Confidence is the foundation of success for men in society, in careers, in personal decisions, and in relationships. A confident man is aware of his strengths, makes smart choices for self-improvement, and lives without unnecessary worries. Such a man does not back down in the face of challenges. He quickly finds ways to turn setbacks into opportunities. He has no trouble connecting with women, and any relationship depends entirely on him.

So, how can a man build his confidence? French experts have shared their insights on overcoming insecurities, developing decisiveness, reclaiming self-respect, and becoming irresistible to women.

With late chills and cold winds, springtime came later this year.

While skies outside are grey, wintry and windy, planning the garden allows ideas and dreams of summer sun.

Meanwhile the government concerns in Paris appear to remain around reforms of the multifarious pension systems and to raise the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 years in France.

Three Pillar Pensions

With three pillars – the state pension, compulsory supplementary pension and voluntary private pensions – there are 15 million residents out of France’s 67 million inhabitants currently drawing a state pension. There are also special pension arrangements for a variety of private and state sectors, such as the railways.

Among the plans which he has vaunted since his first term in 2018, President Emmanuel Macron wants to see an end to the rules which see some of the state railway’s 200,000 workers retiring on a full pension at the age of 52, up to 10 years before most other French workers. Macron wants a single system for all.

Despite the overall complexity and the fact it is a point-based system – each year, an individual’s contributions are converted to retirement pension points and added to their account – the focus in government statements and parliamentary discussions remains on the age of retirement.

A series of strikes affecting transport, energy, education and public services continued into March with concerns that the reform represents a more general attempt to reverse social rights achieved in previous decades. Young people have been particularly evident during the street demonstrations against the reform to date voicing associated worries for the environment and quality of life in France. The focus for a longer working life, producing more at the expense of the environment has many young people expressing opposition to this vision for the country’s future.

Hundreds of cranes fly over France in February from their winter homes in Spain and Northern Europe to their summer quarters in northern Europe.

This is news from France for Sunday 6 June, 2021:

This week:

• new travel conditions for international visitors

• consequences of a failure in emergency numbers

• the Cannes film festival gets ready for a July opening

• the Pompidou plans a Jersey City satellite museum.

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From next Wednesday, international visitors should face fewer restrictions in consequence of Covid when they arrive in France.

In measures announced on Friday, people who have been vaccinated will no longer have to quarantine on arrival, or justify their reasons for visiting. However, they will have to present a negative test taken within the previous 72 hours.

The government has classified countries within red, orange and green areas. Europe is green while the US is orange and India red. Different conditions relate to each designation.

The number of new Covid cases reported in the previous 24 hours on Sunday was 6,654.

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Telecom operator Orange blamed a software failure for a network outage which left people unable to reach emergency services on Wednesday into Thursday.

Starting on Wednesday afternoon, people were unable to access emergency services and calls were either not getting through, or breaking down mid-way through a conversation. The problem was resolved by Thursday.

The head of France’s biggest telecom company was summoned by the Interior Ministry to explain the situation. The state is the biggest shareholder of Orange.

Orange told Agence France Press (AFP) that a “technical incident on a router had greatly disrupted ‘voice over internet protocol’ (VoIP) calls in some regions”.

Belgium’s largest operator Proximus reported similar problems in January when emergency numbers were disrupted overnight.

News from France for Monday 31 May

New travel controls came into force for people arriving from the UK

The government budget deficit is growing

Cinemas reopened, grand slam tennis got underway

and transatlantic yacht teams arrived in the Caribbean.

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Strict controls for people arriving from the UK came into force on Monday.

Travel is permitted only for people with essential reasons (motif imperieux) to visit France and they will have to show a negative Covid test taken within 48 hours of travel. On arrival they will have to self isolate for seven days.

The restrictions are due to the spread of the Indian variant of Covid in the UK.

This has been News from France for Monday 31 May 2021.

With grey wintry skies overhead, dreaming and planning for a summer garden.

The news from France concerns a government focussed on reforming the country’s multifarious retirement systems, oddly concentrating on the age of retirement. Internationally President Emmanuel Macron is indicating more support for Ukraine.

This week:

Covid vaccines are to be made available for all adults from the end of the month

Police protested over fears for their own safety

François Pinault’s contemporary art museum opened in Paris

and France came close in the Eurovision song contest.

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Vaccines against Covid 19 will be available for all adults from the end of the month the prime minister announced this week.

People in priority professions such as teachers, police officers and bus drivers, can be vaccinated from tomorrow, Monday.

Restrictions were loosened this week with cafe terraces and large retail stores opening again and the overnight curfew starting from the later time of 9 p.m.

There were 12,611 new Covid cases reported in the previous 24 hours on Sunday.

The health minister said this week that France could expect to ‘turn the page’ on the Covid crisis by the end of the year.

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This has been News from France for Sunday 23 May 2021.

This is news from France for Sunday 16 May

This week:

France reached its 20 million target for Covid-19 vaccinations

The Paris mayor announced plans to restrict car traffic in the city centre

and an orca whale joined the leaders of a cross-Atlantic yacht race.

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President Emmanuel Macron announced on Twitter Saturday that France had reached its target of 20 million first vaccines.

The statement came ahead of this week’s planned reopening of museums, theatres, cinemas, concert halls, non-essential shops and restaurant terraces as part of easing lockdown restrictions.

The daily reported cases of Covid-19 stood at just over 15,000 as of Sunday.

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This has been News from France for Sunday 16 May 2021.

This is news from France for Sunday 9 May

This week:

The government stepped up its vaccine programme

There was a slight uptick in employment numbers

and protests over fishing reached the island of Jersey.

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The French vaccine programme against Covid-19 is being stepped up with people aged over 50 able to book an appointment from Monday.

As of Sunday 17.53 million people had received a first injection. New daily cases reported stood at 20,745.

President Macron said on Thursday he was “absolutely in favour” of a global waiver on Covid-19 patent protection.

No French pharmaceutical company has yet developed a vaccine.

Current restrictions on movement are due to be reviewed in ten days time. For now, the overnight curfew remains in place.

Quarantine for people arriving from a further seven countries came into force on Saturday night.

They include Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Travel is only permitted for essential reasons and all travelers have to comply with strict, pre-travel conditions followed by a compulsory 10-day quarantine on arrival.

Travelers from India, South Africa, Brazil, Chile and Argentina are already subject to the quarantine.

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This has been News from France for Sunday 9 May 2021.

This is News from France, a weekly review for Sunday May 2nd

Highlights this week were:

a presidential timetable for Covid-19 restrictions

labour day marches

EU funds for countries affected by Brexit

and the Emperor Napoleon’s books

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The French president laid out a timetable for relaxing restrictions due to the Covid pandemic, as indicators suggested some signs of improvement.

There were 25,670 new cases reported in the 24 hours to Sunday and French hospitals are still under intense pressure to care for critically-ill patients.

Since the start of the pandemic, France has recorded 5.57 million Covid-19 cases and 103,947 deaths.

President Macron announced that the nightly curfew would be relaxed from May 19 and outdoor service would be allowed at cafes, bars and restaurants.

Vaccinations would be offered to all adults from mid-June and travel restrictions are also expected to be eased.

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This has been news from France for Sunday 2nd May, 2021.

This is News from France, a weekly review for Sunday 25 April

This week’s main news was:

Covid-19 cases remaining above 30,000 per day

French fishermen taking direct action concerning UK waters

Astronaut Thomas Pesquet arriving on the International Space Station

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The number of new daily cases of Covid-19 was reported as 32,633 on Sunday.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Jean Castex said there had been a “genuine fall in the virus circulation” over the previous ten days and that schools would reopen from Monday.

The 7pm to 6am curfew is to remain in place but the 10 kilometre travel limit for people from their homes is to be lifted from the start of May.

Over 13 million people have received at least a first dose of vaccine.

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This has been News from France, a weekly review in English, today Sunday 25 April 2021

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This is News from France, a weekly review for Sunday 18 April

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As Covid-19 deaths pass 100,000, further travel restrictions are imposed on foreign visitors

the cost of damage from spring frosts is being counted by wine producers and fruit farmers

lawmakers voted for limitations on domestic air travel

and state help for French companies with their debts could be on the way.

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The number of people who have died as a result of Covid-19 passed 100,000 this week. The number of new daily cases to Sunday was reported as 35,861. A total of 12.32 million people have been vaccinated to date.

Pressure on intensive care units in hospitals is still high and the current lockdown with nightly curfew for people to stay within 10 kilometers of their homes is ongoing.

France is also to make travelers arriving from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and South Africa spend 10 days in quarantine, the prime minister’s office announced on Saturday. Flights from Brazil have been suspended until at least next Friday because of concerns over the P1 variant of the virus.

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This has been News from France, a weekly review in English, today Sunday 18 April 2021

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