NEWS
New Prime Minister Still Pending - Mathilde Panot, leader of far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI), has demanded that President Emmanuel Macron appoint a Prime Minister from the Nouveau Front Populaire, calling the current situation a "democratic anomaly" after Macron's party lost in recent elections. Negotiations are ongoing among left-wing parties to propose a candidate for Prime Minister, with the Socialist Party's Olivier Faure promising a decision soon. Meanwhile, Marine Tondelier of the Ecologists-EELV criticized Macron for not consulting the Nouveau Front Populaire about the appointment. Despite these calls, Macron has asked current Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to stay temporarily to ensure stability.
Carla Bruni - Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy's wife, Carla Bruni, has been summoned before a judge on Tuesday, July 9th, for possible indictment in the Takieddine affair. She is suspected of "concealment of witness tampering" and "criminal association with a view to preparing fraud crimes" while attempting to get Ziad Takieddine to retract his accusations against Sarkozy in an operation called “Save Sarko”.
Heatwave - Météo France warns that temperatures will rise sharply this week, reaching nearly 40°C in the Var and Alpes-Maritimes. They advise avoiding going out during the hottest hours and drinking plenty of water. On Tuesday, 9th July, temperatures are forecasted to be 36°C in Brignoles and 32°C in the Alpes-Maritimes. The peak temperatures will be up to 38°C in Draguignan on Wednesday and 39°C in Brignoles on Thursday. However, temperatures will slightly drop from Friday, not exceeding 32°C this weekend.
Stars'N'Bars Memorabilia Auction - The auctions for the Stars’n’Bars memorabilia have begun in Monaco. A total of 212 items that once adorned the restaurant’s walls are being sold by Artcurial at the Hermitage Hotel. From Tour de France bikes to a tuxedo worn by John Travolta, the auction has already raised 255,680 euros as of Monday. The auction will continue until tomorrow, Wednesday, July 10th, ending at 6 PM at the Hermitage Hotel.
Complaints of Theft during Travis Scott's Concert - Eleven complaints of theft have been lodged following Travis Scott’s concert on Saturday evening at the Allianz Riviera in Nice. Among the 40,000 spectators, eleven reported having their belongings snatched. Some victims also claimed they were gassed before being robbed. Police have arrested two young suspects, aged 21 and 24, who are now in police custody for group snatchings.
Airbnb - The French Council of State annulled a paragraph that allowed Airbnb landlords to benefit from a tax break mistakenly kept in the 2024 finance law. This decision followed requests from tourism organizations and senators. The annulled provision had let property owners pay less tax on short-term rentals than long-term ones. This decision marks a significant step in addressing unfair tax advantages for Airbnb rentals compared to traditional long-term rentals. It arose from a government oversight during the 2023 budget review, where an opposition-introduced article reducing the tax break for furnished tourist rentals was not removed.
BUSINESS
Global trade is struggling with increased protectionism and fragmentation, says World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The EU and US have imposed high tariffs on Chinese EVs, accusing China of unfair subsidies. Despite a 1.2% decline in trade last year due to inflation and interest rates, the WTO forecasts recovery. Trade between like-minded countries is growing faster, potentially costing up to 7% of global output. The EU is reducing economic dependence on China, with ongoing talks about EV tariffs and possible Chinese retaliation. Disruptions in the Panama and Suez Canals further impact global trade. Despite tensions, trade shows resilience, and the WTO aims to help countries adapt and resolve issues.
And - Governments have long used chatbots to automate services, but early versions were limited. With generative AI, there's potential for more efficient, human-like advisors. However, these systems can make mistakes. The UK's GOV.UK and Portugal's Justice Practical Guide chatbots answer basic legal questions but sometimes lack information. Experts caution against replacing human workers with chatbots due to accountability and reliability concerns.
SPORTS
Football - The French team will face Spain, the best team of this Euro so far, in the semifinals on Tuesday night. The French team needs to be cautious of Lamine Yamal, the tournament's most dangerous player, with 12 successful dribbles, 4 shots on target, and 14 key passes. At 16 years old, Yamal is the youngest player to compete in a Euro match. While he hasn't scored yet to set a new record for the youngest scorer, he has already provided three assists.
Meanwhile, Craig Bellamy has become the new Wales manager, having agreed a four-year deal until 2028.
Rugby Union - England will not be fixating on New Zealand's amazing record at Eden Park as they prepare to face the All Blacks in Saturday's second Test in Auckland, says lock Alex Coles. The All Blacks have not lost at their spiritual home for 30 years, a remarkable run of 49 matches unbeaten.
Tennis - On Saturday, one of Jasmine Paolini, Emma Navarro, Lulu Sun or Donna Vekic will appear in their first SW19 final. The quartet make up the same half of the women's last eight and, on Tuesday, two of them will advance to their first semi-final at the All-England Club.
WEATHER
Fine and bright throughout the region with highs of 28 degrees in Nice, Toulon and Marseille, 29 in Cannes, and 33 degrees in Saint-Tropez.
Tonight, clear skies with lows of 23 degrees.
Outlook for tomorrow, Sunny and warm with highs of 29 degrees.
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