deaths.

In a statement, the country’s health ministry said that by Saturday, 6.14 million people had received the first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/france-launches-new-digital-identity-cards-371240" hreflang="en">France launches new digital identity cards</a>

This implies that over&nbsp; 9.2 per cent of the total population had received their first shot, and 11.7 per cent of the adult population had received the first shot.

On Saturday, a third of French population was put under lockdown restrictions as the government attempts to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Paris and other parts of northern France.

As countries race against time to inoculate citizens for better protection from COVID-19, many countries are witnessing a resurgence of cases. In France, the number of people kept in intensive care units has risen over the weekend.

As countries race against time to inoculate citizens for better protection from COVID-19, many countries are witnessing a resurgence of cases. In France, the number of people kept in intensive care units has risen over the weekend. French hospitals recorded 66 new cases requiring ICU, taking the total to 4,353 - a record high for 2021. The country’s health ministry revealed the numbers on March 20, suggesting an upsurge in the number of serious cases in the country. Also read: France's Macron urges Iran to 'stop worsening' nuclear crisis Cases are rising in France again, increasing by 35,327 to reach a total of 4.25 million. On Wednesday alone, the country witnessed a surge of 35,088 cases. The death toll in the country rose by 185 to reach 92,167. On Thursday, the country had recorded 285 deaths. In a statement, the country’s health ministry said that by Saturday, 6.14 million people had received the first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Also read: France launches new digital identity cards This implies that over 9.2 per cent of the total population had received their first shot, and 11.7 per cent of the adult population had received the first shot. On Saturday, a third of French population was put under lockdown restrictions as the government attempts to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Paris and other parts of northern France.

France reports record patients in intensive care as cases rise

Senegal's football federation has called on its French-based players to be released for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, calling the league's ban on internationals travelling outside the European Union "discriminatory".

The French football league (LFP) announced this week that its clubs will bar non-European players for playing for their country later this month to avoid possible quarantine on their return.

In a letter sent Thursday to the French Football Federation (FFF), the Senegalese FA said the West African state's national squad could be deprived of 12 players currently at French clubs.

Senegal are due to face the Republic of Congo in Brazzaville on March 26, and Eswatini in the Senegalese city of Thies on March 30.

"It seems appropriate to us to highlight the totally discriminatory nature of this measure," the letter said, referring to the ban, highlighting FIFA rules as well as EU labour law.&nbsp;

FIFA loosened rules obliging clubs to release players for international matches after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

Under these relaxed rules, France's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs banned players from leaving to play outside the European Union and European Economic Area (EAA), which also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.&nbsp;

France's trip to Kazakhstan for a World Cup qualifier is not affected by the decision.

However, the Senegalese federation said that it is "by no means established" that French clubs had tried to obtain exemptions that could have spared players from being forced to quarantine on their return from international duty.

It said that French federation should take "all appropriate measures" to release players needed for Senegal's national team.&nbsp;

Among the players named in Aliou Cisse's 26-man squad were Rennes goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, Monaco's Fode Ballo-Toure and Paris Saint-Germain defender Abdou Diallo.

Senegal finished runners-up to Algeria at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and have already qualified for next year's finals, delayed by a year due to the pandemic.

Senegal's football federation has called on its French-based players to be released for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, calling the league's ban on internationals travelling outside the European Union "discriminatory".

Senegal's football federation has called on its French-based players to be released for upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, calling the league's ban on internationals travelling outside the European Union "discriminatory". The French football league (LFP) announced this week that its clubs will bar non-European players for playing for their country later this month to avoid possible quarantine on their return. In a letter sent Thursday to the French Football Federation (FFF), the Senegalese FA said the West African state's national squad could be deprived of 12 players currently at French clubs. Senegal are due to face the Republic of Congo in Brazzaville on March 26, and Eswatini in the Senegalese city of Thies on March 30. "It seems appropriate to us to highlight the totally discriminatory nature of this measure," the letter said, referring to the ban, highlighting FIFA rules as well as EU labour law. FIFA loosened rules obliging clubs to release players for international matches after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under these relaxed rules, France's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 clubs banned players from leaving to play outside the European Union and European Economic Area (EAA), which also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. France's trip to Kazakhstan for a World Cup qualifier is not affected by the decision. However, the Senegalese federation said that it is "by no means established" that French clubs had tried to obtain exemptions that could have spared players from being forced to quarantine on their return from international duty. It said that French federation should take "all appropriate measures" to release players needed for Senegal's national team. Among the players named in Aliou Cisse's 26-man squad were Rennes goalkeeper Alfred Gomis, Monaco's Fode Ballo-Toure and Paris Saint-Germain defender Abdou Diallo. Senegal finished runners-up to Algeria at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and have already qualified for next year's finals, delayed by a year due to the pandemic.

Senegalese FA protests French travel ban for players

French President Emmanuel Macron accused Iran of continuing to violate a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and said Tehran should act responsibly.

France: Prez Emmanuel Macron accuses Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged Iran to stop aggravating the already grave crisis over its nuclear programme by multiplying violations of the 2015 deal with world powers on its atomic programme.

"Iran must stop worsening the nuclear situation that is already serious by accumulating violations of the Vienna accord," Macron told reporters alongside visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

"Iran must make the expected gestures and behave in a responsible manner," he said.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-iran-unveils-new-city-of-missiles-370991/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The new administration of US President Joe Biden has indicated it is prepared to re-enter the nuclear deal after Donald Trump walked out in 2015, but so far there has been no sign of any breakthrough as Tehran ramps up its nuclear work.

"France is fully mobilised for a relaunch of a credible process to find a solution to this crisis," Macron added. "This means returning to a control and supervision of the Iranian nuclear programme while also integrating a control of Iran's ballistic activity in the region."

Biden's administration has said it will rejoin the deal and start lifting sanctions against Iran if it returns to full compliance.

But Tehran rejected this precondition, pressing on with increasing nuclear work in retaliation for Trump's so-called "maximum pressure" sanctions policy to weaken the Iranian regime, which has had no official relations with Washington for four decades.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged Iran to stop aggravating the already grave crisis over its nuclear programme by multiplying violations of the 2015 deal with world powers on its atomic programme.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged Iran to stop aggravating the already grave crisis over its nuclear programme by multiplying violations of the 2015 deal with world powers on its atomic programme. "Iran must stop worsening the nuclear situation that is already serious by accumulating violations of the Vienna accord," Macron told reporters alongside visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. "Iran must make the expected gestures and behave in a responsible manner," he said. Watch | The new administration of US President Joe Biden has indicated it is prepared to re-enter the nuclear deal after Donald Trump walked out in 2015, but so far there has been no sign of any breakthrough as Tehran ramps up its nuclear work. "France is fully mobilised for a relaunch of a credible process to find a solution to this crisis," Macron added. "This means returning to a control and supervision of the Iranian nuclear programme while also integrating a control of Iran's ballistic activity in the region." Biden's administration has said it will rejoin the deal and start lifting sanctions against Iran if it returns to full compliance. But Tehran rejected this precondition, pressing on with increasing nuclear work in retaliation for Trump's so-called "maximum pressure" sanctions policy to weaken the Iranian regime, which has had no official relations with Washington for four decades.

France's Macron urges Iran to 'stop worsening' nuclear crisis

Activists raised privacy concerns as France unveiled its new digital national identity card. Are the claims of government overreach justified or have identity documents become an easy target? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: France's new national identity card sparks privacy fears

Identity cards have become an inseparable part of our lives. From the office to voting booths, they are required everywhere.

They follow a common template all around the globe and include details about every person's name, gender, address and&nbsp;nationality. 
 
The French government has launched&nbsp;digital identity cards equipped with QR codes and fingerprints. It also has an electronic chip that acts as an all-access key.

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La nouvelle carte d'identité est vraiment plus belle que l'ancienne et surtout elle fait la taille d'une carte bancaire <a href="https://t.co/6ANe8FLdJP">pic.twitter.com/6ANe8FLdJP</a>
— Rayou 🐿 🇪🇺 (@foushi19) <a href="https://twitter.com/foushi19/status/1371552407168122888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The new cards&nbsp;were approved by the French government on March 14 and were launched to prevent identity theft.

According to French Citizenship Minister Marlène Schiappa,&nbsp;"The identity card as you know it, as the French know it at the moment, it will gradually be replaced by a new object, the one we have been able to discover, more practical, new, which has a format more suitable for the pocket or the wallet. It is also an object that is more protective of our rights, and more secure, which will take its place in our daily lives."

The QR code at the back of the ID cards makes it much more secure as it will prevent the production of counterfeits.

The&nbsp;old cards, which are 25 years old, will be replaced by new ones that will be rolled out from March 29.

Although&nbsp;Europe is a highly digitised society, that comes with a downside.

56 per cent of&nbsp;Europeans have experienced some kind of fraud in the last two years. One-third of those cases were of identity theft. This had caused a setback of&nbsp;around 24 billion euros.

Reverse digitisation

There are&nbsp;privacy concerns over France's new ID card as critics claim its&nbsp;technology has loopholes.

They claim that storing all their personal data in a&nbsp;single chip&nbsp;is highly risky.

Previously, in a row over India's Aadhaar card, it was&nbsp;condemned as the most unsafe identity document ever.

However,&nbsp;for millions of ordinary Indians, the&nbsp;Aadhaar card was&nbsp;a ticket to&nbsp;welfare schemes, bank accounts and a better life.

Despite their&nbsp;drawbacks,&nbsp;identity documents are&nbsp;potent tools&nbsp;in rolling out welfare schemes.

In the United States,&nbsp;the social security number was called a privacy ''time bomb.''

Hackers claimed&nbsp;that by&nbsp;using algorithms, publicly available data can be pieced together to generate a person's social security number.

However, it&nbsp;helped America recover from the Great Depression.

Last year,&nbsp;there were reports that Britain was mulling a digital identity card. As a result, it received a&nbsp;barrage of criticism. It was described as government over-reach.

Identity documents are crucial for survival during the coronavirus pandemic that many health experts consider as a&nbsp;public health crisis.

US President Joe Biden had said last week,&nbsp;"The government isn't some foreign force sitting in a distant capital. It's all of us. We the people."

Identity cards have become an inseparable part of our lives. From the office to voting booths, they are required everywhere. They follow a common template all around the globe and include details about every person's name, gender, address and nationality.

Identity cards have become an inseparable part of our lives. From the office to voting booths, they are required everywhere. They follow a common template all around the globe and include details about every person's name, gender, address and nationality. The French government has launched digital identity cards equipped with QR codes and fingerprints. It also has an electronic chip that acts as an all-access key. La nouvelle carte d'identité est vraiment plus belle que l'ancienne et surtout elle fait la taille d'une carte bancaire pic.twitter.com/6ANe8FLdJP — Rayou 🐿 🇪🇺 (@foushi19) March 15, 2021 × The new cards were approved by the French government on March 14 and were launched to prevent identity theft. According to French Citizenship Minister Marlène Schiappa, "The identity card as you know it, as the French know it at the moment, it will gradually be replaced by a new object, the one we have been able to discover, more practical, new, which has a format more suitable for the pocket or the wallet. It is also an object that is more protective of our rights, and more secure, which will take its place in our daily lives." The QR code at the back of the ID cards makes it much more secure as it will prevent the production of counterfeits. The old cards, which are 25 years old, will be replaced by new ones that will be rolled out from March 29. Although Europe is a highly digitised society, that comes with a downside. 56 per cent of Europeans have experienced some kind of fraud in the last two years. One-third of those cases were of identity theft. This had caused a setback of around 24 billion euros. Reverse digitisation There are privacy concerns over France's new ID card as critics claim its technology has loopholes. They claim that storing all their personal data in a single chip is highly risky. Previously, in a row over India's Aadhaar card, it was condemned as the most unsafe identity document ever. However, for millions of ordinary Indians, the Aadhaar card was a ticket to welfare schemes, bank accounts and a better life. Despite their drawbacks, identity documents are potent tools in rolling out welfare schemes. In the United States, the social security number was called a privacy ''time bomb.'' Hackers claimed that by using algorithms, publicly available data can be pieced together to generate a person's social security number. However, it helped America recover from the Great Depression. Last year, there were reports that Britain was mulling a digital identity card. As a result, it received a barrage of criticism. It was described as government over-reach. Identity documents are crucial for survival during the coronavirus pandemic that many health experts consider as a public health crisis. US President Joe Biden had said last week, "The government isn't some foreign force sitting in a distant capital. It's all of us. We the people."

France launches new digital identity cards

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France: Court to examine acquittal of controversial Cardinal Philippe Barbarin

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