Meteo France has this afternoon placed two additional departments on a top-level red alert for extreme heat. The addition of the Pyrenees-Atlantique and the Hautes-Pyrenees in south-west France brings the total number of red departments to fourteen. Thirty one additional departments have also been placed on an orange alert, bringing the total number of such departments to 56. About nineteen departments are on a lower yellow alert, meaning that only five departments, all of which are in the south-east, are not under heat warnings.
French Health Minister Brigitte Bourgignon has said that cities will have to adapt to increased temperatures and the provision of more shaded locations is necessary. She confirmed that a plan will be put forward shortly by the French government to create spaces in cities which are adapted to deal with high temperatures. She said that the government had not been taken by surprise by the current heatwave and pointed to steps taken such as the activation of a toll-free number to offer advice.
Sante Publique France has said that the circulation of the cornavirus has accelerated throughout mainland France in the period from 6 to 16 June. It said that the incidence rate has increased sharply by 53% at the national level in all age groups, as has the positivity rate, in particular among 20-59 year olds. A slight increase in new hospital admissions was also observed.
The body of a man has been discovered in a burned-out car near Marseille. An investigation is being carried out but it's believed to be another settlement of accounts in the criminal community. Another man was shot dead in the city last night.
The Monaco government and Town Hall have renewed the free use of public roads for the terraces of shops and restaurants until the end of September. The government said that although the spring was marked by an upturn in economic activity and the summer season promises to be positive, the Government and the Municipality wish to continue to support traders and restaurants in the Principality over the coming months.
BUSINESS
Retailer Tesco has said that it is seeing changes in customer behavior as a result of the higher cost of living. It said that consumers are switching to lower cost own-brand items and are putting fewer items in their baskets. In its first quarter trading statement issued today Tesco Chief Executive Ken Murphy said that, although difficult to separate from the impact of last year's lockdowns, the company is seeing some early indications of changing customer behavior as a result of the inflationary environment.
The World Trade Organization has passed a series of agreements including waiving patents for Covid vaccines and aiming to reduce overfishing. The 164 member nations of the WTO spent five days negotiating deals which also included pledges on health and food security.
SPORT
Rugby Union...Northampton's Tommy Freeman and Harlequins hooker Jack Walker have been named in the England side who face the Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday. There's also a first start for Gloucester player Mark Atkinson.
Tennis... Rafael Nadal says he intends to play at Wimbledon after having treatment for his ongoing foot problem. He's expected to play in the exhibition event starting on Tuesday at the Hurlingham Club in London and then at Wimbledon which starts on 27 June.
Football... Porto have agreed to sell Fabio Vieira to Arsenal. In a statement the Portuguese club said that the transfer is being made for forty million euros of which five million euros are dependent "on the achievement of sporting objectives". It also said that the final agreement is still being finalized and is awaiting its completion in the next days.
Speed restrictions are in place on all major roads in the Alpes-Maritimes today because of a smog alert....
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A Marseille magistrate has been sentenced on the 17th of June in Nîmes for repeatedly avoiding motorway tolls using fake license plates. ...
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A major police stop-and-search operation along France's borders is being carried out today, involving 4,000 police officers, gendarmes and customs off...
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SFR has announced automatic compensation of 100GB of free mobile data for affected customers following a major network outage on the 16th of June....
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French President Emmanuel Macron will chair a high-level Security and Defence Council meeting at the Élysée Palace today Wednesday, June 18th at 4pm, ...
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