France announces first curfews

PARIS — France announced partial curfews on Monday as protesters blocked the entrance to the Louvre in Paris and authorities scrambled to stem discontent over living costs, after weekend demonstrations spilled into some of the worst street violence in recent years. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu did not rule out imposing a state of emergency after the interior minister said police "had lost control" during the unrest, which flared six months before France elects a successor to President Emmanuel Macron. With organisers calling for a new round of protests next Saturday, Lecornu's office said partial curfews would be enforced from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am (1800-0400 GMT) on Monday and Tuesday in four northern cities, including Lille, to protect businesses. "I'm absolutely determined to restore public order," he said. Other European countries have also seen demonstrations over rising prices, with smaller clashes breaking out in Milan and Belgium over the weekend and protests simmering in Spain and Portugal. Some half a million people turned out across France on Saturday to denounce the surging