News
Poverty in France - Nine million French people were in a situation of material and social poverty in 2022, a level never reached before according to INSEE. The study published on Thursday July 20th, showed that in 2022 one in ten households could not afford to heat their home properly and more French people were unable to go on a week’s vacation. This represents 14% of people living in ordinary housing and it is "the highest level since 2013, the first year it was measured". The greatest poverty last year was amongst large and single-parent families as well as people in rural areas due to the increase in energy prices and higher heating and fuel costs.
French breweries threatened with closure – Meanwhile, 10% of French local breweries are threatened with closure as they are unable to cope with inflation, rising costs and competition from manufacturers. In recent years in Paris, but also in Lyon (Rhône) and Brittany, local breweries have multiplied. Today, there are 2,500 in France. However, faced with competition from manufacturers, inflation at 4.5%, since the beginning of the year, beer sales have fallen by 5%.
Heat wave – Locally, the orange heatwave alert is still in place for the Alpes Maritimes region and has been lowered to a yellow alert for the Var and Corsica. This evening nighttime temperatures are expected to be between 22 and 26 degrees. The south-east of France has been affected for several days by a heat wave which according to scientists is a direct effect of global warming linked to human activity.
Tourist has luxury watch snatched from him on Croisette in Cannes - A tourist has been robbed of his 80,000-euro luxury watch, stolen on Wednesday evening at around 11pm on the Croisette, in Cannes. The German tourist, who was staying at the Carlton, was walking his dog when the watch snatched from his wrist. The victim, surprised, nevertheless jostled his attacker who fell to the ground, before escaping on a moped driven by an accomplice. The Cannes police found the two-wheeled vehicle abandoned in the Pointe Croisette sector, but the perpetrators of the theft remain at large.
Jane Birkin’s funeral - Jane Birkin's funeral is to take place in Paris on Monday and broadcast on a giant screen. Jane Birkin died at the age of 76 at her home in the French capital. The ceremony is to be held from 10am, and access to the Saint-Roch church located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris will be "reserved for family and friends”. However, to involve the general public, the ceremony will be broadcast live on a giant screen. Many tributes have been paid to the actress and singer since the announcement of her death on Sunday.
Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation marks World Drowning Prevention Day – And as part of World Drowning Prevention Day, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation is organizing on Tuesday 25th July a day to raise awareness of the dangers in partnership with the Town Hall of Monaco, at the Stade Nautique Rainier III. From 2pm members of the public are invited to participates in workshops as well as water rescue demonstrations held by the Foundation in collaboration with the Monaco Maritime Police, the Monaco Red Cross and the Monaco Fire Brigade.
Busy on the region’s roads - It's expected to be another busy weekend on French roads. Government roads monitor Bison Fute has said that today will be yellow and Saturday will be red in the direction of departures. The direction of returns is green all weekend.
Fragments of Beethoven’s skull – Finally, what is thought to be fragments of Beethoven's skull discovered in a chest in France have been returned to Vienna. The bones were handed over to Austria, where the German composer died in the 19th century. American businessman Paul Kaufmann, who donated the relics to the Medical University of Vienna, inherited the alleged fragments of Beethoven's skull in 1990, after discovering them in a bank vault on the French Riviera. In a press conference on Thursday Kaufman said “their place is in Vienna”. After analyses to confirm their authenticity, the results of which are expected within six months, new research will be carried out to find out more about Beethoven’s illnesses and cause of death. According to experts this was the composer’s wish after expressing his desire, in a letter to his brothers written in a moment of despair, that his illness be described after his death and made public. Two centuries later, mystery remains around the exact cause of death, which occurred on March 26th, 1827 at the age of 56. The fragments have been examined in the past with X-rays in 2005 in the United States, suggesting traces of lead poisoning which would explain in particular the digestive problems from which Beethoven suffered. He used to drink from goblets made of lead and medical treatments at the time also often used lead or mercury. However, a study published in March, based on DNA analysis of strands of his hair, shed a different light revealing a strong genetic predisposition to liver disease, as well as hepatitis B, two factors that likely contributed to his death, most likely from cirrhosis, aggravated by alcohol consumption. But the researchers unfortunately could not determine the cause of his progressive deafness, which caused so much pain to the composer.
Business
Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) the chipmaking giant has delayed the start of production at its factory in the US state of Arizona, in a setback to President Biden's technology ambitions. The firm says chip manufacturing will no longer start next year, due to a shortage of skilled workers. The White House has laid out plans to bring more chip production to the US. It comes as an ongoing trade row centred on the technology intensifies between Washington and Beijing.
Easyjet has announced a headline profit before tax of £203 million for the first quarter. It’s an increase of £317 million, year on year. It said that demand for its network and services continues to be strong. Bookings for winter flights have more than doubled compared to the same period last year.
Embraer the Brazilian plane maker says a new factory will be built near Sao Paolo to produce electric flying taxis which it hopes will take to the skies from 2026. The aircraft, to be made by its subsidiary Eve, and will be similar to a small helicopter with enough space for up to six customers. It is envisaged a trip will cost $50-$100 (£39-£78) per person. Eve says it already has orders for almost 3,000 air taxis.
One of the bodies representing games developers has said that Artificial Intelligence will lead to more jobs in the video game industry. Dr Richard Wilson, says AI will "reduce the cost of making games and speed up the process". Video games have been using forms of artificial intelligence for decades. But use of the latest technology in games creation is concerning some who worry that it could cost jobs and create legal issues for studios.
Sport
Football - Co-hosts New Zealand opened the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup in stunning style against Norway as they won on the global stage for the first time. There was a minute's silence before kick-off for the victims of a deadly shooting in Auckland earlier on Thursday. And co-hosts Australia have beaten the Republic of Ireland 1-0.
In today’s action - In Group A the Philippines play Switzerland, In Group B Nigeria face Canada and in Group C Spain play Costa Rica.
Cricket - Zak Crawley's astonishing 189 stunned Australia and kept England on course for an Ashes comeback on the second day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Crawley cracked the highest score by an England batter in a home Ashes Test for 26 years to give the hosts the perfect chance of levelling the series at 2-2.
Rugby Union - Ireland's Jimmy O'Brien does not believe captain Johnny Sexton's three-game ban will have much bearing on the team's World Cup preparations. Sexton's suspension means the fly-half will miss Ireland's three World Cup warm-up matches. However, the 38-year-old will return for the tournament opener against Romania on 9 September in Bordeaux.
Formula One - Daniel Ricciardo says he has "fallen in love" with Formula 1 again as he prepares to return to the grid at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. Ricciardo, dropped by McLaren last year, said he was refreshed after seven months out and is "hungry and ready to go”. He added: "I feel like I've been myself again."
Weather
Mainly fine. The orange heatwave alert is still in place for the Alpes Maritimes region and has been lowered to a yellow alert for the Var and Corsica. Possibility of scattered showers to begin with inland in Puget Theniers with highs of 35 degrees. 32 degrees in Monaco and Nice. 34 in Marseille and 35 in Saint Tropez with moderate to strong winds in the Var.
This evening going down to 23 degrees in Nice and 22 in Marseille with hazy skies.
The outlook for the weekend – Saturday fine with highs of 32-35 degrees. Sunday cloudy with temperatures remaining high.
Sunrise 06.07am
Sunset 09.05pm
Beach weather forecast
Nice – Sea temperature 28 degrees. Air temperature 30 degrees. UV level 9.
Saint-Tropez - Sea temperature 27 degrees. Air temperature 35 degrees. UV level 10.
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