Evening Update Friday 30 July 2021

Demonstrations are expected across France tomorrow in protest against the Health Pass. Several thousand police officers are expected to be mobilised in Paris where two marches are planned. Locally, a demonstration is expected in Nice. Several thousand people attended a similar protest in the city last Saturday.

A new study suggests that the recent increase in hospital admissions in France is driven by non-vaccinated people. An analysis of data by government statistics office DREES, says that the unvaccinated represent nearly 85% of hospital admissions and 78% of deaths due to Covid-19. Fully vaccinated patients account for approximately 7% of admissions. The organization said that its analysis of the data suggests that the delta variant generates a somewhat higher proportion of severe cases.

A woman has received a one year sentence for selling false vaccination certificates. She had been employed in a vaccination drive in the Paris area and had generated false QR codes which she then sold on social network Snapchat. An accomplice and two users of the certificates were also found guilty of various charges by the court in Paris.

A team of National Police officers have come under attack in Nice. Projectiles and smoke devices were thrown at the officers on rue Charles-François Fenoglio de Briga in the north-east of the city. An individual was caught by the police and arrested. Nice deputy Mayor Anthony Borre condemned the attack and expressed his support for the police.

Police in the Var have launched an appeal for information about a man who is being sought in connection with a shooting incident in Cogolin last night. Ramiro Velazco was born in Spain in 1967 and when last seen was wearing blue shorts, a black T-shirt, a cap, a black surgical mask and white trainers. Police said he is likely to be dangerous.

Two people have died and two others have been seriously injured in a car accident in the Bouches-du-Rhône this morning. The four were travelling in a car when it collided with a tree on the D268 near Fos-sur-Mer at about 8am.

A person with dengue has been diagnosed in Toulon, in the Var. The Regional Health Agency said that the individual has now recovered. It's the first indigenous case of dengue identified this year in the region since the start of seasonal surveillance. Mosquito control procedures were carried out in the locality to eliminate breeding places and adult mosquitoes.

The CROSSMed maritime rescue service has performed 295 rescues in the last week which saw the deaths of four people and have seen an increase in reckless activities in the water at night. The Martime Prefecture has reminded residents and visitors that nautical activities at night are dangerous and are prohibited.


BUSINESS

IAG, the owner of British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, LEVEL and Vueling has reported a half year operating loss of just over two billion euros. It said that passenger capacity in quarter 2 was just 21.9 per cent of 2019 levels and continues to be adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic together with government restrictions and quarantine requirements. Current passenger capacity plans for quarter 3 are for around 45 per cent of 2019 capacity, but remain uncertain and subject to ongoing review.

One in seven shops in Britain remain closed according to a new survey.  The British Retail Consortium said that In the second quarter the overall Great Britain vacancy rate increased to 14.5%, from 14.1% in the first quarter. It was 2.1% higher than in the same point in 2020. Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said that while vacancy rates are rising across all retail locations, it is shopping centres, with a high proportion of fashion retailers, that have been the hardest hit by the pandemic. Almost one in five shopping centre units now lie empty, and more than one in eight units have been empty for more than a year.

Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 2.2% in July, up from 1.9% in June according to an estimate from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. Energy is expected to have the highest annual rate in July, rising by 14.1%, followed by food, alcohol & tobacco.

 

SPORT

Olympics...Alexander Zverev is through to the men's singles tennis final after beating Novak Djokovic. New Zealand's Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus have won bronze in the men's doubles, defeating Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren of the USA in straight sets.

Bethany Shriever claimed gold for Great Britain in the women's BMX racing and in the men's race Niek Kimmann of the Netherlands won gold, with Great Britain's Kye Whyte taking silver.

Great Britain are out of the women's football after being defeated 4-3 by Australia in the quarter-finals.

In swimming, Duncan Scott won his third Tokyo medal with a 200m medley silver and Luke Greenbank won bronze in the 200m backstroke.
New Zealand have won gold in the men's eight rowing, with Germany taking Silver and Great Britain winning bronze.

Motorsports...In first practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix this morning Red Bull's Max Verstappen was quickest, followed by Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. In second practice this afternoon Valtteri Bottas was first followed by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Qualifying is at 3 pm tomorrow and the race at 3 pm on Sunday.
 

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