Financial rating: S&P votes again on France's note

This Friday, the American rating agency S&P reassesses France's sovereign rating, the public finance situation having hardly changed since its last review in February, when it decided to lower its outlook. S&P had in fact attached its AA- (“good credit quality”, editor's note) rating to a negative outlook on February 28. This means that a deterioration is possible without significant improvement, with the agency citing public finances “under pressure” and “an uncertain fiscal strategy beyond 2025

^{Paris: smoking ban as of July 1}

The government will implement on July 1 a ban that was promised at the end of 2023, but which anti-tobacco associations were worried would not see happen. No more cigarettes at the beach, in the parks, or near school. The Minister of Labor, Health, Solidarity and Families, Catherine Vustrin indicated Thursday in an interview with the daily Ouest-France that “where there are children, tobacco must disappear. From July 1, beaches, parks and public gardens, near schools, bus shelters, sports facilities will be, everywhere in France, smoke-free spaces.” Failure to comply with the ban “may result in a 4th class ticket, i.e. 135 euros”, specifies Ms. Voutrin, who stresses that the freedom to smoke “ends where children's right to breathe clean air begins

Washington: Trump complains of court decision

President Donald Trump on Thursday rebuked the decision of a court that suspended at first instance a large part of the tariffs he imposed in recent months, and hoped to be able to continue acting without depending on parliamentarians. The United States International Trade Court (ITC) ruled Wednesday that Trump had exceeded his powers by imposing non-targeted surtaxes, despite the fact that this is a prerogative of Congress. Recognizing that his respite is only temporary, the American president launched an indictment Thursday evening on his Truth Social platform, denouncing a “horrible” and “so political” judicial decision at the initiative according to him, “leftist judges”.

Tennis: Richard Gasquet retired, Monfils eliminated
Richard Gasquet, beaten in three sets by world number 1 Jannik Sinner, experienced the very last match of his career, at almost 39 years old, on Thursday in the second round of Roland-Garros, which paid tribute to him on the Philippe-Chatrier court. During the day, French No. 1 Arthur Fils painfully snatched his place in the 3rd round against the Spaniard Jaume Munar. Moreover, Gaël Monfils and Corentin Moutet, beaten without dismerit by Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic, were eliminated just like Ugo Humbert, injured and forced to abandon. Loïs Boisson and Elsa Jacquemot, brilliantly qualified and now the only survivors among the French women, will meet in the 3rd round for a 100% blue duel

IN SHORT

After the storms of May 19 and 20, which killed three people in the Provençal department and caused heavy agricultural destruction, the state of natural disaster was recognized for a hundred municipalities in South-West and Var.

The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas indicated that the new American proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip accepted by Israel did not meet its demands.

Saskatchewan on Thursday became the second Canadian province to declare a state of emergency due to forest fires, after Manitoba which ordered 17,000 people to evacuate the previous day.

The draw for the U20 World Cup saw Bernard Diomède's France team face off against the United States, South Africa and New Caledonia, which is participating in the tournament for the first time.