News
Weather warning - The Var region has been placed on a yellow weather alert due to storms forecast. Meteo France issued the warning which is in place from 3pm to 8pm this evening. 14 other departments are on a yellow storm or avalanche alert this Friday, all located in the south.
Teenager stabbed in Nice - A teenager has been stabbed in Nice. The incident occurred on Thursday in the Moulins district of the city. The victim who was slightly injured was taken to the Lenval hospital. It’s the second attack of its kind in just one month. On May 11th, a teenager was injured by stab wounds in the thigh, on the Promenade des Anglais. Two people were arrested and taken into custody.
Court upholds ban - A court in Nice has upheld a ban on demonstrations and protests around the Cannes film festival. A group of lawyers and magistrates had tried to have the ban overturned, arguing that it was an attack on freedom of expression. The ban on demonstrations was set out in a decree by the Alpes-Maritimes préfecture and applies to a defined perimeter around the Palais des Festivals and the Croisette during the film festival. The court ruled this week that the measure was legal as it was clearly defined and for a restricted period of time. It came into force on Tuesday, the opening day of the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Train tickets at 1 euro - 10,000 train tickets will go on sale on Tuesday May 23rd for travel between May 24 and July 5. The SNCF will put 10,000 "Ouigo Classic Train" tickets on sale at 1 euro to celebrate one year of its ultra-low-cost TGV. The sale of these tickets which will begin Tuesday at 7 a.m. for a trip scheduled between May 24 and July 5 will only last one day. To book, go to the OUIGO app or the ouigo.com website.
Speed cameras - Two new speed cameras have been installed on the A8 motorway between the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var between Mandelieu-La Napoule and Fréjus. The limit on the first stretch of the motorway is 110km/hr, the second 130km/hr.
Ban on smoking in woods and forests - France's National Assembly has voted to ban smoking in woods and forests throughout the country during times of heightened forest fire risk. The measure is part of a broader law on preventing fires. The smoking ban applies within a 200-metre radius of all wooded areas. Discarded cigarette butts are a frequent cause of forest fires. The new law comes with criminal sanctions including up to 10 years in prison and a €150,000 fine if a smoker is found to be responsible for a fire in which people are killed or injured.
Meanwhile, a large part of the Vaucluse department has been placed on a heightened drought alert, with conditions said to be the worst seen in 150 years. Several river basins in the department had already been on alert since mid-April due to a rainfall deficit. The Vaucluse préfecture said this was one of the driest periods observed in the region since 1870. As summer approaches, France is again facing the threat of serious drought. Several departments in the south of the country have already imposed restrictions on the use of
water.
Mega yacht anchored off Antibes - Paul Allen's former mega yacht has anchored off the coast of Antibes. One of the world’s biggest yachts the “Octopus” was once the former mega yacht of American billionaire Paul Allen, who died in 2018. 128 meters long, it is one of the largest private yachts in the world. According to reports when Paul Allen died, the yacht was sold to a buyer who wished to remain anonymous for more than $250 million. It is now available for hire at a reported 2.2 million euros a week. It’s said to be named after the Beatles song “Octopus’s Garden” and boasts three helicopter landing pads, a midget submarine, a swimming pool, a basketball court, a movie theatre, and a videoconference room.
Cannes Film Festival – American actor Harrison Ford attended the star-studded premiere for The Dial Of Destiny on Thursday at the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival. The veteran actor, 80, graced the red carpet for the first glimpse of the much-anticipated film, alongside his with and co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge. The premiere proved to be the most popular ticket for this year's Cannes Festival. The film, set for release on June 30, has been directed by James Mangold.
Business
G7 leaders are holding their annual meeting in Hiroshima, Japan. Ukraine is top of the agenda along with Russian sanctions. According to reports Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the summit in person. China will also be a talking point as the G7 leaders want to ensure a "free and open Indo-Pacific" and there will also be discussions on climate change, food security, health, and nuclear disarmament. The G7 comprises the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan - but eight other nations have been invited this year
China has overtaken Japan as the world's top car exporter. Official figures show that in the first three months of the year China exported 1.07m vehicles up 58% compared to the first quarter of 2022. China's exports were boosted by demand for electric cars and sales to Russia. Last year, China overtook Germany to become the world's second largest car exporter. According to China's General Administration of Customs, China exported 3.2m vehicles in 2022, compared to Germany's 2.6m vehicle exports.
The Walt Disney Company has announced that a plan to invest nearly $1bn (£806m) to build a new corporate campus in Florida has been scrapped. The reversal comes amid an escalating feud between the entertainment giant and the state's Republican-led government.
The plan would have seen about 2,000 employees relocate to a Disney-owned complex near Orlando. The cancellation was announced in an internal email to employees on Thursday.
And - Topless dancers at a strip club in Los Angeles have voted to form the only union for their work in the US after a prolonged fight with management. Performers at the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar in North Hollywood unanimously voted to collectivise on Thursday. The 15-month long effort ended this week after the owners withdrew their opposition to unionisation. The group says they are fighting for better pay and benefits, healthcare, and safer workplace conditions.
Sport
Football - Newcastle had a well-deserved Premier League victory against Brighton on Thursday evening winning 4-0. In the Premier League this weekend. Tomorrow lunchtime Tottenham play Brentford, kick off is at 1.30pm French time. With a 4pm kick off Bournemouth are at home to Manchester United, Fulham face Crystal Palace, Liverpool play Aston Villa however, Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp will miss the match at Anfield after receiving a two-match ban for comments he made about referee Paul Tierney after his side's 4-3 victory over Tottenham in April. Klopp suggested Tierney had "something against" the Reds after the Spurs game. He has also received a £75,000 fine having admitted improper conduct and saying he regretted making the comments. Wolverhampton face Everton and the last match of the day at 6.30pm will see Nottingham Forest at home to Arsenal.
On Sunday West Ham are at home to Leeds kick off is at 2.30pm, Brighton play Southampton 3pm kick off and Manchester City are at home to Chelsea with a 5pm kick off.
Basketball – AS Monaco Basket (Roca Team) will face Olympiakos Piraeus in the Euroleague semi-final at the Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas, Lithuania this evening at 5pm.
Tennis – Rafael Nadal is missing the French Open. Nadal who has lifted a record 14 times will not be there on 28th May because he is not fit enough following a hip injury. In announcing on Thursday that he would be missing his favourite event for the first time in 19 years, he also signalled his intention to retire at the end of the 2024 season.
Formula One - McLaren has called for changes to Formula 1's rules to make it easier for teams to pursue sustainability. McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown says F1's budget cap forces teams into pitching sustainability against competitiveness. He added any changes would need to be planned to ensure they did not create loopholes that allowed extra spending. F1 as a sport has made sustainability a central part of its future planning and has pledged to be net-zero carbon by 2030.
Weather
Cloudy with light rain showers and a moderate breeze. Highs of 19 in Monaco and Nice. Thundery showers in Marseille. 17 degrees in Saint Tropez and Cannes with heavy rain forecast.
This evening going don to 15 degrees and cloudy.
The outlook for the weekend. Unsettled with sunny intervals tomorrow morning, showers in the afternoon highs of 21 degrees. Sunday showers to beginning with clearing by the afternoon.
Sunrise 06.01am
Sunset 08.53pm
Beach weather forecast
Nice – Sea temperature is 17 degrees. Air temperature 17 degrees with possible showers and the UV level is 2.
Marseille – Sea temperature is 15 degrees. Air temperature 19 degrees with rain. UV level is 6.
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