Evening Update Monday 18 August 2025

There’s been an attempted robbery at a jewellery store in Cannes. An individual, apparently acting alone, entered the Bulgari store on the Croisette this morning. An explosion was heard shortly afterwards but no injuries have been reported. Authorities have said that one person has been arrested.

Firefighters are on the scene of a wildfire in undergrowth in the Var this afternoon. The blaze broke out around lunchtime today in the commune of Ponteves, near Barjols. Water bombing aircraft are being used to bring the fire under control.

There’s an end in sight to the current heatwave. Meteo France are saying that the heatwave should give way to rain and lower temperatures from tomorrow. Meteo France have yellow level alerts for heat in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes tomorrow, down from the orange level alerts we’ve endured in recent days. The Alpes-Maritimes is already on a yellow alert for today, with the Var remaining on an orange level for the rest of the day. Sporadic showers and thunderstorms are expected across our region tomorrow and Wednesday. with temperatures only reaching about 27 or 28 degrees on Wednesday.

About 1,000 premises lost power in Cannes in the early hours of Saturday. Supplies were cut as a safety measure by authorities who were responding to a gas leak at an apartment in the city centre near Boulevard d’Alsace.

One person has died and over a dozen others are suffering from smoke inhalation after an explosion in Lyon. Authorities suspect that a gas cylinder exploded in an apartment in the seven storey building in a southern suburb of the city.

Several French political figures, including from the left wing La France Insoumise party, have given their support to calls on social media to “paralyse France” on 10 September. The “block everything” movement has arisen since French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou announced plans to save billions of euros in the 2026 budget, which is set to be reviewed in the autumn.

 

BUSINESS

Australian airline Qantas has been ordered to pay 90 million Australian Dollars for illegally sacking more than 1,800 ground workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. A court issued the judgement after action brought by the Transport Workers Union. The airline had decided to outsource its ground operations staff in 2020, saying that it was a necessary financial measure as a result of the pandemic. Qantas was ordered to pay 50 million Australian Dollars of the penalty directly to the transport workers' union.

Private members club Soho House has agreed a deal to take it private, after being listed on the New York Stock Exchange for the past four years. Actor Ashton Kutcher will also be joining the company’s board.

 

SPORT

Tennis…British number ones Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper will be playing against each other in the US Open mixed doubles at Flushing Meadows in New York. Raducanu is partnering Carlos Alcaraz, while Draper is partnering Jessica Pegula. Unusually, the mixed doubles is a standalone event before the singles tournament gets underway on Sunday. There are 16 pairs competing.

Golf…Six American qualifiers have been confirmed for the Ryder Cup team which will play Europe next month. Bryson DeChambeau, Russell Henley and Harris English secured the final three automatic qualifying places. Scottie Scheffler, .JJ. Spaun and Xander Schauffele will also be on the team, along with captain Keegan Bradley.

Motorsports… It’s been announced that Oscar Piastri will have a grandstand named after him at next year's Australian Grand Prix. The 24-year-old, who was born in Melbourne, is leading the drivers' championship this season.

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