Evening Update Thursday 26 August 2021

The Minister of Education has outlined a full return to school with the aim of making school-life ‘as normal as possible’. He said all schools would be open and all classes would be held face-to-face.

Masks will be required indoors from elementary school and up, and an ‘in-school’ vaccination program will be available for those who want it. Permission from a least one parent will be required for the vaccination.  

Should a Covid-19 case occur in a class, younger primary classes would be closed for a week, however in middle and high school, only un-vaccinated students would be required to isolate.

Over 12 million students and almost a million teachers return to school next Thursday September 2nd.

For the older population, Prime Minister Jean Castex has announced a third dose of the Covid 19 vaccine will be available for people in nursing homes, or with an underlying medical condition, from September 13th.

The Health Minister Olivier Véran will give a full update on the health situation on television at 6.30pm this evening.

Eric Ciotti, a leading member of the National Assembly for the Alpes-Maritimes, has announced he will run for president next year on behalf of the Republican Party. Monsieur Ciotti from Nice said he wants to bring clear strong ideas to the campaign, including strong proposals on immigration and including France’s Christian origins in the constitution. Latest polls show Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron are still favourites for the first round of the elections next year, with the poll showing Macon as the eventual winner.

Police have opened an investigation following an incident on the A8 auto-route, yesterday where a truck driver is seen zigzagging between lanes and colliding with several vehicles, between exit 49 at Saint Laurent du Var and exit 50 at Nice West, before stopping, getting out of the truck and leaving the scene on foot while being chased by fellow motorists. A video of the entire incident is below.

BUSINESS

Barclays is to pump more than $400 million into its India operations, taking advantage of rising corporate and investment banking activity in the country. It will be their single largest capital investment in the country in the last three decades.  Barclays say the move will help it grow its corporate and investment banking, as well as private client businesses.

UK car production has plummeted to its lowest July performance since 1956, as the industry continues to be battered by a global semiconductor shortage, factory shutdowns and worker absences due to Covid. The UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said overall production is down almost a third compared to 2019.

Qantas has said the pandemic is likely to cost the company AU$20bn in lost revenue, but they are hopeful international travel to and from Australia will re-open in time for Christmas. Qantas plan to bring five of its A380 super jumbos back into service with two of them currently in Germany for cabin upgrades.

SPORT

Football - France Manager Didier Deschamps has included Monaco’s Aurélien Tchouaméni for the national team to face Bosnia in next weeks World Cup Qualifiers. To the surprise of many, he has dropped Olivier Giroud saying his situation has changed with AC Milan where the player has found a lot more playing time. France face Bosnia on September 1st, before going to Ukraine on the fourth, and a home game in Lyon against Finland on the 7th of September.

The Ligue de Football Professionnel has imposed interim punishment on both OGC Nice and OM Marseilles,  following clashes between players and spectators which led to last weekend’s derby game being abandoned. Marseilles physical trainer Pablo Fernandez, who struck one of the fans invading the pitch, is to be suspended, while this Saturdays match between Nice and Bordeaux will be held behind closed doors. The LFP are to conduct a full investigation and on September 8th will determine the final decisions to be taken concerning the behaviour of Nice fans, the pitch invasion and behaviour of the players on the field.

In the UK Premiership, Pep Guardiola has said that he will leave Manchester City when his contract runs out in 2023. He said he plans to have a break, and after that his ambition would be to manage a national team.

Formula 1 - Fernando Alonso is to stay at Alpine for the 2022 season. The double world champion returned this season after two years away. The second half of this year’s Formula 1 season gets underway this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Tennis - Organisers of the Australian Open in Melbourne say a two-week ‘bio-secure bubble’ will replace hotel quarantine at next year's tournament in January. The bubble will allow players to move freely between the hotel and courts so they can maximize their training time.

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