Four people who died in the collapse of a building in Marseille have been identified, according to the public prosecutor. They are a husband and wife, both aged 74, and two women aged 65 and 88. Investigators are still trying to identify two other people whose bodies were recovered from the collapsed building. A search is continuing for two other people who are believed to have lost their lives. The prosecutor said at a press conference today that the main hypothesis being considered at the moment is that the collapse was caused by a gas explosion.
President Macron has been interrupted by hecklers during a speech in the Netherlands this afternoon. He arrived earlier today on a state visit. Demonstrators heckled the President and unfurled banners as he was beginning a speech in the Hague. During the rest of the visit the President and his wife Brigitte are meeting the King and Queen Consort of the Netherlands as well as attending a dinner at a royal castle. Eight ministers from the French government are accompanying the president on the trip and will be holding meetings with their Dutch counterparts.
Train services were disrupted in Brittany during this morning's rush hour after protestors against the French government's pension reforms gathered on railway tracks. Meanwhile, employees at the final French oil refinery pursuing industrial action have voted to return to work. Union members at the TotalEnergies refinery in the Seine-Maritime held a general meeting this morning. Management have said that it may take a few days to resume production.
Over 300kg of cannabis resin has been seized by customs officials in Arles in the Bouches-du-Rhone. Local reports say that one person has been arrested after the discovery of the drugs in the boot of a car.
For the second weekend of the spring holidays, motorway operator VINCI Autoroutes says it expects particularly heavy traffic in the south-east of France, in the Rhône valley and around the Mediterranean. In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, traffic will be very busy this Friday, especially at the approach to major cities such as Nice, Toulon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille on the A8, A50, A52 and A57, in both directions, from mid-afternoon until early evening. Saturday as well as late afternoon on Sunday will also be marked by heavy traffic around major cities.
In Monaco, Madame Kristel Malgherini has taken up her duties as Advisor to the Prince's Cabinet headed by Laurent Anselmi. She succeeds Madame Isabelle Costa, recently appointed High Commissioner for European Affairs. Madame Malgherini will deal in particular with social affairs and health, the European Union and legal affairs.
The Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco is launching an online services portal, accessible via the website www.chpg.mc. The portal makes it possible to make and manage medical appointments, prepare for pre-admission, access medical documents and pay bills. The patient will also be able to prepare for a visit by sending medical questionnaires. From now on, any patient coming to the hospital will receive an email allowing them to activate their space.
BUSINESS
The UK is expected to be one of the worst performing major economies in the world this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. The Organization said that the UK economy's performance in 2023 will be the worst of the G20 group, which includes Russia. It predicts that the UK economy will shrink by 0.3% this year and then grow by 1% next year.
Tupperware, the US maker of food storage containers, has warned that there is "substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern". The business, which was founded by Earl Tupper in 1946, became well-known in the 1950s and 1960s. In more recent times, the company has been attempting to reposition itself to a younger generation.
SPORT
Football...Organisers of the Women's World Cup, which starts in 100 days, say they are on course to sell 1.5 million tickets. Around 650,000 tickets have been sold for the event in Australia and New Zealand. The tournament gets underway on 20 July with the final on 20 August.
MONTE CARLO MASTERS TENNIS REPORT
Alexander Zverev is through to the next round of the Monte Carlo Masters after defeating Alexander Bublik. The final score was 3-6 6-2 6-4.
Grigor Dimitrov defeated Ben Shelton from the United States 6-1 3-6 6-3.
Andrey Rublev beat Spanish player Jaume Munar 4-6 6-2 6-2.
The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has passed a municipal decree banning the controversial comedian Dieudonné from performing in the city this week...
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French police have charged five soldiers over the deaths of 27 people who sank while trying to cross the English Channel on 24 November 2021. ...
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A kidnapping alert has been triggered by the French government. The alert was issued on Thursday evening May 25th, following the abduction in Fontaine...
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A young man is in a serious condition in hospital after suffering a 10-metre fall from the ferris wheel in Antibes in the early hours of this morning....
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Police in Paris have opened an investigation after a man was shot dead on Wednesday afternoon in the middle of a street in the French capital. ...
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