The French Director General of Health, Jerome Salamon, has said this evening that "the peak of the epedemic is in front of us". Speaking during an update on the coronavirus situation he said that there had been 551 deaths from covid-19 in French hospitals during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 40,987. He said the total number of recorded cases of covid-19 stands at over 1,807,479. However, he added that a slower progression of the virus is being observed in metropolitain areas where "braking measures" had been applied, in particular the establishment of curfews.
A larger number of patients are now in intensive care in the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur Region than at the peak of the first wave, according to the Regional Health Agency. At a press conference this morning director Anthony Valdez said that this morning 503 patients were in intensive care compared to 420 patients at the first peak earlier this year. Regional Health Agency manager Phillipe de Mester said that about 30 deaths per day from covid-19 are being recorded in the PACA region which he said was creating difficulties in the region's morgues but those problems are being addressed.
There have been scenes of disorder outside a school in the Oise department in northern France this morning as students protested against covid-19 measures. Reports say that a fire was started at the school gates and a police car was attacked. A mortar is aso believed to have been thrown. One firefighter was slightly injured. The local prefect said that there hade been "material damage" and four arrests had been made but order has now been restored.
About a hundred independent traders staged a demonstration in Lyon today which included putting a coffin on the ground. They were demanding the resumption of their activities before the holiday season and a change in their status regarding unemployment benefits.
The town of Antibes Juan-les-Pins is organizing a distribution of masks for local residents this week. The distribution will take place from today until Saturday November 14 (except for this Wednesday November 11) from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Five distribution points are being established in local neighborhoods. In order to receive your mask, you must be domiciled in Antibes Juan-les-Pins. An identity card, proof of address (and the family record book for minors) will be required when you visit a distribution point. Further details can be obtained by going to the mairieantibesjuanlespins Facebook page or by sending an e-mail to distributiondemasques@ville-antibes.fr
Several thousand people in La Garde in the Var have been without power this afternoon. The Prefect of the Var said that Enedis employees were mobilized to restore supplies. Reports say that the outage was caused by a fire at an electrical transformer and that by early this evening power had been restored to virtually all customers.
One person has died in a house fire in La-Colle-sur-Loup over the weekend. Local reports say that an investigation has been launched after the discovery of the man's body in a house fire in the village early on Sunday morning.
The International School Of Nice has appointed a new Head of School. Mel Curtis is joining the school from her most recent leadership roles with Nord Anglia Education as Principal of La Cote International School Aubonne, Switzerland, Principal at the English International School, Prague, and before that, Principal of the British International School of Chicago, USA.
La Poste Monaco is reminding customers that all post offices in the Principality will be closed this Wednesday November 11 on the anniversary of the end of the First World War and a public holiday in France. Mail delivery and collection of letterboxes located on public roads will not be provided on Wednesday. Post offices will reopen at the usual times on Thursday and mail and parcels will also be delivered normally from Thursday.
President Macron has attended a ceremony in the Haute-Marne department today to pay tribute to former French president General Charles de Gaulle. Today is the 50th anniversary of General de Gaulle's death. The ceremony was held in the small village of Colombey-les-deux-Eglises, where the General had a holiday home and spent his final days.
BUSINESS
Stock markets rose earlier today after the US election result and on news that the manufacturers of a coronavirus vaccine said that initial results show that it's 90% effective. Pfizer and BioNTech said that the first results from phase 3 trials showed a 90% effectiveness rate 7 days after a second dose of the vaccine had been administered. Over 43,000 people were involved in the trials. The CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, said it was "a great day for science and humanity". The company said that gathering safety data will take until the third week of November after which the vaccine will be submitted for regulatory approval.
EU and UK officials have resumed trade talks in London at the start of another key week of negotiations. They are trying to bridge what the two sides have said are still significant differences on fishing quotas and competition issues.
SPORT
Cricket.... Jonny Bairstow has signed for Melbourne Stars for his first season in Australia's Big Bash League. He's recently been playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
India captain Virat Kohli will miss three out of the four Tests against Australia in order to be at the birth of his first child. He'll return to India after the first Test starting on 17 December. If he was to return to Austraia Kohli would have to quarantine for 14 days, making it impractical for him to rejoin the squad.
Golf... It's been announced that Sergio Garcia has tested positive for the coronavirus. He'll therefore miss this year's Masters in Augusta which starts on Thursday. The tournament was rescheduled from April because of the pandemic.
A new optional regional transport tax for businesses, introduced in France’s 2025 budget, aims to fund eco-friendly mobility projects. ...
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A judge has authorised a dive to inspect the wreckage of a plane in the sea off Antibes. The plane crashed into the Mediterranean on September 11 1968...
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In France, drinking water is heavily contaminated with "forever pollutants," particularly trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as revealed by two studies from ...
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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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