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Paris
France has said a reluctant adieu to the 35-hour workweek. In 2000, when the Socialists were in power, the government shortened full-time working hours to 35 hours a week, in the hope that companies would have to hire more workers. But the unemployment rate remained more or less steady, at around 10 percent. And those who did have jobs didn’t get raises, as most companies froze salaries to make up for lost production. “The intention was to spread work around, but the effect was to spread our salaries around,” said Finance Minister Thierry Breton. The official workweek is now back up to 39 hours.
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The best folk albums of 2025
The Week Recommends From soul-searching lyrics to magnificent harmonies, these artists are a cut above the rest
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Parthenogenesis: the miracle of 'virgin births' in the animal kingdom
The Explainer Asexual reproduction, in which females reproduce without males by cloning themselves, has been documented in multiple species
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What will bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table?
Today's Big Question With diplomatic efforts stalling, the US and EU turn again to sanctions as Russian drone strikes on Poland risk dramatically escalating conflict