French Prime Minister Jean Castex has said that the coronavirus is "circulating very little in schools" and the "surveillance system is efficient". Speaking this afternoon, he said that 1,884 classes had to be closed because of the virus after the return to school for some students last week, which he said was 0.65% of classes. He added that between the risk of closing schools and opening them, the balance was "very largely in favour of the opening of schools".
France has today begun to emerge from its lockdown measures with the lifting of the 10km travel limit, freedom of movement between regions and the return to class for College and Lycée students with 50% capacity. However the curfew is still in force from 7pm to 6am and for any travel or outing during this time you will need a new certificate which can be downloaded from the French government website.
Meanwhile, health measures recently in force in Monaco have been extended until Sunday, May 16, but some relaxations have been made. As from today, May 3, bars in Monaco which serve breakfast may open under certain conditions. Access is reserved for Monaco residents, employees and hotel guests. Sports practice is also authorized in accordance with a strict health protocol. The curfew between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. will remain in effect in Monaco for two additional weeks. The compulsory use of teleworking in the private and public sectors remains in force. The Monaco government said that overall, the circulation of the virus is declining, but the slowdown is much slower than last autumn. In one month, the incidence rate has been divided by three, but the number has risen again slightly recently and continuing vigilance is necessary.
Three people have lost their lives in an avalanche in the Hautes-Alpes this morning. The avalanche occurred at a height of over 3,000 metres near the town of Villar-d'Arene between Grenoble and Briançon. A doctor, gendarmes and a dog team were airlifted to the area at about 11am but the three people couldn't be saved.
The railway line between Breil-sur-Roya and Tende has been reopened today following damage caused by Storm Alex last October. Renauld Muselier, President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, and Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi visited the Roya valley this morning. They inspected reconstruction works still being carried out in the area. Emergency work is estimated at € 30 million, of which 20 million is dedicated solely to resuming traffic. The mayor reiterated that no railway station or line in the area will be closed.
The Simple Minds concert on July 23 at the Salle des Étoiles in Monaco has been cancelled. The Societe des Bains de Mer said that due to the current uncertainty regarding the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, Simple Minds' European tour dates currently scheduled for June, July and August 2021 will, where possible, be moved to 2022. However, their concert on July 23 this year at the Salle des Etoiles is cancelled because it cannot be postponed. Ticket holders are encouraged to contact the SBM ticket office or their resellers to process their refund.
The commune of Rians in the Var has been placed in drought crisis. The measure, taken by the Prefect of the Var in coordination with the Prefect of Bouches-du Rhône, means that a wide range of restrictions have been introduced in the commune, including a prohibition on the watering of lawns and also on the washing of vehicles and boats except for sanitary necessity.
The Agglomeration Cannes Pays de Lerins is carrying out an online survey as part of the development of a ten year transportation plan. Two previous surveys on transportation in the area have been carried out in the last few months and it's intended that this third survey will be the last. You can find details at https://cannespaysdelerins.fr
BUSINESS
The European Commission has recommended easing restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU. Under the plans, travellers who have received the last dose of an EU-approved vaccine at least two weeks previously will be permitted to travel. The EU currently only allows non-essential travel from seven countries. However, the proposals will allow EU member states to limit travel quickly in response to new variants or a deteriorating health situation. Discussions on the plan will begin tomorrow.
A court hearing is beginning today between Apple and Epic Games, which makes the popular game Fortnite. Epic alleges that Apple's control over the App Store is anti-competitive. Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to give evidence at the hearing.
SPORT
Football... Valencia have sacked head coach Javi Gracia after 10 months in charge. A statement from the club said that it wanted to publicly thank him "for his work and dedication during these months leading the team and wishes him the best of success for the future." Valencia are currently 14th in the table with four fixtures left to play.
There are two games in the English Premier League tonight. West Brom play Wolves and Burnley play West Ham.
Tennis... Dan Evans is through to the second round of the Madrid Open after defeating French player Jeremy Chardy. The final score was 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (7-9) 6-2.
Cricket... The Indian Premier League match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore has been postponed after two KKR players tested positive for Covid-19. The match was scheduled to start at 4pm our time today.
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The trial of the Tunisian man accused of the murder of three people in the Nice Basilica attack is continuing in Paris. Yesterday the families of the ...
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Four cities in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region made Booking.com's 2025 list of the "most welcoming destinations in France." ...
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