The Nice Criminal Court has sentenced a homeless man to five months in prison for assaulting a nurse’s assistant at the Pasteur Hospital on the 5th of August. Unions have been calling for increased security to protect emergency department workers. Staff from several hospitals have been demonstrating in front of the courthouse in Nice today in support of their colleagues.
A man from Grasse has received a prison sentence after growing cannabis plants. The 29 year old had been growing the plants in a wooded area near Mouans-Sartoux. A member of the public alerted police who set up a video surveillance system which identified the grower from his car number plate. He was arrested at his home where police also found about 270 grammes of cannabis.
Traffic was severely disrupted in the centre of Antibes this lunchtime after a car accident. A Smart car got stuck on a bollard on Boulevard Wilson and the road had to be closed to remove the car. Meanwhile, the road to St. Tropez was closed for almost an hour this morning after a broken down truck blocked traffic on the RD98.
What’s being referred to as a “March of Anger” is being planned by police unions in October. About 20 organizations have called for police to march in Paris on the 2nd of October to protest at issues including the rise in the number of suicides in the police force and improvements in the quality of life at work.
Unions representing prison officers have drawn attention to what they say is the increasing problem of drones flying over prisons. Last weekend two drones flew over the prison in Draguignan. Police intervened but so far the operators of the drones haven’t been located. A local union representative said that the phenomenon is multiplying and remains very difficult to control.
Monégasque Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc was received at the palace in Monaco this morning by His Serene Highness Prince Albert II. Leclerc has won two Grand Prix in consecutive weeks, in Belgium and Italy. He said that Monaco has always supported him enormously in his career, helping him in his education and allowing him to pursue his passion.
BUSINESS
The company which owns Hong Kong's main stock exchange has made a bid to buy the London Stock Exchange. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing said in a statement that combining the two exchanges would bring together "the largest and most significant financial centres in Asia and Europe".
General Motors is recalling 3.5 million vehicles in the United States because of a braking issue that could increase the risk of a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the issue last year.
The German economy is on the brink of a recession because of the US-China trade war and Brexit uncertainty, according to one of the country's most influential think tanks. The Kiel Institute for the World Economy said it expected the German economy to contract by 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in the July-to-September quarter after a 0.1% contraction in the previous three months.
China is planning to exempt 16 types of US products from additional retaliatory tariffs, including whey and fish meal, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Finance. The exemption will take effect on 17 September and will be valid for a year. A new round of trade talks between China and the United States is scheduled for later this month.
Serco has announced that it’s received notification of a two-year extension to its contract with the Australian Government's Department of Home Affairs to run various immigration facilities and services. Serco provides services to the onshore immigration detention network in Australian states and territories, including Christmas Island. The company has been providing immigration services to the Australian Government since 2009.
SPORT
Cricket…. Jason Roy and Craig Overton have been dropped from the England team for the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval, with Sam Curran and Chris Woakes joining the side. Ben Stokes, who is not fit to bowl because of a shoulder injury, will play as a specialist batsman. Australia have retained the Ashes after victory at Old Trafford gave them an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series.
Football… Two people have been arrested in connection with an inquiry in Belgium into alleged fraud involving the transfer of football players. They were detained in raids in Belgium, London and Monaco yesterday and today, according to Belgian prosecutors. Several top Belgian football clubs have been raided during the past year over allegations of transfer fraud.
Cycling…. British Cycling has named its team to compete in the inaugural mixed relay event at the Road World Championships in Yorkshire. John Archibald, Dan Bigham and Harry Tanfield, Lauren Dolan, Anna Henderson and Joss Lowden are all included in the team. The relay takes place in Harrogate on Sunday 22 September.
Basketball.. France have made it into the semi-finals of the World Basketball Championship after beating the United States. The final score in today’s match, which was played in China, was 89-79. France will meet Argentina in the semi-final on Friday in Beijing.
Rugby Union… Independent doctors will be at all Premiership games from this season to help enforce concussion protocol. They will assist club doctors with head injury assessments and have the final say on whether a player can continue. The system has been in place for some time in international rugby and will now be at Premiership Rugby Cup and home European matches.
The Var and the Alpes-Maritimes are on Meteo France alerts for high winds until eight o’clock this evening as Storm Benjamin passes through our region...
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France is preparing for severe weather as Storm Benjamin sweeps in from the British Isles, bringing violent winds, heavy rain and powerful coastal wav...
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Storm Benjamin is on the way. It’s expected that the Atlantic coast and parts of north-west France will be worst affected, but Meteo France have yello...
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Dozens of left-wing activists have marched through Nice, protesting plans to name a public square after former president Nicolas Sarkozy, the march oc...
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Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has started a jail sentence for campaign finance conspiracy today...
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