French and Riviera News Monday 11th February 2019

Local

Yellow Vest - Yellow vest protestors have demonstrated in the region. Protestors attempted to block the pay toll of the A8 motorway at La Turbie on Saturday as one of the movements “leaders” Maxime Nicolle accompanied fellow protestors who had planned to block the road to Ventimigila. Forced by police to disperse they took to the coast road arriving in Menton at 3pm where police prevented them from crossing the border.

In Marseille police counted 1,500 demonstrators. However this time a more festive approach was taken with music and people dressed up waving French or Corsican flags.

Meanwhile in Paris violence broke out as anti-riot police confronted yellow vest protesters. Tear gas was used around the Champs Elysee, after demonstrators threw stones at officers and vandals tried to smash shop windows. Shocking footage shows protesters gathering around a man whose hand appears to have been ripped off. Saturday marked the 13th consecutive weekend of demonstrations across France.  

Stabbing in Cannes La Bocca - Police have launched an investigation following the stabbing of a 17 year old man in Cannes La Bocca. The incident happened on Saturday evening shortly after 8.30pm on boulevard de l'Esterel. The victim is reportedly still in a critical condition in Hospital in Nice.

Skiers - Eleven skiers have had a narrow escape after being swept away by snow in Saint Dalmas le Selvage. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon as they set off from Saint Etienne de Tinée towards Saint-Dalmas. No serious injuries were reported as mountain rescuers were deployed to the site.

Nice remains second most popular destination in Europe for private jets - According to industry research, Nice remains the second most popular destination in Europe for private jets. The airport recorded over 35,000 flights in 2018. Cannes-Mandelieu airport recorded nearly 14,000 flights, to take 14th place in the survey.  Paris-Le Bourget airport is the most popular airport in Europe for private aviation according to the survey.
 

National

Fire - A woman and a child have been killed in a fire in Lyon believed to have been sparked by a gas blast in a bakery. The fire comes days after 10 people were killed in a blaze at a Paris apartment building and a month after a massive gas explosion in the centre of the capital left four dead in a building that also housed a bakery. The fire in Lyon broke out on Saturday night after the blast in the bakery on the ground floor of the two-storey building.

Happiness is just around the corner - The French Minister of Education has announced the possibility of “happiness classes” in French schools by the beginning of the new school year. The move could see happiness classes in the morning followed sports lessons in the afternoon. A happiness class begins with students explaining how they feel being encouraged to show their emotions and verbalise them. Professor of meditation Sabrina Alloy, says “the lessons of 45 minutes will allow children to discover yoga, meditation and to discover one’s inner world.   

Business

Airbnb - According to newspaper reports published on Sunday in an interview with the mayor of Paris it was announced that the City of Paris is suing Airbnb for publishing 1,000 illegal rentals adverts, which could cost the American rental website more than 12.5 million euros. Under French law, home owners in Paris can rent out their places on short-term platforms for up to 120 days in a year. Advertisements must include a registration number to help ensure properties are not rented out for longer. Speaking to the Journal de Dimanche the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo said “the goal is to put an end to unauthorized rentals which are spoiling some Parisian neighbourhoods”.

The EU is a step closer to implementing a controversial copyright law reform that could affect what people share on websites like YouTube after politicians agreed on changes to the proposals. The reform, will be put to MEPs next week before they make their final decision at a later date. Proposed changes to the law are designed to re-balance the relationship between internet platforms and those who create content. It seeks to give fairer pay to creators and forces tech firms to remove copyrighted content.

Sports Direct has made an offer to buy the collapsed bakery chain Patisserie Valerie out of administration. Mike Ashley, the founder of Sports Direct, is hoping to add to his rapidly expanding high street empire by making an offer to acquire the business after it crashed into administration last month. Mike Ashley, who owns Newcastle United Football Club, has already bought several struggling stores including House of Fraser and Evans Cycles.

And - Liverpool football club have announced a world record profit of £106m. In their yearly financial results, the Reds reportedly made an annual pre-tax profit of £125m - up from £40m. Liverpool were boosted financially by a run to the Champions League final last season, which earned an estimated £72m. Leicester City had held the record for net (post-tax) profit of £80m in 2016-17 (£92m pre-tax) after reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2017.

Sport

Rugby - Ahead of France’s game against England the French sporting newspaper  L’Equipe had led with the headline “get out the tissues” and it would seem they were right as England crushed France on Sunday at Twickenham in the second match of the Six Nations championship finishing 44 - 8. England's 36-point margin of victory was only just short of their largest against France - a 37-0 win in France's first match at Twickenham in 1911.

Football – Liverpool’s return to the top of the Premier League was short lived after beating Bournemouth 3-0. As Manchester City returned to the top following their win against Chelsea on Sunday. Here’s more from BBC sport

In the Premier League matches this evening Wolves face Newcastle kick off is at 9pm French time.

In other football news Manchester United's board have reportedly made the decision to name Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the club's full-time manager. According to reports the decision has been made at board level but may not be announced until the end of the season.

Cricket – Durham fast bowler Mark Wood has come up trumps under the Caribbean sun clocking an incredible 95mph as he took his first five-wicket haul for England and turned the Third Test on its head on Sunday.  If accurate, it is among the fastest bowling by an Englishman since speed guns were introduced. Andrew Flintoff reached 95.1mph against the Aussies at Lord’s in 2009.

Weather

Clear skies and sunshine today with highs of 18 degrees in Menton, 16 degrees in Nice, Antibes and Saint Tropez, 14 degrees in Hyeres and Toulon.

Moderate north westerly wind with gusts of up to 40km/hr in the Alpes Maritimes and 65km/hr in the Var dying down by this evening with lows of 9 degrees and clear skies.

The outlook for Tuesday, clear skies and sunshine again across the region with highs of 17 degrees however clouding over by Wednesday afternoon and highs of 15 degrees.

Finally 

New figures have revealed that the number of women divorcing their husbands has dropped to its lowest level in a generation.

There were a total of 62,712 women who filed for divorce in the UK in 2017, compared with 118,401 in 1993.

Overall divorce rates in Britain are at their lowest in a generation since laws were changed in 1969 to make it easier for couples to split.

Experts suggest the drop in women seeking separations is down to an improvement in their husband's behaviour.

According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, the number of husbands seeking divorce has also dropped.

It was reported last year that the number of couples divorcing within three years of marriage was at its lowest for 30 years, with relationship experts claiming men are taking on a greater share of their marital duties.  

The figures come amid Government plans to relax divorce laws so that couples can get a separation without citing adultery or unreasonable behaviour as a reason.

Critics have branded it a 'divorce-on-demand' law and say it will do nothing to ease quarrels over money and property that leads to 'bad feeling' when married couples split.

 

 

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