A police officer has been seriously injured in a knife attack in Nantes in the Loire-Atlantique department. A suspect was later apprehended but died after being involved in an exchange of gunfire with police. Two police officers were injured in making the arrest. The policewoman was stabbed on the premises of the municipal police at about 10.00 this morning in a northern suburb of Nantes. The suspect fled by car and then by foot after his car was involved in a collision. Helicopters were deployed and the suspect was arrested early this afternoon.
The Monaco government has published details of Covid-19 measures in force in the Principality from this coming Monday, 31 May. The curfew is in force from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. with certain exemptions. Restaurants are open for lunch and dinner service but only for Monaco nationals and residents, hotel guests in Monaco, those carrying on business in Monaco and family members living under the same roof, Monaco students, subscriber clubs and casinos players. Catering service can again be continuous between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Evening service will be provided between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. with a traffic exemption for customers until 11:15 p.m. Bars and cafes have their opening hours extended to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the same categories of customers allowed as for dining. Home meal delivery is authorized between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. Theatres and casinos can once again welcome the public until 11 p.m. Gatherings in public spaces is limited to 10 people and telecommuting remains mandatory until Sunday, June 13 inclusive. Full details of the measures can be found on the Monaco government's Covid-19 information website www.covid19.mc
France achieved a new daily record in the number of Covid-19 vaccines administered yesterday. According to Thomas Fatome, the director of the national health insurance fund, 685,000 vaccinations took place yesterday.
French government spokesman Gabriel Attal has said that additional vaccines will be supplied to vaccination centres in tourist areas to enable people to be vaccinated while they are on holiday. However, speaking on French television this morning he added that such vaccinations must be "the exception". He said that the Ministry of Health will announce a vaccination plan for the summer "in the coming days".
A 59 year old man has been injured in an expolsion in an apartment in Marseille. The explosion happened this morning in a third floor apartment on the Avenue de la Corse in the 7th arrondissement. The injuries are not believed to be serious.
A man in his twenties has died after an accident on the A7 motorway this morning. The man's car was in a collision with a truck on the section of the motorway just south of the junction with the A8, on the carrriageway towards Marseille.
Cannes has been ranked in the Top 10 of the best-managed large cities in France. The city received a score of 19/20 as part of the LOCALNOVA audit for the 2019 financial year.
BUSINESS
French GDP fell by 0.1% in the first quarter of this year according to French government statistics agency INSEE. Growth of 0.4% had been expected. Slower than expected growth in the construction industry was partly responsible for the lower than expected figure.
Economic sentiment and employment expectations have increased in the EU and the euro area. The European Commission's Economic Sentiment Indicator gained 4 points in May in both the EU and the Euro area compared to April. The Employment Expectations Indicator also saw an additional strong increase bringing it further above its long-term average in both areas.
Shareholders in energy company Total have approved a resolution to change the company’s name to TotalEnergies. Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné said that energy is reinventing itself, and the company's ambition is to be a world-class player in energy transition.
SPORT
Football.... Juventus have sacked manager Andrea Pirlo after just one season. Juventus finished fourth in the league and only qualified for the Champions League on the last day of the season. Massimiliano Allegri, who was the club's manager between 2014 and 2019, has been reappointed to the post.
Manchester City face Chelsea in the final of the European Champions League in Porto tomorrow night. Kickoff is at 9 pm. It’s also the final of the Championship play-off tomorrow at Wembley. Brentford play Swansea City for the last Premier League place for next season.
Rugby Union...There are two games in the Gallagher English Premiership tonight. Gloucester play London Irish and Sale play Bristol. In the Guinness pro 14 Rainbow Cup Munster play Cardiff Blues.
The Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture has issued a warning about sea conditons
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Storm Benjamin swept across France on Thursday, battering much of the country with winds exceeding 160 km/h and leaving one person dead in Corsica. By...
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The Var and the Alpes-Maritimes are on Meteo France alerts for high winds until eight o’clock this evening as Storm Benjamin passes through our region...
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France is preparing for severe weather as Storm Benjamin sweeps in from the British Isles, bringing violent winds, heavy rain and powerful coastal wav...
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Storm Benjamin is on the way. It’s expected that the Atlantic coast and parts of north-west France will be worst affected, but Meteo France have yello...
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