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Tackling debt 'curse', France wants to slash holidays
Tackling debt 'curse', France wants to slash holidays
by  AFP

France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said Tuesday he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays as part of an urgent plan to tackle what he called the "curse" of his country's debt. Presenting his outline 2026 budget plan, Bayrou said two holidays out of France's total of 11 could go, suggesting Easter Monday as well as and May 8, a day that commemorates the end of World War II in Europe.

US banks see lower recession risk despite tariff fog
US banks see lower recession risk despite tariff fog
by  AFP

Large US banks reported results that topped estimates Tuesday as executives pointed to American economic resilience and said businesses were adapting to tariff uncertainty. "We do anticipate further consumer cooling the second half (of 2025) as tariff effects play through," Mason said, while adding that "the global economic performance has been quite resilient."

Fallen Austrian tycoon Benko charged with fraud
Fallen Austrian tycoon Benko charged with fraud
by  AFP

Austrian tycoon Rene Benko has been charged with fraud as part of a wide-ranging probe into the insolvency of his real estate empire, prosecutors said Tuesday. Benko, once one of Austria's richest men, founded the Signa real estate empire in 2000, but the debt-laden group crumbled in 2023 in the largest insolvency proceedings in the country's history.

US consumer inflation accelerates as tariff scrutiny grows
US consumer inflation accelerates as tariff scrutiny grows
by  AFP

US consumer inflation picked up in line with analyst expectations last month, government data showed Tuesday, as policymakers try to gauge how President Donald Trump's ever-growing list of tariffs is affecting the economy.

Russia suggests Trump is emboldening Ukraine, delaying peace
Russia suggests Trump is emboldening Ukraine, delaying peace
by  AFP

The Kremlin warned Tuesday that US President Donald Trump's pledge of more weapons for Kyiv and threat of sanctions targeting Russian trading partners could embolden Ukraine and further delay already stalled peace efforts. Denmark and the Netherlands on Tuesday said they were looking to participate in Trump's plan for Europe to buy American weapons for Ukraine.