Evening Update Thursday 13 June

An attempted robbery took place on the port of St Tropez this morning. Reports say that a stockbroker was held up at gunpoint when he arrived to open his office.  The gunman fled on foot after the stockbroker resisted his demands for cash.  Police are currently searching for the man.

A drugs trafficking network has been dismantled in the village of L'Escarène. Authorities arrested two adults and two minors in connection with drugs offences.  The two adults will appear before a court on the 3rd of July and the two minors will appear before a juvenile judge.

A British kayaker has been rescued in the Hautes-Alpes this morning suffering from hypothermia. He was found in a particularly inaccessible area having suffered various injuries. He was taken to hospital in Briançon by helicopter. A second kayaker, apparently uninjured, was found several hundred metres downstream.  The two are believed to be part of a group of kayakers visiting from the UK.

Lifeboat volunteers from the SNSM National Rescue Society have met in Menton today to pay tribute to three of their colleagues who lost their lives in the Vendée department last week. A minute’s silence was observed before the sounding of a foghorn at the harbour entrance. All the lifeboat stations of the Alpes Maritimes are gathering to pay tribute in Nice this evening.

Recently released data has shown that the PACA region is undergoing an epidemic of chicken pox.  Several other areas of France are also badly affected. Last week in France, the incidence rate of cases seen in general medical consultation was estimated at 34 cases per 100 000 inhabitants, with twelve identified regional outbreaks.

Former President of the United States Barack Obama and his family are heading to the South of France for a week’s vacation.  They are expected to land at Avignon airport tomorrow evening and will be spending the week in Villeneuve les Avignon in the Gard department.

 

BUSINESS

Two oil tankers have been hit by explosions in the Gulf of Oman. All crew were rescued, with Iran saying it had rescued the 21 crew members on board the Kokuka Courageous and the 23 on the Front Altair, though the United States said its Navy had rescued some crew. The cause of the blasts are still unclear. 

The Australian government has given the green light for construction to begin on a controversial coal mine in Queensland's Galilee Basin. The proposed mine, which has been scaled back from original plans, is to be built by Indian company Adani. It’s been the subject of years of hold-ups over environmental approvals.

President Donald Trump has announced plans to meet with China's President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit later this month, despite acknowledging relations between the two sides are what he called a "bit testy". The world's two largest economies are locked in trade battle.

In the UK, Morrisons and Amazon are expanding an Amazon Prime same-day grocery delivery service. New cities served include Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Sheffield and Portsmouth. 

 

SPORT

Football…Next season’s Premier League fixtures have been announced, with Champions League winners Liverpool hosting Norwich City for the first match on Friday, 9 August. Manchester City will open the defence of their title the following day with a trip to West Ham. Newly promoted Aston Villa play Tottenham and Sheffield United play Bournemouth. For the first time in Premier League history, the clubs will get a short mid-season break in February.

Cricket… The start of India versus New Zealand at Trent Bridge was delayed by rain and a wet outfield this morning.

Cycling… Chris Froome is still in intensive care after suffering serious multiple fractures in a high-speed crash yesterday. He was airlifted to Saint-Etienne University Hospital for surgery. The four-time Tour de France champion suffered a fractured right femur, a broken hip, a fractured elbow and fractured ribs and lost consciousness following the crash.

Golf…The third major of the year, the US Open is getting underway at Pebble Beach in California today. Brooks Koepka is seeking a third straight US Open title and comes into the tournament on the back of winning the USPGA. Tiger Woods will be seeking to repeat the success that saw him triumph at the US Masters in April while the European challenge will be led by Rory McIlroy who won the Canadian Open last week.

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