A child has died after falling from the 18th floor of a building in Marseille. The tragic incident occurred last night in the 15th arondissement of the city. The circumstances surrounding the fall are being investigated by local authorities.
French political figure Dominique de Villepin has announced that he has launched a new party. The 71 year old former French Prime Minister said that he had decided to create what he called “a movement of ideas, of citizens” and that there is a “need to bring all French people together to defend social justice and the Republican order”. De Villepin was Prime Minister for two years, from May 2005 to May 2007 and also held other governmental positions including Minister of the Interior and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The new party will be known as La France Humaniste.
Two massifs in the Var are at "severe" fire risk today. They are the Haut-Var and Sainte-Baume Massifs. Access is not recommended, and works are regulated from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. and prohibited after 1 p.m. The other massifs in the departments are at "moderate" risk. A frequently updated access map, safety, and work regulations can be found on the Prefecture's website www.var.gouv.fr
Several hybrid and electric cars have been damaged by fire in the parking lot of a car dealership in Aix-en-Provence. About thirty firefighters attended the blaze at the dealership in the city centre yesterday evening. No injuries were reported.
France's ambassador to Israel has said that "800 to 900" French nationals will be evacuated from Israel by Thursday. Speaking to French media today, Frederic Journes said he had received between 4,000 and 5,000 calls from French citizens in recent days. He said that vulnerable people were being prioritised and that a flight had transported 100 people from Israel to Cyprus on Tuesday. He added that several planes were also flying French citizens from Israel to Jordan.
The first of sixteen statues has been replaced on the spire of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. The statues escaped the fire which devastated the cathedral in April 2019. They had been removed for restoration just a few days before the blaze. The first to be hoisted back into place yesterday was a statue of Saint Paul weighing about 150 kilograms. The remaining statues will be put back on the spire between now and the end of July.
The city council in Strasbourg has voted to twin the city with a Palestinian refugee camp. The contentious decision to twin Strasbourg with Aida in the West Bank was passed by 49 votes to 10 with 5 abstentions following a heated debate during the council meeting. Two other proposals, to pursue enhanced cooperation with the town of Bethlehem and to give financial support to residents of Gaza were also passed.
A 23 year old has lost his driving licence after being clocked doing 247 km per hour on the A7 motorway in the Vaucluse département. He was at the wheel of a Ferrari which apparently belonged to his mother. The vehicle was impounded.
BUSINESS
The UK Competition and Markets Authority has today proposed designating Google with 'strategic market status' in general search and search advertising. The CMA has published a roadmap of potential actions it says it could prioritise were Google to be designated. It said that "early priorities" include requiring choice screens for users to access different search providers; ensuring fair ranking principles for businesses appearing on Google search; more transparency and control for publishers whose content appears in search results, and portability of consumer search data to support innovation in new products and services. The CMA is currently consulting on the proposal and will make a final decision in October.
The trade deal between the UK and the United States is set to come into force after details were published in the Federal Register in the US. The deal means that US tariffs on steel imports from the UK will be reduced to zero and auto sector tariffs will be 10%, subject to certain limits.
Amazon has confirmed various plans for expansion in the UK. They include four new warehouses, two new office buildings and several data centres. The company said that the plans would create several thousand new jobs.
Locally, Indosuez Wealth Management, the wealth management subsidiary of the Crédit Agricole Group, has announced that its entity in Monaco, CFM Indosuez, has signed an agreement to acquire the Wealth Management clients of the BNP Paribas Group subsidiary in Monaco. The finalisation of the transaction remains subject to the prior approval of the relevant supervisory authorities, and is expected to be completed during the first half of 2026.
SPORT
Cricket... It's day five of the First Test at Headingley today. This morning England resumed on 21 for no loss, chasing 371 to beat India, who required 10 wickets to win.
Tennis... A statue of Andy Murray is set to be commissioned by the All England Club for display at Wimbledon. Murray won the men's singles at the tournament in 2013 and 2016. The statue has been under discussion for several years and the unveiling is now planned for 2027, according to the Club.
A child has died after falling from the 18th floor of a building in Marseille. The tragic incident occurred last night in the 15th arondissement ...
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French air traffic controllers have filed a strike notice for the start of the summer holidays, in a dispute over working conditions....
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The French National Assembly is set to debate the current conflict in the Middle East on Wednesday
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French president Emmanuel Macron has held an urgent meeting of his national defence and security council on Sunday evening after the US waded into the...
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The porn sites YouPorn, Pornhub, and RedTube have been reactivated in France by their owner, Aylo, after a French court suspended a law requiring age ...
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