Riviera Lunchtime News Wednesday 4th November 2020

Local 

Nice knife attack – MP of the Alpes Maritimes Eric Ciotti has requested to France’s Health Minister the transfer of the perpetrator of the Nice knife attack to another hospital in France.

Four new suspects were placed in police custody as part of the investigation into the knife attack in Nice last Thursday, which killed three people.

The perpetrator, who remains in hospital in Nice, has tested positive for Covid-19, which could delay his hearing for several days.

In the letter Ciotti says that “the presence of a wounded terrorist in a hospital in the same commune where he committed his atrocious crimes requires an increased number of police officers, both to ensure his safety and to protect hospital staff”. Ciotti insists: "Above all, the legitimate emotion aroused by the barbaric acts of the terrorist deeply disturbs all the nursing staff of the hospital, many of whom, are very attached to their city and/or know the victims and are internally bruised. " The MP concludes that "The patient's condition now allows him to move to another structure in France".

Appeal postponed - The appeal trial of the assassination of billionaire Hélène Pastor in Nice in 2014 has once again been postponed. Already interrupted back in March due to the lockdown, it was again postponed on Monday shortly after its opening in Aix en Provence. Once again due to the health crisis.

Assassin of Jean-Marc Sandré arrested in Madagascar - The alleged assassin of Jean-Marc Sandré reported to be a French national has been arrested in Madagascar.

In June 2019 Jean Marc Sandré who was at the time in Cavalaire sur mer in the Var managing Marine Plaisance, a company which is a member of a group of shipyards on the Var coast disappeared without giving any sign of life to his family, he was found dead in a forest a month later.

Sandré was deputy mayor of Cavalaire-sur-Mer from 1995 to 2008 and had also headed the tourist office.

Following the arrest, the Var prosecutor has praised the judicial cooperation between France and Madagascar.

Canteen staff threaten strike action - Canteen staff in schools and nurseries in Marseille have threatened strike action from tomorrow Thursday 5th November to denounce the health measures which are "impossible to implement"

The return to lockdown is accompanied by reinforced sanitary rules, which city staff find it difficult to follow due to cramped premises and a lack of staff.

Five new towns in the Var make wearing a mask an obligation - The prefect of the Var region has introduced the obligation of wearing a mask in five towns. Belgentier, La Farlède, Solliès-Toucas, Solliès-Ville and Solliès-Pont are all concerned by the new health measures introduced from today until November 16th.

The measure concerns those aged 11 and over who are circulating in all public places. It will not concern individual’s practicing a sporting activity or those with a disability.

Italy introduces curfew - The head of the Italian government has signed a decree establishing a national curfew at 10 p.m from tomorrow Thursday 5th November. Further restrictive measures, are to be announced by the Italian government later today including the closure of shopping centers at weekends.

Dengue fever - A case of dengue fever transmitted by Tiger Mosquitoes has been reported in Tourves in the Var. Following the declared case a localized mosquito control operation is to be carried out today.

National 

Health Minister loses his temper at the National Assembly - France’s minister of health Olivier Véran lost his temper after a vote at the National Assembly was in favor of a state of “health emergency” being extended until December 14th. The French government had howover voted for an extension until February 16th in order to have the necessary measures needed to fight against the Covid-19 epidemic in France.

Speaking to the National Assembly Olivier Veran, said that “ a majority of MPs are not taking the “currently health crisis seriously” before he added that following visits to hospitals on Tuesday he had “seen a young 28 year old man in a coma with nurses trying desperately to keep him alive and a second overweight 35 year old man was also in a critical condition”.

The minister concluded that while MPs were “debating in parliament nurses and doctors were fighting and saving lives on the frontline”.

Mayor calls for study into second wave of Covid-19 - Stéphane Le Foll, the socialist mayor of Le Mans has asked the French government to conduct a study to find out where the second wave of Covid-19 comes from, and on the acceleration of cases.

Speaking to French media this morning Le Foll said "Once we know where this outbreak of contamination is coming from, we can make good decisions, instead of making general decisions."

Supermarkets “it’s a mess” - Michel-Edouard Leclerc has denounced on Facebook the lack of clarity about what he can and cannot sell in his supermarkets.

Today, supermarkets were to have withdrawn or covered products deemed non-essential that they no longer have the right to sell out of “fairness” towards small traders unable to open due to the lockdown.

Leclerc summed it up as being “a mess” adding that the list of authorized products is still not clear.  

Study - A recent study published by the Syndicate of leisure software publishers (Sell), has shown that video games are growing in popularity with more than half of French people playing video games on a regular basis.

Figures show that 53% are men and 47% are women, with an average age of 39 years. The study highlights how the first lockdown in France shed light on the "anti-isolation" dimension of video games: 52% of players believe that its practice allows "to create social links", while one in three players saying that it made it possible to "keep in touch" with those close to them.

 

 

 

 

 

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