France's 2-year state of emergency is over at last _ sort of

PARIS – For the first time in nearly two years, France is no longer in a state of emergency.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe sought Wednesday to assure tourists and the French that they will still enjoy "a good level of security" thanks to a new counterterrorism law that enshrines some of the state of emergency's measures into law. Critics say the law infringes on freedoms.

Philippe visited the Eiffel Tower Wednesday to mark the end of the state of emergency imposed after Islamic State attackers killed 130 people in cafes, the national stadium and the Bataclan theater on Nov. 13, 2015.

He said Tuesday's deadly truck attack in New York is a reminder that the threat level "is high everywhere in the world" and promised tougher security measures at sensitive sites.