French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal has said that the peak of the current Covid-19 wave has not been reached. However, he added that "we can hope to see the epidemic decline in the coming weeks" and "we are on course" as regards the lifting of restrictions. Just over half a million cases of Covid-19 were recorded in France yesterday, which is a new daily record.
Unemployment has fallen sharply in the fourth quarter of 2021. In France, including the overseas departments and regions but excluding Mayotte, the number of Category A job seekers fell by 5.9% over the quarter and 12 .6% over one year. For categories A, B and C, the number fell by 3.6% over the quarter and by 5.8% over one year.
A national day of inter-professional industrial action is taking place in France tomorrow and there are expected to be disruptions to public transport. Strike action is affecting local TER train services from 7pm this evening until 8am on Friday. Timetables for the next day are pubished at 5pm each day on the SNCF app and the SNCF TER website https://www.ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur Lignes d'Azur bus and tram services will be also be disrupted tomorrow. Nice tramlines 1, 2 and 3 will not run and some bus lines will have no service. You can get more details on www.lignesdazur.com
French and Italian authorities have intercepted a group of migrants attempting to cross from Italy to France in our region. The Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes said that police officers of the Franco-Italian mixed brigade had today intercepted twenty migrants hidden in two heavy goods vehicles.
Traffic was disrupted in Nice this afternoon because of a gas leak. The national police advised people to avoid route de Saint-Pierre de Feric and the surrounding area. Repairs were carried out and authorities said the intervention had ended at about 5pm.
A small fire broke out this morning in an area being used for preparations for the Nice Carnival. The fire at a warehouse in the Saint-Roch area during the assembly of the king's chariot was quickly brought under control. The Nice Carnival gets underway on Friday 11 February.
Monaco has completed a major investment and modernization program to improve the quality of its wastewater treatment. Works have been taking place at the water treatment plant in Fontvieille over the past four years. The facility is the first wastewater treatment plant in the world to be built underground, with zero nuisance. It not only treats wastewater from the Principality but also that from the municipality of Beausoleil and part of the territories of Cap d'Ail and La Turbie, before being discharged 800m off the coast of Monaco at a depth of 100m.
BUSINESS
Car manufacturer Bentley has announced that it will invest £2.5bn over the next ten years as it moves towards making electric vehicles. The first Bentley Battery-Powered Electric Vehicle is scheduled to roll off the production line in 2025. The company said that it is a critical step in a plan launched in 2020 that will ensure Bentley is exclusively electric and end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030.
Budget airline WizzAir has said that it carried 7.8 million passengers with a load factor of 77.1% in the three months to the end of December. The airline exceeded 2019 passenger and capacity levels in the peak holiday travelling period. The company recorded an operating loss of €213.6 million in the quarter as travel restrictions continued to affect demand. In November it placed an order for up to 196 new Airbus neo Family Aircraft.
SPORT
Rugby Union.. England captain Owen Farrell will miss the entire Six Nations because of injury. Surgery will be required on an injury to his ankle. He injured his other ankle in training at Saracens and the club said that they expect him to be out for eight to 10 weeks.
Tennis.... Local French player Alize Cornet is out of the Australian Open after losing to Danielle Collins. Collins is set to play Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals after she defeated Kaia Kanepi. Daniil Medvedev is through to the mens semi-finals after fighting back from match point against Felix Auger-Aliassime. He will now play Stefanos Tsitsipas who defeated Jannik Sinner 6-3 6-4 6-2. Meanwhile, British player Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram have gone throught to the doubles semi-finals.
French scientists have been developing technological tools for the past four years to help athletes optimize their training for the Paris 2024 Olympic...
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Nice airport says as many as 60% of flights will be cancelled tomorrow due to a nationwide strike by air traffic controllers....
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After eight months of work and several sea trials, the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has begun a six-week operation in the Mediterranean, ...
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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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