News
Heatwave - Fifteen departments, mostly on the western side of France, have been placed on red heatwave alert, meanwhile 51 others including the Alpes Maritimes, are on an orange alert with record temperatures expected today Monday 18th July. Night-time temperatures are not expected to drop below 25 degrees. The warning is in place until 6am tomorrow morning. The heat wave is currently affecting all of Western Europe, causing forest fires in the Southwest of France, Spain and Portugal. The last heat wave for the month of July in France dates back to 2019.
Forest fires in the Gironde – Meanwhile, forest fires in the Gironde region regained intensity on Sunday shortly after 10pm. 12,900 hectares have been destroyed since Tuesday and three firefighters and two army officers have been slightly injured. More than 2,000 people were evacuated in the town of Cabanac-et-Villagrains, in the Landiras sector.
Fire along the A8 motorway - A fire which broke out along the A8 has been extinguished. The fire broke out in the town of Tourves, alongside the A8 motorway, on Sunday at the beginning of the afternoon. One person was slightly injured.
Wine producers - Wine producers in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var have raised the alarm saying that due to the heat and dry conditions there is 40% less production for some vineyards this year.
Traffic restrictions in Marseille to ease ozone pollution - In Marseille authorities have put in traffic restriction to ease the ozone pollution which is affecting the Bouches-du-Rhône. From today Monday 18th July, between 8am and 8pm only light vehicles with a class 0, 1, 2 and 3 Crit'Air sticker and heavy goods vehicles with a class 0, 1 and 2 Crit'Air sticker will be allowed to circulate within a perimeter defined by the prefecture. The authorities have invited motorists to limit their trips, favouring carpooling and public transport. Anyone violating the ban on the circulation of vehicles without a sticker is liable to a fine of €68 to €135.
Landslides in the hinterland of Nice - Severe weather has caused two landslides in the hinterland behind Nice. On Sunday the hamlet of Pra, located in the town of Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage (Alpes-Maritimes) found itself cut off and several vehicles were partially buried. No injuries were reported. For the moment the access road to the hamlet of Le Pra remains closed.
Monkeypox - 500 doses of the monkeypox vaccine have been reserved by Nice University Hospital. The CHU, the city of Nice and the health centres will coordinate the administration of vaccines against monkeypox to people who have been exposed. The mayor Christian Estrosi announced on Sunday July 17 to have obtained 500 doses of vaccine specifying that for the time being the doses have been distributed in sexual health centres and hospitals.
Leonardo Di Caprio in Saint Tropez - American actor Leonardo Di Caprio has been spotted on the beaches of Saint Tropez alongside fellow actor Tobey Maguire. The pair were seen at the weekend enjoying a spot of jet skiing.
Business
As several Conservative party leadership hopefuls are promising tax cuts in the UK a top official at the International Monetary Fund has warned that it might be better to raise them instead. The leadership contest has reignited the fierce debate over tax cuts and calls to tackle the soaring cost of living are growing louder. Tax breaks could offer some relief for households struggling to cope with the steepest increase in food and energy bills in decades. The IMF is among the groups predicting the UK could see the slowest growth and most painful inflation of any G7 nation in 2023, thanks, in part, to reliance on fossil fuels, a big driver of inflation.
Meanwhile, a union in the UK has called for a legal limit on how hot it can be in a workplace as a red warning for extreme heat begins. The GMB union said workers should not have to contend with temperatures any higher than 25C, as forecasters predict a record high of 41C (106F) in England.
The Met Office's highest warning covers an area including London, Manchester and York on Monday and Tuesday.
There is currently no law in the UK or Ireland which states any given temperature is too hot or cold to work.
Sport
Golf - Cameron Smith stunned St Andrews by snatching the 150th Open Championship title by one stroke from Cameron Young, as Rory McIlroy finished third. It is a first major for the Australian.
Football – Manchester United have agreed to sign Argentina central defender Lisandro Martinez from Ajax in a deal worth up to 67m euros (£57m). The 24-year-old is expected to sign a five-year contract with the option of a further year. The move, for an initial £49m, is subject to a medical, personal terms being finalised and a UK visa.
Rugby Union - England coach Eddie Jones was involved in two altercations with Australia fans who called him a "traitor" after Saturday's win in Sydney. The Australian, who coached his national team from 2001 to 2005, took the England job in 2015. Jones passed home fans on the way and from the dressing room following a series-clinching 21-17 win.
Weather
The region is on an orange heatwave alert with 32 degrees expected along the coast in Nice, Cannes and Antibes and 37 degrees inland. A gentle breeze and this evening going down to 26 degrees with clear skies.
The outlook for tomorrow remaining much the same as today. Wednesday cloudy patches and highs of 32 degrees.
Sea temperature 22 UV Level 9
Sunrise 06.04hr Sunset 21.07hr
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