Lunchtime News Tuesday 28th December 2021

News

France's Prime Minister has announced a 100-euro monthly bonus for nurses working in intensive care - French Prime Minister Jean Castex has announced this morning Tuesday 28th December, a 100 euros monthly bonus for nurses in intensive care units. Castex made the announcement while visiting the Intercommunal Hospital centre of Créteil in the Val-de-Marne. The bonus will be paid from January 2022 and will concern roughly 24,000 nurses who work in critical care units.

New measures criticised by opposition – Meanwhile several members of the opposition, including the leader of the far-right party the National Rally Marine Le Pen, have sharply criticized the new decisions announced on Monday evening by the French government. The RN candidate in the presidential election quickly slammed "punitive measures that make no sense", calling on Twitter to "renounce the health/vaccine pass".

Covid home tests available in supermarkets - Due to the high demand, large retailers in France will be allowed to sell covid self-tests until January 31. The French government has just authorised the sale in French supermarkets of the antigenic test to be carried out at home.

Real estate loans limited to 25 years from 1st January - From January 1st, real estate loans granted by banks can no longer exceed 25 years. As of January 1st, individuals will no longer have the right to borrow over more than 25 years to acquire real estate. This recommendation was in fact issued in 2019 by the High Council for Financial Stability (HCSF) and was already widely implemented by banking institutions. But this instruction will now be mandatory and will be entered in the Official Journal at the beginning of 2022. The average duration of mortgages has increased from 18 years in 2015 to 20.1 years at the beginning of 2019. In addition, the debt ratio of borrowers may not exceed 35% of annual income. 

Pope says three key words in marriage are "please, thanks and sorry" - Pope Francis has sought to encourage married couples, acknowledging that the pandemic has aggravated some family problems but urging couples to seek help and always remember three key words in a marriage: "Please, thanks and sorry." The letter to married couples that was released on Sunday as Pope Francis said he intended it to be his "Christmas present to married couples." He urged them to keep having children to fight the "demographic winter" which, in Italy, has led to one of the lowest birth-rates in the world. "Maybe we aren't born into an exceptional, problem-free family, but our family is our story -- everyone has to think: It's my story," he said. " They are our roots: If we cut them, life dries up!"

 

 

 

 

 

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