News
France’s Interior Minister calls on police officers to return to work - France’s Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin has called on police officers in France to "go back to work" because "the movement is putting the most fragile in difficulty". The Minister met with police union organizations on Thursday July 27th, in the midst of a protest movement. Officers are denouncing the provisional detention of one of their colleagues. During the meeting Darmanin called on the civil servants to "go back to work", because according to him, "the movement puts the most fragile in difficulty".
The protests, which has seen a minimum service provided has led to the number of officers being halved in Paris over the past two days. The protest started after four Marseille BAC police officers were charged for "willful violence” and one of them was placed in pre-trial detention. They are suspected of having beaten a young man on the sidelines of recent riots.
Missing person – Locally, Police have appealed for any witnesses to come forward following the worrying disappearance of a 35-year-old man in Gréolières in the Alpes Maritimes. Hugo who has medical issues has not been seen since Wednesday 26th July. At the time he was riding a blue electric motorcycle and was wearing a grey T-shirt, blue jeans and a light blue motorcycle helmet. Any witnesses who can provide any details on his disappearance are urged to contact the gendarmerie on 04 93 60 30 01 or by dialling 17.
Swimming, fishing and nautical activities banned on three beaches in Menton - Locally, fishing and swimming has been prohibited on three beaches in Menton due to poor water quality. The local council issued the warning on Thursday July 27th prohibiting swimming, fishing and nautical activities on the beaches of Gorbio, Borrigo and Careï until further notice. The ban will be lifted as soon as new analyses have confirmed that everything has returned to normal.
Jellyfish - Meanwhile, beware of jellyfish as their presence has been reported on almost all the beaches of the Côte d'Azur. According to the Mediterranean jellyfish observation portal, jellyfish have been spotted on the beaches of Théoule, Mandelieu, Cannes, Antibes, Villeneuve-Loubet, Cagnes-sur-mer, Saint-Laurent-du-Var, Nice, Villefranche- sur-mer, Beaulieu-sur-mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Monaco, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Menton. The public is reminded that in the event of being stung the affected area should be rinsed with sea water and especially not with fresh water. The wound must then be cleaned without being rubbed, and any tentacles removed but not with bare hands. The affected part must then be covered with sand which is left to dry before scraping it, for example with a rigid cardboard or a bank card. Finally disinfecting the wound. If the pain persists or you feel unwell, you should see a doctor.
Investigation - Police have opened an investigation after a pedestrian in his twenties and naked at the time, was hit by a car on the A8 motorway near the Mougins motorway exit on Thursday lunchtime. The accident occurred at around 1:30pm eastbound. Emergency services received a call from a motorist, a nurse by profession, who indicated the presence of a man lying on the hard shoulder, having suffered head injuries and fractures to his legs. The man, completely naked and disoriented, was taken to the Pasteur hospital in Nice. His days are not in danger. His belongings found a hundred meters away.
Traffic disrupted on A8 motorway – Meanwhile, traffic was severely disrupted on the A8 motorway on Thursday evening following an accident which occurred westbound just after the Antibes pay toll. According to Vinci Autoroutes, the journey time for motorist was extended by around 40 minutes.
Holiday - French President Emmanuel Macron is expected at Fort Brégançon in the Var, this weekend. The President is expected to start his two-week holiday at Fort Brégançon, in Bormes, enjoying the summer season of the Var until the ceremonies of August 15th. Macron is expected this Sunday in Bormes-les-Mimosas. The Prime Minister is also expected in the Var to "join friends for a few days".
Christina O – Finally, the Christina O has been briefly docked in the port of Nice. Staying for less than 24 hours the 99-metre yacht can accommodate up to more than 120 people on board. It was created in 1943, serving as an escort in the Canadian Navy for ten years, however today it represents a part of the history of mega-yachts due to his impressive past. In 1954, Aristotle Onassis, acquired her and transformed her into one of the most luxurious and high-tech yachts in the world at the time. It has seen a succession of Hollywood celebrities on board, such as Frank Sinatra, Richard Burton, Liz Taylor and other political figures such as JFK and Winston Churchill.
Business
The European Central Bank (ECB) has raised interest rates in the eurozone once again, taking its key rate to a record high last seen in late 2000. The bank raised the deposit rate for the ninth time in a row - to 3.75%, up from 3.5%. The ECB said inflation continued to ease but was still expected to remain "too high for too long". On Wednesday, the US central bank raised rates to their highest level in 22 years in its bid to control prices.
People using chatbot Bard, “should check its accuracy through the Google search engine” according to Google. ChatGPT burst onto the scene in November 2022 and prompted people to question whether Google's incredibly lucrative search business could be under threat. It also fuelled a wider debate about how artificial intelligence (AI) - which powers chatbots, could reshape the world of work or even threaten the future of humanity. Some have suggested chatbots like Bard and ChatGPT could "kill" traditional search, which is dominated by Google. But users have found the information they provide can be wrong or even entirely made up.
Rejected passenger claims against Wizz Air will be re-examined after an "unprecedented" intervention by the UK's aviation regulator. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is taking action following concerns the airline has not been paying passengers what they were owed for cancelled or delayed flights. The action could lead to claims over the past six years being reopened. Wizz Air said significant improvements had already been made. The regulator highlighted passenger frustrations about not being provided with alternative flight options when theirs was cancelled, which is a legal obligation.
Canada's Human Rights Tribunal has approved a landmark £13.8bn settlement for native children and families harmed by the child welfare system. It is said to be the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history. The agreement also includes a request for an apology from the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. Around 300,000 people are expected to be compensated, including babies and children currently in care.
Sport
Football – Argentina produced a stunning comeback from two goals down to draw with South Africa. Later today England play Denmark.
In other football news, Barcelona have been provisionally cleared to play in the 2023-24 Champions League amid a Uefa investigation into allegations the club made payments to a referees' chief. In March, European football's governing body confirmed it was looking into claims of payments made by Barcelona for favourable refereeing decisions. Barcelona have denied any wrongdoing.
Cricket - England face a battle to level the Ashes after Australia enjoyed the better of the first day of the fifth Test at The Oval. Finally winning the toss for the first time in the series, Australia pounced on the opportunity to put England in on a green-tinged pitch and dismissed the home side for 283 before moving to 61-1, 222 behind.
Formula One - George Russell believes Formula 1 faces a "challenging" weekend with rain predicted at the Belgian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver said officials needed to make "bold decisions" to avoid putting drivers at risk at one of the world's most challenging circuits.
Weather
Cloudy with some sunny intervals’ highs of 28 degrees in Nice and Monaco. 29 degrees in Cannes. 27 degrees in Saint-Tropez. Moderate winds. This evening going down to 19 degrees with clear skies.
The outlook for tomorrow, changeable temperatures between 20 and 29°C. Sunday, fine with moderate to strong winds and highs of 34 degrees, going down to 21.
Sunrise 06.14am
Sunset 08.58pm
Beach weather
Nice – Sea temperature is 24. Air temperature 26 and the UV level is 9. Cloudy.
Marseille – Sea temperature 21. Air temperature 28 and the UV level is 10. Cloudy.
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