Evening Update Tuesday 24 September

There’s severe disruption to the region's transport network today because of industrial action. No trams are operating in Nice and bus services are badly disrupted, with many bus services cancelled. All on-street parking in Nice is free of charge today. On the trains, there’s a much reduced service on local TER trains during this evenings rush hour, although more trains are expected to be operating than during the rush hour this morning. TGV services are less disrupted. Travelers can check www.sncf.com

Union members have held a demonstration in Toulon this morning. They were protesting at pension reforms. The number of protestors was variously estimated at between 400 and 800. A march was also held in protest at the reforms in front of the sub-prefecture in Draguignan. About 200 protestors were present at that demonstration.

Two men have been released under judicial supervision after a fight involving three people on the Cours Saleya in Nice on Saturday evening. One of the men is alleged to have been carrying a gun. They appeared in court last night for a preliminary hearing with the full trial being scheduled for the 28th of October.

A building at a school in Saint-Maximin was evacuated this morning because of a nearby gas leak. Construction workers accidentally ruptured a gas pipe near the Lycée Maurice-Janetti. Fifteen firefighters and police officers intervened with several emergency vehicles. The leak was located and supplies shut off, allowing the students to return to their classes.

A man in his 60s has been taken to hospital in a critical condition after he was hit by a car on the A8 motorway. The incident occurred around 8pm yesterday evening just after the Antibes exit westbound. Police have appealed for any witnesses to come forward to determine the exact cause of the accident.

The road between Castellar and Menton has re-opened to traffic. The road was closed because of a landslide but vehicles are now allowed on the road again, although there is an alternating traffic system.

 

BUSINESS

 

Uber has had its right to operate in London extended for two months. The firm lost its licence in 2017 due to public safety concerns, after which a judge granted a 15-month extension which was due to expire tomorrow. Transport for London said Uber’s licence would now be renewed temporarily while it requested additional information from the company.

The German government is considering issuing financial aid to the Condor airline after the collapse of Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook has a 49% share in the airline. Condor has applied for a bridging loan from the German federal government and is awaiting a response. German media are reporting that the amount requested was 200m euros.

Revenues at Manchester United have hit a record £627m for the year to July.  Broadcast revenue soared by 18%, thanks to a new Uefa Champions League broadcasting deal, while commercial income was flat. But the club expects revenue and profits to fall in 2019-20 after failing to make the Champions League this season.

Three current and former Volkswagen executives have been charged with market manipulation in connection with the diesel emissions scandal. German prosecutors allege that they did not inform capital markets early enough about devices which defeated emissions tests. All three deny the charges.

 

SPORT

Tennis… Andy Murray has won his first singles match at Tour level since January with a three-set win over Tennys Sandgren in the first round of the Zhuhai Championships in China. Murray continued his comeback from hip resurfacing surgery by winning 6-3  6-7  6-1.

Cricket…. No play has been possible today on the second day of Warwickshire's County Championship game against Yorkshire because of a waterlogged outfield at Edgbaston. Following heavy rain in Birmingham, play was called off before lunch with Yorkshire waiting to resume on 261-2. The fixtures at Kent, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Middlesex and Sussex all saw no action in the morning session because of bad weather.

Athletics… Glasgow's Emirates Arena will host British Athletics' Indoor Grand Prix and Indoor Championships next February. The event will take place on 15 February, and the Indoor Championships will be held in the city for the first time the following weekend. It means the entire British indoor season will be held in Scotland.

MA NOLAN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP REPORT

Russia have been playing Samoa in Pool A today. Final score Russia 9, Samoa 34.

Tomorrow Fiji play Uruguay in Pool D and on Thursday Italy play Canada in Pool B while England face the United States in Pool C. England have made changes for the USA game as coach Eddie Jones looks to deal with the short turnaround between matches. Only five of the players who started the match against Tonga on Sunday will begin against the USA in Kobe on Thursday, with George Ford captaining the side.

Meanwhile, the sport’s governing body, World Rugby, has said that the refereeing at the World Cup's opening weekend has not been good enough. In an unprecedented step, World Rugby has released a statement criticising the standard of officiating over the first few days of the tournament. The opening matches featured a number of controversial incidents.

 

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