A fire has broken out in undergrowth close to the TGV station in Aix-en-Provence this evening. The Bouches-du-Rhône fire department said that about 140 firefighters are engaged in fighting the blaze. They are backed up by two water bombing helicopters, one Dash aircraft, four Canadairs in transit to the fire, and one surveillance aircraft. Firefighters said that they are involved in what they called a "rapid and massive commitment for a merciless fight" against the outbreak.
Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi has said that hospital staff are exhausted and "pressure on the quality of hospital care is being felt" after two years of fighting Covid-19. His comments come after the assignment of only 166 interns to the CHU in Nice. The mayor said that more modest towns have larger staff and called the choice "unjustified and arbitrary". He said that he is asking Minister of Health François Braun to revise the number upwards.
A man has been arrested after barracading himself in his apartment on rue Jean Canavese in the north of Nice. Agents from the elite RAID section of the national police attended the scene and the man was taken into custody this afternoon.
There's been disruption to traffic on the A8 motorway in the Alpes-Maritimes earlier today. A fire broke out in vegitation next to the motorway at Mandelieu late this morning and particularly affected traffic in the westbound direction toward Aix-en-Provence. A water bombing helicopter was used to bring the fire under control and the blaze was extinguished by mid-afternoon.
There's been another fall in the Covid-19 incidence rate in Monaco. According to the government's weekly update, the number of positive cases per 100,000 people over the last 7 days of July was 298.9 compared to 460 the previous week. 117 new positive cases of Covid-19 were detected in the week. The positivity rate for tests carried out on residents and non-residents was 17.28%. As at yesterday evening, 19 people, including 8 residents, were hospitalized at the Princess Grace Hospital. Two patients were being treated in intensive care and 56 people were being monitored by the Home Monitoring Centre.
The municipal police have begun the evacuation of the squatters camp on the digue in the port of Nice. The move follows four months of legal action aimed at removal of the camp. Mayor Christian Estrosi said that mayors in France should be able to intervene directly and that appeals should only be made after the fact. He said that since its creation in 2009, the squat action centre under the authority of the municipal police has been able to carry out the evacuation of 1,032 sites, the eviction of 2,852 people and the demolition of 145 houses or makeshift shelters.
Almost 700 migrants crossed the Channel from France to the UK on Monday, which is the largest number on a single day so far this year. The UK Ministry of Defence said 696 migrants made the crossing. The French authorities stopped one boat at sea with 35 people on board.
Two new 3D terminals for tourists have been installed in Monaco. The terminals, which aim to help vistors find their way around the Principality feature a rendition of Monaco in three dimensions. They have been installed within the tourist office and in the main hall of the railway station and are part of the Extended Monaco programme.
BUSINESS
Energy company BP has reported its biggest quarterly profit for 14 years after oil and gas prices rose. Underlying profit hit $8.45bn for the quarter from April and June. Many campaign groups in the UK have called for a higher windfall tax on oil and gas profits.
Ferrari has reported increased quarterly profits. Net revenues were also up, by 24.9%, versus the previous year. The car maker said that it shipped 3,455 units in the second quarter, up 28.7% on the same quarter last year. Net order intake reached a new record level in the quarter.
SPORT
Cricket... Ollie Robinson has been recalled to the England squad for the first two Tests against South Africa. He's in for Jamie Overton who is out because of injury. Robinson has not played in a Test since January.
Rugby Union... Former head coach of Italy, Franco Smith, has been appointed Glasgow Warriors head coach on a two-year deal. He held several roles at the Italian national team and also played for several teams in his native South Africa in his playing career.
Football... Diogo Jota has signed a new contract with Liverpool keeping him at the club until 2027. His current contract was due to expire in 2025. The Portugal international joined the Merseyside club from Wolves in 2020.
A powerful Mistral storm has swept through Provence, with wind gusts exceeding 150 km/h in some areas. ...
Read More
France’s recently appointed Prime Minister François Bayrou has promised a new government "before Christmas" and reserves the possibility of using 49....
Read More
A four-day strike at DHL has caused delays in package processing, raising concerns about on-time deliveries for Christmas....
Read More
French judges in Avignon will today Thursday 19th December, deliver their verdicts in a mass rape case against 51 men that has appalled France and the...
Read More
Monaco Info and TV Monaco are set to make way for a new television channel on September 1st of 2025. During the debates on the 2025 preliminary budget...
Read More
