An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of last night’s shooting in Draguignan. Reports say that an altercation took place between a shopkeeper and a couple during which the police were called. Shots were then fired during a car chase involving the police and the couple in the centre of the town. A chase on foot then followed. The couple, a 50 year old man and a 47 year old woman, were taken to hospital but their lives are not believed to be in danger. The mayor of Draugignan, Richard Strambio, has said that he condemns in a "very virulent way” such behaviour against the police force.
The Prefect of the Alpes Maritimes has announced that a police officer will be stationed at the emergency department of the Pasteur 2 hospital in Nice. The moves comes after complaints by employees about a number of assaults which have occurred since the start of this year. The measure was welcomed by the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi.
The Monts Toulonnais forest massif has been placed on a rare Extreme Fire Alert for today. Three other massifs in the Var are at Very Severe fire risk level. For tomorrow, four massifs have been classified as Very Severe Risk, three as Severe Risk and the remaining two as Moderate Risk. Meanwhile, the Calanques National Park near Marseille has been closed today because of the high fire risk. Forest officers, park agents and guards have been deployed to attempt to keep tourists out of the park and to watch for any fire risks.
The Prefect of the Var has issued an order regulating the use of fireworks by individuals. The order prohibits the use of fireworks and pyrotechnic items on the public highway or in the direction of public roads and in all places where large gatherings of people are held. The order is in force for the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th of August.
Five people were injured in a head-on collision between two cars on the RD25 near Le Muy late last night. All the injured were holidaymakers and were treated at the roadside by a passing doctor and emergency services from several nearby communes. One person had to be cut free from the wreckage. The injured were treated at the health centre in Gassin.
A cyclist has been seriously injured after being hit by a car in Cabris this morning. The 78 year old was airlifted to the Pasteur Hospital in Nice. An investigation has been opened by the prosecutor’s office in Grasse.
Police in Frejus and Saint-Raphaël are drawing attention to a new scam carried out on tourists and residents who are drinking or eating on restaurant terraces. The scam involves people being asked to sign a petition or being presented with a piece of paper. While their attention is diverted, thieves attempt to steal their wallet or phone.
The unemployment rate in France has fallen slightly to 8.5% in the second quarter, according to French statistics agency INSEE. Unemployment in France, excluding the Mayotte, fell by 0.2%, meaning that there were 2.52 million people unemployed.
The WWF sail boat Blue Panda docked in the Port of Nice yesterday as part of a Mediterranean-wide tour to promote the banning of plastics. The boat is open to the public from 9am to 8pm and there are various attractions on board including a photographic exhibition. It’s in Nice until Friday.
BUSINESS
German GDP fell by 0.1% in the April-to-June period compared with the previous quarter, according to the Federal Statistics Office. The new figures take the annual growth rate in Germany down to 0.4%.
In the UK, The CPI measure of inflation rose to 2.1% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics. The ONS said that computer games and consoles and hotel prices rose more than they did last year while the cost of several forms of travel didn’t rise by as much as 12 months ago.
First Group has announced that it has won the franchise to run the London to Glasgow West Coast rail service with Trenitalia UK. The companies will take over the service from 8 December. Virgin Trains, which is co-owned by Virgin and Stagecoach, currently runs the route.
China has announced that it is still intending to be present at trade talks with the United States scheduled for September. It comes after the US announced that it was delaying tarrifs on some Chinese imports such as mobile phones, laptops and video game consoles. Meanwhile, new data published by the Chinese government shows that industrial output rose 4.8% year on year and retail sales grew 7.6% against the previous year - that’s the slowest rate since 2002.
SPORT
Cricket…. The first day of the second Ashes Test between England and Australia was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of rain at Lord's today. A break in the weather did allow a start to be scheduled this afternoon, only for further rain to intervene. Australia lead the five match series 1-0 at the moment.
Tennis...Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Masters because of a recurring back injury. Williams has had to retire or withdraw from all five of her non-Grand Slam events so far this year.
Rugby Union..Duncan Taylor will start for Scotland for the first time in two years in the Summer Test against France. Adam Hastings starts at fly-half with Stuart Hogg at full-back for the match in Nice. Saturday's game is the first of two matches against France, with the return at Murrayfield the following Saturday,
Football… In the Uefa Super Cup tonight Champions League winners Liverpool take on Europa League winners Chelsea at the Besiktas Park in Istanbul.
A group of experts have come up with more than 150 recommendations for how Nice can deal with the increasing effects of climate change....
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Some communes in the Alpes-Maritimes will be plunged into darkness this Monday evening. For the third year running to mark Earth Day, mayors in the Al...
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Gendarmes in the Var have appealed for information after a 34-year-old man went missing in Cavalaire-sur-Mer....
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A man from Nice used a stolen bank card to make purchases in Monaco, spending over €1,700 in various shops, mostly on airpods that he planned to resel...
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Electric bike-sharing firm Pony says all of its vehicles will be back out on the streets of Nice no later than June, after they were withdrawn last mo...
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