A man is facing prosecution for terrorism related offences after threatening to attack the mosque in Frejus. According to reports, the man was being treated in the emergency room at the hospital in Frejus in the early hours of yesterday when he started shouting that he would use a Kalashnikov to launch an attack on the local mosque. Police investigations are continuing.
Pompiers were still on the scene of a major fire in Grasse this afternoon. The fire started in the early hours of this morning in a breakers yard on Chemin du Vieux Pont in the Plan de Grasse. Local witnesses describe having heard several large explosions as gas canisters were ignited by the fire. Over 70 firefighters and police personnel were in attendance until the blaze was finally brought under control.
Postal workers in the Alpes Maritimes have been taking industrial action today. Management estimated that participation in the strike was about 30 per cent, unions put it at nearer 50 per cent. About 300 postal staff staged a demonstration in front of the postal headquarters opposite the main train station in Nice this morning.
Yesterday’s storms were of an intensity seen only once a decade, according to Meteo France. From 8am yesterday until 8am today between 50 and almost 130mm of rain fell at locations in our area. Rainfall was generally slightly heavier inland than on the coast, but Menton still recorded 109mm. Meteo France have said that such levels of rainfall falling in such a short period is typically seen only one every 10 years.
Following in the footsteps of Paris and Strasbourg, Marseille has announced plans to open its first supervised injection facility for drug users. Otherwise referred to as “salles de shoot” in Europe, France opened its first one in October 2016. The world’s first such facility opened in the Swiss city of Berne in 1986. Today there are more than 100 such facilities around the world which allow drug users to consume their drugs in a safe and clean environment with sterile equipment in the presence of medical staff.
An armed gang has reportedly seized jewellery and clothing worth at least €350,000 from a hotel in Paris. Two masked raiders burst into the Peninsula Hotel near the Arc de Triomphe last night. One held up staff while the other used an axe to break the glass in three cases where the jewels and clothing were on display. A third member of the gang was waiting in a getaway car which was found half an hour later destroyed by fire.
The complete line-up for the Nice Jazz Festival has been announced, with some regular visitors to the festival returning along with some new acts. Neneh Cherry will be performing as will Nile Rodgers and Chic and the original line-up of the Black Eyed Peas. The festival takes place at the Place Massena and the Théâtre de Verdure from the 16th to the 20th of July.
BUSINESS
US jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 202,000 in the week ended 30 March. The US Labor Department said that it was the lowest level for initial claims since 1969.
Electric car maker Tesla has warned on profits following a 31% drop in vehicle deliveries during the first quarter. The firm blamed problems with shipments to Europe and China. Total deliveries hit 63,000 in the three months to March, below analysts' forecasts which had already been cut. Tesla says that it expects quarterly profits to be "negatively impacted".
German industrial orders fell by 4.2% in February, which is the fastest rate in more than two years. Meanwhile a report from economics institutes in Germany has cut growth forecasts for this year to 0.8% from 1.9%. The institutes also said that growth could be lower if there is no Brexit deal.
SPORT
Football…Wolves have confirmed the club-record signing of striker Raul Jimenez from Benfica for £30m. The Mexican player has scored 15 goals in 37 games since joining Wolves on a season-long loan in June 2018.
Tottenham Hotspur have made a world-record profit of £113m after tax for last season. The figure tops the £106m profit posted by Liverpool earlier this year. Yearly financial results reveal Spurs' income climbed from £310m to £380m thanks to player sales, bigger crowds at Wembley Stadium and reaching the Champions League knockout stages.
Cricket…Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Dilhara Lokuhettige has been charged with three breaches of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption code. The ICC said the charges are "similar" to those issued by the Emirates Cricket Board in October. They relate to the T10 Cricket League in the United Arab Emirates last year.
Horse Racing… A field of 40 runners has been named, along with four reserves, for Saturday's Grand National. Hot favourite Tiger Roll will bid to become the first horse since Red Rum in the early 70’s to secure back-to-back victories. Trainer Gordon Elliott has a record 13 contenders in the top 40.
A new optional regional transport tax for businesses, introduced in France’s 2025 budget, aims to fund eco-friendly mobility projects. ...
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A judge has authorised a dive to inspect the wreckage of a plane in the sea off Antibes. The plane crashed into the Mediterranean on September 11 1968...
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In France, drinking water is heavily contaminated with "forever pollutants," particularly trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as revealed by two studies from ...
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The trial of the Tunisian man accused of the murder of three people in the Nice Basilica attack is continuing in Paris. Yesterday the families of the ...
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Four cities in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region made Booking.com's 2025 list of the "most welcoming destinations in France." ...
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