Evening Update Tuesday 26 May 2020

The use of the controversial drug hydroxychloroquine is being halted in France after decisions by two health bodies today. The HCSP High Council for Public Health has recommended that the drug not be used in the treatment of Covid-19 outside clinical trials and the ANSM Medicines Agency said it had started a procedure for "suspending the inclusion of patients in clinical trials carried out in France". Yesterday, the World Health Organization suspended clinical trials of the drug it was involved in conducting.

French Culture Minister Franck Riester has said that the government are aiming to reopen cinemas from the beginning of July. Speaking in an interview earlier today he said that theatres may reopen sooner.

Healthcare workers have staged a demonstration in front of the hospital in Grasse this morning. Reports said that about 100 people were involved in the protest against salary and staffing levels. The protestors said that they intend to demonstrate every Tuesday morning for the next few weeks. Other protests have been organized in Nice and Draguignan.

Two beaches on the Île de Porquerolles are set to reopen. The municipality of Hyeres said that the Argent and Notre-Dame beaches will be reopened. La Courtade is already open. The beaches will be open from 8am to 6pm and restrictions will be in place, including the banning of alcohol consumption and picnics, as well as social distancing of two metres between groups of people.

Nice Mayor, Christian Estrosi, is one of 150 well known personalities who have signed a manifesto calling for  changes to be made to support the elderly. The Mayor said that he was calling for a "rethink of the link between generations and to mobilize all the levers of society to meet the demographic challenge of old age".

Another sporting event in our region has been cancelled. The DH MTB Mountain Biking Cup was due to take place in Valberg in August after having been postponed from July, but the event has now been cancelled.

Authorities have called for widespread coronavirus testing in the wake of the unauthorised football match in Strasbourg over the weekend. Several hundred people attended the game in a local stadium in breach of deconfinement regulations. The Prefect of the Bas-Rhin department, Josiane Chevalier, said that it was an "incomprehensible, irresponsible, very serious event". The department is still in a Red area.

BUSINESS

Automotive company McLaren has annnounced that it's cutting 1,200 jobs. The company, which has a division involved in engineering technology, as well as car production and it's Formula1 team, currently employs about 4,000 people.

The trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange has reopened today. A reduced number of personnel will be present who must avoid public transport, wear masks and follow strict social distancing rules. Transparent barriers have been installed to keep people apart. Workers will also be screened and have their temperatures taken as they enter the building.

The Hong Kong tycoon credited with turning Macau into the world's gambling capital, has died at the age of 98. Stanley Ho dominated the casino business in the former Portuguese colony after winning a government monopoly licence in the 1960s.

SPORT

Golf... Rory McIlroy has said that he believes this year's Ryder Cup will be postponed until 2021. He said it was a "personal hunch" that the tournament wouldn't be played this year. Speaking to the BBC, he said "the majority of players would like to see it pushed back until 2021 so that they can play in front of crowds and have the atmosphere that makes the Ryder Cup so special". McIlroy also said that his caddie, Harry Diamond, is going into quarantine for two weeks prior to the return of the PGA Tour on 11 June. Players and caddies based outside the United States have to go into quarantine in the US before resuming the season.

Motorsports... Formula E racing driver Daniel Abt has been suspended by Audi after he got a professional gamer to play under his name in an esports version of the series last weekend. The professional gamer finished in third palce in Saturday's race. Suspicions were raised because Abt failed to score a single point in the previous four rounds. Audi said that "integrity, transparency and consistent compliance with applicable rules are top priorities."

Football... Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has tested positive for coronavirus. He said that one other person at the club had also tested positive, but that person's identity hasn't been made public. Almost 1,000 Premier League players and club staff were tested in the second round of testing last week.

AC Milan have said that striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has suffered a calf injury in training. He'll undergo a further medical examination in ten days time. The Italian government is expected to make an announcement on Thursday if and when the Serie A season can restart.

Former Manchester City player Glyn Pardoe has died at the age of 73. He made 380 appearances for the club between 1962 and 1976 and scored the winning goal in the 1970 League Cup Final.