Evening Update Wednesday 8 February 2023

French unions have announced another day of industrial action on Thursday 16 February. That's in addition to the day of action already scheduled for this coming Saturday. It will be the fifth day of strikes in protest at the government's proposed plans to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.

TV station BFM Nice Côte d'Azur has said that one of its journalist was attacked on the sidelines of the demonstration against the pension reforms in Nice yesterday. In a post on social media Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi offered his support to the journalist, saying that "demonstrating is a right" but "no violence against journalists, security or emergency services can be tolerated".

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected in Paris this evening. Reports in French media say that he'll  meet President Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. President Zelensky has been in London today where he made an address to Parliament.

A man has died after being hit by a car on the A50 motorway in the Bouches-du-Rhone. The accident happened in the early hours of this morning near Aubagne. Traffic was disrupted in the direction towards Toulon.

The World Artificial Intelligence Festival is getting underway in Cannes today. It's running in parallel with an exhibition dedicated to artificial intelligence from February 9 to 11 at the Palais des Festivals. There's entertainment and other fun and cultural events on the theme of AI open to the general public and offered free of charge by Cannes City Hall and its partners and the exhibition is open to the public on Saturday. You can get more information in English on the website www.worldaicannes.com

 

BUSINESS

French energy company TotalEnergies has today reported a record profit of 20.5 billion dollars for the year 2022. Profit for the last quarter of 2022 was 7.6 billion dollars. The company is the world's second largest producer of liquified natural gas, which has been in high demand because of the disruption to gas delivered by pipeline during the war in Ukraine.

Turkey's stock market suspended trading earlier today after the Bist100 share index fell 7% in early trading. It follows falls yesterday after the devastating earthquakes which hit the country earlier this week.

Shipping company Maersk has said that it expects a sharp decline in profits this year. In its annual report published today it said the reduction is expected because of anticipated falls in freight rates and container volumes. The company reported record profits last year.

 

SPORT

Cricket... England were 465 all out in only 69.2 overs in the first day of their warm up match against a New Zealand XI. Harry Brook hit five sixes in one over.

Football... Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris has been ruled out for between six and eight weeks with a knee injury. He sustained ligament damage in last weekend's game against Manchester City.

Basketball... LeBron James has become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The Los Angeles Lakers player scored 38 points in last night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, meaning he's beaten the previous record set by Abdul-Jabbar in 1989.

 

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