€1 million in cash seized in Marseille drugs arrests - Police in Marseille have arrested 15 people and seized €1.2 million in cash in a series of raids linked to an investigation into drug-trafficking and money laundering. News of the arrests came as France's justice and interior ministers visited the city on Friday to announce new measures in the fight against drugs gang violence. The series of coordinated arrests was carried out by Marseille's specialised anti-narcotics police division. Prosecutors say they uncovered a lucrative and well-organised scheme which saw a team of van drivers travel all over France every week, collecting bags of cash from various members of the drug trafficking network.
50% fewer Airbnb rentals in Nice? - The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, says he wants to halve the number of Airbnb seasonal tourist rentals in the city, with a particular focus on reducing supply of tourist rentals in the old town. His comments came after the French parliament approved a law on Friday, cutting tax breaks for Airbnb landlords and giving local mayors more power to impose quotas. Estrosi said the explosion in the number of Airbnb rentals in Nice meant that affordable long-term rentals for working residents were becoming increasingly scarce.
Menton private beaches must shut for winter - Seaside restaurants and private beaches in Menton have been told they have to dismantle their terraces over the winter. It comes after the prefecture refused to allow year-round opening, citing the reason that the private beaches are too exposed to the risk of winter storms and flooding. Owners say the order to close has come too late. Some of them had already been assured by Menton town hall they could stay open and had hired staff accordingly. The town hall has offered to provide free storage of tables, chairs and sunloungers until spring for all the affected businesses.
Five-car pile-up on A8 - Three people were taken to hospital in Cannes with minor injuries after a five-car pile-up on the A8 motorway on Saturday evening. The accident happened near the Mougins interchange and an investigation is under way to determine exactly what happened.
143km/h on Promenade des Anglais - Municipal police in Nice have carried out an evening of speed checks on drivers on the Promenade des Anglais. Two drivers had their vehicle seized and their driving licence confiscated when they were caught at 116 and 143 kilometres per hour, on the road where the speed limit is 50. Another 20 drivers were fined for excess speed and four were arrested.
Star theme for lemon festival - The theme and poster for next year's lemon festival in Menton has been unveiled. The 91st edition will be named "Voyage into the Stars" and will be themed around stars and constellations. The lemon festival runs from 15 February to 2nd March 2025 - with carnival parades on three consecutive Sundays and night time parades on Thursdays. Access to the lemon sculptures is free and tickets for the parades are already on sale from the Menton tourist office website.
Topless firemen pose with pets for calendar - Firemen in Antibes have posed topless while cuddling various cute furry animals to raise money with their 2025 calendar. The bare-chested fireman's calendar is something of a festive tradition and raises tens of thousands of euros in Antibes each year. This time the firefighters decided to join forces with a local animal shelter to highlight the good work they do. 20,000 copies of the calendar have been printed and firefighters will go door-to-door to sell them. There's no fixed price, with residents free to choose how much to donate.
BUSINESS
Thousands of Bolt drivers in the UK have won their legal claim to be recognised as workers, securing rights to paid holidays and a minimum wage. After the landmark ruling, handed down by an employment tribunal on Friday, law firm Leigh Day said the compensation owed to the 15,000 drivers they represent could be worth more than £200m. The tribunal determined that the relationship between Bolt and its drivers does not constitute self-employment, as claimed by Bolt, but rather an employment arrangement, granting the drivers essential worker protections under employment law. It affects all of the 100,000-plus drivers who take on work through the Bolt ride hailing app in the UK.
The UK could face a £22bn hit to its exports if Donald Trump imposes a blanket 20% tariff on all imports into the US, according to a new analysis. UK exports to the world could fall more than 2.6% due to lower trade with the US and knock-on effects globally, according to economists at the University of Sussex's Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy. This fall could happen if the President-elect went through with his repeated campaign promise to levy a 20% tax on all imports, and a 60% tariff on Chinese imports. The decline in trade would be the equivalent of an annual hit to UK economic output of 0.8%.
SPORT
Football - Liverpool have taken early control of the Premier League title race. Arne Slot's side beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield after reigning champions Manchester City had earlier slipped up 2-1 at Brighton. The results gave Liverpool a five-point lead at the top over Pep Guardiola's men, who have now lost four successive games.
Lionel Messi scored but Inter Miami suffered a shock first-round exit in the MLS Cup play-offs. Atlanta United triumphed 3-2 in the best-of-three decider in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after both sides had won one game each. Miama finished the regular season with a record 74 points from 34 games in the Eastern Conference to win the Supporters' Shield.
Cricket - Phil Salt powered a superb century to take England to a commanding eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the first T20 in Barbados. After a disappointing defeat in the one-day international series, Salt struck an unbeaten 103 off 54 balls as England cruised to a pursuit of 183. It was the opener's third T20 hundred for England - all three of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Tennis - Coco Gauff came back from a set and a break down against Zheng Qinwen to win the season-ending WTA Finals. In an enthralling encounter that lasted just over three hours, the American beat the Olympic champion 3-6 6-4 7-6 in Saudi Arabia. At 20 years old, she is the youngest player to win the tournament since Maria Sharapova exactly two decades ago, and the youngest American since Serena Williams in 2001.
Cycling - Britain's Mark Cavendish, the most successful sprinter in cycling history, ended his career with victory at a race in Singapore. The 39-year-old from the Isle of Man, who said on Saturday that this would be his final race before retirement, triumphed in a sprint finish to end a 19-year career. Cavendish wore race number 35 to mark his record for stage wins in the Tour de France.
WEATHER
Fine and sunny today with a gentle breeze and temperatures reaching 20 degrees Celsius on the coast and 18 inland. A partly cloudy night with light variable winds and temperatures going down to 12 degrees Celsius on the coast and 8 inland. There's thundery showers forecast for Tuesday, strong winds on the coast gusting up to 70 kilometres per hour, noticeably cooler with temperatures around 13 degrees Celsius.
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