France flirts with cutting two public holidays to save money

Alpha Jets of the French Air Force Elite aerobatic flying team "Patrouille de France" perform a fly-over during a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe for the 80th anniversary of VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of World War II in...

French Overseas Minister Manuel Valls begins first offifical visit to French Polynesia

Manuel Valls, French Minister of the French Overseas Territories, arrives for his first official visit to French Polynesia. Photo: AFP /Vaikehu Shan French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls landed in French Polynesia on Wednesday (Tuesday local...

Bayrou bets big on austerity with spending freeze and holiday cuts

French Prime Minister François Bayrou has dropped political bombshells by proposing a total freeze on state spending in 2026, the abolition of two public holidays, and yet another reform of unemployment insurance. If Bayrou has succeeded in one...

French PM seeks to scrap two holidays to slash debt

France's budget deficit hit 5.8 per cent of gross domestic product last year, nearly double the official European Union limit of 3 per cent of GDP, as a political crisis left four successive governments paralysed and incapable of tackling an...

Freewheeling family fun in the Netherlands: a cycling and camping trip along the Maas river

As early as I can remember, I’ve always got a thrill out of poring over a map, tracing wavy river lines with my fingers, roads that connect and borders that divide – all the routes I could take. The freedom of heading out on my bike and not...

French Government Heading For Collapse as Budget Battle Intensifies

Prime Minister François Bayrou undertook the perilous task of presenting his plan for the 2026 budget to the French National Assembly on Tuesday, July 15th. On the agenda was a little over €40 billion in savings—while the head of state is calling...

French PM unveils radical plan to tackle ‘deadly danger’ of ...

French Prime Minister François Bayrou on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping plan to restore France's public finances, warning of the "deadly danger" of being "crushed by debt". Presenting his outline 2026 budget plan, Bayrou said two holidays out of...

France Floats UK-Style National Trust, Guggenheim Asher Associates Implodes: Morning Links for July 16, 2025

Good Morning! Guggenheim Asher Associates art advisory has ‘imploded’ after nearly 40 years in business founders’ legal battle. France weighs launching heritage body modeled on the UK’s National Trust. Christie’s reports $2.1 billion in sales for...

Aussie beach crowned 'best in the world' for 2025

One of Australia's most beautiful stretches of sand has been crowned the best beach in the world for 2025 in a new ranking. Global travel site Big 7 Travel has released its annual list of the 50 Best Beaches in the World. Now in its seventh year,...

A Promising Summer Season in 2025 – Tourism on the Rise in Nabeul-Hammamet

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp The Nabeul-Hammamet tourist region continues to demonstrate its appeal in the first half of 2025, with key indicators showing a clear upward trend. According to data published by the Regional Tourism Delegation,...

Air France KLM Appoints Steven van Wijk as General Manager Greater China

Air France KLM announced the appointment of Steven van Wijk as General Manager Greater China, effective August 1, 2025. Steven van Wijk will be responsible for overseeing four destinations (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei) from his base in...

More EU members want to activate most potent trade tool on US

(Bloomberg) — A growing number of European Union member states want the bloc to activate its most powerful trade tool against the US should the two sides fail to reach an acceptable agreement by Aug. 1 and Donald Trump carries out his threat of...

France could lose two public holidays in a bid to balance its books

France’s Holiday Wars: A Nation Clings to Its Sacred Downtime as Bayrou’s Axe Looms

27The French cherish many things—long lunches, fine wine, and a passionate argument over politics, but nothing strikes more deeply at the heart of the national soul than the public holiday. So when Prime Minister François Bayrou announced a plan...

Top Things to do around Albi, Occitanie, France

7 Around 100km north-east of Toulouse, Albi stands on the banks of the river Tarn, its UNESCO-listed cathedral visible for miles around. The red brick buildings have a warm glow, even on dull days, but the green of the river banks and surrounding...

France's PM wants to cut 2 public holidays to save money for indebted economy

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou unveils plans for next year's budget on July 15 in Paris. (AP) PARIS, July 16, (AP): France’s prime minister proposed on Tuesday the elimination of two public holidays from the country’s annual calendar -...

Ryanair | Fire on new strikes by French air traffic controllers and Ursula von “Derlayed-Again”

Ryanair launched fresh criticism of the French authorities and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, today, Wednesday 16 July, on the occasion of yet another strike by French air traffic controllers (ATC). The company...

French PM seeks holiday cuts to patch up budget

French Prime Minister François Bayrou has proposed scrapping two public holidays as part of an austerity plan for the 2026 budget, saying it would cut spending and increase defense spending, the BBC reported. Bayrou is calling for the cancellation...

France unveils 2026 budget plan: €44billion cuts and possible holiday reduction

French Prime Minister François Bayrou has outlined his controversial plans for the 2026 budget that include €43.8 billion in spending cuts and public spending freezes. The widespread measures include keeping public spending at current levels,...

Cabinet reviews outcomes of Amir’s visit to France

KUWAIT: The Council of Ministers held its weekly meeting Tuesday morning at Bayan Palace, chaired by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Following the session, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for...