france24--2020-03-20--France says 130,000 nationals stranded abroad amid virus restrictions

People queue outside the Air France office in Dakar hoping to get tickets for the last Air France flights out of Senegal , on March 19 , 2020 , France is trying to facilitate the repatriation of 130,000 of its nationals stuck overseas due to the coronavirus outbreak , Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday , as the country ’ s ambassador in Tunisia warned French nationals they had less than 24 hours to fly home .
`` The fundamental principle is that for the 130,000 , we want to bring them back to the national territory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and patient , '' Le Drian told France Info radio , adding that it would be up to them to pay for their return tickets .
Le Drian urged the more than three million French expatriates to stay where they are and warned that the government was ready to toughen up restrictions in France to limit people 's movements , if existing guidelines were not adhered to sufficiently .
French officials have previously said they are coordinating efforts with Air France , France ’ s national career , to repatriate French nationals scattered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ambassador to Tunisia , Olivier Poivre d ’ Arvor , has urged all French nationals in the country with a home in France to leave Tunisia by Friday evening .
“ There will be no further flights to France from Tunisia past that date , ” the ambassador said , adding that the last planes would take off from Tunis and Djerba .
On Friday , European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU 's executive arm was organising flights to repatriate more than 100,000 EU citizens stuck abroad .
Von @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU citizens '' have been brought back home from Morocco over the past two days .
The EU has closed its external borders for 30 days in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic .
The decision bans all non-EU nationals from visiting the bloc , except long-term residents , family members of EU nationals , cross-border and healthcare workers , and people transporting goods .

France is trying to facilitate the repatriation of 130,000 of its nationals stuck overseas due to the coronavirus outbreak, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday, as the country’s ambassador in Tunisia warned French nationals they had less than 24 hours to fly home.
People queue outside the Air France office in Dakar hoping to get tickets for the last Air France flights out of Senegal, on March 19, 2020,
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"The fundamental principle is that for the 130,000, we want to bring them back to the national territory, but we ask them to be calm and patient," Le Drian told France Info radio, adding that it would be up to them to pay for their return tickets.
Le Drian urged the more than three million French expatriates to stay where they are and warned that the government was ready to toughen up restrictions in France to limit people's movements, if existing guidelines were not adhered to sufficiently.
French officials have previously said they are coordinating efforts with Air France, France’s national career, to repatriate French nationals scattered across the globe.
France’s ambassador to Tunisia, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, has urged all French nationals in the country with a home in France to leave Tunisia by Friday evening.
“There will be no further flights to France from Tunisia past that date,” the ambassador said, adding that the last planes would take off from Tunis and Djerba.
⚠ DERNIERS VOLS POUR LA FRANCE - VENDREDI 20 MARS ⚠🛬 #Planning : 5 vols sont programmés pour la #France demain, vendredi 20 mars 👉🏻https://t.co/R1r0GXxm97 — La France en Tunisie (@FranceTn) March 19, 2020
On Friday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU's executive arm was organising flights to repatriate more than 100,000 EU citizens stuck abroad.
Von der Leyen added that "hundreds of EU citizens" have been brought back home from Morocco over the past two days.
The EU has closed its external borders for 30 days in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The decision bans all non-EU nationals from visiting the bloc, except long-term residents, family members of EU nationals, cross-border and healthcare workers, and people transporting goods.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-20--Latin American countries step up coronavirus restrictions as cases spread

The Icarai beach in Brazil 's Rio de Janeiro state has been closed to the public due to the coronavirus outbreak .
Brazil said it was closing land borders and prohibiting entry to people from European and many Pacific Asian countries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus , as Mexico and Peru reported their first virus deaths , and Argentina announced a `` preventative and compulsory '' lockdown from Friday .
Brazil 's Rio de Janeiro state also said it would bar people from its world famous beaches including Copacabana and Ipanema .
Chile , rocked by months of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion economic stimulus package to cope with the effects of the virus on the giant copper producer , but also announced it was postponing a referendum on changing its constitution .
Meanwhile , a plane operated by Spanish carrier Iberia sent to Ecuador to pick up stranded foreigners was prevented from landing at an airport in Guayaquil , which is under lockdown .
Brazil said its two-week border closure would affect all neighboring countries , with the exception of Uruguay to the south , after shutting its border with Venezuela on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Asia Pacific are set to last 30 days , according to a ministerial decree .
They apply to people coming from the European Union , Britain , Iceland , Norway and Switzerland , as well as China , Japan , South Korea , Australia and Malaysia who are not Brazilian residents or do not have valid work or family reasons to travel .
Latin America 's largest country , with a population of 210 million , has so far registered 621 cases of the coronavirus , with six deaths .
Rio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would close all beaches , bars and restaurants .
He also announced a measure to cut transport links with other Brazilian states with reported virus cases , although that needs to be ratified by federal authorities .
Mexico reported its first coronavirus death -- a 41-year-old man with diabetes who died on Wednesday in Mexico City .
Mexico has recorded 118 virus cases .
A Mexican federal judge meanwhile ordered President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to take all preventative measures and necessary actions in order to detect infected persons in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 234 confirmed cases , reported its first three deaths .
Chile 's stimulus plan `` will strengthen our ability to face the health , economic and social needs that the coronavirus pandemic is signifying and that will probably tend to worsen in the future , '' President Sebastian Pinera told a press conference .
Senate speaker Adriana Munoz said the leaders of the main political parties had agreed to postpone the referendum on changing the dictatorship-era constitution from April 26 to October 25 , to give the country time to deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced a lockdown of Chile 's Easter Island , saying no one could enter or leave the remote Pacific island for the next two weeks .
Police meanwhile said they had foiled an attempted break-out from Chile 's largest jail .
Earlier this week , inmates from jails in Brazil and Venezuela managed to escape , motivated by fear that prisons are a breeding ground for the coronavirus .
Chile has registered 342 cases of the virus to date .
In Ecuador , Cynthia Viteri , mayor of the country 's second city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block the runway of the international airport to prevent the Spanish-operated plane from landing .
The flight from Madrid , with only crew aboard , was able to land later in Quito .
Ecuador has banned all flights since Monday to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Panama , which hosts Central America 's busiest airport , and Colombia both said they were suspending all international air travel for a month from Monday .
Colombia 's President Ivan Duque said the shutout was necessary because some people who had entered the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Colombia closed its land and sea borders on Tuesday .
Bogota city hall said the capital 's seven million people would face confinement from Friday to Monday as part of a trial run for a probable future quarantine .
Other cities across Colombia , which has more than 100 cases of the coronavirus , were also under nighttime curfews .
Meanwhile , Eduardo Bolsonaro , the lawmaker son of Brazil 's president , joined US President Donald Trump in criticizing China over the pandemic , prompting demands from Beijing for an apology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using `` irresponsible words '' and of having `` caught a mental virus . ''

Brazil said it was closing land borders and prohibiting entry to people from European and many Pacific Asian countries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as Mexico and Peru reported their first virus deaths, and Argentina announced a "preventative and compulsory" lockdown from Friday.
The Icarai beach in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state has been closed to the public due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state also said it would bar people from its world famous beaches including Copacabana and Ipanema.
Chile, rocked by months of social protests, unveiled an $11.75 billion economic stimulus package to cope with the effects of the virus on the giant copper producer, but also announced it was postponing a referendum on changing its constitution.
Meanwhile, a plane operated by Spanish carrier Iberia sent to Ecuador to pick up stranded foreigners was prevented from landing at an airport in Guayaquil, which is under lockdown.
Brazil said its two-week border closure would affect all neighboring countries, with the exception of Uruguay to the south, after shutting its border with Venezuela on Tuesday.
Its new restrictions against travelers from Europe and the Asia Pacific are set to last 30 days, according to a ministerial decree.
They apply to people coming from the European Union, Britain, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Malaysia who are not Brazilian residents or do not have valid work or family reasons to travel.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is lit up in the colors of the countries that are affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes #COVID19 #CoronaVirusChallenge #corcovado #RiodeJaneiro pic.twitter.com/c7jbITp48E — Sergio Moraes (@sermoraes) March 19, 2020
Latin America's largest country, with a population of 210 million, has so far registered 621 cases of the coronavirus, with six deaths.
Rio state governor Wilson Witzel said from Saturday he would close all beaches, bars and restaurants. He also announced a measure to cut transport links with other Brazilian states with reported virus cases, although that needs to be ratified by federal authorities.
Mexico reported its first coronavirus death -- a 41-year-old man with diabetes who died on Wednesday in Mexico City. Mexico has recorded 118 virus cases.
A Mexican federal judge meanwhile ordered President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to take all preventative measures and necessary actions in order to detect infected persons in the country.
Peru, which has a total of 234 confirmed cases, reported its first three deaths.
Chile stimulus plan
Chile's stimulus plan "will strengthen our ability to face the health, economic and social needs that the coronavirus pandemic is signifying and that will probably tend to worsen in the future," President Sebastian Pinera told a press conference.
Senate speaker Adriana Munoz said the leaders of the main political parties had agreed to postpone the referendum on changing the dictatorship-era constitution from April 26 to October 25, to give the country time to deal with the virus.
Health Minister Jaime Manalich announced a lockdown of Chile's Easter Island, saying no one could enter or leave the remote Pacific island for the next two weeks.
Police meanwhile said they had foiled an attempted break-out from Chile's largest jail. Earlier this week, inmates from jails in Brazil and Venezuela managed to escape, motivated by fear that prisons are a breeding ground for the coronavirus.
Chile has registered 342 cases of the virus to date.
In Ecuador, Cynthia Viteri, mayor of the country's second city Guayaquil, said she ordered vehicles to block the runway of the international airport to prevent the Spanish-operated plane from landing.
The flight from Madrid, with only crew aboard, was able to land later in Quito.
Ecuador has banned all flights since Monday to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Panama, which hosts Central America's busiest airport, and Colombia both said they were suspending all international air travel for a month from Monday.
Colombia's President Ivan Duque said the shutout was necessary because some people who had entered the country had tried to avoid mandatory quarantine regulations.
Colombia closed its land and sea borders on Tuesday.
Bogota confinement
Bogota city hall said the capital's seven million people would face confinement from Friday to Monday as part of a trial run for a probable future quarantine.
Other cities across Colombia, which has more than 100 cases of the coronavirus, were also under nighttime curfews.
This is the scene tonight in #Manizales #Colombia, a beautiful city of 434,000 people in the heart of coffee country. Curfew is in effect from 7pm to 5am. No exceptions. They are not playing games! #coronavirus #Quarantine #CuarentenaCoronavirus pic.twitter.com/o2PEfqK9CU — Derek Bauman (@derekbauman) March 19, 2020
Meanwhile, Eduardo Bolsonaro, the lawmaker son of Brazil's president, joined US President Donald Trump in criticizing China over the pandemic, prompting demands from Beijing for an apology.
China's embassy accused Bolsonaro of using "irresponsible words" and of having "caught a mental virus."
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-20--California governor orders residents to stay home, says more than half could get virus

California 's governor on Thursday issued an unprecedented statewide `` stay at home order '' directing the state 's 40 million residents to hunker down in their homes for the foreseeable future in the face of the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic .
Governor Gavin Newsom 's directive , effective immediately , marks the largest and most sweeping government clampdown yet in the worsening public health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak , which he predicted could infect more than half the state within eight weeks .
`` We are confident the people of California will abide by it , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Democrat in his first term as governor of the nation 's most populous state , told a late-afternoon news briefing from the state capital in Sacramento .
`` They 'll step up as they have over the last number of weeks to protect themselves , to protect their families and to protect the broader community in this great state and the world we reside in , '' he said .
Newsom called the order essential in light of modeling by experts that showed roughly 56 percent of the state 's residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract the respiratory illness in the next eight weeks .
Such numbers would require nearly 20,000 more hospital beds than the state could provide .
Already more than 1,000 Californians have been confirmed as infected and 18 have died , the third largest death toll in the United States behind only Washington state and New York .
Newsom said exceptions to the stay-at-home rule would be granted for residents to make trips to grocery stores , pharmacies , doctors and laundromats , and workers in `` critical infrastructure sectors . ''
The governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order but suggested it would last for at least eight weeks .
Newsom was also vague about enforcement , saying he expected Californians would bend to `` social pressure '' on their own .
The announcement caught many in the state by surprise and drew swift criticism from U.S. House of Representatives Republican leader Kevin McCarthy , who told Fox News Channel he was unhappy the governor did not consult with lawmakers in Washington .
`` We do think there was an ability to do this without shutting down the entire state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of experts before he just made this decision , '' McCarthy told Fox .
Newsom said during the news conference he had discussed the matter with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a Democrat from Northern California .
Earlier on Thursday the governor asked President Donald Trump to send a U.S. Navy hospital ship to the port of Los Angeles `` immediately '' as the state braces for the expected surge in the number of coronavirus cases .
Trump has said he would deploy two Navy hospital ships , one to each coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vessels were not yet ready to take on patients .

California's governor on Thursday issued an unprecedented statewide "stay at home order" directing the state's 40 million residents to hunker down in their homes for the foreseeable future in the face of the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic.
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Governor Gavin Newsom's directive, effective immediately, marks the largest and most sweeping government clampdown yet in the worsening public health crisis brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak, which he predicted could infect more than half the state within eight weeks.
"We are confident the people of California will abide by it, they will meet this moment," Newsom, a Democrat in his first term as governor of the nation's most populous state, told a late-afternoon news briefing from the state capital in Sacramento.
CA is issuing a statewide, mandatory STAY AT HOME order.
Those that work in critical sectors should go to work. Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks and more will stay open.
We need to meet this moment and flatten the curve together.
Go to https://t.co/xtXFwVeWc2 to learn more. — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 20, 2020
"They'll step up as they have over the last number of weeks to protect themselves, to protect their families and to protect the broader community in this great state and the world we reside in," he said.
Newsom called the order essential in light of modeling by experts that showed roughly 56 percent of the state's residents, or 25 million people, would contract the respiratory illness in the next eight weeks. Such numbers would require nearly 20,000 more hospital beds than the state could provide.
Already more than 1,000 Californians have been confirmed as infected and 18 have died, the third largest death toll in the United States behind only Washington state and New York.
Newsom said exceptions to the stay-at-home rule would be granted for residents to make trips to grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors and laundromats, and workers in "critical infrastructure sectors."
The governor did not give an end date for the order but suggested it would last for at least eight weeks.
'Social pressure'
Newsom was also vague about enforcement, saying he expected Californians would bend to "social pressure" on their own.
The announcement caught many in the state by surprise and drew swift criticism from U.S. House of Representatives Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who told Fox News Channel he was unhappy the governor did not consult with lawmakers in Washington.
"We do think there was an ability to do this without shutting down the entire state. I hope he consulted with a lot of experts before he just made this decision," McCarthy told Fox.
Newsom said during the news conference he had discussed the matter with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from Northern California.
Earlier on Thursday the governor asked President Donald Trump to send a U.S. Navy hospital ship to the port of Los Angeles "immediately" as the state braces for the expected surge in the number of coronavirus cases.
Trump has said he would deploy two Navy hospital ships, one to each coast, but defense officials have said the vessels were not yet ready to take on patients.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-20--Week in Review: Parisians adapt to a life on lockdown and the race to find a coronavirus vaccine

As the coronavirus stole headlines across the world , we take a look at the race to find a vaccine that could put an end to the global pandemic and strolled through empty streets as a coronavirus quarantine was announced and Paris ground to a halt .
On a lighter note , the French are bursting into applause on their balconies every night at 8pm to pay tribute to the country 's overstretched health workers .
Coronavirus : where do we stand in the race for a vaccine ?
As the world races to find a vaccine or a cure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HIV medications , flu vaccines and arthritis treatments are all being tested .
FRANCE 24 takes a look at the latest medical efforts to combat the pandemic .
Europe ’ s cherished Schengen network of open internal borders is on the brink of collapse as more and more countries shut their doors in a frantic effort to stave off the coronavirus pandemic , even as experts warn such tactics will delay its spread – but not halt it .
Escape and resignation as life slows in Paris In the hours before French President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an effort to curb the coronavirus and less than two days after all “ non-essential ” commerce was ordered shut , life in Paris was palpably winding down .
Coronavirus emergency spending 'is two years of climate financing ’ , says climatologist Jean Jouzel French climatologist Jean Jouzel says the swift global reaction to the coronavirus crisis may bode well for the climate as well : It shows that in a real emergency , nations have the means – and the will – to act .
`` It is just as urgent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
In pictures : France grinds to a halt as cafés and all 'non-essential ' business ordered to close Many normally bustling areas appeared deserted on Sunday after French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe ordered the closure of restaurants , cafés and all other `` non-essential '' commerce beginning at midnight on Saturday .
Groceries , pharmacies , tobacconists and petrol stations will remain open .
The streets have been nearly empty in cities across France after the country went into lockdown at noon on Tuesday to combat the spread of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure the new rules are being respected .
For residents , the new measures mean adapting to a new way of life .
With France in coronavirus lockdown , Paris has become almost deserted , with only a few joggers , pedestrians and vehicles remaining on the streets , a far cry from the crowds and traffic that normally fill the French capital .
# WeApplaud : French pay tribute to health workers from their balconies On Tuesday evening , people across France gathered at their balconies and windows to clap for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic as the country went into lockdown .
Ehud Olmert tells FRANCE 24 : 'Benjamin Netanyahu has to go home' In a wide-ranging interview in Tel Aviv , former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert discussed the country 's ongoing formation of a government and openly criticised his successor and rival Benjamin Netanyahu who , he says , is `` not capable of continuing '' .
He also addressed the issue of Iran , which regularly threatens Israel .
Scarf-maker Scough among companies benefiting from the coronavirus outbreak As the coronavirus pandemic spreads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
Andrew Kessler , the founder of Scough – which makes scarves with built-in air filters – says his firm is struggling to satisfy demand .
But first , the head of Germany 's influential Ifo research institute has warned that Europe 's biggest economy could fall into recession .
And we take a look at a gold mine in Australia that 's run into a bat problem .
Dystopia vs reality : the sci-fi films helping us gain a critical outlook on society As COVID-19 spreads throughout the world , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dystopian novels that may have predicted such an outbreak .
In this edition , we also explore the influence and the critical outlook that TV series can have on science and innovation , but also politics and society at large .
With just a flick of a finger , trillions of cigarette butts are discarded into the environment every year .
But how exactly do they pollute and at what rate ?
Noha Baz 's recently published autobiography is a hymn to the complex contradictions of modern-day Lebanon .
An experienced paediatrician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent her adult life fighting for a fairer start for Lebanon 's most marginalised children while always reminding us of life 's simplest pleasures .
Coronavirus in Italy : From Florence to Palermo , tourism and economy grind to a halt As Italy reels from the coronavirus pandemic , the entire country is under quarantine .
From the Tuscan city of Florence to the Sicilian capital Palermo to the large port of Genoa , our correspondents measured the catastrophic impact of the virus on tourism and the Italian economy .
Their report was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into force , closing all stores except for pharmacies and food shops .
Christian Louboutin : Speaking to the 'sole ' man at his Paris exhibition One of the world 's best-known shoe designers speaks to FRANCE 24 about his famous red-soled shoes , why the Palais de la Porte Dorée museum inspired him and who is the one person he 'd like to see wearing his creations .
Author Angie Thomas on her follow-up to phenomenon 'The Hate U Give' Angie Thomas 's debut book , `` The Hate U Give '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensitive and contentious subjects in America today : race , privilege and the killings of unarmed black people at the hands of the police .
It spent more than a hundred weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was made into a movie .
Thomas speaks to FRANCE 24 about writing a blockbuster new young-adult book , `` On the Come Up '' , which has been translated into French , and why she wanted to talk about hip-hop as an art form .
Lionel Shriver 's new collection of short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owning material things that affects a person 's thoughts and actions .
Shriver 's anthology , `` Property '' , looks at the material wealth of late-stage capitalism and reflects upon what it means for its proprietors .
The award-winning author of `` We Need to Talk About Kevin '' also talks to FRANCE 24 about the power of weakness and the generation gap between Baby Boomers and Millennials in her new book .
Coronavirus : WHO tells African countries to 'prepare for the worst' The head of the World Health Organization has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the coronavirus pandemic , telling the continent to `` prepare for the worst '' .
The number of cases in South Africa has nearly doubled and Burkina Faso has recorded the first Sub-Saharan fatality due to the virus .
YOU ARE HERE A sparkling past and future : France 's Vosges region , the home of crystal Five centuries ago , a special type of glassware was born in the northern valleys of France 's Vosges region .
The production of crystal once employed 5,000 people in these hills .
The Lalique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is one of the world 's best .
Further west , another French town symbolises crystal excellence : Baccarat and its 250-year-old factory .

WEEK IN REVIEW
As the coronavirus stole headlines across the world, we take a look at the race to find a vaccine that could put an end to the global pandemic and strolled through empty streets as a coronavirus quarantine was announced and Paris ground to a halt. On a lighter note, the French are bursting into applause on their balconies every night at 8pm to pay tribute to the country's overstretched health workers.
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ARTICLES
Coronavirus: where do we stand in the race for a vaccine?
As the world races to find a vaccine or a cure for the coronavirus, antimalarial drugs, HIV medications, flu vaccines and arthritis treatments are all being tested. FRANCE 24 takes a look at the latest medical efforts to combat the pandemic.
Vials displayed during a neutralising antibody test on the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus at a laboratory at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, March 11, 2020. AFP - ED JONES
Doors slam shut across borderless Europe as coronavirus spreads
Europe’s cherished Schengen network of open internal borders is on the brink of collapse as more and more countries shut their doors in a frantic effort to stave off the coronavirus pandemic, even as experts warn such tactics will delay its spread – but not halt it.
Escape and resignation as life slows in Paris
In the hours before French President Emmanuel Macron announced another round of restrictions in an effort to curb the coronavirus and less than two days after all “non-essential” commerce was ordered shut, life in Paris was palpably winding down.
A military patrol in Charles DeGaulle airport passes in front of closed concessions on March 16, 2020. © Monique El-Faizy
Coronavirus emergency spending 'is two years of climate financing’, says climatologist Jean Jouzel
French climatologist Jean Jouzel says the swift global reaction to the coronavirus crisis may bode well for the climate as well: It shows that in a real emergency, nations have the means – and the will – to act. "It is just as urgent to tackle the climate problem," he says.
French climatologist Jean Jouzel arrives for a meeting on March 18, 2019, at the Élysée Palace in Paris. © Ludovic Marin, AFP
IN PICTURES
In pictures: France grinds to a halt as cafés and all 'non-essential' business ordered to close
Many normally bustling areas appeared deserted on Sunday after French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe ordered the closure of restaurants, cafés and all other "non-essential" commerce beginning at midnight on Saturday. Groceries, pharmacies, tobacconists and petrol stations will remain open.
A shop in Paris carries the sign, "Sorry, we are closed." © Philippe Lopez, AFP
VIDEO REPORTS
‘Papers, please’: France adapts to life on coronavirus lockdown
The streets have been nearly empty in cities across France after the country went into lockdown at noon on Tuesday to combat the spread of coronavirus, with police out in force to ensure the new rules are being respected. For residents, the new measures mean adapting to a new way of life.
Only the police are visiting the Eiffel Tower during lockdown in Paris, March 18 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
Coronavirus: A walk through a deserted Paris
With France in coronavirus lockdown, Paris has become almost deserted, with only a few joggers, pedestrians and vehicles remaining on the streets, a far cry from the crowds and traffic that normally fill the French capital.
An empty Paris during lockdown, March 19 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
#WeApplaud: French pay tribute to health workers from their balconies
On Tuesday evening, people across France gathered at their balconies and windows to clap for the country’s health workers battling the coronavirus pandemic as the country went into lockdown.
TV SHOWS ONLINE
THE INTERVIEW
Ehud Olmert tells FRANCE 24: 'Benjamin Netanyahu has to go home'
In a wide-ranging interview in Tel Aviv, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert discussed the country's ongoing formation of a government and openly criticised his successor and rival Benjamin Netanyahu who, he says, is "not capable of continuing". He also addressed the issue of Iran, which regularly threatens Israel.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert speaks with FRANCE 24, March 18 2020. © FRANCE 24
PEOPLE & PROFIT
Scarf-maker Scough among companies benefiting from the coronavirus outbreak
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, some companies are benefiting from the outbreak. Andrew Kessler, the founder of Scough – which makes scarves with built-in air filters – says his firm is struggling to satisfy demand. But first, the head of Germany's influential Ifo research institute has warned that Europe's biggest economy could fall into recession. And we take a look at a gold mine in Australia that's run into a bat problem.
The creator of the Scough, Andrew Kessler, speaks with FRANCE 24, March 12 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
TECH24
Dystopia vs reality: the sci-fi films helping us gain a critical outlook on society
As COVID-19 spreads throughout the world, we take a look at the sci-fi movies and dystopian novels that may have predicted such an outbreak. In this edition, we also explore the influence and the critical outlook that TV series can have on science and innovation, but also politics and society at large.
DOWN TO EARTH
Cigarette butts: the world's most littered item
With just a flick of a finger, trillions of cigarette butts are discarded into the environment every year. But how exactly do they pollute and at what rate?
The world's most littered item in the world is cigarette butts, March 6 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
PERSPECTIVE
Life lessons with Noha Baz: Paediatrician, foodie and tireless optimist
Noha Baz's recently published autobiography is a hymn to the complex contradictions of modern-day Lebanon. An experienced paediatrician and passionate food writer, Baz has spent her adult life fighting for a fairer start for Lebanon's most marginalised children while always reminding us of life's simplest pleasures.
FOCUS
Coronavirus in Italy: From Florence to Palermo, tourism and economy grind to a halt
As Italy reels from the coronavirus pandemic, the entire country is under quarantine. From the Tuscan city of Florence to the Sicilian capital Palermo to the large port of Genoa, our correspondents measured the catastrophic impact of the virus on tourism and the Italian economy. Their report was filmed just before further restrictive measures came into force, closing all stores except for pharmacies and food shops.
Deserted Florence without any tourists, Italy, March 12 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
ENCORE
Christian Louboutin: Speaking to the 'sole' man at his Paris exhibition
One of the world's best-known shoe designers speaks to FRANCE 24 about his famous red-soled shoes, why the Palais de la Porte Dorée museum inspired him and who is the one person he'd like to see wearing his creations.
Christian Louboutin talks shoes and art with FRANCE 24's Encore programme, March 19 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
Author Angie Thomas on her follow-up to phenomenon 'The Hate U Give'
Angie Thomas's debut book, "The Hate U Give", talked about some of the most sensitive and contentious subjects in America today: race, privilege and the killings of unarmed black people at the hands of the police. It spent more than a hundred weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was made into a movie. Thomas speaks to FRANCE 24 about writing a blockbuster new young-adult book, "On the Come Up", which has been translated into French, and why she wanted to talk about hip-hop as an art form.
Author Angie Thomas speaks to Encore's Eve Jackson about how hip-hop is an art form, March 17 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
Personal possessions, onerous ownership & haunted homes: Lionel Shriver explores 'Property'
Lionel Shriver's new collection of short fiction explores just what it is about owning material things that affects a person's thoughts and actions. Shriver's anthology, "Property", looks at the material wealth of late-stage capitalism and reflects upon what it means for its proprietors. The award-winning author of "We Need to Talk About Kevin" also talks to FRANCE 24 about the power of weakness and the generation gap between Baby Boomers and Millennials in her new book.
EYE ON AFRICA
Coronavirus: WHO tells African countries to 'prepare for the worst'
The head of the World Health Organization has sounded the alarm over Africa's preparedness for the coronavirus pandemic, telling the continent to "prepare for the worst". The number of cases in South Africa has nearly doubled and Burkina Faso has recorded the first Sub-Saharan fatality due to the virus.
Healthworkers spray the inside of buses in South Africa, March 18 2020. © FRANCE 24 screengrab.
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A sparkling past and future: France's Vosges region, the home of crystal
Five centuries ago, a special type of glassware was born in the northern valleys of France's Vosges region. The production of crystal once employed 5,000 people in these hills. The Lalique factory, near the border with Alsace, is one of the world's best. Further west, another French town symbolises crystal excellence: Baccarat and its 250-year-old factory.
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france24--2020-03-20--India hangs four men over 2012 Delhi bus rape and murder

People shout slogans outside the Tihar Jail where the four men were hanged in New Delhi , India , on March 20 , 2020 .
India hanged four men on Friday who were convicted for the rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in New Delhi in 2012 , in a case that shocked the world and shamed the country over its appalling record for crimes against women .
The men were executed at dawn in Tihar jail , on the outskirts of the capital , two prison officials said .
Hundreds of police were deployed outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waited to celebrate the execution .
Some held placards that read `` Justice for women '' and `` Hang the culprits '' .
The crime , which happened on the night of December 16 , 2012 , sparked massive protests and global outrage .
The victim was dubbed Nirbhaya -- the fearless one -- by the Indian press , as she could not be named under Indian law .
`` Today , justice has been done after seven years , '' the victim 's mother told reporters outside the prison .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing our prayers ... my daughter 's soul can now rest in peace . ''
Six men were arrested for the brutal attack .
One suspect , Ram Singh , was found dead in his jail cell in March 2013 , having apparently taken his own life .
Another , who was aged 17 at the time , was released in 2015 after serving three years in a reform facility -- the maximum term possible for a juvenile in India .
The four hanged on Friday were gym instructor Vinay Sharma , bus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and unemployed Mukesh Singh , who were all sentenced to death by a fast-track court in 2013 .
In 2017 , the Supreme Court upheld death sentences against four men , with judges ruling the crime met the `` rarest of the rare '' standard required to justify capital punishment in India .
India 's president rejected pleas for clemency from the condemned men , after the Supreme Court dismissed their pleas for a review of the death sentences .
Attacked on a moving bus and left for dead on roadside , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clung to life for two weeks before succumbing to her injuries .
She died in a hospital in Singapore , where she had been transferred in a desperate attempt to save her .
Outrage over her death led to India passing tough new laws against sexual violence , including the death penalty for rape in some cases .
Still , one woman reported a rape every 15 minutes on average in India in 2018 , according to government data released last month , underlining the country 's reputation as one of the worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Women reported almost 34,000 rapes in 2018 , barely changed from the year before .
Just over 85 % led to charges , and 27 % to convictions , according to the annual crime report released by the federal home ministry .
Activists say the government statistics understate the number of rapes as it is still considered a taboo by conservative Indians to report sexual violence .

India hanged four men on Friday who were convicted for the rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in New Delhi in 2012, in a case that shocked the world and shamed the country over its appalling record for crimes against women.
People shout slogans outside the Tihar Jail where the four men were hanged in New Delhi, India, on March 20, 2020.
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The men were executed at dawn in Tihar jail, on the outskirts of the Indian capital, two prison officials said.
Hundreds of police were deployed outside the jail to control a crowd that waited to celebrate the execution. Some held placards that read "Justice for women" and "Hang the culprits".
The crime, which happened on the night of December 16, 2012, sparked massive protests and global outrage. The victim was dubbed Nirbhaya -- the fearless one -- by the Indian press, as she could not be named under Indian law.
"Today, justice has been done after seven years," the victim's mother told reporters outside the prison. "I salute Indian judiciary and thank god for hearing our prayers... my daughter's soul can now rest in peace."
Six men were arrested for the brutal attack. One suspect, Ram Singh, was found dead in his jail cell in March 2013, having apparently taken his own life.
Another, who was aged 17 at the time, was released in 2015 after serving three years in a reform facility -- the maximum term possible for a juvenile in India.
The four hanged on Friday were gym instructor Vinay Sharma, bus cleaner Akshay Thakur, fruit-seller Pawan Gupta and unemployed Mukesh Singh, who were all sentenced to death by a fast-track court in 2013.
In 2017, the Supreme Court upheld death sentences against four men, with judges ruling the crime met the "rarest of the rare" standard required to justify capital punishment in India.
India's president rejected pleas for clemency from the condemned men, after the Supreme Court dismissed their pleas for a review of the death sentences.
Attacked on a moving bus and left for dead on roadside, the victim, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student, clung to life for two weeks before succumbing to her injuries. She died in a hospital in Singapore, where she had been transferred in a desperate attempt to save her.
Outrage over her death led to India passing tough new laws against sexual violence, including the death penalty for rape in some cases.
Still, one woman reported a rape every 15 minutes on average in India in 2018, according to government data released last month, underlining the country's reputation as one of the worst places in the world to be female.
Women reported almost 34,000 rapes in 2018, barely changed from the year before. Just over 85% led to charges, and 27% to convictions, according to the annual crime report released by the federal home ministry.
Activists say the government statistics understate the number of rapes as it is still considered a taboo by conservative Indians to report sexual violence.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-20--China sees record number of imported coronavirus cases

A woman wearing a mask walks past the headquarters of the People 's Bank of China , in Beijing .
China 's imported coronavirus cases have risen to a record level , according to data released on Friday , with infected travellers reaching ever more provinces adding to pressure on authorities to step up tough entry rules and health protocols .
For a second day in a row , China found no domestically transmitted cases of the virus , which is believed to have emerged in a central province late last year , according to new daily figures on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the focus is on guarding against cases arriving from abroad as the spread of the coronavirus in Europe and North America sparks a rush home by Chinese expatriates , many of them students , raising fears of a second wave of infections just as China brings its epidemic under control .
Mainland China had 39 new confirmed cases on Thursday , the National Health Commission said , all of them imported .
Of the new imported infections , 14 were found in Guangdong , eight in Shanghai and six in Beijing , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big transport hubs like the capital , Shanghai , Guangdong , including the city Shenzhen , near Hong Kong , have been the main points of entry for the infected travellers .
But on Thursday , imported cases were also reported in the cities of Tianjin , Liaoning , Heilongjiang , Shandong and Gansu in the north , as well as in Zhejiang , Fujian , Guangxi , Sichuan , bringing the total number of imported infections in China to 228 .
The commission did not say where the cases were believed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the travellers had been in Britain , the United States and Spain .
The new imported case in Tianjin , a city of 11 million people , was a 23-year old woman studying in London who travelled home via Zurich , Tokyo and Beijing , the Xinhua state news agency said .
The northeastern city of Shenyang said a traveller arriving from London , via Seoul , was its first imported case .
It said the traveller did not show any fever or respiratory tract symptoms after arriving at Shenyang 's airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health said in a study many overseas outbreaks were caused by travellers from China who were pre-symptomatic and therefore not screened or isolated .
To limit the possibility of asymptomatic patients returning to spread the disease , authorities in a growing number of Chinese regions are making travellers coming back from any of 24 countries badly hit by outbreaks spend 14 days in isolation , either at home or at designated venue .
President Xi Jinping warned on Wednesday that China must not allow the improving trend of containment of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the central province of Hubei and the epicentre of the outbreak , saw no new cases for a second day , the National Health Commission said .
That brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China to 80,967 .
The death toll from the outbreak had reached 3,248 as of the end of Thursday , up by three from the previous day .
Globally , 245,000 people have been infected and more than 10,000 have died .

China's imported coronavirus cases have risen to a record level, according to data released on Friday, with infected travellers reaching ever more provinces adding to pressure on authorities to step up tough entry rules and health protocols.
A woman wearing a mask walks past the headquarters of the People's Bank of China, in Beijing.
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For a second day in a row, China found no domestically transmitted cases of the virus, which is believed to have emerged in a central province late last year, according to new daily figures on the disease, registered on Thursday.
Now the focus is on guarding against cases arriving from abroad as the spread of the coronavirus in Europe and North America sparks a rush home by Chinese expatriates, many of them students, raising fears of a second wave of infections just as China brings its epidemic under control.
Mainland China had 39 new confirmed cases on Thursday, the National Health Commission said, all of them imported.
Of the new imported infections, 14 were found in Guangdong, eight in Shanghai and six in Beijing, the health authority said in a statement.
39 new cases of #COVID19 reported on Chinese mainland on Thursday, all of which were imported, 730 discharged and 3 more deaths. Latest figures:
- 80,967 total confirmed cases
- 3,248 deaths
- 71,150 discharged pic.twitter.com/6bjBaGnZ7A — People's Daily, China (@PDChina) March 20, 2020
Big transport hubs like the capital, Shanghai, Guangdong, including the city Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, have been the main points of entry for the infected travellers.
But on Thursday, imported cases were also reported in the cities of Tianjin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shandong and Gansu in the north, as well as in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Sichuan, bringing the total number of imported infections in China to 228.
The commission did not say where the cases were believed to have originated but provincial authorities said some of the travellers had been in Britain, the United States and Spain.
No symptoms
The new imported case in Tianjin, a city of 11 million people, was a 23-year old woman studying in London who travelled home via Zurich, Tokyo and Beijing, the Xinhua state news agency said.
The northeastern city of Shenyang said a traveller arriving from London, via Seoul, was its first imported case. It said the traveller did not show any fever or respiratory tract symptoms after arriving at Shenyang's airport on March 16.
The Yale School of Public Health said in a study many overseas outbreaks were caused by travellers from China who were pre-symptomatic and therefore not screened or isolated.
To limit the possibility of asymptomatic patients returning to spread the disease, authorities in a growing number of Chinese regions are making travellers coming back from any of 24 countries badly hit by outbreaks spend 14 days in isolation, either at home or at designated venue.
President Xi Jinping warned on Wednesday that China must not allow the improving trend of containment of the virus be reversed.
Wuhan, capital of the central province of Hubei and the epicentre of the outbreak, saw no new cases for a second day, the National Health Commission said.
That brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China to 80,967. The death toll from the outbreak had reached 3,248 as of the end of Thursday, up by three from the previous day.
Globally, 245,000 people have been infected and more than 10,000 have died.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-19--Spain orders all hotels to close in attempt to stave off coronavirus spread

Members of the Military Emergency Unit ( UME ) disinfect the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport during a partial lockdown @ @ @ @ @ state of emergency to combat the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) outbreak in Barcelona , @ @ @ @ @ .
Spain has ordered all hotels in its territory to close to help stem the @ @ @ @ @ a new measure announced in the state official bulletin on Thursday .
The measure orders @ @ @ @ @ to the public of all hotels and similar lodgings , tourist accommodation and other short-term @ @ @ @ @ territory , '' the official notice published in BOE read .
Hotels in Spain , @ @ @ @ @ the world , will close immediately for seven days .
Long-stay accommodation can remain open @ @ @ @ @ necessary infrastructure for residents to abide by the conditions of total confinement currently in force @ @ @ @ @ is the country that has been fourth-hardest hit by COVID-19 , with 767 deaths and @ @ @

Spain has ordered all hotels in its territory to close to help stem the spread of coronavirus, under a new measure announced in the state official bulletin on Thursday.
Members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) disinfect the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport during a partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Barcelona, Spain March 19, 2020.
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The measure orders "the suspension of opening to the public of all hotels and similar lodgings, tourist accommodation and other short-term accommodation... situated on national territory," the official notice published in BOE read.
Hotels in Spain, the number-two tourist destination in the world, will close immediately for seven days.
Long-stay accommodation can remain open, providing they have the necessary infrastructure for residents to abide by the conditions of total confinement currently in force in the country.
Spain is the country that has been fourth-hardest hit by COVID-19, with 767 deaths and 17,147 infections.
(AFP)
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france24--2020-03-20--US warns Americans not to go abroad as Senate unveils $1 trillion coronavirus stimulus plan

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) enters the U.S. Capitol ahead of a Senate lunch meeting on response to the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) on Capitol Hill in Washington , U.S. , March 19 , 2020 .
The United States warned Americans on Thursday to return home or stay abroad indefinitely , while Senate Republicans unveiled a $ 1 trillion economic stimulus plan to provide funds directly to businesses and the American public , as the number of coronavirus cases in the country surged past 13,000 .
As authorities ramped up measures to keep the virus from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel across the U.S.-Mexico border as soon as Friday , limiting crossings to essential travel , two officials briefed on the matter said .
That would follow a similar measure on Wednesday closing the border with Canada .
The fast-spreading respiratory illness has shattered most patterns of American life : shuttering schools and businesses , prompting millions to work from home , forcing many out of jobs and sharply curtailing travel .
`` If you choose to travel internationally , your travel plans may be severely disrupted , and you may be forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an indefinite timeframe , '' the U.S. State Department said .
At the same time , the Trump administration said it was not ruling out a temporary halt to all U.S. passenger air travel .
`` Everything is on the table , '' Deborah Birx , White House coordinator for the coronavirus task force , told Fox News Channel .
The U.S. Senate unveiled details of a $ 1 trillion-plus coronavirus bill on Thursday intended to help the U.S. economy weather the impacts of the growing outbreak .
President Donald Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It would be Congress ' third emergency coronavirus bill following a $ 105 billion-plus plan covering free coronavirus testing , paid sick leave and expanded safety-net spending , and an $ 8.3 billion measure to combat the spread of the highly contagious pathogen and develop vaccines .
Trump , speaking with several state governors by videoconference from the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency , said the government would help out the U.S. auto industry `` a little bit . ''
It might also consider a relief package for the hospitality industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market and surging U.S. death toll has caused Trump to sharply change his tone on the disease this week , demanding urgent action after spending weeks downplaying the risks .
More than 13,000 people across the United States have been diagnosed with the illness called COVID-19 and more than 196 have died , with the largest numbers so far in Washington state and New York .
Two Los Angeles Lakers players have the coronavirus , the NBA franchise said on Thursday , after four players from the Brooklyn Nets tested positive for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday reported eight more deaths from the coronavirus pandemic , bringing the death toll there to 74 , the most of any U.S. state .
New York State tested 8,000 patients overnight and ordered three-quarters of state employees to work from home , while officials in New York and neighboring New Jersey said they expected the number of cases in those states to spiral into the thousands .
`` We do n't have the results of the 8,000 tests , but when you do 8,000 tests , the numbers are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governor Andrew Cuomo told CNN .
There are no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19 , but several options are being tested .
New York City , where many young people last weekend packed local bars and restaurants , has been eerily deserted after nightfall .
`` It 's a skater 's dream , '' said Dyanna Hernandez , 20 , who had joined a dozen friends in Manhattan 's Union Square to enjoy the freedom of what she called a `` ghost city '' after three days stuck at home .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' With the United States slow to roll out mass testing for the virus that has infected more than 244,000 people worldwide , officials fear the number of known cases of the respiratory illness that can lead to pneumonia lags far behind reality .
The epidemic , which has killed over 10,000 globally so far , has drawn comparisons with traumatic periods such as World War Two , the 2008 financial crisis and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic .
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits surged by the most since 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as companies in the services sector laid off workers with businesses shutting down due to the pandemic .
One sector where employees were busy -- and unable to work from the safety of home -- was the nation 's 3 million janitors , housekeepers and maids , who are on the front line of the war against the virus , often working overnight and weekends to deep clean offices , airports and hotels .
`` Everyone is scared , '' said Ali , who works for ABM , a maintenance and cleaning firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We just keep going , let 's do what we can . ''

The United States warned Americans on Thursday to return home or stay abroad indefinitely, while Senate Republicans unveiled a $1 trillion economic stimulus plan to provide funds directly to businesses and the American public, as the number of coronavirus cases in the country surged past 13,000.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) enters the U.S. Capitol ahead of a Senate lunch meeting on response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 19, 2020.
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As authorities ramped up measures to keep the virus from spreading, Washington could announce restrictions on travel across the U.S.-Mexico border as soon as Friday, limiting crossings to essential travel, two officials briefed on the matter said. That would follow a similar measure on Wednesday closing the border with Canada.
The fast-spreading respiratory illness has shattered most patterns of American life: shuttering schools and businesses, prompting millions to work from home, forcing many out of jobs and sharply curtailing travel.
"If you choose to travel internationally, your travel plans may be severely disrupted, and you may be forced to remain outside of the United States for an indefinite timeframe," the U.S. State Department said.
At the same time, the Trump administration said it was not ruling out a temporary halt to all U.S. passenger air travel.
"Everything is on the table," Deborah Birx, White House coordinator for the coronavirus task force, told Fox News Channel.
Stimulus package
The U.S. Senate unveiled details of a $1 trillion-plus coronavirus bill on Thursday intended to help the U.S. economy weather the impacts of the growing outbreak. President Donald Trump has been eagerly calling for that package.
It would be Congress' third emergency coronavirus bill following a $105 billion-plus plan covering free coronavirus testing, paid sick leave and expanded safety-net spending, and an $8.3 billion measure to combat the spread of the highly contagious pathogen and develop vaccines.
Trump, speaking with several state governors by videoconference from the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the government would help out the U.S. auto industry "a little bit." It might also consider a relief package for the hospitality industry, he said.
The plunging stock market and surging U.S. death toll has caused Trump to sharply change his tone on the disease this week, demanding urgent action after spending weeks downplaying the risks.
More than 13,000 people across the United States have been diagnosed with the illness called COVID-19 and more than 196 have died, with the largest numbers so far in Washington state and New York.
Two Los Angeles Lakers players have the coronavirus, the NBA franchise said on Thursday, after four players from the Brooklyn Nets tested positive for the disease a day earlier.
Washington state on Thursday reported eight more deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the death toll there to 74, the most of any U.S. state.
New York State tested 8,000 patients overnight and ordered three-quarters of state employees to work from home, while officials in New York and neighboring New Jersey said they expected the number of cases in those states to spiral into the thousands.
"We don't have the results of the 8,000 tests, but when you do 8,000 tests, the numbers are going to go up exponentially," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told CNN.
There are no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19, but several options are being tested.
New York City a 'ghost city' after dark
New York City, where many young people last weekend packed local bars and restaurants, has been eerily deserted after nightfall.
"It's a skater's dream," said Dyanna Hernandez, 20, who had joined a dozen friends in Manhattan's Union Square to enjoy the freedom of what she called a "ghost city" after three days stuck at home. "I can't really be quarantined."
With the United States slow to roll out mass testing for the virus that has infected more than 244,000 people worldwide, officials fear the number of known cases of the respiratory illness that can lead to pneumonia lags far behind reality.
The epidemic, which has killed over 10,000 globally so far, has drawn comparisons with traumatic periods such as World War Two, the 2008 financial crisis and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits surged by the most since 2012 to a 2-1/2-year high last week, as companies in the services sector laid off workers with businesses shutting down due to the pandemic.
One sector where employees were busy -- and unable to work from the safety of home -- was the nation's 3 million janitors, housekeepers and maids, who are on the front line of the war against the virus, often working overnight and weekends to deep clean offices, airports and hotels.
"Everyone is scared," said Ali, who works for ABM, a maintenance and cleaning firm that employs more than 140,000 people. "We just keep going, let's do what we can."
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-19--Dozens of Malian soldiers killed in suspected jihadist attack

( FILE PHOTO ) Detail of the badge of a member of the Malian Army ( Fama ) , in Anderamboukane , in Menaka region , on March 22 , 2019 .
Suspected Islamist militants killed 29 Malian soldiers on Thursday in an attack on a base in the country 's northeast , the army said .
Suspected Islamist militants killed 29 Malian soldiers on Thursday in an attack on a base in the country 's northeast , the army said .
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in the town of Tarkint , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north of the city of Gao .
Mali 's army has repeatedly suffered heavy casualties from jihadist fighters active in the area with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State .
The army said earlier in the day that just two soldiers had died but tweeted later that the death toll had `` heavily evolved '' to 29 killed and five wounded .
Vast swathes of central and northern Mali are effectively lawless , used by the jihadists as a base for attacks in Mali and into neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past year .
Former colonial power France has had thousands of troops across the semi-arid band beneath the Sahara Desert known as the Sahel , but French officials acknowledge they have failed to slow the violence .
French army chief Francois Lecointre told senators last month that the Malian , Nigerien and Burkinabe armies were losing the equivalent of one battalion per year to the militants ' attacks .

Suspected Islamist militants killed 29 Malian soldiers on Thursday in an attack on a base in the country's northeast, the army said.
(FILE PHOTO) Detail of the badge of a member of the Malian Army (Fama), in Anderamboukane, in Menaka region, on March 22, 2019.
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Suspected Islamist militants killed 29 Malian soldiers on Thursday in an attack on a base in the country's northeast, the army said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in the town of Tarkint, which is about 125 km (78 miles) north of the city of Gao. Mali's army has repeatedly suffered heavy casualties from jihadist fighters active in the area with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
The army said earlier in the day that just two soldiers had died but tweeted later that the death toll had "heavily evolved" to 29 killed and five wounded.
Vast swathes of central and northern Mali are effectively lawless, used by the jihadists as a base for attacks in Mali and into neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, where security has deteriorated markedly over the past year.
Former colonial power France has had thousands of troops across the semi-arid band beneath the Sahara Desert known as the Sahel, but French officials acknowledge they have failed to slow the violence.
French army chief Francois Lecointre told senators last month that the Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabe armies were losing the equivalent of one battalion per year to the militants' attacks.
(REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-20--Italy coronavirus death toll jumps to 4,032 in largest spike in 24 hours

A medical worker wearing a protective mask and suit speaks with a patient suffering from coronavirus in an intensive care unit at the Oglio Po hospital in Cremona , Italy , March 19 , 2020 .
The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Italy leapt by 627 on Friday to 4,032 , officials said , an increase of 18.4 percent , which is the largest daily rise in absolute terms since the contagion emerged a month ago .
On Thursday , Italy , a country with 60 million citizens , recorded more deaths from the coronavirus than China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population over 20 times larger .
Until Friday , Italy had never recorded more than 475 deaths in a single day , while China , where the contagion has slowed sharply , has never reported more than 150 .
The total number of cases in Italy rose to 47,021 from a previous 41,035 , an increase of 14.6 percent , the Civil Protection Agency said .
The mayor of the most badly affected city , Bergamo in the affluent northern region of Lombardy , said the true number of fatalities from the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than was officially reported so far .
`` Many of the elderly are dying in their houses or in old people 's homes , without anyone testing them either before or after they die , '' Giorgio Gori told the Huffington Post .
He added that a dozen mayors of other cities had confirmed the same thing to him .
The hardest-hit northern region of Lombardy remains in a critical situation , with 2,549 deaths and 22,264 cases .
Of those originally infected nationwide , 5,129 had fully recovered on Friday compared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,655 people in intensive care against a previous 2,498 .
Military can be used to enforce lockdown Earlier Friday , the Italian government announced that the military can be used to help enforce the lockdown , the president of the Lombardy region , Attilio Fontana , told a news conference .
`` [ The request to use the army ] has been accepted ... and 114 soldiers will be on the ground throughout Lombardy ... it is still too little , but it is positive , '' Fontana said .
`` Unfortunately we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the numbers , which are rising . ''
Meanwhile Italy 's health ministry on Friday approved new measures to limit people 's movements , including closing down parks and public gardens .
From Saturday , people will only be allowed to take exercise around their homes , said a health ministry directive .
Games and recreational activities in the open air will also be prohibited .
`` We must do even more to contain the contagion , '' Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement .
On Wednesday , Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be extended beyond their original April 3 deadline .
Italy enforced a nationwide lockdown on March 9 after the epidemic was determined to have reached the community transmission stage .
One factor in the high death toll so far is the high median age in Italy , which is 47 years , compared to 37 in China and 38 in the US .
As a percentage of the total population , Italy has more people over the age of 80 , 90 or 100 than any other major industrialised country except Japan @

The death toll from the coronavirus outbreak in Italy leapt by 627 on Friday to 4,032, officials said, an increase of 18.4 percent, which is the largest daily rise in absolute terms since the contagion emerged a month ago.
A medical worker wearing a protective mask and suit speaks with a patient suffering from coronavirus in an intensive care unit at the Oglio Po hospital in Cremona, Italy, March 19, 2020.
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On Thursday, Italy, a country with 60 million citizens, recorded more deaths from the coronavirus than China, the source of the epidemic with a population over 20 times larger.
Until Friday, Italy had never recorded more than 475 deaths in a single day, while China, where the contagion has slowed sharply, has never reported more than 150.
The total number of cases in Italy rose to 47,021 from a previous 41,035, an increase of 14.6 percent, the Civil Protection Agency said.
The mayor of the most badly affected city, Bergamo in the affluent northern region of Lombardy, said the true number of fatalities from the pandemic in his area was four times higher than was officially reported so far.
"Many of the elderly are dying in their houses or in old people's homes, without anyone testing them either before or after they die," Giorgio Gori told the Huffington Post.
He added that a dozen mayors of other cities had confirmed the same thing to him.
The hardest-hit northern region of Lombardy remains in a critical situation, with 2,549 deaths and 22,264 cases.
Of those originally infected nationwide, 5,129 had fully recovered on Friday compared to 4,440 the day before. There were 2,655 people in intensive care against a previous 2,498.
Military can be used to enforce lockdown
Earlier Friday, the Italian government announced that the military can be used to help enforce the lockdown, the president of the Lombardy region, Attilio Fontana, told a news conference.
The request to use the army "has been accepted... and 114 soldiers will be on the ground throughout Lombardy... it is still too little, but it is positive," Fontana said. "Unfortunately we are not seeing a change of trend in the numbers, which are rising."
Meanwhile Italy's health ministry on Friday approved new measures to limit people's movements, including closing down parks and public gardens.
From Saturday, people will only be allowed to take exercise around their homes, said a health ministry directive. Games and recreational activities in the open air will also be prohibited.
"We must do even more to contain the contagion," Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that the lockdown measures would be extended beyond their original April 3 deadline. Italy enforced a nationwide lockdown on March 9 after the epidemic was determined to have reached the community transmission stage.
One factor in the high death toll so far is the high median age in Italy, which is 47 years, compared to 37 in China and 38 in the US. As a percentage of the total population, Italy has more people over the age of 80, 90 or 100 than any other major industrialised country except Japan.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-20--Paris closes riverside walkways, Nice shuts iconic promenade to curb coronavirus spread

A couple wearing protective masks take a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower as lockdown is imposed to slow the spreading of the coronavirus disease in Paris , France , March 18 , 2020 .
The mayors of Paris and the southern French city of Nice on Friday said they would be closing parks , promenades and walkways in their cities to limit the spread of the coronavirus outbreak as the number of confirmed cases in France passed the 10,000 mark .
The French capital was shutting down popular promenades along the Seine river , the lawns of Les @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the Eiffel Tower because of coronavirus infection worries , the prefecture said on Friday .
The closure took effect at 1500 CET ( 1300 GMT ) Friday and will last through the weekend , with all gatherings or passage through these areas forbidden , the prefecture said .
It said that too many people were disregarding countrywide lockdown measures and frequenting these areas despite stringent lockdown rules introduced across France at the start of this week .
French health authorities on Friday reported 78 new deaths from coronavirus , taking the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent , the toll rising less sharply than the previous two days .
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in France had risen to 12,612 , up from 10,995 on Thursday , which is a rise of 15 percent in 24 hours , said health agency director Jerome Salomon at press conference Friday .
Of these , 1,297 people were in a serious condition , needing life support , up 16 percent compared to Thursday .
Meanwhile in the southeastern French city of Nice , Mayor Christian Estrosi said on Friday he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ des Anglais .
Estrosi also told France 's LCI TV that he was considering whether to implement curfew measures in Nice .
`` I am considering a curfew order as early as tonight , excluding of course the priority staff that we also have to take care of , '' said Estrosi , who has tested positive himself for the virus .
France on Tuesday put its 67 million people under lockdown in efforts to curb the spread of the virus that has infected worldwide more than 245,000 people with a death toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday also admonished French nationals and residents for failing to take the nationwide lockdown seriously .
`` We are at the start of this crisis .
We have taken exceptional measures to absorb this first wave , but we 've started a race against the virus , '' the French president said at the beginning of a crisis meeting at the Interior Ministry on Friday .

The mayors of Paris and the southern French city of Nice on Friday said they would be closing parks, promenades and walkways in their cities to limit the spread of the coronavirus outbreak as the number of confirmed cases in France passed the 10,000 mark.
A couple wearing protective masks take a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower as lockdown is imposed to slow the spreading of the coronavirus disease in Paris, France, March 18, 2020.
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The French capital was shutting down popular promenades along the Seine river, the lawns of Les Invalides and the Champ de Mars park around the Eiffel Tower because of coronavirus infection worries, the prefecture said on Friday.
The closure took effect at 1500 CET (1300 GMT) Friday and will last through the weekend, with all gatherings or passage through these areas forbidden, the prefecture said. It said that too many people were disregarding countrywide lockdown measures and frequenting these areas despite stringent lockdown rules introduced across France at the start of this week.
French health authorities on Friday reported 78 new deaths from coronavirus, taking the total to 450 or an increase of 21 percent, the toll rising less sharply than the previous two days.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in France had risen to 12,612, up from 10,995 on Thursday, which is a rise of 15 percent in 24 hours, said health agency director Jerome Salomon at press conference Friday. Of these, 1,297 people were in a serious condition, needing life support, up 16 percent compared to Thursday.
'Considering curfew' in Nice
Meanwhile in the southeastern French city of Nice, Mayor Christian Estrosi said on Friday he would be closing Nice's famous Promenade des Anglais.
Estrosi also told France's LCI TV that he was considering whether to implement curfew measures in Nice.
"I am considering a curfew order as early as tonight, excluding of course the priority staff that we also have to take care of," said Estrosi, who has tested positive himself for the virus.
France on Tuesday put its 67 million people under lockdown in efforts to curb the spread of the virus that has infected worldwide more than 245,000 people with a death toll exceeding 10,028.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday also admonished French nationals and residents for failing to take the nationwide lockdown seriously.
"We are at the start of this crisis. We have taken exceptional measures to absorb this first wave, but we've started a race against the virus," the French president said at the beginning of a crisis meeting at the Interior Ministry on Friday.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)
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france24--2020-03-20--How does the coronavirus compare to the Spanish flu?

The coronavirus crisis inevitably prompts comparisons with the last epidemic that shook the world : the Spanish flu .
Although the Great War overshadowed it in the public consciousness , this outbreak killed at least 30 million people worldwide – with some estimates even putting the figure at 100 million from 1918 to 1919 .
But are the two epidemics really comparable ?
As the coronavirus outbreak accelerated after first emerging in the Chinese city Wuhan at the end of 2019 , there have been more comparisons with the Spanish flu a century ago .
“ People are talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , it was shocking ; the biggest health crisis the world had ever known in terms of how it affected the demographic balance , ” noted Anne Rasmussen , a historian at the EHESS university in Paris .
“ Of course , there was the Black Death [ which caused between 25 and 34 million deaths in Europe from 1347 to 1353 ] , but the Spanish flu was on a much more global scale.
” “ But at the same time , the Spanish flu and the coronavirus are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Things are completely different today .
One has to be very careful to avoid using comparisons that create more fear than illumination.
” Two very different diseases Although the two diseases are both respiratory infections with common symptoms such as a runny nose and fever , they belong to different families of viruses .
“ Pneumonia and pleurisy caused a lot of death in 1918 ; people were suffocated – they felt like they were drowning , ” said Rasmussen .
“ With regard to the coronavirus , France ’ s director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different it is from the influeneza virus ; the clinical profile , the severity , the biological signs are all different.
” The coronavirus is also more threatening to very different age groups from those who were hit hardest by the Spanish flu .
The former affects the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions most severely .
By contrast , the latter was most deadly for young adults – a rare phenomenon that continues to intrigue epidemologists .
“ We ’ re still trying to explain it , especially seeing as we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1918 virus , ” Rasmussen said .
“ One factor that may help explain it is that the flu had already circulated over previous decades , particularly during the 1889 epidemic .
People who were alive at that point could have found themselves to be partially immunised when the Spanish flu broke out three decades later.
” Another fundamental difference lies in the level of knowledge about the two diseases , Rasmussen said : “ At the time of the Spanish flu , people didn ’ t know the influnenza pathogen , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t possible for them to create a vaccine .
They knew they were dealing with a flu and that it was contagious , but they weren ’ t able to see the viruses because they were too small .
That subsequently became possible with the electron microscope.
” Scientists did not isolate the particular virus strain that causes influenza in humans until 1933 .
Of course , scientific knowledge is much more advanced today .
“ We decrypted the RNA of the coronavirus within a few days , whereas for HIV/AIDS it took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Spanish flu killed more people in 24 weeks than HIV/AIDS killed in 24 years , hitting countries ravaged by the Great War as it accelerated to become an epidemic .
It acquired its name not because it originated in Spain – there is not enough epistemological data to definitively pinpoint its place of origin – but because the Spanish media were relatively free to report it in a neutral country , unencumbered by the censorship present in combatant nations .
The disease spread like wildfire in overcrowded army camps and hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world after raging through Europe .
Patients did not benefit from modern resuscitation techniques or the antibiotics necessary to treat the complications the disease caused .
There was a divergent range of responses to the epidemic .
In France , where the Spanish flu killed 240,000 people , there were bans on some gatherings and some public places were closed – but nothing like the current coronavirus lockdown .
The focus was on the war effort .
“ They were going through the final stages of the war , with decisive moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Rasmussen said .
“ You couldn ’ t stop people moving around because that would have hindered military operations.
” Despite the terrifying scale of the Spanish flu , it was not until 1948 that the World Health Organization was founded to co-ordinate the prevention and detection of disease outbreaks on a global scale .
There were several outbreaks in the ensuing decades : the 1957 Singapore flu , the Hong Kong flu in 1968 and H1N1 in 2009 .
“ We learned a lot of lessons from each of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitoring system – and we ’ re even better prepared today , ” Rasmussen said .
“ Let ’ s not create more fear ; the current state of affairs already provokes enough anxiety .
It ’ s a different world now from the one that saw the Spanish flu .
Things are done on a different scale now , with much more research and a much more efficient approach to dealing with diseases .
There are great reasons for hope.
” This article was adapted from the original in French .

The coronavirus crisis inevitably prompts comparisons with the last epidemic that shook the world: the Spanish flu. Although the Great War overshadowed it in the public consciousness, this outbreak killed at least 30 million people worldwide – with some estimates even putting the figure at 100 million from 1918 to 1919. But are the two epidemics really comparable?
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As the coronavirus outbreak accelerated after first emerging in the Chinese city Wuhan at the end of 2019, there have been more comparisons with the Spanish flu a century ago.
“People are talking about the Spanish flu right now because at the time, it was shocking; the biggest health crisis the world had ever known in terms of how it affected the demographic balance,” noted Anne Rasmussen, a historian at the EHESS university in Paris. “Of course, there was the Black Death [which caused between 25 and 34 million deaths in Europe from 1347 to 1353], but the Spanish flu was on a much more global scale.”
“But at the same time, the Spanish flu and the coronavirus are not really comparable,” Rasmussen continued. “Things are completely different today. One has to be very careful to avoid using comparisons that create more fear than illumination.”
>> For some survivors, coronavirus complications could last a 'lifetime'
Although the two diseases are both respiratory infections with common symptoms such as a runny nose and fever, they belong to different families of viruses. “Pneumonia and pleurisy caused a lot of death in 1918; people were suffocated – they felt like they were drowning,” said Rasmussen. “With regard to the coronavirus, France’s director general for health Jérôme Salomon emphasised how different it is from the influenza virus; the clinical profile, the severity, the biological signs are all different.”
The coronavirus is also more threatening to very different age groups from those who were hit hardest by the Spanish flu. The former affects the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions most severely. By contrast, the latter was most deadly for young adults – a rare phenomenon that continues to intrigue epidemiologists.
“We’re still trying to explain it, especially seeing as we now have the decoded DNA of the 1918 virus,” Rasmussen said. “One factor that may help explain it is that the flu had already circulated over previous decades, particularly during the 1889 epidemic. People who were alive at that point could have found themselves to be partially immunised when the Spanish flu broke out three decades later.”
>> How long will coronavirus lockdowns last?
Another fundamental difference lies in the level of knowledge about the two diseases, Rasmussen said: “At the time of the Spanish flu, people didn’t know the influenza pathogen, and without this knowledge, it wasn’t possible for them to create a vaccine. They knew they were dealing with a flu and that it was contagious, but they weren’t able to see the viruses because they were too small. That subsequently became possible with the electron microscope.”
Scientists did not isolate the particular virus strain that causes influenza in humans until 1933. Of course, scientific knowledge is much more advanced today. “We decrypted the RNA of the coronavirus within a few days, whereas for HIV/AIDS it took a few years,” Rasmussen said.
‘Let’s not create more fear’
The Spanish flu killed more people in 24 weeks than HIV/AIDS killed in 24 years, hitting countries ravaged by the Great War as it accelerated to become an epidemic. It acquired its name not because it originated in Spain – there is not enough epistemological data to definitively pinpoint its place of origin – but because the Spanish media were relatively free to report it in a neutral country, unencumbered by the censorship present in combatant nations.
The disease spread like wildfire in overcrowded army camps and hospitals, then spread to the rest of the world after raging through Europe. Patients did not benefit from modern resuscitation techniques or the antibiotics necessary to treat the complications the disease caused.
There was a divergent range of responses to the epidemic. In France, where the Spanish flu killed 240,000 people, there were bans on some gatherings and some public places were closed – but nothing like the current coronavirus lockdown. The focus was on the war effort.
“They were going through the final stages of the war, with decisive moments in a series of offensives and counter-offensives,” Rasmussen said. “You couldn’t stop people moving around because that would have hindered military operations.”
Despite the terrifying scale of the Spanish flu, it was not until 1948 that the World Health Organization was founded to co-ordinate the prevention and detection of disease outbreaks on a global scale. There were several outbreaks in the ensuing decades: the 1957 Singapore flu, the Hong Kong flu in 1968 and H1N1 in 2009.
“We learned a lot of lessons from each of these epidemics, with a much more efficient monitoring system – and we’re even better prepared today,” Rasmussen said. “Let’s not create more fear; the current state of affairs already provokes enough anxiety. It’s a different world now from the one that saw the Spanish flu. Things are done on a different scale now, with much more research and a much more efficient approach to dealing with diseases. There are great reasons for hope.”
This article was adapted from the original in French.
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