Five people have been arrested after a police station in the Ariane disrict of Nice was partially burnt down last night. The building was attacked with mortars and molotov cocktails. Alpes-Maritimes Deputy Eric Ciotti called on the Minister of the Interior to restore order and protect police officers.
The Palace in Monaco has said that HSH Prince Albert II has taken the decision to offer 15,600 doses of vaccines intended for the Principality to countries with difficulty in obtaining vaccines to protect their populations from the pandemic. The doses will be made available to the World Health Organization which will be responsible for their distribution according to the needs that have been identified.
Industrial action may affect flights into and out of Nice Cote d'Azur airport tomorrow, Friday 16 July. The airport have said that disruptions to flights may occur because of a strike by Aviapartner. Road and tram access around the airport may also be affected. The airport advises travellers to arrive early and to follow their flight in real time on nice.aeroport.fr
Part of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes was evacuated this afternoon because of a suspicious package. A security perimiter was established and bomb disposal personnel destroyed the package after which attendees and workers were allowed back inside the building.
The body of a man in his twenties was discovered in a street in Digne-les-Bains in the Alpes-de-Hautes-Provence in the early hours of this morning. The local prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.
President Macron is visiting the Tour de France today. He's expected to present the trophy to the stage winner this evening at Luz Ardid-en in the Pyrenees. Meanwhile, the Marseille prosecutor's office has said that a preliminary investigation has been opened after police searched the hotel of the Bahrain-Victorious Tour de France team last night. Reports say that riders' rooms and the team bus were searched but no arrests were made. The team confirmed they had provided copies of their riders' training files to police. The prosecutor said this afternoon that a preliminary investigation had been opened for "acquisition, transport, possession, importation of a substance or method prohibited for the purpose of use by an athlete without medical justification".
A ceremony has been held to lay the foundation stone for the new motorway slip road at the Beausoleil service area. The new road links the A8 motorway and the Grande Corniche and should help relieve congestion on roads into Monaco and improve traffic conditions between La Turbie and Menton. The work is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
BUSINESS
The Chinese economy grew by a less than expected 7.9% in the second quarter compared to the same period last year. It was less than half the rate of the previous quarter. However, official figures for June showed better than expected growth in retail sales and industrial production.
The most recent data show the UK's labour market is continuing to recover. The number of payroll employees showed another monthly increase in June. However, it remains 206,000 below pre-pandemic levels. The Office for National Statistics said that job vacancies rose. There were 862,000 job vacancies in the April to June period, which is above pre-pandemic levels.
SPORT
Tour de France... Tadej Pogacar has won today's 18th stage. Jonas Vingegaard was second and Richard Carapaz was third.
Rugby Union... Alun Wyn Jones is on the bench for the British and Irish Lions' match against the Stormers on Saturday. He dislocated his shoulder in the match against Japan about three weeks ago but has made a rapid recovery. Head coach Warren Gatland said that he will "be in contention potentially for Test selection." Fly-half Marcus Smith starts against the Stormers as does Robbie Henshaw. It's the final game before the series against South Africa.
Cricket... India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has tested positive for Covid-19. His manager told the BBC that he has been quarantining for the past week and is asymptomatic. However, he won't be travelling to Durham where the team will go in a bio-bubble before the Test series with England.
Olympics... Jamie Murray has been named in Team GB's tennis squad after the withdrawal of Dan Evans who tested positive for Covid-19. Murray will replace Evans as Neal Skupski's partner in the men's doubles.
The post-mortem will take place next Monday for a 33-year-old man whose body was recently found in the Var after being missing for more than a month....
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Nice airport says as many as 60% of flights will be cancelled tomorrow due to a nationwide strike by air traffic controllers....
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