Evening Update Monday 3 April 2023

Several people have been arrested in Nice in connection with drugs offences. The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes held a press conference today following the posting of a video on social media yesterday by Alpes-Maritimes deputy Eric Ciotti apparently showing individuals with weapons in the Moulins district of Nice. The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes said that from March 24 to 31, 9 arrests were made, 4 weapons discovered, and 5 kg of resin, 10 kg of cannabis and 2.2 kg of cocaine were seized.  The prefect said that the video dates from 24 of March. Eric Ciotti stated that he was asking the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin "to engage all available means to reclaim this district". This afternoon Eric Ciotti said that he is pleased that the video "is getting some reactions". Nice deputy mayor Anthony Borre said this afternoon that the city is aware of the difficulties faced by the inhabitants of Les Moulins and a public meeting is going to be organized with Nice mayor Chiristian Estrosi, the Alpes-Maritimes Prefect and the public prosecutor. He said that he is asking for a permanent presence of the National Police in the neighbourhood, adding that in his role as president of public housing body Cote d'Azur Habitat he had evicted nearly 30 tenants at Les Moulins who were known drug dealers or for throwing Molotov cocktails at law enforcement.

Four men have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of several people in Marseille last night. The local prosecutor confirmed this evening that three people had lost their lives and twelve had been injured in the shooting. The suspects were arrested in the 3rd arrondissement.

Motorway operator Vinci Autoroutes has given an update on fuel availability at service stations on its network. It said that availability at the 181 service areas of the VINCI Autoroutes network is guaranteed at an average of 97% with regard to petrol and 99% on average for diesel. VINCI Autoroutes has set up a dedicated information system, in conjunction with its oil partners, to enable users of its network to identify real-time supply levels at individual service areas. The website address is https://services-aires.vinci-autoroutes.com/

President Macron has said that a bill will be presented to the French parliament by the summer on the subject of measures affecting the end of life. He was speaking after the conclusion of the citizen's convention which studied such issues as assisted suicide and euthanasia. The president also confirmed a ten year plan on palliative care.

President Macron will be visiting China later this week. The state visit, which begins on Wednesday, is the first such visit since 2019. EU Commission President Ursula von der Layen will also be taking part in the visit. President Macron is expected to meet representatives of French businesses operating in China as well as Chinese government leaders.

 

BUSINESS

Oil prices rose sharply earlier today after Saudi Arabia, Iraq and several Gulf states said that they were cutting output by more than one million barrels a day. Russia said it will extend its reduction of half a million barrels per day until the end of the year.

UK outsourcing company Capita has said that it's services have been affected by a cyber-attack. It said that it experienced "a cyber incident" on Friday primarily impacting access to internal Microsoft Office 365 applications.  In a statement issued today, the company said that this caused disruption to some services provided to individual clients, although the majority of its client services remained in operation. It said that the issue was limited to parts of the Capita network and there is no evidence of customer, supplier or colleague data having been compromised.

 

SPORT

Motorsports... The organisers of the Australian Grand Prix have said that they will investigate the fan invasion on the track before yesterday's race had officially finished. A group of spectators climbed through barriers, with some of them reaching the stranded car of Nico Hulkenberg. The FIA said the incident was a serious breach of the sporting code.

Cricket... Northamptonshire have signed Australian seam bowler Chris Tremain. He joins fellow Australian Sam Whiteman in the Northants squad.

Football... Sir Alex Ferguson has been awarded a medal by Uefa. The governing body has awarded additional medals for Aberdeen's 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup Final victory over Real Madrid. Only the starting players and five substitutes received winners' medals after the match but after a long campaign, Sir Alex will receive one of six extra medals to mark the 40th anniversary of the match. He was manager of the team at the time, before going on to manage Manchester United.

 

 

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