Train services in our region continue to be affected by ongoing industrial action. Services at St Charles station in Marseille came to a halt for over an hour earlier today after several hundred protestors occupied the track. Services to and from the station have been gradually improving this afternoon after the demonstration ended. Elsewhere in our region, services continue to suffer disruption today because of the ongoing strikes. Nationally, about two out of five local TER trains are running and about one out of three TGV's. The SNCF said that strikes will also result in severe disruption tomorrow. Trains are expected to be disrupted over the weekend as well, particularly on Saturday when another day of national industrial action is taking place. Details of specific services are available at train stations, on the SNCF Assistant App and on sncf.com
A national students federation said this morning that "dozens of high schools" are still blocked today, among them many high schools which were not blocked during the day on protest on Tuesday.
Workers taking industrial action at energy company Enedis reportedly cut off a high voltage electricity line at Drap earlier today. The interconnect line transfers power between France and Italy. The line was in the process of being restored to normal service this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the CGT union said that striking workers have cut supplies to the Stade de France in Paris and also to the site of the Olympic village being constructed in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. The unions said that power had also been disrupted to nearby commercial areas and data centres.
In other news, water restrictions are to be introduced in the Alpes-Maritimes. The prefecture said that the department is "on the drought alert threshold". A decree is expected to be made in the next few days introducing the measures. Restrictions are expected to include a ban on daytime watering of gardens, the washing of cars and boats with only stations using a water recovery system being allowed to operate, a prohibition of washing terraces and streets with certain types of equipment, no general filling or topping up of swimming pools unless certain works are taking place and the closure of fountains which don't recirculate water. Full details are expected to be published on the prefecture's website once the decree has been made.
Meteo France have weather warnings in operation tomorrow, Friday, for high winds in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var. An orange alert, the third highest out of the four weather warning levels, is in operation from 1pm to 8pm. There are also yellow warnings from 10am to 1pm and from 8pm until midnight.
A man has been sentenced to prison for the murder of his partner three and a half years ago. The Alpes-Maritimes Assize court in Nice handed down a life sentence with a 22 year security period for the murder of 21 year old Salome whose body was found near the railway line in Cagnes-sur-Mer in August 2019.
The Cannes Lérins agglomeration has installed a flood retention basin in Mandelieu-La Napoule in order to limit the risk of flooding. The facility was inaugurated by elected officials, including mayor David Lisnard, at a ceremony this morning. Equipped with a dam, the basin with a storage capacity of 14,000 cubic metres, retains rainwater and runoff before emptying gradually to reduce the risk of flooding.
BUSINESS
It's been revealed that a former head of energy company Shell received a pay package of £9.7m last year. Shell made a record $39.9bn profit in 2022, double the previous year's total. The payment to Ben van Beurden, which was stated in the company's annual report and accounts, is an increase of over 50% from his pay received in 2021.
The Dutch government has announced that it will restrict the country's "most advanced" microchip technology exports to protect national security. China has launched a formal complaint against the move. Under the new rules, businesses would have to apply for licences to export certain technology. The United States government took similar action last year.
SPORT
Cricket... Bangladesh have beaten England by six wickets in the first T20 international. The second of the three T20's takes place on Sunday.
In the Australia against India 4th Test, Australia were 255-4 at the end of the day, with India yet to bat. Usman Khawaja hit a century.
Football... Corinne Diacre has left her job as manager of the French women's national team four months before the World Cup. She departs after several key players, including captain Wendie Renard, said they would no longer represent their country. The French Football Federation said that the change of coach is "part of a new global ambition led by the FFF in favour of the development of women's football and the performance of the French team".
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