Attempts are continuing to separate two ships which collided off Corsica at the weekend. Earlier today the Maritime Prefecture said that the latest attempts to separate a Cypriot container ship and a Tunisian roll-on roll-off ship had not been successful. The French minister of ecological transition, Francois de Rugy, visited the area yesterday and said that the operation was unprecedented, with about 10 metres of the bow of one ship embedded in the hull of the other ship. Seven anti-pollution vessels are reportedly at the scene attempting to control an oil slick resulting from the collision.
Strike action is causing disruption to transport and schools across France today. Unions staged a demonstrations around our region this morning, including in Nice, Draguignan and Toulon. In Nice there are no services on the tramline and severe disruption to the bus network. However, there is free parking on the streets of Nice all day today.
A workman has suffered serious injuries at a building site in Le Muy this morning. The man reportedly fell about ten metres in an elevator shaft which was under construction. He was airlifted by helicopter to the St. Anne Hospital in Toulon.
The French Minister of Justice, Nicole Belloubet, has asked Google to blur the images of French prisons on its mapping services such as Google Maps and Google Earth. The request follows the escape of a prisoner by helicopter from a prison in the Seine et Marne department south of Paris in July.
A recent study in France has shown that 81% of French people believe life in the country is better than life in the city. The study published today revealed that those who had opted out of the rat race in the capital for rural areas had a better quality of life despite the remoteness.
BUSINESS
The IMF has lowered its forecast for global growth this year and next. Global economic growth is now expected to reach 3.7% in 2018 and 2019, down from the IMF's previous prediction of 3.9% in July. It said that risks to the short-term outlook had "shifted to the downside", largely because of the risks of a trade war between China and the United States.
Uber drivers are staging strikes in several UK cities today in a protest over pay and working conditions. Protests are also being held outside Uber’s offices in London, Nottingham and Birmingham. Uber defended its pay record, saying it had rolled out numerous benefits for employees in the last few months.
Sir Richard Branson has said that Virgin Galactic is "weeks" away from its first trip into space. Speaking in a television interview, he said that he would be in space himself “in months and not years," The company first promised sub-orbital spaceflight trips for tourists by the start of 2009 but has been affected by delays and a fatal crash in 2014.
SPORT
CRICKET.. It’s been the third day of the Test Match between Pakistan and Australia. Australia finished their first innings on 202 all out. At the close of play, Pakistan were 45 for the loss of 3 wickets in their second innings, meaning that Pakistan lead Australia by 325 runs with 7 wickets remaining.
RUGBY.. South Africa will face England next month without several key players after Premiership Rugby reiterated its policy not to release English-based Springboks for the match. It means the Boks will be without stars including Sale scrum-half Faf de Klerk and Wasps full-back Willie le Roux. The match on 3 November at Twickenham takes place outside World Rugby's international window.
FOOTBALL… Manchester United player Nemanja Matic has withdrawn from Serbia’s squad ahead of their Nations League fixtures against Montenegro and Romania due to injury. He is in doubt for Manchester United’s next Premier League clash against Chelsea on October 20.
A new optional regional transport tax for businesses, introduced in France’s 2025 budget, aims to fund eco-friendly mobility projects. ...
Read More
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...
Read More
In France, drinking water is heavily contaminated with "forever pollutants," particularly trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as revealed by two studies from ...
Read More
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 ...
Read More
Four cities in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region made Booking.com's 2025 list of the "most welcoming destinations in France." ...
Read More
