A bill on purchasing power will be introduced by the French government shortly according to a government spokesperson. Speaking after the new government's first Council of Ministers meeting this morning, new spokesperson Olivia Gregoire said that a bill will be presented to the Council of Ministers before the legislative elections which are scheduled for 12 and 19 June. She also said that the final posts in the new French government won't be filled until after the legislative elections. She said that the government will be expanded with new portfolios for housing and transport. The two areas are at the moment included in the sectors covered by the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
The President of the Provence Alpes Cotes d'Azur region, Renaud Muselier, is suspending all his public duties after an accident. He said that he had broken several ribs in a sporting accident and his doctors had instructed him to rest.
A security guard has been killed at the Embassy of Quatar in Paris. A suspect was arrested shortly afterwards. The Embassy said that it was "a heinous and unjustified crime" and offered its most sincere condolences to the family of the victim. An inquiry has been opened into the incident.
Several people have been injured after lightening struck a racecourse in the Ain department in eastern France. Reports say that a horse had to be put down when lightening struck close to stables at the racecourse.
The Monaco government has said that it will be increasing the period for which vehicles are impounded if they have been involved in breaches of public order. The government said that it is drawing attention to the fact that certain events may cause large concentrations of vehicles liable to cause significant disturbances to public order and these gatherings of sports cars give rise to the commission of traffic offences and inappropriate and dangerous behavior. As a result, in the event of a violation of the the highways laws, the immediate immobilization of the vehicle will be extended to a period of 120 hours during the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Top Marques supercar show.
The services of the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture will be closed exceptionally this Thursday and Friday, May 26 and 27. The reception of the public in the prefecture will resume on Monday, May 30 at the usual times.
BUSINESS
The head of the European Central bank Christine Lagarde has confirmed that the central bank is aiming to raise interest rates in July. She said that based on the current outlook, the ECB is likely to be in a position to exit negative interest rates by the end of the third quarter. The ECB's deposite rate is currently minus 0.5%.
Business confidence has increased in Germany according to research released today by the Ifo Institute. Its business climate index rose to 93.0 points in May from 91.9 points in April. It said that despite inflation concerns, material shortages and the war in Ukraine, the German economy is "proving to be robust" and "there are currently no signs of a recession".
Starbucks has announced that it will permanently leave Russia. The decision affects all the company's 130 stores in the country. It said it will continue to pay its employees in Russia for six months.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund has said that the world economy could be facing its biggest test since the Second World War. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Kristalina Georgieva called for trade barriers to be lowered, efforts to deal with debt to be stepped up, cross-border payments to be made cheaper and for efforts to combat the effects of climate change to be increased.
SPORT
Tennis... In a big upset at the French Open today, 19 year old French player Diane Parry has beaten defending champion Barbora Krejcikova. The final score was 1-6 6-2 6-3. Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has been knocked out of the tournament by Amanda Anisimova. Women's world number one Iga Swiatek is through to the next round after defeating Ukranian player Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 6-0 in just 54 minutes. British player Cameron Norrie beat Manuel Guinard 7-5 6-2 6-0. On a day of changeable weather at Rolland Garros, rain stopped play on all outside courts for a time this afternoon.
Football... Liverpool have signed Fabio Carvalho from Fulham. He's signed a five year deal and is set to join the Merseyside club on 1 July.
Carmaker Renault has issued a recall in France for six car models after a fault was found in the automatic handbrake system that could cause vehicles ...
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Traffic is still disrupted early this evening on the A8 motorway near Antibes after a major vehicle fire earlier today. The carriageway in the directi...
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French police have arrested two men suspected of involvement in the spectacular €88 million jewel theft from the Louvre museum in Paris last week. ...
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The Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture has issued a warning about sea conditons
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Storm Benjamin swept across France on Thursday, battering much of the country with winds exceeding 160 km/h and leaving one person dead in Corsica. By...
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