The French government has called for people to work remotely if possible during the day of industrial action next Tuesday, March 7. Minister of Transport Clement Beaune said that more information about the likely disruption caused by the strikes would be communicated early next week, probably on Monday morning. He said this would include details of the impact on each transport line affected.
The French civil aviation regulator has asked airlines to reduce operations at many French airports, including Nice, during the period of industrial action. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that airlines should make a 30 per cent reduction at the airports, except at Paris Charles de Gaulle where a 20 per cent reduction will be in place.
Meanwhile, workers in the French electricity and gas sectors began industrial action today. Reports in French media say that a reduction in output was recorded at several nuclear power plants this afternoon.
It's been announced that King Charles will visit France later this month. The Elysees said that the visit from 26 to 29 March "illustrates the depth of the ties which unite our two countries". It's the King's first state visit to France as monarch.
A human foot in an advanced state of decomposition has been discovered in Marseille. The gruesome discovery was made by a pedestrian at a local port yesterday afternoon. Inquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances which may have led to it being washed up on the shore.
The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has returned to its home port of Toulon. The ship has been on a mission in the Mediterranean as well as the Red Sea and Indian Ocean which has lasted over three months. It is due to set sail again in about ten days time.
A renovated service area on the A8 motorway has been inaugurated today. Senior managers from the ESCOTA network and VINCI autoroutes, along with local officials, were present at the Vidauban Nord service area between Le Muy and Le Cannet-des-Maures. The renovation is part of the modernization of the VINCI Autoroutes rest areas. By the end of the year, 8 of the 23 service areas in the Escota network will be renovated.
BUSINESS
The UK service sector returned to growth in February as business activity expanded at its fastest pace since June 2022, according to a new survey by research company S&P Global. It said that data indicated that the UK service sector gained considerable momentum, with business activity and incoming new work both expanding for the first time since August 2022. Survey respondents often cited signs of a turnaround in client confidence, helped by reduced political uncertainty and hopes that inflationary pressures would continue to ease in the months ahead. The survey also highlighted that overall input cost inflation fell to its lowest since June 2021.
International food commodity prices declined in February for the eleventh consecutive month. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said that its Food Price Index in February showed an 18.7 percent decrease from its peak a year ago. The decline in the index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly traded food commodities, reflected drops in quotations for vegetable oils and dairy products that more than offset a steep rise in sugar prices.
SPORT
Cricket.... England have beaten Bangladesh in their latest One Day International match. They won by 132 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Motorsports... Sergio Perez was fastest in first practice at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was second, followed by world champion Max Verstappen. McLaren's Lando Norris was fourth. Lewis Hamilton was in tenth place.
Fernando Alonso was fastest in second practice this afternoon. Max Verstappen was in second place with Sergio Perez third fastest. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth and Lewis Hamilton was eighth.
Football... In the Premier League this weekend Manchester City are at home to Newcastle tomorrow, Arsenal face Bournemouth, Aston Villa play Crystal Palace, Brighton are at home to West Ham, Chelsea play Leeds, Wolverhampton play Tottenham and Southampton are at home to Leicester. On Sunday, Nottingham Forest play Everton and Liverpool are at home to Manchester United.
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