It's been confirmed that the 2024 Tour de France will finish in Nice instead of Paris. It will be the first time the Tour will finish outside Paris in the 121-year history of the race. The change is being made because of the 2024 Olympics being held in Paris and starting a few days later. Speaking about the move to Nice, Tour director Christian Prudhomme said that "the city offers an exceptional setting and a great course."
The bodies of two men have been discovered on the route de Colomars in Nice. The Nice public prosecutor said that the bodies were found about ten metres from a house in which they were squatting which is in an isolated residential area. Efforts are underway to identify them.
One person has died and two have been injured after a car left the road in Gattieres. The incident happened in the early hours of this moning. It's thought that the driver may have lost control of the vehicle but an investigation has been opened to establish the circumstances of the accident.
The Monaco government has called for vigilance regarding Covid-19 and seasonal flu as the end-of-year celebrations approach. It said that the strict application of barrier gestures remains "absolutely necessary" to fight effectively against winter viruses and prevent a new epidemic wave. The government strongly recommends wearing a mask in the event of suspected infection, as well as on public transport and in high-traffic commercial and tourist areas. It added that up-to-date booster vaccination, particularly for people at risk or people aged 60 and over, remains one of the most effective means of protection against serious illness.
Many General Practitioners across France are on strike today and tomorrow, with some reports saying that about 75% of GPs locally are taking part. Amongst their demands are an increase in the consultation fee from 25 to 50 euros.
A reminder that industrial action by controllers is expected to affect train services this weekend. About 60% of TGV and Inter City trains are expected to be cancelled and local TER services are also expected to be disrupted. Information about specific local trains can be found on https://www.ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur
BUSINESS
Vehicle maker Ford has announced a further £125 million investment in its Halewood Plant on Merseyside increasing capacity by 70 per cent as well as £24 million in supporting the E:PRiME product development centre. It will now produce 420,000 electric drive units per year from 2024 at the factory.
A third of UK businesses are experiencing a shortage of workers, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. It said that 32% of businesses with ten or more employees said they were experiencing a shortage of workers in late November. The health and social work sector had the highest shortage at 54%.
The ONS also released figures today showing that one in eight businesses had been affected by industrial action in October.
Brexit has added £210 to the average household food bill in the two years to the end of 2021, according to research from the London School of Economics. It said that changes for items going across the border had pushed up food prices by 6%.
SPORT
Cricket... Four England batters have hit hundreds on the first day of the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. It's England's first Test in Pakistan for 17 years. At the end of the day England were 506-4.
It's been day two of the Australia against West Indies first Test in Perth. At the end of the day Australia were on 598-4 declared. West Indies were 74 for no loss.
WORLD CUP REPORT
In GROUP E it's Costa Rica against Germany at 8pm, Japan take on Spain also at 8pm.
Morocco beat Canada 2-1 to top Group F and reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in 36 years.
Croatia against Belgium was a 0-0 draw meaning that Belgium are out of the tournament and Croatia go through to the last 16..
France is pushing for a European agreement to require social media platforms to verify users' ages, aiming to ban access before age 15 and smartphone ...
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French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that France is in talks with allies about possibly supporting Ukraine with troops, amid its ongoing war...
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Thundery showers are forecast in Nice and the Alpes Maritimes. Some sunny intervals as the day progresses. Highs of 20 degrees. ...
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American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first U.S.-born pope and signalling continuity with Pope Francis’...
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A Polish man in his forties has been hospitalized in Valence after enduring a harrowing journey between two TGV carriages from Paris. ...
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