Our region is preparing for disruption to public transport tomorrow because of industrial action against pension reforms. No trams will be running in Nice and Lignes d'Azur buses will be disrupted. Envibus services in Sophia Antipolis will be cancelled as will bus services in Antibes. However, on-street parking in Nice will be free of charge. A demonstration is scheduled to take place in central Nice. The march starts at the Jardins Albert Premier at 10am with motorists advised to avoid the area. Meanwhile, lawyers from the Toulon bar staged a protest against the pension reforms earlier today after the formal re-opening of the commercial court for the year. The lawyers approved the continuation of their industrial action at a meeting yesterday. Firefighters from all over France have congregated in Paris today to demonstrate against pension reforms and also to demand a pay rise. A march started at the Place de la République at about 2.00 this afternoon. Earlier today, traffic was disrupted on the périphérique after protestors blocked the road.
According to local reports, six immigrants escaped from a detention centre in Nice over the weekend. The immigrants, who were from the Maghreb, apparently broke out of the detention centre at the Auvare barracks. Authorities have not confirmed the reports.
A collision involving a car and a motorbike caused traffic disruption in central Nice this morning. The collision happened at about 11.00 on the avenue Félix-Faure. The motorbike rider was taken to hospital but isn’t thought to be seriously injured.
Protests against the new Baccalauréat exam have taken place again at the Renoir high school in Cagnes-sur-Mer this morning. Students and adults blockaded the main entrance while leaving a smaller entrance to the school open. Police were present to maintain order during the protest.
Police in Monaco are warning residents of a phone scam. The first cases of the scam were reported around a month ago in which a confidence trickster calls a Monaco landline pretending to be from the police or a tax inspector. Victims are persuaded to hand over bank details or risk a large tax fine. People with their numbers in the phone book are the principal victims and Monaco police warn the public never to give their banking details over the phone and to notify the Sûreté Publique on Monaco 93 15 30 15 without delay if they receive such a call.
BUSINESS
The UK has decided to continue to use equipment by Chinese company Huawei in its 5G networks but with various restrictions. The company will be banned from supplying equipment to "sensitive parts" of the 5G network. It will only be allowed to account for 35% of equipment in a network's periphery and will be excluded from areas near military bases and nuclear sites.
Airbus has announced that the company has agreed a settlement with French, British and US authorities following investigations into allegations of bribery and corruption. In a statement, Airbus, which is based in Tolouse, said the deal was subject to approval by courts in the three countries.
Facebook has become the first large US firm to tell staff to avoid travelling to China because of the coronavirus. Facebook has asked employees to halt non-essential travel to mainland China and told employees who have travelled there to work from home. The company said it was acting "out of an abundance of caution" to protect its employees.
UK food delivery service Just Eat has signed a deal to deliver food from McDonald's in England and Wales. Earlier this month the company announced an agreement to start delivering food from Greggs. Just Eat accepted a takeover bid from Dutch firm Takeaway.com earlier this month but the deal is being investigated by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.
SPORT
Tennis... Roger Federer saved seven match points before beating unseeded American Tennys Sandgren in the Australian Open quarter-finals. The final score was 6-3 2-6 2-6 7-6 6-3 in a match which lasted almost three and a half hours.
Cricket.... England bowler Stuart Broad has been fined 15% of his match fee by the ICC for using "inappropriate language" during the fourth Test against South Africa. Broad was involved in an altercation with South Africa captain Faf du Plessis yesterday. Broad has also been given one demerit point which takes his total to two points in a 24-month period.
Football… Inter Milan have completed the signing of Christian Eriksen from Tottenham. The 27-year-old Denmark midfielder has signed a contract until the end of June 2024.
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A judge has authorised a dive to inspect the wreckage of a plane in the sea off Antibes. The plane crashed into the Mediterranean on September 11 1968...
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