French and Riviera News Monday 29th November 2021

News

Two police officers injured during the filming of rap video in Nice- Two police officers have been injured after being targeted by mortar fire in the Ariane district in Nice. The incident occurred on Sunday November 28th, when police intervened during the shoot of a rap video for Marseille rapper Graya. Anthony Borré the deputy mayor of Nice, in charge of security, reacted on Twitter saying that along with the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, they "condemned the act and gave full support to the injured officers". An investigation is currently underway.

New health protocol in France's primary schools - From today Monday 29th November, there is a new health protocol in France's primary schools in order to avoid class closures. The new measure is set to be more flexible. From today the level 2 protocol means that should a pupil test positive in a class all students are tested and those who test positive will have to self-isolate, but the class is not closed. Should your child be a contact case, they are able to return to class upon presentation of a negative test result. As the under 12s are not vaccinated the last year of primary school students are encouraged to carry out from today, two self-tests per week. The situation does not change for middle and high school students as more than 75% of students are vaccinated. All lessons are face to face, wearing a mask is mandatory for pupils and the mixing of students must be limited. Sports activities are allowed however indoor contact sports are forbidden.

Monaco covid cases - While no new cases of covid have been declared in Monaco on Sunday November 28th, twenty-three new cases were declared on Saturday 27th November. To date 3,728 people have been affected by covid since the start of the epidemic. Currently thirteen people are in hospital, two of whom are in intensive care and 146 people are being cared for by the Home Monitoring Centre.

Possible cases Omicron covid variant detected in France -Meanwhile the Directorate General of Health in France has announced on Sunday evening that eight possible cases of the Omicron variant have been detected in France with confirmation expected in the next few days. Possible cases are people who returned from southern Africa during the last 14 days and tested positive. On Sunday morning France's Health minister Olivier Veran said that "since the new variant circulates in Great Britain, Italy and Belgium, it is likely that there are already cases France".

Hunter killed by fellow hunter in wild boar hunt - An investigation has been opened in the Dordogne after a hunter was killed by another hunter during a wild boar hunt on Sunday November 28th. The incident happened at around 10am in the town of Campsegret, about fifteen kilometers north of Bergerac. The victim was "mortally wounded" by a shot from another 60-year-old participant, when the latter opened fire "twice in the direction of a wild boar".

France's Interor Minister announces "more intense fight against people smugglers"- France's Minister of the Interior has met with his European counterparts to discuss the migration crisis. The meeting on Sunday came following the sinking of a boat off Calais which killed 27 people. At the end of a crisis meeting in Calais between European partners the minister announced "an even more intense fight" against smugglers. Britain had been excluded from the meeting by France following comments made last week by the UKs Prime Minister. On the matter Gerald Darmanin said that the "meeting was not anti-English but pro-European adding that he hoped for a collaboration between EU countries and the United Kingdom". Following the meeting it was announced that the European border agency Frontex will deploy from 1st December a plane to help fight against migratory traffic in the Channel.

Tributes pour in following death of artistic director at Louis Vuitton – The world of fashion but also actors, footballers and dancers have paid tribute to Virgil Abloh artistic director at Louis Vuitton who died from cancer on Sunday at the age of 41. Described as a "visionary genius" the American had paved the way for many young creators.

Heavy snowfall sees motorists stranded in central France - Snowfall has caused vehicles to come to standstill in central France on Sunday 28th November and at 10pm last night some 1,500 motorists were still blocked on the A89 motorway. Local authorities opened a gymnasium and a community hall to accommodate motorists "while snow ploughs intervened". The motorway was cut off in both directions for part of the evening.

Carry on Campervan - What if your next holiday was in a camper van? Nothing wrong in that I hear you say, but you may not be alone, as the demand for campervans has exploded since the start of the health crisis in France. According to figures from the leisure vehicle union UNI VDL (which represents the van, motorhome and caravan manufacturers), vans represented 44% of registrations of this type of vehicle in 2020, compared to 20% in 2015 and only 5% in 2010.

Euromillions jackpot won in France - Friday's Euromillions jackpot has been won in France. An amount exceeding 162 million euros makes the winner the fifth biggest in France. Thanks to the combination of 1, 20, 41, 42, 50 stars 3 and 7, the winner will pocket 162,289,050 euros, specifies the FDJ. The winner has 60 days to come forward. Details of where the winning grid was validated will be disclosed once payment of the prize has been made. The previous Euromillion winning draw dates back to October 15, when 220 million was won in Tahiti by a young Polynesian who was playing for the first time. It was the biggest jackpot in the history of the European lottery since it started in 2004.

Business

Moroccan authorities have announced the suspension for two weeks of all commercial flights to Morocco. The announcement was made on Sunday November 28th and will take affect from midnight tonight Monday 29th November. In a statement it was announced that an assessment of the situation "will be undertaken regularly in order to adjust, if necessary, the necessary measures".

Meanwhile British Airways has suspended flights to Hong Kong amid reports more of its crew members have been forced to quarantine in a government centre. BA confirmed that it has temporarily stopped flights while an operational review is carried out.

Nissan has announced that it will invest two trillion yen (17.6 billion dollars) over the next five years to electrify more of its line-up and turn battery-powered cars into a pillar of its long-term growth. The Japanese automaker will introduce 23 new models by 2030, including 15 new electric vehicles, and aim for more than half of its sales to be electrified by then.

France's agriculture minister Julien Denormandie has announced that prostate cancer will be recognized in France as an occupational disease related to the use of the pesticide Chlordecone. The decree planned for the end of the year will make it possible to recognize this occupational disease with the minister adding that "the government has made sure to speed things up so that it can be implemented before the end of the year".

Sport

Formula One – Founder and former team principal of the Williams Racing Formula 1 team Sir Frank Williams has died aged 79. Williams built the team named after him into one of the most successful in the sport. During his time with Williams, the team won nine constructors' championships and seven drivers' titles, and dominated much of the 1980s and 1990s. Williams was a wheelchair user after suffering a spinal cord injury in a car crash in France in 1986. F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali paid tribute to Williams, whom he described as "a true giant of our sport".

Football – There was plenty of action in the Premier league this weekend. Chelsea remains top of the table while managing a 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Sunday. The Burnley and Tottenham match was postponed, and Liverpool beat Southampton 4-0.

Cricket - New Zealand need 231 runs to win today's fifth and final day of the First Test.

Tennis - Great Britain are through to the Davis Cup quarter-finals after Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski showed their quality to win a decisive doubles rubber against the Czech Republic.

Cycling – Olympic champion Katie Archibald won the women's scratch and elimination races in the second round of the UCI Track Champions League in Lithuania.

Meanwhile closer to home, here in the Principality the first edition of "Beking Monaco" took place on Sunday November 28th and congratulations to Primoz Roglic who wons the 1st edition. Beking Monaco an event dedicated to cycling, solidarity and the theme of sustainable mobility. A festive occasion to give the local community a day full of joy, sport, inclusion and charity.

Rugby – Monaco's Impi's Rugby 7s team created in 2017 by Princess Charlene of Monaco and Gareth Wittstock are to be joined this year for the first time by the women's Umusa team at this year's Rugby sevens tournament in Dubai taking place from the 2nd – 4th December. It's a first time a men's and women's team are representing Monaco on the international scene along with the Princess Charlene Foundation, which stands for the values of solidarity, inclusion and team spirit.

Weather

Sunny in Saint Tropez and the Var. Cloudy to begin with in Nice and the Alpes Maritimes clearing as the day goes on. Highs of 14 degrees along the coast and 12 degrees inland with a fresh breeze. This evening going down to 1 degree inland and 5 degrees along the coast with clear skies.

The outlook for Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow sunshine with highs of 15 degrees. Becoming increasingly cloudy by Wednesday, rain forecast inland in the Var and highs of 14 degrees.

And Finally

A recent survey has shown that the dream job might not be as we may have thought. A majority of respondents said that most workers were looking for down-to-earth benefits when seeking employment. They include free cups of tea, a comfortable chair, and a tidy desk. The survey established that the perfect job has a four-day week, a salary of £44,000 and a boss who you can have a drink with. Other requirements for the ideal role include regular pay rises, 29 days holiday a year, around six weeks and an extra day off on your birthday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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