NEWS
Macron has Rejected Prime Minister Candidacy - Lucie Castets, candidate of the Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), has ruled out a coalition with the presidential camp due to deep political disagreements. She calls on President Emmanuel Macron to appoint her as Prime Minister, accusing him of "denial of democracy." Far-left Manuel Bompard criticizes Macron as power-hungry, while right-wing Valérie Pécresse supports a political truce for the upcoming Olympics. Macron has rejected left-wing Lucie Castets' candidacy, leading to backlash from left-wing leaders who accuse him of imposing his agenda and being out of touch with reality.
France Hosts 2030 Winter Olimpics - France will host the 2030 Winter Olympics in the Alpes, conditional on state and regional financial guarantees. President Macron confirmed his full support. This will follow the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, making it the second Olympics in six years for France. Local officials celebrated the decision, highlighting the event's significance for the region and the country. The French Alpes previously hosted Winter Games in 1924 (Chamonix), 1968 (Grenoble), and 1992 (Albertville).
Theft in Nice International Airport - Three South American men were arrested at the Spanish border for stealing €1.5 million worth of jewellery from two young Emirati women on July 13 at the Nice International Airport. Their car, identified via the Nice airport surveillance, contained cash, luxury jewellery, and fake passports. The suspects, aged around 50, used methods typical of organized South American theft rings, targeting wealthy tourists in Europe. They have been charged with organized theft and have been detained. The investigation involved French, Spanish, and German police, highlighting a surge in luxury watch thefts on the Côte d'Azur.
Mountains Closed Due to Fire Risks - Due to high fire risk, six massifs are closed as of July 24, including Etoile-Garlaban and the Calanques in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The prefecture also placed 18 other massifs, like Chaîne des Côtes and Sainte-Baume, on yellow alert, restricting work after 1 PM and advising residents to have fire extinguishing tools ready. They urge caution to prevent fires, advising against storing combustibles near homes and to call emergency services if a fire is spotted.
Train Fatality - A person has died this morning at 7am after being hit by a train at the Vidauban station. Emergency services responded to the scene, including an ambulance, extrication equipment, a nursing vehicle, a command vehicle, the Draguignan Smur unit, and the national gendarmerie. The TER train, carrying over 140 passengers, stopped on the tracks. As a result, train traffic between Les Arcs in Draguignan and Toulon has been halted.
Littering - An Ipsos survey for the Vinci Autoroutes Foundation found that 27% of French drivers still throw trash out of their car windows on highways, especially in Provence. This behaviour is common among 40% of people under 35 and 24% of smokers. Despite efforts to provide trash bins, large amounts of waste, including plastic bottles and diapers, continue to accumulate. Cleaners collect up to six 200-liter bags of trash daily. Motorists are frustrated by the ongoing littering despite well-maintained rest areas.
BUSINESS
China's economic slowdown and crackdown on displays of wealth are hurting top luxury brands. LVMH's sales in Asia (excluding Japan) fell 14% in Q2, worsening from a 6% decline in Q1. Chinese shoppers are cutting back, and government censors are shutting down influencers flaunting luxury goods. LVMH's overall revenue growth slowed to 1%, with shares dropping nearly 20% in a year. Other brands like Burberry, Swatch Group, Richemont, and Hugo Boss also report significant sales declines in China. The Chinese economy struggles to recover from the pandemic, and authorities are targeting online displays of wealth.
Israeli cybersecurity firm Wiz rejected a $23bn takeover offer from Alphabet (Google's parent company), aiming to reach $1bn in revenue before going public. Founder Assaf Rappaport expressed pride in the offer but decided Wiz could succeed independently. The firm reported $500m in annual recurring revenue and claimed to be the fastest-growing software company, hitting $100m in its first 18 months. Wiz, founded by former Israeli military tech experts, previously sold a startup to Microsoft for $320m. Valued at $12bn in May, Wiz plans an IPO instead of selling.
And - The village of Beuil in the Alpes-Maritimes is reopening the bidding process for managing its municipal campground, disappointing the current managers who invested €700,000 and hoped for a commercial lease. The mayor at the time had promised a lease, but it was not in writing. The current municipal council decided to continue with a public service delegation, leading to new bids and candidates. This decision is also influenced by a personal conflict involving the former mayor. The current manager, Julie Carletti, has started a petition with 25,000 signatures to retain her position, and a legal battle over the investments is ongoing.
SPORTS
Paris Olympics – The Paris Olympics are just days away. Team GB has named a squad of 327 athletes and UK Sport has set a target of 50 to 70 medals at the Games. The Games open on Friday, 26 July and close on Sunday, 11 August, although some of the sporting action starts on Wednesday, 24 July.
Diving - Tom Daley will make a comeback to the Olympic games after 16 years of not competing. He was 14 at the 2008 edition in Beijing and will return on Monday for his fifth Games in Paris. The Olympic Gold medallist had an emotional journey where he dealt with the death of his father, married his partner Dustin Lance Black, become a father of two sons and effectively retired, only to announce a comeback...
Gymnastics - Rhys McClenaghan is already one of the most successful athletes from Northern Ireland. The 25-year-old is a two-time world champion on the pommel horse, a three-time European gold medallist and a Commonwealth Games winner.
Soccer - The Canadian Olympic Committee has apologised after a Canada Soccer staff member allegedly flew a drone over a New Zealand women's football team training session.
Rugby Sevens Results - Australia beat Samoa 21-14, Argentina won over Kenya 31-12, France and the United States drew 12-12, Fiji defeated Uruguay 40-12, Ireland beat south Africa in a tight game 10-5, and New zealand won over Japan with 40-12. Later today, Australia goes against Kenya, Argentina will face Samoa, France will face Uruguay, Fiji goes against United states, Ireland will face Japan and New Zealand will face South Africa at half past 9
Football - Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca does not think there will be "any problems at all" when midfielder Enzo Fernandez joins up with his squad on Monday on their US pre-season tour, amid ongoing disciplinary proceedings into alleged racism.
Rugby Union - Premiership champions Northampton will open the 2024-25 campaign away to Bath on Friday, 20 September in a repeat of last season's final.
WEATHER
Partly cloudy with moderate to highs winds in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Highs of 28 degrees in Nice, 30 in Cannes, 32 in Marseille, 33 in Saint-Tropez, and 35 degrees in Toulon.
Tonight, clear skies with lows of 24 degrees.
Outlook for tomorrow, bright and clear with highs of 29 degrees and a gentle breeze.
BEACH WEATHER
If you’re going to the beach this evening, you can expect some sun with highs of 29 degrees in Nice, 33 in Saint-Tropez and 35 degrees in Hyères les Palmiers. The sea temperatures reaches 26 degrees. And, the UV level is 9.
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Marseille has been hit by heavy rain with businesses in the old port of the city flooded on Wednesday afternoon. Shopkeepers found themselves taken b...
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