France has launched a nationwide probe into incidents of babies being born with either missing or malformed arms after abnormal rates of deformations were detected in several regions of the country, a top public health official said Wednesday. Francois Bourdillon, head of the Public Health France agency, told RTL radio that the probe was "underway" and the results would be known "in about three months." A relatively small number of cases have been detected so far -- about 25 over the past 15 years in the regions of Brittany, Loire-Atlantique and Ain -- but the defects have caused public alarm and have been widely reported by the French media. On Monday evening, health authorities reported an additional 11 cases in the Ain area near the Swiss border between 2000 and 2014 which had not previously been made public. Officials had already said the number of cases in Brittany and the Loire-Atlantique areas, on France's west coast, were statistically "excessive" and Health Minister Agnes … [Read more...] about France launches nationwide probe into baby arm deformations
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Air France-KLM gets boost from employee accord
Air France-KLM, hit badly earlier this year by strikes and management upheaval, reported Wednesday its third quarter net profit jumped nearly 23 percent year-on-year to 786 million euros ($900 million). Ben Smith, who took over the reins in September, said the airline could look forward to "new perspectives" after a crucial pay deal with staff brought much-needed stability to the carrier. "Air France-KLM posted a solid performance... reflecting the commitment of all its staff, its commercial strengths and the attractiveness of its brands," Smith said in a statement. "The agreement on salaries... brings stability as well as new perspectives for our businesses and employees," Smith said. "In the coming months, I am confident that we will be able to leverage our Group's strengths and assets to build an ambitious and innovative strategy to ensure the success of our airlines and reposition Air France-KLM as the leader of our industry." The wage deal signed on October 19 followed a series of … [Read more...] about Air France-KLM gets boost from employee accord
Halloween: The ghost stories from France’s most haunted chateaux
To get us in the mood for 'Spookmas', Jackie McGeown, who runs the blog Best France Forever, tells us some tales of French phantoms and the chateaux they are doomed to haunt for an eternity. 1. The ghost with the wooden leg at Château de Combourg The Château de Combourgis said to be haunted by a certain Comte de Combourg. Back in his day, he wore a wooden leg and this is the leg that can be heard marching up and down the castle’s stairway. This story makes me wonder if the leg is still wooden in the afterlife or if it's made of some ghostly material which allows the spirit to pass through walls? In which case, how could it make knocking noises against the stairway? Château de Combourg. Photo: Objectif Nantes/Flickr His ghost is sometimes accompanied by a black cat, possibly the ghost of the cat found buried alive in the walls of the castle. Apparently this was done to ward off evil … [Read more...] about Halloween: The ghost stories from France’s most haunted chateaux
Air France CEO pledges to pursue ‘ambitious’ strategy as profit falls
Air France CEO pledges to pursue 'ambitious' strategy as profit falls Independent.ie Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith has pledged to pursue an "ambitious and innovative" strategy after the carrier posted lower earnings in its first set of results under his leadership. https://www.independent.ie/business/world/air-france-ceo-pledges-to-pursue-ambitious-strategy-as-profit-falls-37477755.html https://www.independent.ie/business/article37258406.ece/e1c3f/AUTOCROP/h342/2018-08-28_bus_43614910_I1.JPG Email Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith has pledged to pursue an "ambitious and innovative" strategy after the carrier posted lower earnings in its first set of results under his leadership. The group reported an operating profit of €1.07bn, 6.7pc lower than last year, according to its third quarter results released today. During the period its unit costs reduced 1pc in constant currency. Net debt at the airline reduced by €222m to €6.3bn in the nine months since 31 December … [Read more...] about Air France CEO pledges to pursue ‘ambitious’ strategy as profit falls
France given boost as economy rebounds after weak start to the year
Data from the statistics agency INSEE showed the French economy growing at twice the pace recorded in the first two quarters of 2018. President Emmanuel Macron has enacted a series of pro-business economic reforms since coming to power in May 2017, but is struggling to convince voters that the medicine is working due to sluggish growth and still high unemployment. "The business climate was excellent after the election of Emmanuel Macron. Today it is getting worse," said economist Alexandre Mirlicourtois at the Xerfi economic research consultancy. Mirlicourtois, like most economists, sees the outlook as uncertain due to factors beyond the French government's control such as rising oil prices, uncertainties over global trade and other geopolitical risks. Photo:Depositphotos Macron is under mounting pressure domestically to show that changes to labour law and tax cuts for companies and high … [Read more...] about France given boost as economy rebounds after weak start to the year