President Macron has announced that certain businesses will be able to renegotiate their electricity supply contracts. He said he was “tired” of people making excessive profits because of the crisis. He said that very small businesses who were being charged above the reference price at the end of last year set by the Energy Regulation Commission would be able to renegotiate their contract.
Trains between Cannes and St Raphael were interrupted in both directions early this morning after a train was in collision with a car. The car had fallen onto the tracks near St Raphael. The driver managed to get out of the vehicle before it was hit and didn't suffer any injuries. There was disruption to train services for much of the day but normal service has now resumed.
Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi has announced that the city will host the finals of the Ironman athletic event for the next four years. The finals for men and for women will alternate between Nice and Hawaii for the next four years. The mayor hailed the economic benefits of hosting the event saying that a study by the Ironman organization suggests an average spend of 200 euros per day per person and an average stay of seven days in Nice.
A motorist in his sixties has been charged with intentionally killing a 21 year old motorcyclist in Hyeres. The incident happened on 6 December and the accused was arrested on 2 January. He admits having caused the fatal accident with his utility vehicle but denies it was deliberate.
A school in the Alpes-Maritimes was evacuated after a bomb threat this morning. Reports say that the Lycee Leonardo da Vinci in Antibes was evacuated as a precaution but the incident was a false alarm.
BUSINESS
Amazon has announced plans to cut more than 18,000 jobs out of its 1.5 million employees worldwide. The company did not say which countries would be affected but said they would include Europe. Most of the job losses will come from its consumer retail business and its human resources division.
The UK government has confirmed that it is abandoning plans to privatise television broadcaster Channel 4. The government of Boris Johnson had previously announced that it was looking at selling the station.
The UK new car market recorded its fifth consecutive month of growth in December, with an 18.3% increase to reach just over 128,000 new registrations, according to industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. However, the performance in the second half of the year was not enough to offset the declines recorded during the first half of 2022. Global parts shortages saw overall registrations for the year fall 2.0% to 1.61 million, which was about 700,000 units below pre-Covid levels. December saw battery electric vehicles claim their largest ever monthly market share, of 32.9%.
SPORT
Football... Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile has signed to Chelsea on a seven-and-a-half-year contract. He made 135 league appearances for Monaco.
Tennis... Novak Djokovic is through to the quarter-finals of the Adelaide International after beating French player Quentin Halys 7-6 7-6.
British player Emma Raducanu retired from her second-round ASB Classic match in Auckland after injuring her ankle just 11 days before the start of the Australian Open. She won the opening set 6-0 against Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova, but lost the second 7-5 and retired early in the third set. Coco Gauff beat fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.
Cricket... It's been day two of the Australia against South Africa third Test in Sydney. At the end of the day, Australia were 475-4 with South Africa yet to bat. Australia lead the three Test series 2-0.
22 people in the Grasse area have now reportedly been infected with a parasite from drinking water. Five communes may have tap water contaminated with...
