French and Riviera News Monday 2nd September 2019

Local

Woman killed by her partner in Cagnes sur mer - A 21-year-old woman has been killed in Cagnes sur mer in the Alpes-Maritimes, marking the 100th femicide of 2019 in France. The victim’s body was discovered shortly before 1pm on Saturday after a local resident alerted the police, believing he saw a foot protruding from a pile of rubbish. According to reports a fight had broken out in the neighborhood on the night of Friday to Saturday. Shortly before 2 am, police were called over concerns of a violent dispute. The victim’s companion has been arrested and placed in police custody. Last year, 121 women were killed in France by their companion or ex-companion, that’s one every three days, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

Road accident - A man in his thirties has been seriously injured in a road accident in Utelle in the hills behind Nice. The accident occurred around 3pm on Sunday afternoon. The cause has not yet to be determined, the driver is believed to have crashed into a wall while driving on the M6102. Police have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.   

Forest fire - 20 people have been evacuated from their homes and 15 hectares of land destroyed after a forest fire broke out near Nîmes on Sunday afternoon. Firefighters in the Gard managed to control the blaze as nearly 100 firemen were deployed along with four Canadair’s.

Charles Leclerc wins Belgian Grand Prix - Monegasque formula one driver Charles Leclerc has won the Belgian Grand Prix. The 21-year-old took a win under intense pressure from Lewis Hamilton – claiming his first Formula 1 victory in an emotional win Leclerc dedicated it to Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert, who was killed in a crash on Saturday.

National

Attack in Lyon - A man wielding a skewer and knife went on the rampage in Lyon on Saturday, leaving a 19-year-old man dead and eight others injured, three of them critically. An eyewitness in Villeurbanne, a suburb of Lyon, described the attack as frenzied.  Of the eight people wounded in the attack, three were in a critical condition. The mayor of Lyon, Gérard Collomb, a former interior minister, visited the site of the attack.

Flights delayed in France - A computer failure at French airports on Sunday has paralyzed flight information affecting French airspace and causing delays and cancellations. British Airways said flights heading to, or passing over, France and Spain had been affected. EasyJet said it has been forced to cancel 180 flights out of almost 2,000 scheduled to take off on Sunday. The French aviation regulator said a “computer failure” had affected control centres and an investigation will be conducted to analyze the cause” adding that "the failure has had no impact on flight safety."

Free transport a success – A new study has shown that a transport programme launched by the city of Dunkirk in northern France last year has revitalised the city center while also helping the environment. The free bus system, inaugurated on 1 September, 2018 has proved to be a success leading to Valenciennes, another city in France’s industrial north, taking a step in the same direction with residents under the age of 25 being able to sign up for a pass that will allow them to travel around for free, after a €20 registration fee.

Robots take up pole dancing at French night club – Wearing high heels and standing on elevated platforms, humanoid robots moved their hips as they pole danced at a night club in Nantes on Friday. The robots are set to make their official debut on Tuesday and will be performing for a month. The robotic dancers are there to mark the night clubs fifth anniversary and earn a spot in history as the first nightclub in France to have robotic pole dancers.

Business

Argentina has imposed currency controls in a bid to stabilise markets as the country faces a deepening financial crisis. The government will restrict foreign currency purchases following a sharp drop in the country’s currency.  Argentina is also seeking to defer debt payments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to deal with the crisis.

The US has imposed fresh tariffs on $112bn (£92bn) of Chinese imported goods such as shoes, nappies and food. The new tariffs are a sharp escalation in the trade war and could cost households $800 a year. The move is the first phase of US President Donald Trump's latest plan to place 15% duties on $300bn of Chinese imports by the end of the year. In response, Beijing introduced tariffs on US crude oil, the first-time fuel has been targeted.

Sport

Tennis - Defending champion Novak Djokovic is out of the US Open after quitting through injury against Swiss 23rd seed Stan Wawrinka as defeat loomed in an electrifying fourth-round match.

Meanwhile Serena Williams remains on course for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title despite needing medical attention in a win over Petra Martic at the US Open.

Football - Arsenal staged a stirring comeback to earn a point in a chaotic, thrilling north London derby against Tottenham on Sunday. Arsenal came from two goals down to draw 2-2.

And OGC Nice beat Rennes 2-1 in the French ligue 1 on Sunday.

Rugby Union - Wales coach Warren Gatland says it is worth the gamble of picking injured lock Cory Hill for the 2019 World Cup. Hill has been included in the 31-man squad for Japan despite being sidelined for the opening game against Georgia on 23 September with a small fracture in his leg. The 27-year-old is hoping to be fit for the second match against Australia six days later.

Weather

Fairly unsettled this morning with sunny intervals. Showers are forecast along the coast with storms inland by mid-morning. Highs of 28 degrees in Nice, Cannes and Antibes. 31 in Saint Tropez and the Var. With a moderate south easterly wind. This evening going down to 22 degrees in the Alpes Maritimes and 18 in the Var.

Outlook for Tuesday is remaining rather unsettled in the morning with sunny spells and possible showers clearing by the afternoon. Highs of 29-32 degrees.

Finally 

A new mum has been left horrified after finding out that her husband had been marking their identical newborn twins with permanent marker to tell the difference between them.

Sharing his side of the story on Reddit, the husband revealed he'd been struggling to tell his children since going back to work.

He wrote: "I spent a lot of time with them but I ultimately had to go back to work after about two months. So I haven't been around them as much as I'd like."

In an effort to tell them apart, the dad then confessed to drawing a dot in permanent marker "on one twin's right hand and one on the other's left hand".

 

 

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