Searches have been conducted at Marseille City Hall today in connection with the recent building collapse in which eight people lost their lives. Reports say that social landlord Marseille Habitat has also been searched. Meanwhile, another building was evacuated this morning in the third arrondissement of Marseille. Thirteen people were evacuated from a building in the boulevard de Strasbourg as a precautionary measure after an inspection earlier in the morning.
Three years after the Paris attacks of November 13, 2015, several commemorations are taking place today in Saint-Denis and Paris. A procession was held through streets that connected six places of the attacks, from the Stade de France to the Bataclan. Officials including Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, the Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner and the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo were present, along with survivors of the attacks.
A French police officer who rose to prominence combating violence against the police has been found dead. Maggy Biskupski was found at her home in the Yvelines area west of Paris, having apparently shot herself with her service weapon. She was the president of France's MPC, or "movement of angry police officers", set up after a Molotov cocktail attack on officers in 2016.
A French woman has gone on trial accused of hiding the existence of a child she kept in the boot of her car. The girl was discovered by a garage mechanic who heard noises when the car was brought in for repairs. The mother is charged with repeated violence against a minor causing permanent disability, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
President Emmanuel Macron will be in our region tomorrow. He’ll be visiting the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in Toulon. The vessel has just undergone a significant renovation.
A Grasse-based perfume manufacturer is receiving a significant investment in its facilities from its parent company. The Swiss group Givaudan bought Expressions Parfumées earlier this year and has now announced an investment of 20 million Swiss Francs, that’s about 17 million euros, to improve the local company’s laboratories and production facilities.
Elected officials in Paris have voted in favour of a ban on the most polluting vehicles as of July 2019. The ban will apply to diesel vehicles registered before December 31st 2001 for the Greater Paris region, a “low emission zone” concerning 79 municipalities out of the 131 and 5.61 million inhabitants. The city hopes that a complete ban of all diesel engines will be implemented in the region by 2024.
The French Budget Minister Gérald Darmanin has announced plans to extend the use of social media in the fight against tax evasion, a tactic that was first successfully tried in the UK. Tax authorities will begin combing through public social media accounts as early as 2019 as part of stepped up efforts to crack down on fiscal fraud in France. The goal of the experimental plan will be to identify discrepancies between an individual’s declared revenue and his or her lifestyle as depicted on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
BUSINESS
The number of EU nationals working in the UK fell by 132,000 in the three months to September compared to the same period a year before. Workers coming to the UK from the rest of the world grew by 34,000 but there was still a net outflow of workers, thought to be caused by concerns about Brexit and the weak pound. The latest employment data from the ONS shows that the number of UK nationals in employment rose by 448,000 to a record 29 million in the year to September.
Singapore Airlines has reported a 69% drop in second-quarter net profit to $435m, which is partly attributed to higher fuel cost. Lower airfares and non-cash losses at part-owned Virgin Australia also had an impact. The company said that headwinds continue to persist in the form of cost pressures arising from significantly elevated fuel prices as well as keen competition in key operating markets.
Aldi's share of the UK's grocery market has grown at the fastest rate for any retailer in nearly four years, according to the latest survey from Kantar Worldpanel. Aldi's share of the market hit 7.6% in the 12 weeks to 4 November, up from 6.7% a year earlier while sales rose by 15.5 per cent. Discount rival Lidl saw sales rise by 10.2%.
SPORT
Football…Former England and Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has retired at the age of 37. Cole played for Liverpool, Lille, Aston Villa and Coventry City and also for United Soccer League side Tampa Bay Rowdies. He appeared 56 times for England between 2001 and 2010.
Also in football news, Tottenham right-back Kieran Trippier has withdrawn with a groin injury from the England squad for the upcoming matches against the United States and Croatia. Trippier sustained the injury in the match against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
CRICKET…Ben Stokes will bat at number three and Ben Foakes will keep wicket for England in the second Test against Sri Lanka starting tomorrow. Stokes, who usually bats in the middle order, replaces Moeen Ali, who is expected to bat at number six.
RUGBY UNION…George Kruis will miss England's remaining autumn Tests against Japan and Australia with a calf injury. England, who are also missing Joe Launchbury, face Japan on Saturday, and Australia on 24 November, at Twickenham.
A new optional regional transport tax for businesses, introduced in France’s 2025 budget, aims to fund eco-friendly mobility projects. ...
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A judge has authorised a dive to inspect the wreckage of a plane in the sea off Antibes. The plane crashed into the Mediterranean on September 11 1968...
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In France, drinking water is heavily contaminated with "forever pollutants," particularly trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as revealed by two studies from ...
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The trial of the Tunisian man accused of the murder of three people in the Nice Basilica attack is continuing in Paris. Yesterday the families of the ...
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Four cities in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region made Booking.com's 2025 list of the "most welcoming destinations in France." ...
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