One person has died in a fire which broke out last night in an apartment in the Saint-Roch district of Nice. A woman in her nineties, the mother of the deceased man, who was also in the apartment, is in hospital in a serious condition. Over twenty people were relocated from the building to other accommodation overnight. Several other people were hospitalised with less serious injuries. According to Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi, several firefighters suffered from the effects of smoke. The mayor expressed his support for the injured and said that his thoughts were with the family and loved ones of the victim.
Temperatures in parts of the Var have reached 40 degrees this afternoon as the heatwave continues. Ten departments in south-east France and Corsica have been placed on an orange alert for high temperatures tomorrow. They include the Alpes-Maritimes, the Var and the Bouches-du-Rhone. Meteo France said that temperatures are expected to remain high at night in the departments concerned. An orange alert is the third highest level out of the four Meteo France alert levels.
Ten people have been charged with offences after a large drugs smuggling network was dismantled by authorities in our region. Gendarmes working out of Marseille seized a total of 242kg of cocaine. The prosecutor said that the network was involved in the importation of drugs from South America via French Guyana. Weapons, bullet-proof vests and vehicles were also seized.
Electricity bills for French households may rise from 1 August, according to reports in French media. According to France Inter, the government has consulted the Higher Energy Council on a ten per cent rise in electricity prices from that date. The increase would be part of the gradual exit from the electricity tariff shield which the government put in place in October 2021.
President Macron has reportedly decided to keep Elisabeth Borne in her role as Prime Minister. She has been in the post since May last year. Details of changes to the government are expected to be announced later this week.
A large number of migrants have been evacuated from a squat in a former retirement home in the Val-de-Marne department. During the evacuation, sheltering solutions were offered to all of the 168 people identified during the social assessment carried out by the town hall of Paris. Following the operation, the site was secured by the town hall, which is the owner of the building.
The organizers of Luxe Pack Monaco have announced the chartering of a special train between Paris and Monaco on the first day of the event. The organisers said that the train has a carbon footprint 26 times less than air transport. The initiative is supported by the Prince's Government. Luxe Pack Monaco is the annual gathering for professionals in the premium packaging sector. This year's edition will be held at the Grimaldi Forum from October 2 to 4.
BUSINESS
The UK government has expanded its “occupation shortage list” by adding a range of jobs in the construction and fisheries sectors. The change will mean that it will be easier for workers in those industries to obtain visas to work in the UK. It follows recent labour shortages in a wide range of industries in the UK.
Grocery price inflation stood at 14.9% in the UK in the four weeks to 9 July, according to research firm Kantar. Grocery price inflation has now been falling for four months in a row but the figure is still very high by historical standards.
UK company insolvencies have risen by 27% in June compared to the same month last year. It's a higher figure than before the pandemic but is less than the 40% rise seen in May.
SPORT
Football....Manchester United have agreed a 55 million euro deal for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana. The club is hoping that he will be able to join them on their upcoming tour of the United States.
Tottenham have lost 3-2 to West Ham in a pre-season warm up game in Perth. It was new manager Ange Postecoglou's first match in charge at Tottenham.
Women's Super League champions Chelsea will play Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 1 October in their first match of the women's 2023-24 season. Manchester United play Aston Villa. Arsenal are at home to Liverpool and Manchester City are away at West Ham. Newly promoted Bristol City face Leicester, while Everton play Brighton.
Eric Ciotti, leader of Les Républicains, has expressed cautious support for new Prime Minister Michel Barnier if his policies align with law and order...
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France has a new Prime Minister, after 51 days of waiting right-wing politician Michel Barnier was appointed Prime Minister on Thursday. ...
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Michel Barnier has been announced as the new French Prime Minister, tasked with forming a unity government. Barnier, a veteran politician and former B...
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The announcement of France's new Prime Minister is expected before 1 p.m. today, with Michel Barnier emerging as a leading candidate. Bernard Cazeneuv...
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Marseille has been hit by heavy rain with businesses in the old port of the city flooded on Wednesday afternoon. Shopkeepers found themselves taken b...
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