French PM may scrap two public holidays to reduce country’s crippling debt

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François Bayrou says Easter Monday and VE Day could become normal workdays as critics call plan ‘a direct attack on France’

France’s prime minister, François Bayrou, has proposed scrapping two public holidays as part of radical measures aimed at reducing the country’s ballooning deficit, boosting its economy and preventing it being “crushed” by debt.

Outlining the 2026 budget on Tuesday, Bayrou suggested Easter Monday and 8 May, when France commemorates Victory Day, marking the end of the second world war, although he said he was open to other options.

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Israel launches bombing raids in Syria and Lebanon

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Israel targets state forces entering south of Syria after sectarian clashes, while other strikes in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley leave 12 dead

Israel has launched bombing raids against two of its neighbours, hitting government forces in southern Syria and what it said were Hezbollah targets in eastern Lebanon.

In Syria, the strikes hit forces loyal to the transitional government that had been sent south to the province of Sweida, which is near Israel. Syrian state media also reported Israeli strikes on Tuesday in the nearby province of Deraa.

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Ukraine awaiting details on ‘billions of dollars’ worth of weapons promised by Trump

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US president said to have discussed providing Patriot missiles and long-range Tomahawks but no agreement has been reached

Ukraine is waiting for further details of the “billions of dollars” worth of US military equipment promised by Donald Trump on Monday, amid confusion as to how many Patriot air defence systems will be sent to Kyiv.

At a meeting at the White House with the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, on Monday, Trump said an unnamed country was ready to immediately provide “17 Patriots” as he said a “very big deal” had been agreed for European allies to buy weapons from the United States and then ship them to Ukraine.

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Underwater Camera Captures First-Ever Images of Japanese WWII Warship – PetaPixel

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  1. Underwater Camera Captures First-Ever Images of Japanese WWII Warship  PetaPixel
  2. Japanese WWII destroyer torpedoed by U.S. boats discovered on Pacific seafloor — still armed with munitions  CBS News
  3. Japanese warship used in WWII found on Pacific seafloor: See photos  USA Today
  4. Severed shipwreck discovered in Pacific linked to legendary WWII surprise attack  Miami Herald
  5. Explorer Bob Ballard's organization finds sunken World War II Japanese destroyer  The Day
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Pompeii welcomes home erotic mosaic looted by Nazi officer – Reuters

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  1. Pompeii welcomes home erotic mosaic looted by Nazi officer  Reuters
  2. Erotic mosaic stolen by Nazi captain in second world war returned to Pompeii  The Guardian
  3. Erotic ancient mosaic stolen by Nazi German captain during WWII is returned to Pompeii  CBS News
  4. A Risqué Pompeii Mosaic Returns Home Decades After Wartime Theft  Artnet News
  5. IN PHOTOS | Ancient Roman mosaic returns to Pompeii after being looted by the Nazis  CBC
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Israeli strikes kill 12 in Lebanon, including 5 Hezbollah fighters, source says – Reuters

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  1. Israeli strikes kill 12 in Lebanon, including 5 Hezbollah fighters, source says  Reuters
  2. Israeli strikes kill 12 in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, governor says  BBC
  3. Updates: Israel guns down hungry Palestinians in Gaza mass-casualty attack  Al Jazeera
  4. Headlines for July 15, 2025  Democracy Now!
  5. Egypt and Jordan condemn Israeli strikes as Sweida crisis escalates  The Jerusalem Post
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International Views of China Turn Slightly More Positive – Pew Research Center

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  1. International Views of China Turn Slightly More Positive  Pew Research Center
  2. China’s Reputation Improves in Pew Survey as US Sees Drop  Bloomberg.com
  3. Global views of China and Xi improve, while they decline about the US and Trump, survey says  AP News
  4. Map Shows Where Xi Jinping Is More Popular Than Donald Trump  Newsweek
  5. Australians now favour economic ties with China over the US, survey finds  Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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Vandals cut down England’s beloved Sycamore Gap tree. They were just sentenced to more than 4 years in prison – PBS

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  1. Vandals cut down England’s beloved Sycamore Gap tree. They were just sentenced to more than 4 years in prison  PBS
  2. Men Who Cut Down Beloved Tree in England Get More Than 4 Years in Prison  The New York Times
  3. Men sentenced to over 4 years in prison for cutting down iconic tree  Yahoo
  4. Duo sentenced to four years for ‘moronic’ killing of tree in England  The Washington Post
  5. Sycamore Gap vandals face their fate in English court for felling beloved tree  New York Post
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France holds Bastille Day military parade that, years ago, inspired Trump – The Washington Post

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  1. France holds Bastille Day military parade that, years ago, inspired Trump  The Washington Post
  2. France marks Bastille Day with grand Paris parade, celebrations  Al Jazeera
  3. Fireworks, warplanes and axes: How France celebrates Bastille Day  ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos
  4. Indonesian troops join France's Bastille Day military parade on Champs-Élysées  France 24
  5. France National Day  U.S. Department of State (.gov)
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