National News
Wearing the veil in sport: Gérald Darmanin responds to Elisabeth Borne - The debate over wearing religious symbols in sports continues in the French government as French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has restated his support for banning religious symbols, like the veil, in sports competitions. He also criticized other ministers who disagree with him, calling them "naive." At the weekend, France’s National Education Minister Elisabeth Borne said she didn’t need any lessons on secularism, but Darmanin responded on Sunday, saying, "I also have no lessons to learn about the Republic, fraternity, and respect for others." Darmanin is a strong supporter of banning religious symbols in sports and sees the debate as an important one. He believes that wearing the veil at a young age in sports could be linked to "Islamist infiltration." He argued that not recognizing this as a problem is a form of "collective naiveté."
French actor Gérard Depardieu to appear in court today - French actor Gérard Depardieu is set to appear in a Paris court today Monday 24th March, to face sexual assault allegations, making him the most high-profile French figure to stand trial on #MeToo abuse claims. The 76-year-old actor, a legend in French cinema with over 200 films and TV series to his name, is accused of sexually assaulting two women during the filming of Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in 2021. Depardieu has faced accusations of rape or sexual assault from more than a dozen women, all of which he has denied. However, this marks the first time he will appear in court to address such allegations. The two women at the centre of the trial—an assistant director, 34, and a set designer, 54—worked on the set of the 2022 film.
Local News
City of Nice displays photos of Israeli hostages - The City of Nice has started posting photos of Israeli hostages with the word "murdered" beneath their portraits. These new billboards, which originally featured the #BringThemHome campaign with images of Israeli child hostages after the October 7th, 2023, Hamas attack, now convey the grim reality of the situation. The word "murdered" has replaced the hopeful "bring them home" slogan, highlighting the deaths of the hostages. The billboards now display the hostages' names, ages, and the stark message that they were killed. Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, explained that the initial goal was to restore humanity to the hostages, and after their funerals, the city decided to update the message. Additionally, Estrosi had announced that the Israeli flag would fly over the city hall "until the war is over" in a show of support for Israel.
Château maintenance work in Nice – Up until this Friday March 28th, 2025, safety maintenance work is being carried out on the Château cliff in Nice, near the War Memorial. The work aims to reinforce the rock to ensure safety. For safety reasons, traffic on the Rauba-Capeù quay is temporarily diverted. Vehicles from the port are redirected onto the cycle path, and cyclists must use the sidewalk on the promenade. The work does not affect pedestrian access, and walkers can still access the Château.
Monaco Tourist and Convention Authority report and plans for 2025 – The Monaco Tourist and Convention Authority has published its report for 2025. During a meeting held at the Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel, Monaco’s Minister of Finance Pierre-André Chiappori, highlighted a 3% increase in hotel occupancy and a 5% rise in average prices, driven by a recovery in business tourism. For 2025, Monaco plans to boost marketing in key markets like the US and the Middle East, while also targeting European visitors during quieter periods. The event also celebrated Monaco’s win of the Best European Destination 2025 award, with Chiappori thanking those in the tourism sector for their efforts.
Bal de la Rose - The 69th edition of the Bal de la Rose will be taking place this Saturday March 29th at the Salle des Etoiles Sporting Monte-Carlo. The event will benefit the Princess Grace Foundation and this year’s theme is, "Sunset”. The venue will be transformed into a Caribbean Forest, complete with a beach café and sunset ambiance.
Justin Bieber reportedly interested in aquriing a home on the Riviera - Singer Justin Bieber has reportedly expressed his desire, along with his wife, to leave the hustle and bustle of the United States behind and settle on the French Riviera. According to The U.S. Sun, the couple are eyeing up the Alpes-Maritimes as their new home base. While other destinations like Mallorca, Ibiza, and Athens were also considered, it seems that Nice has caught their attention. The couple is reportedly interested in a luxurious villa in the area, located in a prime position with stunning views of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cap Ferrat. The asking price? A jaw-dropping €18.5 million.
"Students Only Get Their News from Social Media" - A teacher’s take on school press week - School Press and Media Week begins today Monday March 24th and history and geography teacher Christophe Naudin has discussed with local media how current events are handled in his classroom. Naudin notes that his students primarily get their news from social media, especially platforms like TikTok, rather than traditional news outlets. He encourages critical thinking by asking students to cross-reference information and guides them on the potential pitfalls of social media news.
Where to Find Singles in Nice? – Finally, looking for love in Nice? According to dating app happn, there are certain spots in the city that are particularly popular with singles. If you want to increase your chances of meeting someone new, you might want to head to places like Pathé Gare du Sud, where many singles are known to hang out. For a more scenic vibe, the Parc de la Colline du Château offers beautiful views and a great spot to meet others. If you're in the mood to relax by the sea, Cocoon Beach is a hot favourite, while Parc Phoenix is also popular for a casual stroll. Of course, no list would be complete without a little nightlife, and in Nice, Waka Bar is one of the trendy spots where singles go to unwind. If you’re feeling sporty, head to the Stade de Nice (Allianz Riviera) or Blast for a bit of action. For those who prefer a more chilled-out atmosphere, Plage de Castel or Parc du Mont Boron might be the perfect places to catch someone’s eye. And, of course, you can always count on High Club if you're in the mood to dance the night away. So, whether you’re soaking up the sun on a beach, enjoying a scenic walk, or dancing at a trendy club, happn’s ranking shows that singles in Nice enjoy mixing it up—just don’t forget to use the “CrushPoints” feature to save your favourite places and match with someone special based on shared interests.
Business
The chief executive of National Grid in the UK has stated that Heathrow Airport had sufficient power from other substations despite Friday's shutdown. A fire knocked out an electricity substation at Heathrow on Thursday evening, affecting around 1,300 flights, and operations weren't able to resume until Friday evening. According to National Grid there were two other substations "always available for the distribution network companies and Heathrow to take power." In his first comments since the disruption, he told the Financial Times, "There was no lack of capacity from the substations. Each substation individually can provide enough power to Heathrow." He added, "Losing a substation is a unique event, but there were two others available."
The UK’s Chancellor has promised to reduce government running costs by 15% by the end of the decade. Rachel Reeves told the BBC that the savings would come from back-office and administrative roles, rather than cutting front-line services. However, unions have warned that the impact of these cuts will still be felt by the public, with around 10,000 jobs expected to be lost. This announcement comes ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on Wednesday, where she is expected to reveal further spending cuts for some government departments.
And - Disney's live-action adaptation of the classic fairy tale Snow White has claimed the top spot at the North American box office, despite receiving a wave of underwhelming reviews. The film earned an estimated $87.3 million (£67.5 million) globally during its opening weekend, with nearly half of that figure coming from North America. However, this total falls below expectations for a movie that reportedly had a production budget of over $270 million. While the reimagining of the 1937 animated classic initially appeared to be a guaranteed success, it faced a series of controversies leading up to its release, which may have impacted its performance.
Sport
Football - The drama of Sunday's Nations League quarterfinals was nothing short of chaotic, with 21 goals scored across four thrilling matches. Three of the games went to extra time, and two of them ended with penalty shootouts. In total, there were 131 attempts on goal, as teams went all-out in search of victory. In the match between France and Croatia, France won 2-0 in the second leg, securing a 5-4 victory on penalties after the aggregate score finished 2-2. Germany and Italy played out a 3-3 draw in their second leg, allowing Germany to advance with a 5-4 aggregate score. Portugal dominated Denmark, finishing 5-2 in the second leg and clinching a 5-3 aggregate win. Meanwhile, Spain drew 3-3 with the Netherlands, but after the aggregate score reached 5-5, Spain triumphed 5-4 in a dramatic penalty shootout. As a result, France, Germany, Portugal, and Spain will all meet in the Nations League semi-finals this June.
This evening in the World Cup qualifiers England play Latvia kick off is at 8.45pm French time.
Formula One - Oscar Piastri delivered a composed and controlled victory in the Chinese Grand Prix, leading McLaren to a dominant one-two finish ahead of George Russell's Mercedes. This result marked McLaren's second win in as many races to start the season, following Lando Norris' superb drive in the wet conditions of Melbourne the previous weekend. Piastri, starting from pole position, was in charge for most of the race, briefly losing the lead only around the pit stops.
Charles Leclerc, driving with a damaged front wing, showed incredible pace in his Ferrari, outpacing his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who moved aside to let him pass. However, both Leclerc and Hamilton, along with Pierre Gasly from Alpine, were disqualified after the race due to separate technical infringements. Leclerc lost fourth place to Max Verstappen in the final laps as the world champion found extra pace in the latter stages.
Tennis - Novak Djokovic has advanced to the last 16 of the Miami Open with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-1) win. The victory marks Djokovic’s 411th win in ATP Masters 1000 events, propelling him past Rafael Nadal to claim the top spot on the all-time list. The 37-year-old, who is aiming for a seventh Miami Open title, will next face Lorenzo Musetti in the last 16.
Weather
Cloudy with light showers and some sunny spells. Highs of 15 degrees in Nice and Marseille, 14 degrees in Monaco and Saint-Tropez. Sunny in Toulon with highs of 16 degrees. This evening going down to 8 degrees along the coast and cloudy.
The outlook for tomorrow and Wednesday. Tuesday sunny intervals with a gentle breeze. Wednesday mainly fine and highs of 17 degrees.
Sunrise 06.27am
Sunset 06.47pm
Weather elsewhere
London 15° thick cloud.
Dublin 14° sunny.
Paris 17° sunny intervals.
And Finally
Saffron Walden, a medieval market town in Essex, has been named the best place to live in the UK. Located 15 miles south of Cambridge, the picturesque town topped The Sunday Times' list of the Best Places to Live 2025. With an average house price of £607,100, Saffron Walden emerged as the overall winner in this year's report.
Three people have survived a mid-air collision involving two French Air Force Alpha Jets near an air base in northeastern France on Tuesday....
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Philippe Vedovini - the maternal grandfather of Émile Soleil - along with his wife and two of their adult children, have been placed in police custody...
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Princess Charlene of Monaco led the inaugural Road Safety Day on March 23rd in Larvotto, promoting bike safety and sustainable mobility. ...
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AS Cannes will face Reims in the Coupe de France semi-final on April 2nd, and the city of Cannes is setting up a fan zone on the Allées de la Liberté ...
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Four people, including the grandparents, are in police custody in connection with the death of 2-and-a-half-year-old Emile Soleil, whose remains were ...
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