French and Riviera News Monday 1st November 2021

News

Stabbing in city centre of Grasse - A 32-year-old man has been seriously injured after being stabbed in the city centre of Grasse on Sunday. In circumstances to be determined by a police investigation, the victim was taken to the Pasteur hospital in Nice.

Mountaineer from Nice reported missing - A 34-year-old mountaineer from Nice has been reported missing after an avalanche near Everest. Thomas Arfi is one of three mountaineers missing during an expedition organized under the leadership of the Alpine and Mountain Federation. Mountain rescue teams are continuing their search for the two mountaineers from Chambéry and Briançon and a 34-year-old from Nice who have been missing since Tuesday, October 26th.

Wearing a mask extended to 15th November - The Prefect of the Var has issued a decree extending compulsory mask wearing in the department until November 15th inclusive. Wearing a mask remains compulsory for anyone over 11 years old in all the municipalities of the Var in outdoor food and non-food markets, flea markets and garage sales, unpacking sales, fairs and fun fairs and for any public event generating a large gathering of the population. For establishments subject to the health pass, wearing a mask remains compulsory, including on all public transport. Wearing a mask also remains compulsory in all establishments open to the public not subject to the health pass, such as shops. Full details can be found on the Prefecture's website www.var.gouv.fr

Nuclear submarine returns to Toulon - The nuclear submarine Perle, which was repaired after a serious fire, has returned to Toulon. After more than a year of repairs the submarine ravaged in June 2020 by a fire and repaired in Cherbourg (Manche), returned to its naval base in Toulon on Sunday, October 31, for the resumption of maintenance work interrupted by the disaster.

Snow tyres - From today November 1st until 31st March, it will no longer be possible to drive without snow tyres in 83 communes in the Alpes-Maritimes. The prefecture confirmed the new measure as part of the new mountain regulations. Failure to comply could result in 135 euros fine and the possible immobilization of the vehicle. The offence will also be the responsibility of the driver of the vehicle, and not that of its owner.

Here is the full list of the communes concerned; Amirat, Andon, Ascros, Auvare, Bairols, Belvédère, Beuil, Bezaudun-les-Alpes, Bonson, Breil-sur-Roya, Briançonnet, Caille, Caussols, Chateauneuf-d'Entraunes, Clans, Coaraze, Coursegoules, Daluis, Duranus, Entraunes, Escragnolles, Fontan, Gars, Gilette, Gorbio, Gourdon, Gréolières, Guillaumes, Ilonse, Isola, La Bollène-Vésubie, La Brigue, La Croix-sur-Roudoule, La Penne, La Tour, Lantosque, Le Mas, Les Mujouls, Levens, Lieuche, Lucéram, Malaussène, Marie, Massoin, Moulinet, Peille, Péone, Pierlas , Pierrefeu, Puget-Rostang, Puget-Théniers, Revest-les-Roches, Rigaud, Rimplas, Roquebillière, Roubion, Roure, Saint-Antonin, Saint-Auban, Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage, Sainte-Agnès, Saint-Etienne-de-Tinée, Saint-Léger, Saint-Martin-d'Entraunes, Saint-Martin-Vésubie, Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey, Saorge, Sauze, Seranon, Sospel, Tende, Thiery, Toudon, Touët-sur-Var, Tourette-du-Chateau, Tournefort, Utelle, Valdeblore, Valderoure, Venanson, Villars-sur-Var and Villeneuve-d'Entraunes.

What changes in France from today? - As with every first of the month in France certain changes will come into force from today November 1st (which is also a public holiday to mark All Saints Day).

From today drivers in France are banned from alerting other motorists about upcoming police checks or roadblocks via motoring apps. Prices for domestic gas which were scheduled to increase by 15 percent on November 1st have been frozen until the end of 2022, so bills for heating and cooking gas will remain the same. The winter truce or "treve hivernale" begins today and runs until March 31st, 2022. During this time, tenants cannot be evicted from their homes even if they are behind with their rent and utility companies cannot cut off people who have not paid their bills.

Other changes in November include travel to the US. From November 8th travellers from Europe will again be allowed into the US provided they are vaccinated. The USA's borders have been closed to almost all non-US citizens since early 2020, but from November 8th travel for non-essential reasons will again be permitted, for fully vaccinated travellers. From November 23rd while the flu vaccine is already underway for those in priority groups it be open to everyone and finally November in France is the tobacco-free month or Mois sans tabac in which public health authorities run campaigns and offer extra support to people who want to quit smoking.

Motorist hit by a hunter's bullet - A hunter has been taken into police custody suspected of having seriously injured a motorist with a bullet on a road between Rennes and Nantes. An investigation for unintentional injuries has been opened. The 67-year-old motorist was driving between Orgères and Laillé (Ille-et-Vilaine) when he was seriously injured by a gun shot. According to the daily Ouest-France,the passenger, shocked but unharmed, managed to control the vehicle and park it on the side before notifying the emergency services.

Politicians in France protest against government's intention to allow employees that have been suspended due to not having a health pass able to claim the RSA - Socialist presidents of 15 departments in France, including the Gironde, the Loire-Atlantique and the Pyrénées Orientales, have protested in a letter to France's Prime Minister against the government's intention to allow employees suspended for not having a health pass able to claim the RSA (the work welfare benefit). The elected representatives express their "disagreement on the decision".

Fishing crisis - French President Emmanuel Macron has said that "the ball is in the court of the British" with regards to the fishing crisis between France and the United Kingdom. On Sunday Macron confirmed that "retaliatory measure would apply from tomorrow Tuesday 2nd November if London did not accept the de-escalation" proposed by Paris.

France accuses the UK of granting too few post-Brexit licences to its fishermen and in the absence of an improvement, a ban on British fishing vessels from landing their cargo in French ports will come into effect as of Tuesday.

Record 130,000 euros in false notes - A Senegalese national has been charged in Paris for "putting into circulation counterfeit or falsified currency". Police discovered a record 130,000 euros in false notes on him and at his home. The suspect, a 43-year-old in an irregular situation, was arrested and charged on Sunday in Paris. A police source said that at his home in Seine-Saint-Denis "more than 1,000 notes of 100, 50 and 20 euros were found".

Business

U.S. President Joe Biden and 16 other world leaders have discussed action to make supply chains more resilient in the face of any future health crises, as well as climate change and even planned attacks. On Sunday October 31st the leaders also emphasized the need for security, especially in technology supply chains, and for fair and sustainable labour conditions and said they would work with the private sector to reach these goals.

According to steel makers the UK has been "left behind" after the US agreed to end a trade war over items that also included whiskey and Harley-Davidsons. President Biden has signed a deal to end tariffs on steel imports from the EU, which were imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump.

But the agreement does not cover exports from the UK, putting British steelmakers at a disadvantage.

The US is the second-largest market for British-made steel. But the new deal will put UK producers at a competitive disadvantage compared to European rivals who will be able to ship their products to the US without paying import taxes.

The tax-free bonus of 1,000 euros aimed at strengthening the purchasing power of employees has been renewed this year. Created in 2018 following the crisis of the yellow vests, "the Macron bonus" allows companies to pay up to 1000 euros to their employees without any social or tax burden, or even 2,000 euros in the case of a profit-making agreement or for workers particularly involved during the health crisis.

The bonus is not mandatory and for those companies who have chosen to do so, the payment must be made before March 31st. Nearly 5 million employees received this bonus in 2019 and more than 6 million in 2020.

Sport

Cricket - India's hopes at the Men's T20 World Cup are hanging by a thread after New Zealand inflicted a second successive miserable defeat on the pre-tournament favourites. This afternoon England play Sri Lanka

Football – At the weekend in the Premier League; Arsenal were winners beating Leicester 2-0. Liverpool only managed a draw against Brighton 2-2. Crystal Palace beat Manchester City 2-0. Chelsea beat Newcastle 3-0 and West ham strengthened their position beating Aston Villa 4-1.

There is one game tonight Wolverhampton are at home to Everton.

Tennis - Novak Djokovic  and Daniil Medvedev both return to action this week at the indoor Paris Masters, with Djokovic surfacing for the first time since the Medvedev beat him at the US Open. However the world's two best male players are still refusing to commit to January's Australian Open  after the recent hard-line comments made by Melbourne's  State Premier.

Weather

Overcast with rain gradually intensifying by this afternoon. South easterly winds. Highs of 15 degrees in Monaco, Nice and Antibes. This evening going down to 13 degrees with clear skies. In Saint Tropez and the Var overcast with strong gusts possible shower and highs of 18 degrees.

The outlook Tuesday and Wednesday. Mainly fine on Tuesday cloudy on Wednesday with the possibility of showers. Highs of 15-16 degrees.