Industrial action is continuing to affect parts of the region’s transport network today. SNCF has said that about 90% of TGV trains are cancelled today. Locally, just a few trains are running along the coast early this evening. Trains are expected to be disrupted in our region tomorrow. A meeting of railway union members in Nice this morning voted to continue local industrial action tomorrow. Another meeting is scheduled to be held tomorrow which will determine the level of industrial action on Sunday and Monday. Nationally, the SNCF has said that there will be only one TGV running out of six over the weekend, there’ll be one out of ten inter-city trains and as far as local TER trains are concerned, there will be one in ten running tomorrow and two in ten on Sunday but many of those will be replacement bus services instead of train services. Nice Cote d’Azur Airport have said that there are 18 cancelled arrivals and 20 cancelled departures today. Lignes d’Azur services are running mostly as normal with minor disruptions. Eurostar has said it will operate a reduced cross-channel timetable until 10 December, with 29 services planned for today being cancelled. Nationally, Yellow Vest demonstrators have announced plans to protest in Paris tomorrow and road hauliers are expected to stage road blockages or operation escargot go-slows tomorrow to protest against the rise in fuel costs.
A 30 year old man has died after throwing himself from the balcony of a building in central Nice this afternoon. The incident took place at the corner of boulevards Pierre-Sola and Delfino, near the Nice TNL shopping centre. It’s believed that the man may have been suffering from a psychological disorder.
Another gas leak has closed part of the port area of Nice this morning. A security cordon was established, bus services were diverted and about 30 people were evacuated from nearby premises while pompiers investigated. It's thought that a gas pipe may have been ruptured during roadworks. It's the second gas leak in the Nice port area in as many days.
A man has been sentenced for tampering with payment terminals in a Nice car park to record customer's bank card data. The 26 year old was charged with installing skimmer devices in the boxes at a parking in Rue du Congrès.
A 17 year old has suffered only slight injuries after driving over a 20 metre cliff on his motorcycle. He was driving along a road in Auribeau-sur-Siagne when he apparently lost control of his bike and plummeted to the banks of the Saint-Antoine river below. He was airlifted to hospital but suffered only slight injuries to his knees and ankles.
Staff at La Timone Hospital in Marseille have staged a blockade of the emergency department in support of a colleague who is threatened with dismissal. Reports also say that some eighty per cent of staff at the hospital are on sick leave, meaning that patients arriving have had to be diverted to other hospitals.
Protests are being held tomorrow to try to avert the closure of a local railway line. Protestors plan to form a human chain starting at 11am tomorrow along the route of the line from Nice to Breil and Cuneo.
A driver has been arrested in Saint-Maximin after being clocked doing 160 in a 70 zone. His vehicle was impounded by police.
BUSINESS
State-owned oil company Saudi Aramco has raised a record $25.6bn in its initial public offering. The IPO will value it at $1.7 trillion when trading begins, making it the most valuable listed company in the world.
German industrial output unexpectedly fell in October, down 1.7% compared to an expected 0.1% rise. Europe's largest economy narrowly avoided recession when it reported 0.1% GDP growth in the third quarter after it contracted in the April to June period.
China says that it will waive import tariffs for some US soybeans and pork, according to the country's finance ministry. It said the waivers will be based on applications by individual US soybean and pork companies but didn't give further details.
SPORT
Football... Former striker Duncan Ferguson has been put in temporary charge of Everton and will manage the side playing against Chelsea tomorrow. Manager Marco Silva was sacked yesterday after 18 months with the club. Everton said that they aim to appoint a new manager "as swiftly as possible".
Chelsea have had their Fifa transfer ban reduced following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The CAS halved the ban from two windows to one window, which was served during the summer. It also reduced the fine from 600,000 to 300,000 Swiss francs. The decision means that Chelsea can sign players in January.
Cricket...Lancashire have re-signed all-rounder James Faulkner for the 2020 T20 Blast. The Australian player won the trophy in 2015, which was his first season with the side, after they beat Northants in the final.
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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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