NEWS
Massive wildfire - A massive wildfire in the Corbières area of the Aude department has burned over 13,000 hectares in less than 24 hours, making it the largest fire of summer 2025. Over 1,900 firefighters, including 250 from the PACA region, are battling the blaze using all available land and air resources. The fire has spread across 15 communes, causing one death, nine injuries, among which are seven firefighters, and one person is missing. Conditions have slightly improved, but efforts to control the fire continue.
Wildfire under control - A wildfire broke out on the evening of the 5th of August burning four hectares of natural land in the Vallon des Muets area in Lançon-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône. Around 120 firefighters with 35 vehicles quickly responded and contained the fire by 1am that night. Favourable weather helped limit the blaze's spread. Another smaller fire in Arles also burned one hectare of brushland.
Yet another fire disrupts train traffic - A fire broke out on Wednesday, the 6th of August, burning around 15 vehicles at the municipal impound lot in Villeneuve-Loubet, Alpes-Maritimes. Smoke spread over the area, and flames reached nearby vegetation by the SNCF railway. Train traffic was temporarily halted, causing delays.
Woman assaulted after telling a man not to throw his cigarette butt out of the window - A woman has been assaulted after confronting a man who threw his cigarette butt out of his car window in the Var. The man stopped his vehicle, insulted her, strangled her through the window, and punched her in the face. She suffered injuries, filed a police report, and provided a video of the attacker fleeing. Authorities are investigating, with the suspect’s Luxembourg license plate under review.
Cocteau's heritage in danger - Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s historic submarine Saga and its nearby scientific building, nicknamed "the Camembert", are under threat in Marseille due to structural decay. Moving the submarine could collapse the pier it's on, and port authorities want to demolish the adjacent building. Locals and associations are fighting to preserve the site for its scientific and cultural value. The city supports them, but safety concerns make the future of the site uncertain.
Jean-Michel Jarre and his wife Gong Li on holiday in Saint-Tropez - Jean-Michel Jarre and his wife, Chinese actress Gong Li, have been seen relaxing on the beach at Cheval Blanc in Saint-Tropez. The couple, together since 2019, are regular visitors to the area, with Jarre’s connection to Saint-Tropez dating back to the 1970s. He previously visited with ex-wives Charlotte Rampling and Anne Parillaud. Gong Li is widely recognized as one of Asia’s top actresses.
Be protective of your steak - A seagull has snatched an €86 steak from an American couple dining at a beach restaurant in Cannes, in a moment caught on video and widely shared online. While amusing, this reflects a growing issue as seagulls increasingly interact with humans in search of food. Cities like Cannes and Nice have tried to control the population through egg sterilization, but gulls continue to thrive. Experts say open trash and human feeding habits contribute to their bold behaviour.
BUSINESS
Labubu dolls and plush toys, a global craze from China, have become hugely popular in France, especially among kids and teens. However, hundreds have been pulled from markets in the Var department due to safety concerns, such as easily detachable eyes that pose a choking hazard. The toys are often sold without proper safety labels or instructions, sometimes written in Chinese, making it difficult for French parents to read them. Authorities have launched inspections and seized 350 plush toys in one night, urging parents to avoid buying them outside official retail channels.
And - Two Chinese nationals have been charged with illegally exporting advanced Nvidia AI chips from the US to China through their company, ALX Solutions. The DOJ alleges they bypassed export laws by routing shipments via Singapore and Malaysia, falsely declaring recipients. Some shipments included restricted Nvidia H100 and RTX 4090 GPUs. If convicted, the pair could face up to 20 years in prison.
SPORTS
Football – AS Monaco is preparing to go against FC Internazionale Milano in a much awaited friendly match on the 8th of August at home in the Stade Louis II, before the League 1 kicks off again on the 15th of August. This is the chance for Monaco to take their revenge from their last friendly where they had lost 3-0 against Milan. Though Paul Pogba has joined the AS Monaco, he won’t be touching a ball with the club for another 3 months. Tickets are available on Retrouvez nos offres pour AS MONACO/FC INTERNAZIONALE MILANO | AS Monaco
Formula 1 - McLaren Formula 1 boss Zak Brown says Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will "not properly fall out" as their title fight comes to a head. Brown, McLaren Racing's chief executive officer, said he expects the pair to "swap paint again at some point" after Norris ran into the back of Piastri in Canada in June.
Tennis - Clara Tauson reached the last four of the Canadian Open by beating Grand Slam champion Madison Keys 6-1 6-4 on Tuesday to reach just the second WTA 1000 semi of her career.
WEATHER
Mostly sunny with occasional hazy intervals and showery thunderstorms above Tende accompanied by a gentle breeze. Highs of 28 degrees in Nice, Toulon and Marseille and 29 degrees in Cannes and Saint-Tropez.
Tonight, mostly clear with lows of 21 degrees.
Outlook for tomorrow, fine and bright with highs of 29 degrees and gentle to moderate winds.
A stormy and rainy episode is expected tomorrow in the Alpes-Maritimes and Var, with heavy rainfall possibly reaching 100mm along the coast....
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France is seeing record chikungunya cases, with 154 nationwide, including 33 in a single neighbourhood of Vitrolles, in the PACA region. ...
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Motorists on the coastal road between Nice and Cagnes-sur-Mer (RM6098) have been hit with a flurry of speeding fines after the limit was reduced from ...
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After the on-air death of streamer Raphaël Graven, known as Jean Pormanove, several footballers and influencers are accused of having supported or app...
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