Australia beat France in penalty thriller to reach World Cup semi-finals

BRISBANE, Australia -- Co-hosts Australia beat France 7-6 in a thrilling penalty shoot-out to reach the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup for the first time in their history on a night of drama in Brisbane on Saturday.

Australia now go to Sydney on Wednesday to face the winners of the final last-eight tie between England and Colombia.

Cortnee Vine scored the winning penalty to end a remarkable shoot-out that saw both teams take 10 spot-kicks, the quarter-final having ended 0-0 after 120 nerve-shredding minutes.

Vine held her nerve to send the crowd into raptures and keep the Matildas' dream of winning the World Cup on home soil alive.

Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold missed a chance to win the shoot-out when her kick hit the post, but then saved twice from Kenza Dali after the VAR spotted she had both feet off her line the first time.

Vicki Becho missed France's 10th penalty, and it was left to Vine to take Australia through by beating France's substitute goalkeeper Solene Durand, who had been sent on especially for the shoot-out.

It was an agonising way for France to go out after a tense encounter watched by a sell-out crowd of 49,461.

Les Bleues had been hoping to get to the semi-finals for just the second time, following their defeat in the last four in 2011, but instead go home.

Australia's victory was achieved despite Sam Kerr again being left on the bench at kick-off, with the talismanic Matildas captain, now fit after a calf injury, coming on early in the second half and going on to convert her penalty in the shoot-out.

 - Kerr comes off bench -

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson stuck with the same team that started against Denmark in the last 16, while France brought the fit-again Maelle Lakrar back into their defence.

Lakrar really should have given France an early lead to silence the hostile crowd, but the 23-year-old somehow succeeded in diverting an Eugenie Le Sommer shot over the bar with the goal gaping.

That was a let-off for the hosts, who were then grateful to Arnold for tipping a Le Sommer effort behind and for stopping a stinging Lakrar attempt following a corner.

It looked like the occasion was getting to Australia, but they began to threaten in the final minutes of the first half.

They were desperately unlucky not to go ahead in the 41st minute when French defensive hesitancy allowed Emily van Egmond to tee up Mary Fowler for what seemed like a certain goal.

But Elisa De Almeida, shifted out to right-back for this game, raced in to produce a miraculous block with her thigh.

French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin then had to come out to clear in front of Fowler, as it somehow remained goalless at the interval.

Kerr emerged 10 minutes into the second half, replacing Van Egmond to the delight of the crowd, and her introduction provided such a lift that Australia very nearly went ahead moments later.

Hayley Raso tried her luck with a rasping drive from outside the box, but Peyraud-Magnin saved and the Juventus goalkeeper topped that with a brilliant block to deny Fowler from point-blank range on the hour mark.

That appeared to pierce some of Australia's momentum, and the tension increased as the clock ticked down, making extra time almost an inevitability.

France thought they had the breakthrough 10 minutes into the extra period when Ellie Carpenter turned the ball into her own net, but Australia were rescued when the Chilean referee blew for a foul.

Arnold saved superbly from Becho, before France replaced Peyraud-Magnin with Durand as penalties loomed.

Durand is their spot-kick saving specialist and denied both Steph Catley and Clare Hunt in the shoot-out, but it was not enough for France.

Agence France-Presse

All eyes on 'game-changer' Wembanyama at NBA Draft

NEW YORK -- A new era for basketball gets under way on Thursday when French prodigy Victor Wembanyama is set to be chosen by the San Antonio Spurs with the top pick in the NBA Draft.

The annual ritual to allocate the top young talent entering the league is often accompanied by a swirl of intrigue over which player is likely to be selected No. 1 overall.

But that guessing game will be notably absent at Thursday's event in Brooklyn, with San Antonio's selection of the 19-year-old Wembanyama a mere formality.

The 7ft 4in (2.24m) French teenager is widely regarded as a transformational talent, a once-in-a-generation player regarded as the most sought-after No. 1 pick since LeBron James entered the league two decades ago.

Wild celebrations erupted among San Antonio's fans last month when the Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery to determine which team would own the No. 1 pick.

Spurs staff also struggled in vain to keep a lid on their excitement, with chairman Peter J. Holt admitting: "I might faint."

San Antonio general manager Brian Wright sees Wembanyama, who will be formally unveiled by the team in Texas on Saturday, as a "unique talent."

"People talk about generational talent, and they only think on-court skill, but it's bigger than that," Wright told ESPN.

"You see him doing things that you wouldn't even have guessed someone could do," Wright added.

With his potentially dominant blend of size and skill, Wembanyama has already drawn a legion of admirers across the NBA before even setting foot in the league.

LeBron James says Wembanyama's skillset makes him less a "unicorn" and "more like an alien."

"No one has ever seen someone as tall as he is and as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor," James said after watching Wembanyama play a game for French club Metropolitans 92 in Nevada last year. "He's for sure a generational talent."

- 'True game-changer' -

Wembanyama, meanwhile, has remained level-headed as the hype surrounding reaches stratospheric levels.

The teenager arrived in New Jersey on Monday for draft week to be greeted by fans clad in Spurs jerseys requesting autographs.

"I don't know how they knew what flight I was on," Wembanyama said.

"But you know, it's fun, it's different, seeing that you can have such impact on people."

If Wembanyama manages to live up to the hype, he could conceivably be one of the faces of the NBA for years to come, with the likes of stars such as James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant all well into the final phase of their playing careers.

"The league would love to have new stars that capture the imagination of America and the world," said Eric Pincus, an NBA writer for the Bleacher Report website. "Luka Doncic is a starting point, but the hope is Wembanyama will do the same."

NBA officials, meanwhile, say there is already evidence of a "Wembanyama effect", citing spikes on streaming platforms and social media.

"Victor is an incredibly promising young player who seemingly has all the attributes of a true game-changer," NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said.

"We've already seen the enormous interest he has generated among NBA fans from streaming his games on the NBA App and featuring his highlights on NBA social media channels."

Unsurprisingly, Wembanyama's arrival in the NBA has sparked a commercial bonanza.

He is widely expected to sign a record-breaking, improved sponsorship deal with Nike that some analysts say could reach $100 million.

Other lucrative endorsement deals are also expected to follow, although Wembanyama has indicated that his priority remains on-court success.

"Victor is rejecting some rich million-dollar deals right now because he wants to focus on basketball," Wembanyama's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, said.

Agence France-Presse

Paris on track for 2024 Olympics, says mayor

PARIS, France -- Paris is on time and on budget for the 2024 Olympics, the city's mayor said on Tuesday, dismissing concern expressed recently by a senior Olympics official.

"Look at all the previous Olympics and Paralympics around the world, one year before the Games, generally it's stressful and people are saying 'we'll never manage this'. Well, we're ready," mayor Anne Hidalgo told the France Inter radio station on Tuesday.

"We're on budget and we're on time."

During a visit to Paris on Monday, International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Pierre-Olivier Beckers, who is responsible for monitoring the Paris Games, voiced concern about the work needed to balance the budget.

French authorities chipped in another 111 million euros ($119 million) last December to take into account inflation, taking the overall budget to 4.48 billion euros.

Delays in signing major sponsorship deals, including with French luxury goods giant LVMH, has also left a major question mark about the finances of the event.

"There is still plenty of work to do," Beckers told reporters.

A provisional report from the French national auditor, revealed by Le Monde newspaper on Monday, said that "substantial uncertainties remain, notably for domestic partnerships."

The Games have also become embroiled in a row over ticket pricing, with the high cost of attending many events leading to criticism of organizers amid a cost-of-living crisis in France.

Agence France-Presse

Marathon race walk mixed relay to debut at Paris Olympics

PARIS, France -- World Athletics on Saturday released details of a new event, the marathon race walk mixed relay, to be staged at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

It takes the place of the men's 50km race walk, which first appeared at the 1932 Olympics but which has been scrapped in the pursuit of gender equality.

The new mixed relay will feature 25 teams, each comprising one male and one female athlete, who will alternate to complete the marathon distance (42.195km) in four legs.

"This format is designed to be innovative, dynamic and unpredictable," said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon.

"We believe it will be easily understood by fans, will feature exciting competition and, importantly, it will ensure full gender equality across the Olympic track and field programme for the first time," he added.

The relay will be held on the same course as the individual 20km race walking events, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in central Paris.

The team qualification "pathway" will be published shortly, World Athletics said.

The 48-event athletics programme at Paris 2024 is now perfectly balanced with 23 for both men and women with two mixed events, the 4x400m and walk marathon relay.

Next year's Games also include for the first time breakdancing on the Olympic programme.

Agence France-Presse

Paris shooter was 'clearly targeting foreigners': minister

PARIS — A 69-year-old gunman who opened fire at a Kurdish cultural centre and a hairdressing salon in Paris on Friday was deliberately seeking out foreigners, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.

The man, a retired train driver, "was clearly targeting foreigners", Darmanin told reporters, adding however that it was "not certain" that the man was aiming to kill "Kurds in particular".

Darmanin said: "We yet don't know his exact motives."

There was also no information so far on links of the suspect with ultra-right activists, he said.

The man is a member of a shooting sports club "and has several registered weapons", the minister said.

Asked whether any of the victims in Friday's shooting had links to the Kurdish PKK movement, designated a terrorist organization by the EU and others, Darmanin said they appeared not to have been known to France's security services.

Darmanin said he had ordered tighter security at Kurdish meeting places in France, as well at Turkish diplomatic offices.

Officials were to meet to evaluate the likelihood of any further threats to the Kurdish community in Paris or elsewhere in France, he said. 

Agence France-Presse 

Argentina prepares for World Cup winners' welcome home party

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Argentines waited eagerly to welcome home their World Cup heroes on Monday as France's beaten stars arrived back in Paris following the remarkable final drama in Qatar.

The South American capital is preparing for a massive street party with the new world champions due to arrive late on Monday night.

"Crowned with glory," read a banner on a newspaper kiosk in Buenos Aires, while Clarin and La Prensa dailies both sent a huge "Thank you" to Lionel Messi and his team-mates for winning the country's third world title, and first in 36 years.

Argentina won the final in Qatar 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw over 120 minutes of unparalleled drama.

The party that began after Sunday's final was briefly on pause as local city workers continued to clean up the debris from the celebrations when millions took to the streets in jubilation.

The team is guaranteed a white-hot reception when they land at the Ezeiza airport in Buenos Aires, at 2:25 am (0525 GMT) Tuesday.

"I'm going to greet them at the airport. Now that they have been crowned we have to greet them and thank them," Jose Luis Quinoga, 56, told AFP at the Obelisk memorial in central Buenos Aires, where the night before more than a million people celebrated.

A private reception at a VIP suite in the airport has been arranged to greet the returning players and the Argentine football association (AFA) said they will celebrate with fans at the Obelisk on Tuesday.

"I will leave work and the first thing I will do is come here," Julieta Rosel, 23, told AFP at the monument.

Before then they are due to rest at the AFA training complex near the airport where already in the early afternoon on Monday there was a huge police presence surrounding the facility as fans started to gather.

- Almost 'no incidents' -

Messi finally crowned his record-breaking career with football's biggest prize as he produced one of the greatest World Cup final performances, scoring a first-half penalty and netting again in extra time.

In doing so he emulated his predecessor as Argentina's idol, Diego Maradona who inspired the country to their second world title with a series of match-winning displays at Mexico 1986.

"I remember '86 but this victory yesterday was much more emotional and much more stressful," architect Ricardo Grunfeld, 65, told AFP.

"I don't know if there's any difference with '86 but this comes at a good time," added Zulema Guereri, 80. 

Argentina had led 2-0 with 10 minutes of normal time left and 3-2 with only two minutes of extra-time to go but Kylian Mbappe completed only the second World Cup final hat-trick in history to take the gripping final to penalties, before Gonzalo Montiel swept home the decisive spot kick.

Despite the huge numbers of revelers during Sunday's festivities "people acted in a very positive way," a spokesperson for the municipality said.

Fewer than 20 people were arrested for isolated incidents of violence or theft.

There were some signs of vandalism with smashed shop windows near the Obeslik, which also suffered some damage to cameras and an internal stairwell after people tore down protective barriers and broke open a door, a worker clearing debris told AFP on Monday.

Normal Monday morning life seemed to have resumed with street vendors selling their regular wares rather than football jerseys and flags.

- 'It warms the heart' -

France's players were given a rousing reception by fans in central Paris on Monday after their return from Qatar.

They appeared on the balcony of the Crillon Hotel overlooking the Place de la Concorde.

"Frankly, it's magnificent, it warms the heart, it's a great pleasure to see that we were able to make so many French people proud and happy," forward Marcus Thuram told TF1 TV.

They landed at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport just before 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) where a caravan of coaches took them straight to the center of Paris.

Goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris told TF1 that it was a chance to "greet them (the fans), to thank them for their support and, after yesterday's pain, to seek their consolation." 

The captivating final rounded off one of the most controversial World Cups in history.

Qatari organizers faced persistent questions about the country's treatment of migrant workers and its laws on homosexuality.

Football's world governing body FIFA said the cumulative stadium attendance was 3.4 million spectators and that more than one million visitors travelled to Qatar to watch the matches.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Messi echoes Maradona as Argentina win World Cup

Lionel Messi saved his best for last on Sunday, bringing the curtain down on his World Cup career by finally landing the one major title that has eluded him.

In the end, the greatest player of his generation, possibly of all time, bowed out with victory in arguably the greatest World Cup final of them all.

It was a perfectly scripted farewell for the 35-year-old Argentine captain, playing in what he has said will be his fifth and final World Cup tournament.

Messi was a beacon of calm amid frequent outbreaks of pandemonium at the Lusail Stadium as Argentina twice squandered winning positions, eventually taking the title on penalties after the game finished 3-3 in extra-time.

Before kick off, Argentina's raucous supporters had roared their appreciation as a giant television screen played a tribute to the late Diego Maradona, with clips of his legendary goal against England at the 1986 World Cup.

That was all the inspiration Messi needed as he set about delivering Argentina their first World Cup title in 36 years.

Maradona had also inspired that 1986 win, helping Argentina recover after they gave up a 2-0 lead before defeating West Germany 3-2.

Eight years ago, Messi had cut a forlorn figure, finishing on the losing side as Argentina slumped to a 1-0 extra-time loss to Germany at the Maracana Stadium in the 2014 World Cup final.

That defeat left Messi staring at the possibility of joining German legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as the only man to captain his country to defeat in two World Cup finals.

It soon became apparent on Sunday, however, that Messi had no intention of taking up membership of that unwanted club.

Within minutes of the kick off, Messi was into his rhythm, demanding possession and conducting traffic with his customary grace, picking up Angel Di Maria repeatedly down the left flank.

And when Di Maria drew a foul from Ousmane Dembele inside the area on 21 minutes, Messi stepped up to coolly fire his team into the lead with a nerveless penalty, his 97th international goal and his 12th in World Cups.

Extra-time drama

Messi was buried under a mountain of Argentine team-mates in the celebrations that followed but he was soon back on his feet tormenting France.

After a period of Argentine dominance, Messi produced a delightful flick to send Julian Alvarez racing into space down the right flank.

Alvarez found Alexis Mac Allister who in turn picked out Di Maria who made it 2-0.

It looked like the party was starting early as a subdued France struggled to get into the game.

Then suddenly out of nowhere Kylian Mbappe scored twice in a minute with less than 10 minutes remaining to turn the game on its head.

Still Messi would not be denied. In extra-time he tested France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris with a rasping shot as he attempted to drag Argentina to victory by sheer force of will.

Then in the second period of extra-time, the little magician struck again. Lautaro Martinez's shot was parried by Lloris and Messi, anticipating the rebound, jabbed home the finish from close range for 3-2.

Wild celebrations followed but still France were not beaten. 

Argentina substitute Gonzalo Montiel conceded a late penalty in extra-time and Mbappe stepped up to make it 3-3 from the spot.

Yet if there was any chance of Messi crumbling in the shoot-out -- he famously missed a penalty in the 2016 Copa America defeat to Chile -- he dispelled it immediately as he rolled home Argentina's opening kick.

From there his World Cup fate was left in the hands of his team-mates, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a huge save before Montiel made amends for his earlier penalty concession to seal Argentina's win.

Agence France-Presse

France train focus on Argentina as World Cup reaches climax

France and Argentina are gearing up for a heavyweight World Cup final that pits Kylian Mbappe against Lionel Messi in a hotly anticipated duel, with history on the line.

Defending champions France beat Morocco 2-0 on Wednesday without needing to find top gear and now stand 90 minutes away from becoming the first team for 60 years to defend their title.

Didier Deschamps' men will approach Sunday's final at the Lusail Stadium with confidence but Messi has his own date with destiny in his last match on the biggest stage.

Goals from Theo Hernandez and substitute Randal Kolo Muani at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday snuffed out the challenge of Morocco, the first African or Arab side ever to reach a World Cup semi-final.

France are into the final for the fourth time in seven editions and if they triumph on Sunday they will be the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the trophy.

They were congratulated in the dressing room by President Emmanuel Macron, while supporters erupted in jubilation around the Champs-Elysees in Paris, waving tricolour flags and setting off flares.

"We are in the final. We are in the final," hundreds of French supporters chanted as drivers sounded horns and anti-riot police lurked in vans lining the area.

Delighted France coach Deschamps, who led the nation to success in Russia in 2018, 20 years after captaining them to glory, said: "There is emotion and pride. 

"Obviously it was another important step today and now there will be another one.

"We've been together for a month. It's never easy, but here it is -- it's been a joy so far and my players have been rewarded."

Defeat for Morocco ended their fairytale run in Qatar that captured the imagination of Africa and the Arab world.

"We gave the maximum, that's the most important thing," said coach Walid Regragui. "The most important thing is to have given a good image, to have shown the world that Moroccan football exists and that we have beautiful supporters."

- Messi v Mbappe -

The final will inevitably be billed as a battle between Messi and his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Mbappe.

The two players are joint top of the World Cup goalscoring charts on five goals apiece, with Argentina's Julian Alvarez and France's Olivier Giroud just one behind.

The Copa America champions, who produced arguably their best performance of the tournament in beating Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday, will sense vulnerability in a France team that have not found top gear in Qatar.

Messi, playing in his fifth World Cup, has been a man on a mission, desperate to crown his career by leading Argentina to their first win at the tournament since Diego Maradona inspired the South Americans to the title in 1986.

On Tuesday he produced flashes of genius to help Argentina overcome 2018 finalists Croatia, confirming after the match that he expects Sunday's final to be his last appearance at a World Cup.

"Being able to achieve this, being able to finish my journey in the World Cups by playing my last game in a final, is something very exciting," said the 35-year-old Argentine captain.

Deschamps said he would come up with a plan to counter the threat of the "scintillating" Messi, who will seek to exploit France's vulnerability in the full-back positions.

"He looks in great shape and of course he is one of the best players in the world so we will try to counter Messi's threat as much as possible, just as Argentina will try to stop the influence of some of my players," he said.

Deschamps also has another headache in the form of an illness stalking the camp after midfielder Adrien Rabiot missed the Morocco game due to illness.

Defender Dayot Upamecano also dropped out of the line-up for the semi-final, although he was named among the substitutes.

"The air conditioning is on all the time and so we have had a few cases of flu-like symptoms but we will try to avoid it spreading," said Deschamps.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Giroud equals Henry record as World Cup holders France sink Australia

DOHA, Qatar -- Olivier Giroud joined Thierry Henry as France's all-time leading goalscorer with a brace as the holders roared back to beat Australia 4-1 and get their defence of the World Cup off to a flying start Tuesday.

Australia took a shock lead at Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar with the game just nine minutes old when Craig Goodwin scored.

France, whose build-up to the tournament was marred by injuries, saw left-back Lucas Hernandez come off hurt in the move that led to the goal.

However, they recovered to equalise through Adrien Rabiot before Giroud put them ahead with an easy finish in the 32nd minute for his 50th international goal.

Kylian Mbappe got his name on the scoresheet in the second half and Giroud sealed the win to equal Henry's record tally of 51 goals for France.

The win leaves them top of Group D after Denmark and Tunisia drew 0-0.

"It is nice to score four goals, even if we could have had more, and it's a really good start for us," said France coach Didier Deschamps.

At the age of 36, veteran AC Milan striker Giroud, who has 115 caps, is the oldest player to score for France at a World Cup.

Yet he almost certainly would not have been playing here had Karim Benzema been fit.

Instead, the withdrawal of the Ballon d'Or winner with a thigh injury on the eve of the tournament has played into the hands of Giroud, who was a key player for Deschamps in France's triumphant 2018 World Cup campaign but didn't score in Russia.

"He deserves respect for performing at the very highest level for so many years and delivering even when nobody seemed to believe in him," said teammate Benjamin Pavard.

"I am so pleased for him because he is a great guy. I hope he keeps going and beats more records."

It is not just Benzema who is missing for Les Bleus, with Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante –- their starting midfield duo four years ago –- out of the tournament.

Centre-back Raphael Varane was not risked having not played since suffering a leg injury playing for Manchester United a month ago.

That meant Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate –- with nine caps between them –- played together in central defence while Rabiot joined Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield.

- Hernandez injury blow -

Australia stunned the world champions by scoring an early opener.

Mathew Leckie controlled the ball on the right and escaped Lucas Hernandez before delivering a low ball across the face of goal for Goodwin to finish into the roof of the net.

Hernandez hurt his right knee trying to stop Leckie, and the Bayern Munich defender was helped off to be taken for tests, with his brother Theo coming on.

The younger Hernandez did not have the best introduction, giving the ball away and allowing Mitch Duke to hit a shot from range that flew just wide.

Yet he played a part in the 27th-minute equaliser –- Antoine Griezmann's right-wing corner was cleared but the ball came to Hernandez on the left and his cross was headed in by Rabiot.

Five minutes later Rabiot was involved again as France went ahead, hounding Nathaniel Atkinson out of possession on the French left and playing a one-two with Mbappe before teeing up Giroud.

A Jackson Irvine header that hit the post in first-half stoppage time was a reminder that Australia could still threaten, but France ran away with the game after the break.

Griezmann had a shot cleared off the line just before Mbappe made it 3-1 midway through the second half, as he headed in off a post from Ousmane Dembele's cross.

Mbappe then turned provider as France got their fourth in the 71st minute, crossing for Giroud to head in a historic goal.

After all the injuries, and after seeing what happened to Argentina earlier, this was a good evening for France but a sobering one for the Socceroos.

"Overall the boys did all they could and that's all I can ask," said their coach Graham Arnold.

Agence France-Presse

France eases COVID-19 curbs, including outdoor mask-wearing

PARIS — France began lifting coronavirus restrictions including mandatory outdoor mask-wearing Wednesday in a bid to ease citizens' daily lives, dividing opinion as the country only last month reported record COVID-19 infections.

Audience capacity limits for concert halls, sporting matches and other events were also removed, and although home working will no longer be mandated, it is still recommended.

The move begins a 2-part relaxation of curbs announced at the end of January -- despite the country hitting record levels of daily cases last month -- and comes as England and Denmark also eased their restrictions.

France "will be able to lift most of the restrictions taken to curb the epidemic in February" thanks to the new vaccination pass, which replaced the health pass, Prime Minister Jean Castex said in January.

Since last month proof of inoculation records have been required for the new passes -- needed to access everything from bars and restaurants to long-distance public transport.

Previously, the health pass could also be obtained with a recent negative COVID-19 test, a possibility the government ended in its bid to convince more people to get COVID jabs. 

The second stage of the curb-lifting will see nightclubs, shut since December, reopen on Feb. 16 and standing areas will again be allowed at concerts, sporting events and bars.

Eating and drinking will also be permitted in stadiums, cinemas and public transport from then.

Paris has not made the easing of restrictions conditional on the progress of the health situation.

Authorities view the threat of the Omicron variant as limited and less dangerous than previous strains of the virus, even though it is more contagious.

"We have seen a weak reversal of the trend over the past few days, with fewer cases declared each day than 7 days earlier," government spokesman Gabriel Attal told France Info radio Tuesday.

An average of 322,256 cases were recorded over the previous 7 days, according to latest figures, compared with 366,179 a week ago.

Attal called it a "very encouraging signal" but said officials "remain cautious" because of a "very contagious" sub-variant of Omicron that appears to have delayed the peak of infections in other countries.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Ronaldo equals international scoring record as Portugal edge into last 16

Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties to equal the all-time international goalscoring record and help holders Portugal edge into the last 16 of Euro 2020 with a 2-2 draw against France in Budapest on Wednesday.

Portugal will face the world's top-ranked side Belgium in the first knockout round in Seville on Sunday.

Fernando Santos' men moved through as one of the four best third-placed sides, for the second straight Euro, from Group F behind France and Germany, who only just qualified after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Hungary in Munich.

"We did everything I wanted us to do (in the 4-2 defeat) against Germany," Portuguese coach Santos told RTP. "The result was clearly fair."

Ronaldo gave his side the lead just after the half-hour mark with his first spot-kick, before France hit back through Karim Benzema's two goals either side of half-time.

But, with Portugal heading out as it stood with Hungary leading Germany, Ronaldo helped win and then scored their second penalty with half an hour remaining.

The 36-year-old's fifth goal of the group stage extended his record tally of Euro goals to 14 and drew him level with former Iran striker Ali Daei, in his 178th international match.

World champions France will next take on Switzerland in Bucharest on Monday.

"It was a fight, it wasn't easy," France coach Didier Deschamps told TF1. "We tried to win and at the end of the match, obviously, knowing the result of Germany, that allowed us to be first, which is the best place.

"I know very well that a new competition will be starting from the last 16."

The first real chance of the game fell to France forward Kylian Mbappe after quarter of an hour, but the 22-year-old's wait for a Euro goal was extended by Rui Patricio's parried save.

But it was Portugal who made the breakthrough, as they were awarded a 31st-minute penalty as France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris tried to punch the ball away, but instead caught Danilo Pereira in the face, leaving the Portugal midfielder needing treatment on the pitch.

Ronaldo stepped up, sending Lloris the wrong way.

- VAR controversy -

France drew themselves level in controversial circumstances in first-half stoppage time.

Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz gave a penalty after Mbappe collided with Nelson Semedo while trying to get on the end of a pass into the box.

After a lengthy VAR check, the decision stood despite vociferous protestations from the Portugal players.

Benzema, who had missed his last three penalties, made no mistake from the spot this time, scoring his first goal for France since October 2015, having been recalled for the tournament after a five-and-a-half year exile over his alleged role in a blackmail scandal.

It was also the Real Madrid striker's first goal at a European Championship in his ninth match.

Unsurprisingly, Danilo was substituted at half-time after the blow to his head.

France moved in front for the first time shortly after the restart as Paul Pogba's excellent pass released Benzema to slot in off the post.

The linesman flagged the Frenchman offside, but a VAR check overturned the decision.

France were left without a recognised left-back when Lucas Digne hobbled off six minutes after coming on at the interval for Lucas Hernandez, who was booked in the first half.

But it was right-back Jules Kounde who conceded the second spot-kick for a handball from Ronaldo's cross, and the Juventus star stepped up to level the all-time record, with Lloris guessing incorrectly again.

Portugal knew a defeat would send them out if Hungary beat Germany, and they needed Patricio to make a wonderful double save midway through the second half.

Pogba cleverly created space for a long-range strike which Patricio managed to claw onto the angle of post and crossbar, with the Wolves 'keeper getting up quickly to dive and push away Antoine Griezmann's follow-up effort.

France had a penalty shout turned down in injury time despite another long VAR consultation, after Kingsley Coman went down under a challenge by Bruno Fernandes, who was brought on with 18 minutes to play after being left out from the start.

But with the other match over in Germany, France knew a draw would put them through as group winners and that was how it finished.

Agence France-Presse

Amazon, Apple stay away from new French initiative to set principles for Big Tech

PARIS - US tech giants Amazon and Apple have not signed up to a new French initiative to get global tech companies to publicly commit to principles including paying their fair share of taxes, government officials said on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron has sought for the past three years to cajole tech giants into collaborating with governments on a series of global challenges such as fighting hate speech online, preserving privacy or contributing to state coffers.

Amid a public outcry about technology groups' good fortunes during the coronavirus pandemic this year, Macron's advisers said on Monday that the president had asked tech companies to sign up to a new initiative called "Tech for Good Call" underlining principles for the post-COVID world.

The French government released a list of 75 executives of tech companies that had signed up to the initiative so far, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft President Brad Smith. Apple and Amazon were notably absent from the list.

Apple declined to comment, but French officials said talks with the group were ongoing and they could still join the initiative, details of which will be published officially by Tuesday. A representative for Amazon, which French officials said had declined to join the initiative, did not return a request for comment.

"The goal is also to... observe objectively those who decide to play ball and align their interest with individuals and societies and those who stay out of this joint movement," a presidential adviser told a press briefing.

Leading tech executives such as Facebook's Zuckerberg attended the so-called "Tech for Good" summit hosted by the French president at the Elysee Palace in 2018, which gave birth to working groups on issues that have become sources of tension between governments and "Big Tech".

The new initiative is not legally binding, but French officials said Macron will use it as a tool to influence upcoming negotiations at global forums on regulating Big Tech.

The US and European governments have clashed over the issue of taxing Big Tech during talks at the OECD.

Signatories to the "Tech for Good Call" commit to "contribute fairly to the taxes in countries where (they) operate"; prevent the dissemination of "child sexual abuse material, terrorist or extreme violence online contents"; and "support the ecological transition", among other things.

(Reporting by Michel Rose; additional reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Susan Fenton)

Agence France-Presse

France coronavirus infections set new record above 20,000 per day

PARIS - The number of new coronavirus infections in France jumped more than 20,000 in one day for the first time since the start of the epidemic, health ministry data showed on Friday.

The ministry reported 20,330 new infections, taking the cumulative total to 691,977 since the start of the year. In the past two days the ministry had reported more than 18,000 daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The number of deaths from the virus increased by 109 to 32,630, the most in a week but below highs of around 150 seen earlier this month. The death toll figures can be skewed as the ministry often reports several days of senior citizen residence data in one batch.

The number of people in hospital jumped by another 240 to 7,864 nationwide and the number of people in intensive care units - the best measure of a health system's ability to deal with the epidemic -rose by 21 to 1,448.

At the height of the crisis in early April, more than 7,000 people were in intensive care with COVID.

On Thursday, France's health minister said that Lyon - the country's third-biggest city - and three other cities will have to close their bars in coming days, as Paris and Marseille have done, in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.

-reuters-

France says COVID-19 crisis 'worsening', aims to avoid lockdown

French Prime Minister Jean Castex warned Friday the country was seeing a "clear worsening" of the coronavirus pandemic, but aimed to avoid a new nationwide lockdown that would hammer the economy.

In an eagerly-awaited statement after a meeting of ministers and health experts, Castex did not announce any new restrictions but promised more efficient testing and said it was up to local authorities to decide additional measures.

Nearly 10,000 new cases have been recorded daily in the last two days, a record since wide-scale testing began, but Castex said a recent increase in Covid-19 hospitalisations was particularly worrying.

"We have to succeed in living with this virus, without returning to the idea of a generalised lockdown," he said in a televised statement from his official residence in Paris.

"Our strategy is not changing. We must fight the virus without putting on hold our social, cultural and economic life, the education of our children and our ability to live normally," he added.

Castex said 42 of France's 101 departments are now classified as "red zones" where the virus is circulating rapidly, up from 28 earlier this week.

- 'Reaches most vulnerable' -

He said the authorities in Marseille, Bordeaux and the overseas territory of Guadeloupe should by Monday present plans to deal with significant local outbreaks.

"There is no Maginot Line -- inevitably it ends up reaching the most vulnerable," he said in reference to supposedly impenetrable defences France built ahead of World War II.

But he did not announce any major new restrictions, urging people instead to respect social distancing guidelines and to wear face masks.

And the quarantine period for people who catch the virus will be shortened to just seven days from 14, to better match "the period when there is a real risk of contagion," he said.

Castex also said that testing capacities would be ramped up in response to long wait times for appointments and results.

Priority cases involving people with confirmed exposure to Covid-19 patients or already showing symptoms will be given reserved spots at testing centres, and 2,000 more people will be hired to carry out contact tracing.

Officials have been increasingly concerned about the high number of infections in France, even if the death toll and admissions to intensive care are well below the highs recorded in March and April.

The health ministry said 9,406 new coronavirus infections were recorded on Friday after 9,843 were registered on Thursday, the highest number since large-scale testing began.

France's total death toll from the pandemic stands at 30,893 after 40 more people died in hospital.

The head of a scientific council advising the government on the pandemic, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, said Wednesday that the government might soon have to make "tough" decisions to stem the outbreak.

People at high risk because of old age or health problems including diabetes, obesity and respiratory issues might require a protective "bubble" around them, for example.

Castex himself is in a seven-day period of self-isolation, having spent part of last weekend with the boss of the Tour de France Christian Prudhomme, who tested positive for Covid-19. 

Castex was later deemed virus-free after an initial test.

Agence France-Presse

Paris makes masks compulsory as virus cases rise

PARIS, France - France's prime minister on Thursday announced face masks will become compulsory throughout Paris, expressing concern over an "undeniable" trend of expanding coronavirus infection in the country.

Jean Castex said 19 more departments have been added to a map with "red" zones of active virus circulation, meaning 21 of France's 94 departments are classified as such. 

Official figures released Wednesday showed more than 5,400 confirmed new cases in just 24 hours, with admissions to hospital and intensive care units on the rise.

There was an "undeniable resurgence" of the COVID-19 epidemic throughout France, Castex told a press conference, with an incidence rate of 39 positive tests per 100,000 of the population -- four times the level of a month ago, and rising among all age groups.

The "positivity rate" -- the percentage of tests that come back positive -- was up from one percent in May to 3.7 percent today, and the so-called "R" rate of viral transmission has risen to 1.4 nationwide, meaning ten infected people are infecting 14 others on average.

More than 800 coronavirus patients are being admitted to hospital every week on average, up from 500 six weeks ago, said the prime minister.

"The epidemic is gaining territory, and now is the time to intervene," he said, appealing to all French people to take infection-prevention measures such as regular hand-washing, mask wearing, and physical distancing.

Castex announced that Paris, one of the 21 zones with active virus circulation, will make face masks compulsory throughout the city. He did not give a date.

The government would do everything in its power to avoid issuing new, nationwide stay-at-home orders, the premier added, but the possibility could not be excluded entirely and localized confinements may be on the cards.

Agence France-Presse

France virus cases 'growing fastest among young people'

PARIS - French health authorities warned Thursday that new coronavirus cases were rising fastest among younger people, as the number of confirmed infections per day continued to tick up.

In mainland France, the pace of growth in cases in the week of August 3-9 was fastest among people aged 15-44, the health ministry's DGS public health arm said, calling it a "troubling situation".

In total 2,669 tests had come back positive in the past 24 hours, it added, pointing to "regular growth" in daily new cases.

The figure was higher than Wednesday's 2,524, which itself had been the highest since May.

Among the new infections were 50 gendarmes based in Tarbes, southwest France, out of a group of 82 who had just returned from a deployment in Polynesia, the prefecture in the Hautes-Pyrenees department said.

Richard Peabody, an epidemiologist leading the High Threat Pathogens Team at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, warned that laxer respect for infection control measures was leading to increased case numbers across the continent.

"If you take... the pressure off the virus, then it will come back," he said, calling on European governments to be mindful of the lessons learnt in the first months of the pandemic.

So far almost 30,400 people have died of coronavirus in France -- 17 in the past 24 hours -- and 374 are presently in intensive care.

Agence France-Presse

French COVID-19 cases slow and patient tallies continue to fall

PARIS - Coronavirus infection rates in France have slowed further and the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital and intensive care continued to fall, health ministry figures showed, a sign that social distancing is keeping contagion in check for now.

Nearly two weeks after lockdown ended, health ministry data on Saturday showed the number of confirmed cases rose by 250 to 144,806 over 24 hours, an increase of 0.2%, below the average 0.3% increase of the past seven days and well below the average 0.8% increase seen in the last week of lockdown.

Italy and Spain have also reported confirmed cases going up by 0.3% on average in the past seven days.

The number of people in hospital with coronavirus in France fell by 205 to 17,178 on Saturday, continuing a gradual decline that has continued for more than five weeks since a high of 32,292 on April 14. The number of people in intensive care fell by 36 or 2.1% to 1,665, a slide that has been uninterrupted for six weeks since the April 8 peak at 7,148.

Both numbers are key measures of a national health system's ability to cope with the epidemic.

The French government is watching the infection rate and the hospital numbers closely in order to decide whether to loosen lockdown measures further in the weeks ahead.

The ministry said France's cumulative coronavirus death toll stood at 28,332, an increase of 117 or 0.4% compared to Thursday. Friday's death toll data were not available.

The ministry said it will update the death toll again on Monday.

After showing a higher death toll than Spain for 10 days, France again fell below Spain, which reported an increase of several hundred deaths on Friday.

On Saturday, Spain's cumulative death toll stood at 28,678, or 346 more than France, making Spain again the country with the world's fourth-highest death toll after the United States, Britain and Italy. 

-reuters-

France reports 278 new coronavirus deaths

France on Wednesday reported 278 new deaths from coronavirus but also announced a steep fall in the number of hospital patients, as the country prepares to gradually ease its lockdown.

The health ministry said 25,809 people were now confirmed to have died from the virus in hospitals and nursing homes. 

Over the past 24 hours, 278 people died from COVID-19, a slight dip from 330 deaths confirmed on Tuesday.

France is due to emerge on May 11 from a lockdown that began in mid-March, with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe due to announce on Thursday how this initial easing will take shape.

Shops will be allowed to open but cafes and restaurants are staying shut. Some schools are also due to open, in a strategy that has caused some controversy.

As well as a decline in death rates on Wednesday, France also reported 283 fewer patients suffering from the coronavirus in intensive care, making a total of 3,147.

Nationwide, there were 23,983 patients in hospital, 792 fewer than the previous day.

Agence France-Presse

France testing whether nicotine can prevent coronavirus disease

Nicotine could protect people from contracting the coronavirus, according to new research in France, where further trials are planned to test whether the substance could be used to prevent or treat the deadly illness. 

The findings come after researchers at a top Paris hospital examined 343 coronavirus patients along with 139 people infected with the illness with milder symptoms. 

They found that a low number of them smoked, compared to smoking rates of around 35 percent in France's general population.

"Among these patients, only five percent were smokers," said Zahir Amoura, the study's co-author and a professor of internal medicine. 

The research echoed similar findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month that suggested that 12.6 percent of 1,000 people infected in China were smokers. 

That was a much lower figure than the number of regular smokers in China's general population, about 26 precent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

The theory is that nicotine could adhere to cell receptors, therefore blocking the virus from entering cells and spreading in the body, according to renown neurobiologist Jean-Pierre Changeux from France's Pasteur Institut who also co-authored the study.

The researchers are awaiting approval from health authorities in France to carry out further clinical trials. 

They plan to use nicotine patches on health workers at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris -- where the initial research was conducted -- to see if it protects them against contracting the virus. 

They have also applied to use the patches on hospitalised patients to see whether it helps reduce symptoms and also on more serious intensive care patients, Amoura said. 

The researchers are looking into whether nicotine could help to prevent "cytokine storms", a rapid overreaction of the immune system that scientists think could play a key role in fatal COVID-19 cases. 

But with further research needed, experts are not encouraging people to pick up smoking or use nicotine patches as a protective measure against the virus. 

"We must not forget the harmful effects of nicotine," said Jerome Salomon, France's top health official. 

"Those who do not smoke should absolutely not use nicotine substitutes", which cause side effects and addiction, he warned.

Tobacco is the number one killer in France, with an estimated 75,000 deaths per year linked to smoking. 

France is one of the hardest hit countries by the coronavirus in Europe, with more than 21,000 deaths and over 155,000 reported infections. 

Agence France-Presse

Virus can't stop Germans getting their baguettes

Volklingen, Germany - German gourmets refuse to let a virus keep them from their favorite French pastries, with one even resorting to a fishing rod to reel in his baguettes.

Residents in the German border town of Lauterbach are fond of popping across to neighboring Carling in France for their daily croissants. 

So when the border slammed shut to slow the spread of the coronavirus, many were bereft at no longer having access to their favorite boulangerie. 

But baker Myriam Jansem-Boualit is going the extra mile -- or at least, the extra few meters to the border -- to make sure her German customers can still have their daily loaf. 

Hungry customers can telephone ahead with their orders, and Jansem-Boualit will meet them at the border crossing in the street outside her shop with the fresh baked delicacies. 

"There used to be a lot of Germans who came here to buy bread," she said. "They don't dare come any more because... there are checks. So what I can do now is bring the bread to them... across the barrier."

Hartmut Fey, 52, is one of her happy customers.

"It has to do with tradition. We've been buying our baguettes and bread here in France for decades," he said. 

Fey has even published a video on social media showing himself retrieving his baguettes with a fishing rod. "It was an idea of mine to create awareness," he said.

Fishing tackle is not compulsory, but with a steady stream of customers at the barrier, it seems Fey is not the only one who is hooked. 

str-fec/hmn/spm

Agence France-Presse