News
France is to increase security ahead of busy week, with a visit from King Charles III and Pope Francis - France is set to step up its security this week as it welcomes a visit from King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Paris and Bordeaux and that of Pope Francis in Marseille, as well as continuing to host the Rugby World Cup. According to France’s Minister of the Interior, security will increase throughout the week to adapt to different events in different parts of the country.
Education minister “disgraced” at reaction from education board following teenager’s suicide due to school bullying – In other news, France’s education minister Gabriel Attal, has announced a crackdown on school bullying following the suicide of a 15-year-old teenager in the western suburbs of Paris on September 5th. Attal said he was “disgraced” following the revelation of a letter sent last May by the education board to the parents of the child who was at the time suffering from being harassed at school before going on to take his own life.
Prime Minister announces plan “to sell fuel at a loss” - French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has announced plans to allow certain large distributors in France to sell fuel "at a loss" for six months. In an “unprecedented” measure the selling “at a loss” would authorise distributors to sell fuel at a lower price than that at which they purchased it. Reselling at a loss has been prohibited in France since 1963. Speaking on Sunday the government’s spokesperson Olivier Véran said that the move would “potentially see certain fuel prices drop by half a euro per litre”.
Weather warning – Locally, Météo France has placed the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var on a yellow weather alert with thunderstorms forecast. The warning is in place until 8pm this evening. Showers are expected with thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon.
Hunters caught with rifle in hand and under the influence of alcohol will face a fine - According to a new decree published this Sunday in the Official Journal, hunters in France caught with a rifle in hand and under the influence of alcohol will face a 1,500 euro fine and 3,000 euros in the event of a repeat offense. The Vaucluse region was particularly affected in 2022 by fatal hunting accidents. In September 2022, a 59-year-old hunter died during a wild boar hunt in Lacoste. A month later, a 63-year-old hunter was killed in a deer hunt near Carpentras (Vaucluse). France has nearly a million hunters. According to recent figures the number of deaths and injuries linked to hunting has been declining for 20 years.
Monaco and the European Union suspend negotiations - Monaco and the European Union have suspended their negotiations for an association agreement. The news was published in a press release last Friday morning, issued by the government and indicating that the negotiations between the Principality of Monaco and the European Union, which began in 2015 as part of a common desire to find a cooperation agreement, are suspended. The press release said that “the European Union is and will remain a privileged partner of the Principality and that the EU and Monaco share many common values”. Concluding that, the Principality will continue to support the EU's action on the international scene, particularly in terms of sanctions and that Monaco therefore wishes to continue the dialogue and reflect, with the European Union, on ways to strengthen its relationship."
Classrooms closed due to flood - Six classrooms have been damaged after flooding at the weekend at La Condamine school in Monaco. It was a leak in the school's air conditioning which caused the flood. Students in the classes concerned will be able to attend other establishments in La Condamine. Namely, the Stella school and the Rainier III high school as well as the Devens leisure centre. For parents, nothing changes. All students will be welcomed, and classes will end as usual at 4:30pm. Parents will be able to pick up their children from the Condamine school and the daycare service will be maintained for the students who benefit from it. Parents of the students concerned will receive an information email.
“Fancy women bike ride” take place in Nice - The 2nd edition of the "fancy women bike ride" has taken place in Nice. Around thirty people participated on Sunday morning, cycling in skirts and dresses, as well as some rather impressive hats from Rauba Capeu on the Promenade to Garibaldi and then Gambetta. The event founded in 2013 in Turkey, takes place in 200 cities and 30 other countries. According to one of the organisers the aim is to highlight the importance of a “woman’s need to be autonomous and mobile no matter what they wear”.
Business
France’s digital minister Jean-Noel Barrot has said that Apple will update its iPhone 12 in France after fears about radiation. Apple are set to deliver a software update for users in the coming days. Sales of iPhone 12 were halted in France after a regulator detected too much electromagnetic radiation. Apple was told to fix the issue. The firm said the new update would only apply to users in France, where it said a specific testing protocol existed. The American tech giant suggested the radiation findings were a result of that testing regime, and that it was "not a safety concern".
Employees at a company which specialises in media monitoring, located in the Hauts-de-Seine in France, have been left stunned following the announcement that it will let go of 217 employees out of its 380, by June 2024. The employees will be replaced by artificial intelligence software. Onclusive, provides their customers with press reviews. The change will see the research and data cross-checking ultimately be carried out by an artificial intelligence software. Management has affirmed that the changes are necessary to ensure the sustainability of the company.
Rugby World Cup Report
Johnny Sexton earned his 115th cap as eight-try Ireland eased to a 59-16 win over Tonga to top Pool B at the weekend. Sexton scored a penalty and four conversions to go with the try to take his points haul for Ireland to 1,090 in 115 internationals.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland said it was "job done" following the bonus-point victory over Portugal in Nice after they won 28-8.
Australia were left in shock after being beaten 22-15 by Fiji, for just the third time in their history.
And finally, a disappointing performance from England saw them manage to edge closer to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, with a scrappy 34-12 win over Japan in Nice.
Sport
Football - In the Premier league at the weekend. Liverpool beat Wolves 3-1. Crystal palace were beaten at home by Aston Villa 3-1. Fulham beat Luton 1-0. Brighton beat Manchester United 3-1. Tottenham won at home beating Sheffield United 2-1. Manchester City beat West Ham 3-1 and Newcastle beat Brentford 1-0
On Sunday it was a 0-0 draw for Bournemouth against Chelsea and Everton were beaten at home by Arsenal 1-0. This evening’s Premier League action will see Nottingham Forest face Burnley, kick off is at 8.45pm French time.
Formula One - Carlos Sainz and Ferrari achieved the unthinkable winning the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday making it the first non-Red Bull win since Brazil 2022.Charles Leclerc managed to hold off the attack from Max Verstappen's Red Bull to finish in fourth place.
Tennis - Great Britain reached the Davis Cup Finals last eight in remarkable fashion as Dan Evans and Neal Skupski saved four match points before winning a nerve-wracking decider against France.
Weather
Météo France has placed the Var and the Alpes Maritimes on a yellow weather alert with storms forecast. The warning was issued at 4am this Monday morning and is in place until 8pm this evening. Showers are forecast across the region with thunderstorms inland and a moderate wind. Highs of 26 degrees in Nice and Monaco. 27 degrees in Cannes and Marseille and 29 degrees in Saint-Tropez.
The outlook for tomorrow and Wednesday. Fine and sunny with cloudy patches in the afternoon. Highs of 28 degrees.
Sunrise 07.12am
Sunset 07.35pm
And Finally
A study has revealed how, for first-time dads, it takes a staggering two years to recover a happy relationship. However, second-time dads see satisfaction with their relationship improve after just two months, researchers found. The study, which involved surveys of more than 600 fathers in Germany, is part of an increasing number of studies that look at parenthood from the man's point of view.
Tax authorities in France have been given the authorisation to use social media platforms as well as AI, to detect fraud or any undeclared income. ...
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A British skier has died after a collision with another UK tourist in Les Arcs, a popular ski resort in the French Alps. The accident occurred at arou...
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Due to ongoing freezing temperatures, the Vaucluse prefecture has activated its "Grand Froid" plan.
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French Prime Minister François Bayrou has delivered his policy speech on the 14th of January, focusing on contentious issues like pension reform and b...
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Despite alarming yellow alerts issued today for strong winds in the Alpes Maritimes, it seems the alert has been lifted in the PACA region. ...
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