High hopes as French PM prepares to reveal second phase of lockdown exit

After a defence council meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is expected to announce measures that could pave the way for the reopening of restaurants, cinemas and high schools and put an end to rules limiting movement to within 100 kilometres. Lockdown restrictions were first eased on 11 May according to a colour-coded map of France indicating where the coronavirus causing Covid-19 was most dangerous, with more stringent measures maintained in designated “red zones”.