Strikes are set to affect train services across France starting this evening. A national day of industrial action is scheduled for tomorrow, which will affect not only train services but other sectors including education and airline travel. The SNCF have said that in our region about one in two TGV's are expected to operate but only about two in ten local TER trains. A teaching union has said that it expects fifty per cent of teachers to participate in the industrial action tomorrow.
Motorway operator Vinci Autoroutes has announced a series of measures which it says will limit the impact of inflation on the purchasing power of users. The annual change in toll rates means that prices will rise by 4.75% on average across all motorway networks from 1 February. However, VINCI Autoroutes says it will implement certain price restrictions including blocking the toll rates of 70% of journeys of less than 30 km across its entire network as well as half of journeys under 50km. Further details are available on vinci-autoroutes.com Locally, the price of the Antibes toll will rise but there will be no increase at several tolls in our region including Monaco, La Turbie, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Brignoles.
Several defendants have gone on trial today accused of producing thousands on fake Covid-19 health passes during the pandemic. Five people are appearing before a criminal court in Nanterre in the Paris area, accused of producing 11,000 false passes between May and November 2021. It's alleged that the passes were sold for several hundred euros each and were obtained by hacking into government vaccine computer systems.
Over a dozen people have been arrested in an anti-drugs trafficking raid in Nice. Deputy Mayor Anthony Borre said that the operation involving the National Police and RAID personnel in the Liserons district had also resulted in the seizure of narcotics and three weapons.
Jérôme Viaud, the mayor of Grasse, has been elected as president of the association of Mayors of the Alpes-Maritimes. The new president expressed his gratitude to Jean-Paul David, the mayor of Guillaumes, whom he replaces.
BUSINESS
The German economy contracted by 0.2% in the last quarter of 2022. Federal statistics office Destatis said that in particular private consumer spending which had supported the economy in the course of the year was lower than in the previous quarter.
Elsewhere in Europe, figures released today show that the Belgian economy expanded by 1.4% in the final quarter of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. Meanwhile Polish GDP rose by 4.9% in 2022, down from growth of 6.8% in the previous year,
UK retailer JD Sports has said data relating to 10 million customers might be at risk after it was hit by a cyber incident. It said information that may have been accessed by hackers included names, addresses, email accounts, phone numbers, order details and the final four digits of bank cards. The data related to online orders between November 2018 and October 2020. The company said that it was contacting customers who have been affected.
SPORT
Football... Everton have appointed Sean Dyche as their new manager. He joins on a two-and-a-half-year contract until June 2025 and replaces Frank Lampard. He was formerly with Burnley, where he spent almost ten years.
Rugby Union... Ireland have brought uncapped Ulster hooker Tom Stewart into their Six Nations squad. Ronan Kelleher could miss this Saturday's game against Wales after suffering a hamstring injury.
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