Lunchtime News Tuesday 15th September 2020

Local

Road accident - A road accident has led to the coast road (Basse Corniche) being temporarily closed between Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

The collision between a car and the number 100 bus occurred this morning.

Traffic was cut off causing slowdowns and congestion from the middle of the corniche to Villefranche and Avenue Léopold II.

Meanwhile in the Var a motorcyclist has been airlifted to hospital in Toulon. The accident occurred on Monday evening shortly after 8.15pm in Frejus on the avenue de l’Europe.

An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the collision.

Fire risk - The forest areas of the Var department have  been placed by the prefecture on a moderate to severe fire risk, for today.

The Haut-Var, the Corniche des Maures, the Maures, the Center-Var and the Canjuers plateau are on orange alert.

Covid-19 - Due to a sharp spike in Covid-19 infections the use of hospital beds by coronavirus patients in Marseille is "close to saturation".

The incidence rate has risen to 312 per 100,000 since September with surgeries being reduced in order to cope with the situation.

Monaco – Six new cases of Covid-19 were declared in the Principality on Monday bringing the total number of residents affected by Covid-19 to 177.

39 people are currently being followed by the Home Monitoring Centre.

National day of Action - Disruption to public transport in our region is expected on Thursday after a national day of action was called by several unions. Although full details are not known at this stage, Lignes d'Azur say that the three tramlines in Nice and over twenty bus lines won't be operating on Thursday.

National

Valéry Giscard d’Estaing hospitalised - Former President of the Republic, 94-year-old Valéry Giscard d’Estaing has been admitted to hospital in Paris. According to reports the former head of state was admitted on Monday his last public appearance dates back to September last year when he attended the funeral of another former President Jacques Chirac.

Valéry Giscard d’Estaing was the youngest President of the Republic when he was elected in 1974.

#Lundi14septembre - Girls in French high schools have taken part in #lundi14septembre on Monday. The hashtag was launched on social platforms to encourage girls to dress “provocatively” to denounce sexism.

 #Lundi14Septembre was launched after several female pupils complained they were refused entry to their high schools over the past few days because their clothes were judged to be "indecent", according to French media.

Messages posted online called for female pupils to dare to wear "crop tops, skirts, and makeup" to "protest inappropriate remarks and dress codes in schools that largely concern girls".

The movement was backed by the Mouvement National Lyceen — a union representing high school students — as well as feminist NGOs and charities against violence towards women.