Evening Update Friday 12th of July 2024

NEWS
National Assembly - Deputy Clémentine Autain announced that she and other "purged" deputies of far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) have decided to form an association called "L'Après" (the after) to build a new political force and strengthen the Nouveau Front Populaire. Meanwhile, Gabriel Attal has officially declared his candidacy for the presidency of the Renaissance group, with elections scheduled for Saturday. Far-left Jean-Luc Mélenchon remains a contender for Prime Minister, according to his ally Antoine Léaument. Lastly, Marine Le Pen pledged that the far-right National Rally would oppose any government with ministers from La France Insoumise or the Ecologists.

New Footbridge Opened in Monaco - The Wurtemberg footbridge has opened in Monaco. This 65-meter crossing connects the new 1,790-space Jardin Exotique parking garage to the Fontvieille and Condamine districts.

Croix-Rouge Monégasque - In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Croix-Rouge of Monaco, a Hermes bag has been sold for €75,000 to benefit the association. The winning bidder has been invited to attend the association’s gala on July 19th at Monaco’s Sporting Club.

Centenary Oak in Nice - An oak tree, planted in 1869, has been removed from Place Garibaldi in Nice. This iconic tree was part of the city's 188,000 monitored trees. Experts observed signs of exhaustion in the oak, prompting the municipality to act due to the risk of it breaking in strong winds. A new specimen will replace it in the autumn, and the old oak will be repurposed into a symbolic totem to preserve Nice’s heritage.

Investigation in Les Moulins - Following reports of detonations this morning in the Moulins district of Nice, three individuals have been arrested. Police intervened after reports of seven people involved. One person sustained facial injuries and has been hospitalized. The circumstances surrounding the detonations remain unclear.

Banned Fireworks - The Var Prefecture has issued a ban on fireworks in anticipation of the upcoming July 14th celebrations. Until Monday, July 15th, the purchase, sale, and transport of fireworks or any containers of combustible, corrosive, or flammable products are prohibited.

Road Accident - A biker has lost his life in a road accident on Thursday night in Carpentras. The 48-year-old man lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a barrier.

Lost Glider - Efforts have been intensified to locate the lost glider in the Hautes-Alpes. An additional 20 helpers have been mobilized today, bringing the total to 60 gendarmes and firefighters. Drones and a helicopter are also being used to search for the two individuals who disappeared from radar on Wednesday, July 10th, in the Montdauphin area.

 

BUSINESS
US inflation cooled to 3% in June, the slowest in a year, thanks to lower petrol prices. This marks the third consecutive month of falling inflation, easing household financial pressures and raising hopes for a Federal Reserve rate cut in September. Fed officials, noting the high borrowing costs' impact on the economy, suggest that the fight against inflation may be successful. Despite some persistent price rises, such as a 1.1% increase in groceries and a 5.2% rise in housing costs, recent data shows a potential turning tide in inflation. The US unemployment rate rose slightly above 4%, indicating a slowing economy.

And - British AI chip firm Graphcore, once a potential rival to Nvidia, has been acquired by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank for a reported $500 million (£390 million), significantly less than its 2020 valuation of £2 billion. Graphcore's head, Nigel Toon, praised the deal as a strong endorsement of their team. However, the acquisition raises concerns about the UK's ability to nurture competitive tech firms. Science Secretary Peter Kyle welcomed the resolution of uncertainty for Graphcore but acknowledged the need for further efforts to bolster the UK as a prime business hub.

 

SPORTS
​Football - Former England striker Gary Lineker says Gareth Southgate's side are on the "brink of history" after reaching the Euro 2024 final.

Cricket - Alice Capsey hit an unbeaten 67 as England clinched a tense six-wicket win over New Zealand in the third T20 international to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Rugby Union - England full-back George Furbank has been ruled out of Saturday's second Test against New Zealand in Auckland due to back spasms. Freddie Steward replacing him in the starting XV.

Cycling - History-maker Biniam Girmay sprinted to his third victory at this year's Tour de France, but overall contender Primoz Roglic lost significant time after a late crash on stage 12. Today, stage 13 is a relatively flat 165.3km route from Agen to Pau but will get steeper as the race enters the Pyrenees.

 

WEATHER
Risks of thunderstorms in Nice and Inland and bright skies in the Var and Bouches-du-Rhône. Highs of 27 in Nice, 29 in Cannes, Toulon and Marseille, and 33 degrees in Saint-Tropez.
Tonight, clear skies with lows of 23 degrees.
Outlook for this weekend:
Saturday: light clouds with highs of 30 degrees.
Sunday: mostly clear with highs 28 degrees.
Monday: should be fine with highs of 29 degrees and a gentle breeze.

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