NEWS
Legislatives - Marine Le Pen criticized the formation of a "single party" by those in power against the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) and defended her party's candidates, acknowledging that there are "black sheep" as in any group. François Ruffin announced he will not sit with the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) group if re-elected, preferring to collaborate with communists, ecologists, and other allies. Gérald Darmanin declared he would not vote for LFI, emphasizing the necessity of opposing the RN but not at the cost of supporting LFI candidates.
Heat Wave - According to Meteo France the first heat wave is set to arrive in France this month with temperatures of above 30 degrees expected. The coming week is forecast to be much hotter than anything we’ve experienced since the start of the summer with a peak in temperatures by mid-July.
Drought Alert - The Bouches-du-Rhône department has issued a drought alert for the Arc River this month, affecting 27 communes, including Aix-en-Provence. The department advises residents to manage their water consumption carefully, encourages farmers to recycle wastewater, and promotes the reuse of rainwater.
To know if your commune has been impacted: Vigieau.
Phishing Scam on Booking.com - The French association UFC-Que Choisir has warned of a phishing scam targeting Booking.com users. After making what seems to be a legitimate booking, users receive an email from an official-looking Booking.com address claiming there is an issue with their payment and requesting them to resubmit their bank details through a provided link. Many people have fallen victim to this scam since the beginning of the year, with some losing thousands of euros. Booking.com states that such cases are rare and advises users to contact them or the host by phone if in doubt. They emphasize that bank details should never be shared over the phone.
Drunk Driving Fatality Appealed - A repeat drunk driver has appealed his conviction for manslaughter following a fatal incident in 2022 in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. The offender, driving without a license, failed to yield and collided with a motorbike, resulting in a fatality. He was sentenced to four years in prison, with an additional two years suspended. His appeal trial is scheduled for this afternoon in Aix-en-Provence.
Dog Poisoner - Another attempt to poison dogs in a park has occurred in Avignon. A dog ingested several packs of rat poison deliberately left at the site, but fortunately, it received prompt medical attention and is not in danger. Six poisonous packets were found nearby. The association Adéo Animalis is calling for increased vigilance and has requested the installation of surveillance cameras in the area. A police report has been filed, and the council has been informed of this latest poisoning attempt.
BUSINESS
Hannu Rauma, a senior manager at Student Marketing Agency, was stressed and frustrated managing 83 employees. This changed when the agency started using an AI manager from Inspira last November. The AI helps employees schedule their work, check deadlines, and log hours, reducing Rauma's stress and boosting productivity. A study comparing AI and human managers showed that AI matched human performance in planning and punctuality, and excelled when combined with human managers. This suggests AI can support but not replace human management. Experts warn against over-reliance on AI, citing risks to company culture and cybersecurity.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos plans to sell 25 million shares, worth nearly $5 billion. This follows a record high in Amazon's stock value and a previous $8.5 billion share sale in February. Amazon's shares have surged over 30% this year, driven by AI technology's impact on its cloud business. Despite Amazon's valuation reaching $2 trillion, it still trails behind Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft. Bezos, who stepped down as CEO in 2021 but remains executive chair and largest shareholder, founded Amazon in 1994. He also owns Blue Origin and is the world's second richest person with a net worth of $214 billion.
And - Fast-food chain McDonald's late morning breakfast has temporarily shortened breakfast hours by 90 minutes due to an egg shortage caused by a bird flu outbreak in Australia. McDonald's Australia is managing egg supplies carefully and working with local farmers and suppliers. Bird flu has affected 11 poultry facilities in southeast Australia, leading to the culling of about 1.5 million chickens. Authorities assure that the situation is under control, though some stores may have egg purchase limits.
SPORTS
Cricket - James Anderson will end his record-breaking England career after the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s next week.
Formula 1 - Lando Norris says he will try to work out a way to prevent another on-track clash with Max Verstappen following their collision while battling for victory at the Austrian Grand Prix. They collided with six laps to go in Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring. The incident ended Norris’ race, and Verstappen dropped back to fifth at the finish.
Rugby Union - Full-back Stephen Perofeta will start for New Zealand against England in the first match of their two-Test series on Saturday in Dunedin. Three-cap Perofeta, 27, is preferred to 2015 Rugby World Cup winner Beauden Barrett, who has been named on the bench.
Football - England were seconds away from going out of Euro 2024 but are now preparing for a quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday. Jude Bellingham scored the dramatic equaliser in stoppage time against Slovakia, before captain Harry Kane struck early in extra time.
WEATHER
Mostly sunny with moderate to high winds near Toulon. Highs of 26 degrees in Nice, 27 in Cannes, 28 in Marseille, 30 in Toulon, and 31 degrees in Saint-Tropez.
Tonight, clear skies with lows of 20 degrees.
Outlook for tomorrow, Mostly sunny morning and cloudy afternoon with highs of 27 degrees.
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