France to Begin Easing Virus Curbs With Plan to Reopen Shops

  • Prime Minister Philippe says nation must ‘follow a fine line’
  • Public events of more than 5,000 canceled until September

A pedestrian passes shuttered cafes and retail stores during a lockdown in Toulouse, France, on April 27.

Photographer: Balint Porneczi/Bloomberg
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France announced an array of measures to begin easing a strict lockdown and reignite an economy battered by the coronavirus, with plans to reopen shops starting May 11 one of the first steps toward normalization.