NEWS
New Prime Minister Still Pending - Nearly two months after the legislative elections, the appointment of a new French Prime Minister is still pending. President Emmanuel Macron has been discussing potential candidates, including former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Xavier Bertrand, with political leaders. While some on the right are open to Bertrand’s nomination, they seek assurances on the government's stability. Meanwhile, other names like Economist Thierry Beaudet and Labour leader Laurent Berger have emerged, though Berger has declined the role.
Heat Record in August - August 2024 was the hottest since 2003 in Provence, with average temperatures between 26 and 27 degrees Celsius. Notably, temperatures at Marignane and Le Luc reached daytime highs of 32.9°C and 35.3°C, respectively. Despite perceptions of a less sunny summer, this August will be remembered for its record-breaking heat, highlighting how quickly people have adapted to climate change.
Var under Drought Alert - The Var region is under an enhanced drought alert, with 85 municipalities facing water usage restrictions due to prolonged dry conditions. The measures, imposed by the prefecture, affect farmers, water parks, and municipalities, forcing them to adapt to the worsening drought. Water levels in the area continue to drop, making water conservation crucial for everyone.
Fire in Saint-Victoret - Around 50 firefighters have been mobilized on Tuesday morning to tackle a fire at a car dealership in Saint-Victoret, near Marseille. The fire was brought under control by late morning, with no injuries reported. While the dealership was preserved, a 500-square-meter workshop was affected by the flames.
Laser Propreté - The SNCF has terminated its contract with the cleaning company Laser Propreté at Marseille's Saint-Charles station, citing "fraudulent practices" and poor service quality. The SNCF noted that employees were assigned to multiple contracts simultaneously, and the company failed to provide additional staff during the Olympics. Internal social conflicts within Laser Propreté also contributed to the decision.
Car Accident in Vaucluse - A 20-year-old man has been critically injured in a car accident on Monday evening in Crillon-le-Brave, Vaucluse, and was urgently evacuated to Marseille's Nord Hospital. His car collided with another vehicle on the D138 road, and the occupants of the other car fled the scene.
Kindergarten Teacher has Fatal Cardiac Arrest - A tragic event occurred when a 57-year-old teacher suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in front of her students shortly after 8 a.m at a kindergarten in Marseille. A psychological support unit has been set up at the school to assist affected students and staff throughout the week.
BUSINESS
The U.S. economy has seen both successes and challenges under Trump and Biden, with both administrations achieving similar average GDP growth rates of around 2.2-2.3%. Job growth has been faster under Biden, largely due to post-pandemic recovery, but inflation and wage growth have been major concerns, with wages struggling to keep up with rising prices. Both presidents have overseen record stock market levels, though each faced significant economic disruptions.
The UK government awarded nine offshore wind farm contracts as part of a broader push for green energy, after last year's auction failed due to inadequate price guarantees. These new projects, including Europe's largest wind farms, aim to help meet the goal of producing 60GW of energy through offshore wind by 2030, though more capacity is still needed to hit this target.
And - British holiday park company Pontins has apologized to the Irish Traveller community for previously refusing bookings based on their ethnicity, acknowledging this was "clearly wrong." This apology is part of a one-year action plan developed with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to combat discrimination, after an investigation revealed discriminatory practices, including a "banned list" of Irish surnames. The plan includes measures to ensure a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and will be monitored by the EHRC.
SPORTS
In the Paralympic top 5 so far, China are still far ahead with 43 gold medals, followed by Great Britain with 29, the US are in third with 13, Brazil have 12, and France are at the bottom with 11. Today, 50 gold medals are up for grabs in swimming, shooting, archery, athletics, table-tennis, equestrian and fencing competitions.
Yesterday,
Archery – Pregnant Para-archer Jodie Grinham and Nathan Macqueen clinched gold for Great Britain by beating Iran 155-151 in the mixed team compound final.
Swimming – Great Britain have won two swimming gold medals in 15 magical minutes in the pool at the Paris Paralympics on Monday.
Meanwhile,
Rugby League – Warrington Wolves prop Paul Vaughan will miss their final three matches of the regular season following his red card in Friday’s defeat by Leigh Leopards.
Tennis – World number one Jannik Sinner produced some of his best tennis of the US Open so far to beat Tommy Paul and set up a tantalising quarter-final against Daniil Medvedev.
WEATHER
Cloudy with sunny spells across the region that will turn into thunderous clouds this evening with gentle winds. Highs of 29 degrees in Nice, 30 degrees in Cannes, Toulon and Marseille, and 31 degrees in Saint-Tropez.
Tonight, cloudy all over the region with lows of 22 degrees.
Outlook for tomorrow, much the same, cloudy morning and afternoon, and thunderous evening with highs of 28 degrees.
BEACH WEATHER
Sea Temperatures 27 degrees
UV levels 6
Air temperatures 31 degrees with a gentle breeze
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