NEWS
Flights Cancelled in France - Air travelers faced a series of setbacks due to disruptions in the aviation industry. Initially, a potential strike by air traffic controllers caused anxiety, but relief came when the strike notice was lifted. However, this didn't prevent mass cancellations, with over 2,000 flights in Europe affected on Thursday, even after a last-minute agreement with a French union. Additionally, around 1,000 flights had to divert to avoid French airspace. The impact varied across French airports: Paris-Orly saw 75% cancellations, Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle 55%, Marseille-Provence 65%, other mainland airports 45%, and Nice 50%. The cancellations and diversions caused significant inconvenience and frustration for passengers.
Stormy Week-end - More thunderstorms and rain are forecast for this weekend in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes. While the exact intensity is unclear, it's sure to be a wet weekend. After earlier storms with rain, thunderstorms, and hail near Nice, the recent calm is set to end. Saturday will start off clear, but will quickly turn cloudy, leading to more showers.
Gipsy Kings in Marseille - Following the serious injury sustained by singer Kendji Girac, the programme of festivities surrounding the Olympic flame scheduled for Friday on the Esplanade de la Major in Marseille has been changed. Instead, Gipsy Kings by André Reyes will be warming up Marseille, which has been swept by a chilling mistral wind for several days. The concert will take place this Friday from 8.30pm to 9.15pm. At 9:15pm, the big light and fireworks show featuring 800 drones is, at the time of writing, still on, despite the weather not offering all the guarantees.
Dengue Outbreak in France - The Côte d'Azur is on alert for a surge in imported cases of dengue fever. Since the beginning of 2024, a record 1,679 imported cases have been recorded in mainland France, compared to just 131 during the same period in 2023. This dramatic increase is linked to dengue outbreaks in the Americas and the Caribbean. Health authorities are urging heightened vigilance, especially with the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, which will attract a large international crowd. Given the current trend, 2024 is on track to surpass the 2023 record of 2,019 imported cases, with the games scheduled between July 26 and August 11.
Dangerous inmate in Nice Prison - An inmate who had been transferred to a prison in Aix-en-Provence has been sentenced by the Nice Criminal Court for committing 16 offences against prison guards at the Nice prison. The inmate, who was indicted for two rapes in 2021, displayed uncontrollable behaviour such as death threats, spitting, and insults. The inmate was arrested by the criminal brigade of the Sûreté départementale and has been referred by the examining magistrate to the departmental criminal court, which handles crimes with a maximum punishment of twenty years' imprisonment. The magistrate criticized the prisoner for refusing to follow the basic rules of the prison and stated that the evidence, including video surveillance footage, supported the allegations. Ultimately, the court sentenced the inmate to one year's imprisonment along with a committal order and a five-year ban.
Uniqlo Opened in Nice - Japanese ready-to-wear giant, Uniqlo, has opened its first store in Nice today. The store is located in the ‘Iconic’ building on the corner of avenues Thiers and Jean-Médecin. Despite the scheduled opening time of 10 am, a queue had already formed more than an hour before, with over 150 people patiently waiting outside the entrance. This is now the second Uniqlo shop on the Côte d'Azur, with the first being in Polygone Riviera, in Cagnes-sur-Mer. The opening of Uniqlo in Nice marks the first phase of the delayed delivery of the Iconic building. Though considered modern and innovative by some, others find it unsightly and out of place architecturally. The next step in the delivery process will be the opening of the Hilton hotel at the end of June 2024.
BUSINESS
Fraudsters are using fake articles generated by artificial intelligence (AI) to scam Facebook users. These fake articles, designed to resemble BBC news articles, are being promoted on Facebook News Feeds. The scammers hope that users will click on the articles and then be enticed to invest in a fraudulent investment scheme. A cyber security consultant examined one of the scam pages and found that it was most likely a paid advertisement on Facebook. The criminals employ techniques that quickly redirect users to another webpage, a form of online fraud known as "cloaking". This allows them to bypass social media companies' review processes by hiding their malicious intentions. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has stated that it is using its knowledge of this technique to enhance its automated detection systems.
Anglo American, a British mining company, has confirmed that it has received a potential takeover bid from its rival, Australian firm BHP. The proposal, which is currently being evaluated by Anglo American's board, has not had its value disclosed. BHP has not yet commented on the matter. If the deal goes through, it will be one of the largest mergers in the mining industry in recent years. Anglo American has a market value of approximately £29 billion, and BHP is the world's largest publicly traded mining company with a market value of around A$229 billion. BHP's interest in the deal is likely driven by the opportunity to gain easier access to copper, as Anglo American's South American operations would offer this advantage. The price of copper has increased by over 15% this year due to growing demand as the world moves towards cleaner energy sources.
SPORTS
NBA - The Miami Heat caused an upset against the top-seeded Boston Celtics to level their Eastern Conference play-off duel. Underdogs Miami, who suffered a 20-point thrashing in the first game of the series, recovered to earn a 111-101 road victory. The Heat torched the Celtics with 23 three-pointers - two shy of the NBA play-off record.
Football - AS Monaco beat Lille 1-0 at yesterday at the Stade Louis II thanks to a 61st-minute goal from midfielder Youssouf Fofana (his third of the season) to consolidate second place in Ligue 1. With this win, ASM consolidated their second place with 58 pts, ahead of Brest (3rd, 53 pts) and Lille (4th, 52 pts). The Red and Whites' victory also delayed PSG's official coronation as champions of France 2024.
Rugby Union - Leicester Tigers centre Solomone Kata has been suspended for three matches for his dangerous tackle on Northampton's Fraser Dingwall. The Tonga international was shown a red card for the incident when Tigers were just a point down against Saints in Saturday's East Midlands derby. Northampton took full advantage of his sending-off, as they went on to run in three unanswered tries to win 40-17.
WEATHER
Cloudy with sunny intervals this afternoon. Highs of 16 degrees in Nice, 17 in Marseille and 18 degrees in Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Toulon.
Throughout the day the clouds will cover more and more space in the sky until completely covering the skies of the Riviera. Lows of 9 degrees.
Outlook for tomorrow, Cloudy with episodic showers, highs of 13 degrees.
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