French health minister Olivier Veran has said that the government is aiming to reopen discotheques in July with specific conditions. He said that a health protocol is being developed and that more will be known after 21 June. Speaking to French media today the minister also said that he was making "a solemn appeal" to caregivers to get vaccinated. He said that in nursing homes the level of vaccination of caregivers is 50% but this is "where we find the most fragile people" and if this didn't improve by the end of the summer then compulsory vaccination would be considered.
Firefighters attended a fire at the Cannes town hall early this morning. Mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, said that about thirty firefighters had been on site and the probable cause was a short circuit in an electrical panel which may be related to a water leak. There were no injuries. The town hall said that cleaning of the premises is taking place this afternoon and there is currently no access to the offices but the switchboard has been back in operation since this morning. The Civil Status service has been moved to La Ferrage for such matters as birth, death and marriage certificates. Administrative procedures such as the deposit of passports and identity documents are being dealt with at the Town Hall Annex in La Bocca. Weddings will take place tomorrow and polling stations will be maintained on Sunday.
Traffic restrictions are being put in place in the vicinity of Le Castellet in the Var because of the French Grand Prix this weekend. The first spectators are expected at the track tomorrow morning. Traffic restrictions can be found on the Var Prefecture's website www.var.gouv.fr
A map showing the fire risk in the forest massifs of the Var is being published every day over the summer. As every year during the summer, the prefecture of Var regulates access, traffic and parking on certain roads serving the 9 forest massifs of the department. The map is published every day from today until the end of September, before 7 p.m., for the next day. https://www.risque-prevention-incendie.fr/var/
Many departments in south-west France and in northern central areas of France are under Meteo France orange alerts for storms. An orange alert is the third highest level of alert out of the four levels used by Meteo France. Settled weather is expected on the Riviera until Sunday when thunderstorms are expected.
French government statistics body INSEE wll be conducting surveys in Antibes Juan-les-Pins. The surveys relate to household resources and costs, housing conditions, as well as the training, employment and health of individuals. A survey is being conducted from June 23 to July 17 in Antibes Juan-les-Pins on rents and charges. INSEE staff carrying out the surveys will be identifiable with an official accreditation card which they'll be carrying.
BUSINESS
Hospitality business Whitbread has said that it's seeing "very strong forward booking trends in tourist locations throughout the summer", and improved forward bookings across the majority of its properties, with the exception of airport locations and central London. It said that in its last quarter total UK accommodation sales had shown an impovement but were down 27.3% in the 30 day period from 17 May to 14 June this year compared to the same period before the pandemic.
Car registrations in the European Union in May rose by 53.4% compared to last year, according to figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. However, the number of cars sold in May this year, which was about 891,000, is still far below the 1.2 million that were sold in May 2019.
Data released today by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, shows that the euro area annual inflation rate was 2.0% in May, up from 1.6% in April. A year earlier, the rate was just 0.1%. Across the whole of the EU, annual inflation was 2.3% in May, up from 2.0% in April. Compared with April, annual inflation fell in four Member States, remained stable in one and rose in twenty-two. In France, the annual rate was below the EU average, at 1.8%.
SPORT
Euro 2020...In group C Ukraine are playing North Macedonia and the Netherlands play Austria later today. Denmark play Belgium in group B. Belgium will kick the ball out of play 10 minutes after the start of today's match as a tribute to Denmark's Christian Eriksen following his cardiac arrest in the game against Finland last Saturday. Number 10 is Eriksen's shirt number. Meanwhile it's been announced that Eriksen will be fitted with an implantable defibrillator device. The device is intended to regulate heart rhythm. He remains in hospital but says he is "fine under the circumstances".
Tennis... Rafael Nadal has pulled out of Wimbledon and the Olympic Games. Nadal said that he needs to "recuperate after a long clay-court season" and the goal is to prolong his career and continue to do what makes him happy.
Wimbledon is looking at ways to improve its media operations after Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from French Open news conferences to protect her mental health. Speaking to the BBC this morning, Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said that a consultation had been started which she said "needs to include not just the players, but the media and all of those engaged in that space". The tournament gets underway on 28 June.
Football...Fiorentina coach Gennaro Gattuso has left the club just over three weeks after he was appointed. He was due to start on 1 July. The club said on their website that it had been "decided, by common consent, not to follow up on the previous agreements and therefore not to start the next season together."
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