Evening Update Monday 30 September

The Prefect of the Var has described the number of deaths on the Department’s roads in September as “tragic”. He also described the number of road fatalities at the beginning of this year as “apocalyptic”. 58 deaths have occurred so far this year, as against 66 for the whole of last year. The Prefect said that speed controls in the Var would be strengthened over the coming weeks.

XL Airways has announced that it’s suspended all flights as from 3.00 this afternoon. The airline was placed in receivership last week and the company has said that it’s awaiting a decision of the Commercial Court about the future of the company on Wednesday. The company specialises in flights from mainland France to the Caribbean, USA and Reunion.

Firefighters have extinguishing a vehicle fire on the A8 motorway. A lorry caught fire this afternoon near Roquebrune-sur-Argens on the carriageway going towards Aix-en-Provence. Traffic was not interrupted in the area, but one lane of the carriageway was closed.

In Toulon, the cable car on Mont Faron has been closed for the time being. Strong Mistral winds are expected in the area.

The former partner of a woman from Aix-en-Provence has been convicted of her murder by a court in London. The body of Laureline Garcia-Bertaux was discovered in March in the garden of her accommodation in Richmond, Surrey. Kirill Belorusov from Estonia denied murder but was found guilty at the Old Bailey and will be sentenced on Friday.

Firemen who fought the blaze which broke out at the chemical factory in Rouen on Thursday have aired their concerns after several colleagues came down with diarrhea, vomiting and dizziness. Doctors have reassured them that the symptoms are normal and last less than 24 hours. However, several police officers have also complained of similar symptoms and have been placed on sick leave. The French government has vowed complete transparency on the investigation saying the results of tests currently being carried out will be shared publicly. 

Dozens of past and present world leaders have been attending a memorial service for former French Pesident Jacques Chirac at Saint-Sulpice church in Paris. Among the mourners at the service were all three living former presidents of France - Giscard d'Estaing, Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande. President Emmanuel Macron was also at the service, but the far-right leader Marine Le Pen was a notable absence from the funeral after the Chirac family made it clear she was not welcome. Today has been declared a day of national mourning in France.

 

 

BUSINESS

Prudential has been fined £24m by the UK Financial Conduct Authority for failures related to non-advised sales of annuities. The FCA said that between July 2008 and September 2017, Prudential sold annuities directly to existing Prudential pension holders without telling them that they may get a better deal if they shopped around. Amongst other matters, the watchdog also said that Prudential failed to ensure that documentation used by call handlers was appropriate and failed to monitor calls with customers properly.

UK GDP fell by 0.2% between April and June following an increase of 0.6% in the first quarter of the year, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics.

Volkswagen is defending the claims of hundreds of thousands of owners of manipulated diesel cars in court today. Around 450,000 people are seeking compensation from the company four years after a scandal that found VW used technology to cheat diesel emissions tests.

Fashion retailer Forever 21 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US. The company said it plans to "exit most international locations in Asia and Europe" but would continue to operate in Mexico and Latin America. It said that it expects to close up to 350 stores worldwide.

In the UK, the Institute of Directors has appointed Jonathan Geldart to be its Director General. He was formerly chair of the IoD’s Yorkshire and North East region and has worked in the professional services sector for 30 years.

 

SPORT

Football… Governing body Fifa have ruled that Cardiff City must pay the first installment of a transfer fee for the late striker Emiliano Sala. The Argentine player died in a plane crash in January while travelling from his former club Nantes to join his new club. Cardiff have argued they were not liable for the transfer fee payable to Nantes because Sala was not officially their player when he died. The club refused to make interim payments, claiming the deal was not legally binding, but Fifa have now ruled that the club must pay an interim payment of 6m euros to Nantes.

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has been ruled out for at least two months with a torn hip muscle. He suffered the injury taking a goal-kick during West Ham's 2-2 draw at Bournemouth on Saturday.

There’s one English Premiership game tonight. Manchester United host Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Tennis… British number one Kyle Edmund has been beaten by a wildcard player at the China Open - his fifth straight defeat. Edmund, who is world number 34, was defeated 6-4  3-6  7-6 in Beijing by Zhizhen Zhang, who is ranked 213.

Cricket… Northamptonshire have re-signed Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf for the first half of next season. The 25-year-old played in the T20 Blast for the Steelbacks this year, taking 11 wickets at an average of 19.

 

MA NOLAN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP REPORT

Scotland have beaten Samoa 34-nil this afternoon, securing a bonus point. There were first-half tries from Sean Maitland and Greg Laidlaw. There was a drop goal from Stuart Hogg. Two penalty tries after half-time ensured the extra point. The Scots now move up to third in the Pool A behind Japan and Ireland after two games each.

The Barrett brothers Beauden, Scott and Jordie will be the first sibling trio to start in a World Cup for New Zealand when they face Canada on Wednesday. Surprisingly it’s not the first time 3 brother have been in a World Cup Rugby side – Samoa had three brothers in their team against Scotland in 1995. Coach Steve Hansen has made 11 changes to the side that beat South Africa, with starts for centre Sonny Bill Williams and wing Rieko Loane.  Jack Goodhue also comes in at centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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