To fight fires from the air, France has only 12 Canadair planes, which are 'an average of 30 years old'
The contract, signed under the aegis of the European Union as part of the RescEU project, stipulates that only two water bombers will be added to the aging fleet of 12 Canadair aircraft operated by French authorities. All of them are "an average of 30 years old," explained Jean-Philippe Côté, vice president of the De Havilland Canada program; their heavy use, especially in marine environments, has accelerated their aging. According to a parliamentary report published on July 2, this has reached the point where none of the 12 Canadair planes "were able to fly on certain days during the summer of 2024."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Local France
3 minutes ago
- Local France
What changes in France in August 2025
Utility bills – VAT on the the fixed part of households' electricity and gas bills will increase from 5.5 percent to 20 percent on August 1st, in line with an EU directive requiring that inseparable elements of the same good or service – in this case the subscription and the consumption of electricity – are subject to the same VAT rate. Savings – Bad news for holders of popular small savings account the Livret A. Six months after interest rates dropped from 3 percent to 2.4 percent, they are set to fall again – to 1.7 percent – on August 1st. Budget chat - having launched the outline of his 2026 Budget - aiming to save €40 billion - prime minister François Bayrou has declared that he will not be taking a summer holiday, but will instead spend the summer trying to convince opposition parties, unions and social organisations to get on board with his ideas (including scrapping two public holidays ). Formal debates on the Budget will begin once parliament resumes in September. Advertisement Wildfire alerts - French weather forecaster Météo France has predicted a risky summer for wildfires with several parts of the south already on red alert. The wildfire risk map will be updated daily throughout August. READ ALSO : MAP: How to check for wildfire alerts in France✎ Strikes - the rail union Sud Rail has filed an open-ended strike notice until September 1st, although they say they're planning weekend-long or 2-3 day strikes on dates which are yet to be announced. Meanwhile employees of Vinci, one of the companies that runs the French motorway network, have filed strike notices covering the summer holiday period, especially on the A8 in southern France. Vinci says that drivers should not be impacted - more details here . Meanwhile French air traffic controllers remain in dispute with their bosses, but at the time of writing have not filed any fresh strike notices after their hugely disruptive two-day strike at the start of June. Find all the latest strike info here . READ ALSO : Planes, trains and museums: The strikes to expect in France this summer✎ Advertisement Travel trouble – Roads watchdog Bison Futé has flagged every weekend of August as having 'very difficult' or 'extremely difficult' conditions on the country's roads as holidaymakers head out – and home. The dreaded 'crossover' weekend - when the July holidaymakers return and the August ones set out, usually the busiest weekend of the year - is this year the weekend August 1st-3rd. School aid – Millions of parents will receive a one-off means-tested government payment to help cover the cost of the numerous items that they need to purchase before children head to school. The payment is automatic for eligible families who are registered with CAF – the exact date of this year's payment is yet to be confirmed, but it usually in the middle of the month. READ ALSO What you need to know if your child is starting school in France The maximum amount parents can receive, depending on the age of any children and their income will be: €423.48 per child aged 6 to 10 years; €446.85 per child aged 11 to 14; €462.33 per child aged 15 to 18. Women's Tour de France – After starting in July, the nine-stage Women's Tour de France concludes with a 124.1km mountain stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Châtel, in Haute-Savoie, on Sunday, August 3rd. The climb to the finish, at Pré laJoux, is particularly punishing. Festivals – August is peak summer festival time in France. Bigflo and Oli, Vampire Weekend, Will Smith and Queens of the Stone Age headline this year's Cabaret Vert in Charleville-Mézières; while Chappell Roan, A$AP Rocky, Anyma, Aurora, Jorja Smith and Stereophonics are among the numerous acts lined up for Rock en Seine at Domaine national de Saint-Cloud. Advertisement Those who prefer a bit more tradition, however, might want to head to Sète for the Fêtes de la Saint-Louis. It's been going since the port was inaugurated in 1666, so they've probably got the hang of it by now. There's the town's famous water jousting, plus swimming, entertainment, shows and fireworks in store for anyone visiting the Hérault seaside town between August 21st and 26th. READ ALSO 29 unmissable festivals and events in France this summer Public holiday – The Christian festival of Assumption, on August 15th, is a public holiday in France. This year it falls on a Friday, giving those workers not already on holiday a mid-summer long weekend. Football – France's top-flight men's football league, Ligue 1, returns on August 15th, with its own pay-TV channel broadcasting eight of the weekly nine games and beIN Sports showing the remaining game. Rugby I – France's women's rugby squad cross the Channel to compete at Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 in England this month. Hosts England kick off proceedings against the first-ever winners of the tournament USA in Sunderland on Friday, August 22nd. Les Bleues' campaign kicks off against Italy the following day in Exeter. Rugby II – France's domestic second-tier professional men's competition, the ProD2, returns on August 29th, with Biarritz v Béziers at Parc des Sports d'Aguilera getting the new season under way. The Top 14 won't be back until the first weekend in September. Rentrée – the summer holidays are almost over, so enjoy them while you can, as children return to school on September 1st.
Euronews
33 minutes ago
- Euronews
EU agrees new sanctions on Russia after Robert Fico lifts his veto
The European Union has agreed to impose a new round of sanctions against Russia, targeting the country's energy and financial sectors in a bid to tighten the screws on the Kremlin's war machine and force a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine. The sanctions, endorsed on Friday by ambassadors in Brussels, ban transactions with 22 Russian banks, the Russian Direct Investment Fund and its subsidiaries, and the direct and indirect use of the underwater Nord Stream pipelines, which are currently closed off but which Moscow seeks to restart at some point in the future. Additionally, the EU turns the price cap on Russian crude oil of $60 per barrel into a dynamic mechanism that will remain 15% lower than the average market price, according to diplomatic sources. The new cap will kick in at $47.6 per barrel. The United States, a chief proponent of the cap at the G7 level during the previous administration, has not supported the downward revision. Moreover, a further 105 vessels belonging to the "shadow fleet", the aged tankers that Moscow employs to bypass the price cap on crude oil, are denied access to the EU ports and EU services. This brings the "shadow fleet" blacklist to over 400 vessels. The deal represents the 18th package of sanctions since February 2022. The political breakthrough was only possible after Slovakia relented and lifted its veto, which had until now prevented the approval of the new sanctions. The Slovak opposition related to an entirely different matter: the proposed phase-out of all Russian fossil fuels by the end of 2027. The European Commission unveiled the roadmap in May and presented the draft legislation in June, based on gradual bans on short-term and long-term gas contracts. As a landlocked country, Slovakia vociferously protested the plan, warning it would raise prices for consumers, weaken competitiveness and endanger energy security. Since the phase-out is subject to a qualified majority, Bratislava resorted to sanctions, which require unanimity, to extract concessions from Brussels. During an EU summit last month, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico upped the ante with a series of demands for financial compensation. Fico said his country risked facing a lawsuit from Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly, worth between €16 and €20 billion due to the termination of its long-term contract, which runs until 2034. The Commission argues the gas bans will act as "force majeure" in court and shield governments and companies against damages. Fico's solitary crusade The deadlock intensified dialogue between Bratislava and Brussels, with a focus on practical solutions to diversify Slovakia's energy mix away from Russia, strengthen connections to neighbouring countries and mitigate price volatility. Fico welcomed the outreach as "constructive" but held his ground, surprising diplomats who thought the veto would be lifted sooner. German Chancellor Friderich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk intervened to break the impasse. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, also became involved. Earlier this week, von der Leyen sent Fico a three-page letter with reassurances about the implementation of the phase-out, including the possible deployment of state aid and EU funds to "compensate the negative impacts for households and industry". Von der Leyen also promised to clarify the criteria to trigger the "emergency break" and temporarily suspend the application of the gas bans in case of "extreme price spikes". The letter does not speak of a tailor-made financial envelope for Slovakia. "We have been working closely wth member states most directly concerned, notably Slovakia, to ensure that the EU-wide phase-out of Russian energy imports will be gradual and well-coordinated across the Union," von der Leyen wrote. According to Fico, who posted the entire confidential letter on his social media, von der Leyen's offer was flat-out rejected by his coalition partners. "Their response is that the Commission's guarantees to Slovakia are insufficient – some even described them as NOTHING," he said. He then demanded a complete exemption from the phase-out to continue buying Russian gas until the contract with Gazprom ends in 2034. But a few days later, amid mounting pressure, Fico relented and agreed to lift his veto. "At this point, it would be counterproductive to continue blocking the 18th sanctions package," he said on Thursday evening. "All options have been exhausted for now, and remaining in our blocking position would already endanger our interests." The Slovak promised to continue his crusade against the phase-out, however. "The second stage of our battle with the European Commission on the issue of Russian gas begins. We have a clear plan approved," he said. The deal on the new sanctions comes as US President Donald Trump hardens his rhetoric against Vladimir Putin, pledging to send lethal aid to Ukraine and impose "severe tariffs" on Russia, a major shift that was immediately welcomed across Europe. The White House, however, has so far refused to endorse a lower price cap on Russian oil, leaving other G7 allies to go it alone. For Brussels, the participation of the UK was considered fundamental due to its dominant position in maritime insurance.
LeMonde
6 hours ago
- LeMonde
In Morocco, score-settling follows a former spy chief's escape abroad
An internal power struggle within Morocco's intelligence services has taken on both political and judicial overtones in recent weeks, with international ramifications. Mehdi Hijaouy, a former high-ranking official within Morocco's foreign intelligence service (DGED), was forced into exile to escape criminal prosecution that was threatened by some of his colleagues within the kingdom's security apparatus. Subject to an international arrest warrant for "fraud" and for facilitating "illegal emigration," Hijaouy is now in hiding abroad, while his family and associates have faced reprisals in Morocco. His French lawyers, William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, have sought to have the arrest warrant against him canceled by Interpol, arguing that Hijaouy is being prosecuted as part of a "strictly political procedure based on a judicial setup." Their application is about to be submitted to the international criminal police organization. "Mr. Hijaouy is in danger and needs protection," said Bourdon and Brengarth. 52 years old, Hijaouy reportedly served from 1993 to 2014 within the DGED, notably heading the Service Action training center – although Moroccan media close to the government claim that he was "dismissed from the DGED in 2010" and describe him as a "fake expert and a real fraud." After moving into strategic consulting, he wrote articles for Moroccan media – including some of those now attacking him, such as Hespress – on the concept of "security intelligence."
