NEWS
Former President François Hollande's famous "Elysée Scooter" is soon to be auctioned off. This exceptional auction by Rouillac will take place on 26th May at the Château d'Artigny in Indre-et-Loire. The "Élysée Scooter" became famous in 2014, when used by François Hollande to make incognito visits to the actress Julie Gayet. With a price tag of €10,000, it's certainly much more expensive than what a machine of this type and age would normally be worth. But it's not a 'normal' scooter, even if François Hollande claimed to be a 'normal president'.
A bill to address the issue of PFASs, also known as "eternal pollutants," is being debated in the French National Assembly. PFASs are synthetic molecules derived from plastics and are found all over the world and in living organisms, posing significant health risks. However, a proposed law to ban PFASs has faced opposition from various groups, including SEB Group employees, trade unions, and elected representatives. Around 450 people protested against the law outside the National Assembly on Wednesday, concerned about potential job losses if the ban is implemented. PFASs are widely present in everyday items such as packaging, non-stick frying pans, cleaning products, cosmetics, and even medicines. The proposed law, if approved, would prohibit the manufacture, import, export, and sale of any kitchen utensil, ski wax, or textile product containing PFASs from 1 January 2026. This measure has sparked controversy due to its potential impact on industries reliant on these substances, as they fear to lose around 3000 jobs.
This Thursday 4 April, Romans-sur-Isère is commemorating the fourth anniversary of the attack that killed two people and injured five others. Four years ago, on 4 April 2020, Abdallah Osman Ahmed stabbed two people to death and injured five others in Romans. The commemorative ceremony will take place at 6.30pm. Abdallah Osman Ahmed will ultimately be tried before a special assize court. A trial date has not yet been announced.
A young motorist who had held his driving licence for only a month was clocked at 277 km/h on Monday 1st April on the A10 at Tours, instead of the legal 110 km/h. His licence was immediately withdrawn.
Pollen allergy sufferers have been delighted for the past few days. So get your handkerchiefs ready because it doesn't look like the situation is going to improve any time soon. The aerobiological monitoring network (RNSA) has placed three quarters of France at the highest level of allergy risk. And the heatwave expected over the weekend is unlikely to help matters.
If you love Baroque Music, there is a concert tonight with tickets still available! It’s happening at the Vieux-Nice at the Cathedral Sainte-Réparate starting from 8pm to 9:15pm, so you don’t have to worry about getting home too late as you would with operas. I’m personally attending the event tonight, and as a Classical singer, I can tell you some very good names are part of the cast, such as Eva Zaïcik, an amazing Mezzo, and directing we have Vincent Dumestre, which made my singing teacher gasp. See you there!
BUSINESS
On Wednesday night, gold broke through the 2,300 dollars an ounce barrier for the first time in its history. In theory, gold is supposed to be penalised by rising market interest rates. The higher interest rates are, the less attractive gold theoretically becomes. As a result, its price should suffer if interest rates rise, as it becomes less and less attractive to invest one's money in gold rather than investing it. However, the theoretical relationship between the price of gold and changes in interest rates has not been borne out. This is surprising for some investors. Kyle Rodda, senior market analyst at Capital, told Bloomberg: "I really think that if we continue like this, there will be some kind of air pocket or correction. There doesn't seem to be a particularly good fundamental reason, clear and accessible to everyone, to explain this movement."
TRAFFIC
Speed cameras and speed bumps will be installed on boulevard Guynemer in Beausoleil. Mayor Gérard Spinelli confirmed to the opposition that the asphalt on this main thoroughfare would be resurfaced / and that speed bumps and (educational) speed cameras would be installed.
SPORTS
Football - French Cup: PSG join Lyon in the final after beating Rennes thanks to a Kylian Mbappé goal, Paris Saint-Germain is now qualified for the French Cup final on Wednesday (1-0).
At a time when French refereeing is going through an internal crisis / that led to the dismissal of the head of professional refereeing Stéphane Lannoy, / the technical director of refereeing Antony Gautier was finally confirmed in his role on Wednesday 3 April, until at least the end of the season. The decision was taken at a crisis meeting in Paris / attended by representatives of the professional clubs and the President of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo.
Cycling - Cofidis rider Victoire Berteau, who hails from the North region of France, is preparing for the Paris-Roubaix race on Saturday 6th April. A race she knows pretty well. Last year, she finished 29th. This time, she is aiming for victory and then hopes to concentrate on her Olympic dream.
Cricket - Tammy Beaumont scored 81 to set England on their way to a series-clinching 56-run win over New Zealand in the second one-day international at Hamilton's Seddon Park. The opener played fluently throughout her 96-ball knock and shared a 70-run partnership with captain Heather Knight as England laid the foundations for a big total. But New Zealand hit back and, after losing 6-59, England needed a quick 48 from Amy Jones to get take them up to a competitive 252 all out.
WEATHER
Cloudy with sunny intervals this afternoon. Highs of 17 degrees in Nice, 19 in Cannes, and 21 in Marseille, Toulon and Saint-Tropez. This evening going down to 11 degrees in Nice with clouds covering the sky in Marseille and Toulon.
Outlook for tomorrow, cloudy in the Cote d’Azur with some clearings in the afternoon, highs of 17 degrees in Nice, 18 in Cannes and a bit warmer in Saint tropez with 19 degrees and 22 in Marseille.
Weather elsewhere
London 11° light rain.
Paris 19° light rain.
Dublin 7° light rain.
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