French and Riviera News Monday 8th November 2021

News

70-year-old man found dead near supermarket in Mandelieu - A 70-year-old man has been found dead in Mandelieu. It was a passer-by who alerted police on Sunday morning after discovering the lifeless body at around 10am in a ditch below the petrol station of the Giant Casino in Mandelieu-la-Napoule. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances.

Police recover the body of migrant on the French-Italian border - Police have recovered the body of a man on the French-Italian border believed to be a migrant. Emergency services carried out the operation at the border between Menton and Ventimiglia on Sunday morning. The body had been spotted on Saturday by a hiker. The victim is thought to have died several days ago. His belongings were handed over to the Italian police. For the time being, the identity of the victim remains unknown.

Delays at Nice International airport - There have been delays at Nice airport after interference with the frequencies between pilots and the control tower. Flights were delayed on Sunday morning due to the technical difficulties. Technicians intervened for several hours to resolve the problem which was eventually found but remains confidential due to the ongoing investigation into the incident.

French President to address the nation tomorrow on the health situation and the question of a third dose of the covid vaccine for all adults - French President Emmanuel Macron is to address the nation in a televised speech tomorrow Tuesday 9th November at 8pm giving an update on the health situation in France. Macron's address comes as questions are being asked about a possible 5th wave of covid. Only last week the World Health Organisation warned of a "worrying situation" in Europe with a possible 500,000 additional deaths between now and February. According to the WHO; Central and Eastern Europe along with those countries such as Germany, where there is no health pass are most affected. France is amongst the countries with the highest vaccination rate, with a possible third dose for all adults currently being considered.

Latest figures from Public Health France published on Sunday have shown that ten people died in the the last 24 hours in hospital with an average of 7,230 daily cases being recorded and an increase of nearly 25%. France has 6,709 people hospitalized, including 1,101 in intensive care. A week ago, 6,572 people were hospitalized, including 1,046 in intensive care.

Ski resorts to follow strict health protocol but can reopen - Meanwhile during a visit to the Haute Savoie at the weekend France's Prime Minister Jean Castex has announced a strict health protocol ahead of ski resorts opening for the winter season. Wearing a mask will be compulsory on ski lifts but the health pass is not compulsory on the slopes unless the health situation deteriorates. It will however be necessary in restaurants and hotels.

Pet stores air their anger at new law - Pet stores on the Côte d'Azur have aired their "anger" against new laws to be voted in on November 16th at the National Assembly, while elected officials say they are "satisfied" and an association "wants to take it further". The law against animal abuse includes a text which will no longer allow pet stores to sell dogs or cats from 2024. Speaking on the matter One Voice which campaigns for animal rights said that "as soon as the text comes into force, these pets can no longer be displayed behind windows. An essential measure to put an end to impulse purchases that are generally followed by the animal being abandoned". The association goes on to point out that "two establishments in Nice are reportedly under investigation for having very dubious practices. In particular, on the importation of animals from Hungary that travel in disastrous conditions."

Strike action for an unlimited period - Strike action from employees of Moovia, a subsidiary of Trasdev which deals with parking fines of non-payment of street parking in Nice, have announced an "unlimited" period of action due to their working conditions and wages.

Skateboarders in Nice call for recognition - Skateboarders in Nice have created an association calling for more "recognition" and "fewer fines" from the town hall.

The Promenade des Anglais is a favourite spot for skaters in the city and according to the number of members of the Nice street vibe association, which represents the rider community, nearly 150 people skate in the city. However according to the association there is a lack of infrastructure in the region with only two skateparks, the first is private, the second is at the other end of the city which means that skaters take to the street to practice their sport and also their passion, much to the displeasure of local residents.

Charity gala to help poor children - A charity gala is being organised in Carros by the association "Enfants du Monde" which is based in Saint Laurent du Var and helps poor children. Registration is now open for the event on Friday, November 19. "Enfants du monde" is particularly established in Africa and offers aid in malnutrition and medical care. Its volunteers have been involved for more than 40 years.

City of Nice calls for artists to create work of art in memory of the victims of the Nice attack - The City of Nice has launched an appeal for artists to create a work of art in memory of the victims of the Nice attack of July 14th 2016. Projects must be submitted before 7th December and must be accessible to all ages and will be required to incorporate a heart with the names of the 86 victims of the attack.

Anonymous artist places small metal sculptures throughout the streets - Meanwhile an anonymous artist from Antibes has launched a novel way of discovering their artwork by hiding small metal sculptures throughout the streets of Antibes, Nice, Sophia-Antipolis and even Marseille. The most curious who find them are guided to the artist's Instagram page to discover other works of art.

French astronaut's return to earth delayed - French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and his team were due to leave the ISS on Sunday evening but will now have to wait until tomorrow Tuesday 9th November, due to weather conditions. Pesquet was expected in Miami today after spending more than six months in space. But their departure has been delayed by several hours and will finally take place at dawn on Tuesday, due to "strong winds near the ditching area." The 43-year-old French astronaut is completing the second mission of his career in orbit, "Alpha". He had arrived aboard the ISS with his teammates on April 24th.

Business

As the United States reopens its borders today Monday 8th November, to vaccinated travellers, airlines that expect to carry many passengers have increased their capacity. Air France, British Airways, United Airlines which usually rely heavily on transatlantic and transpacific routes have added flights, chosen larger aircraft, and made sure that they have enough staff. The announcement by the White House of the lifting of restrictions immediately saw a surge in bookings. British Airways has seen flight searches and stays to some US cities explode by 900% for the days before Christmas. At American Airlines, the day after the announcement, bookings jumped 66% to the United Kingdom, 40% to Europe and 74% to Brazil.

Meanwhile Sydney Airport has agreed to accept a £13bn takeover bid from a group of investors. If completed, the deal will one of Australia's biggest ever buyouts. However, the proposed sale faces a number of potential obstacles, which means the process could still take months to complete.

Voters in a Twitter poll have urged Elon Musk to sell 10% of his stake in Tesla in order to pay tax. More than 3.5 million Twitter users voted in the poll, launched by Mr Musk on Saturday, with nearly 58% voting in favour of the share sale. The vote could see him dispose of nearly £16bn of stock in the electric carmaker. He has promised to abide by the result, in response to a "billionaires tax" proposed by US Democrats. But Mr Musk, one of the world's richest men, has yet to comment publicly on the verdict.

A LinkedIn study has highlighted "proximity bias" in favouring a face-to-face employee rather than that of an employee working from home, with equal skills. While working from home is now widely acclaimed by employees, the face-to-face culture remains more popular from managers and as a result, some teleworkers are wondering whether or not coming into the office could slow down their careers? The study showed that 35% of employees surveyed think that working from home is still poorly perceived, and 4 out of 10 think it will have an impact on their career. 85% of them believe that this impact will be negative.

Sport

Formula One - Red Bull's Max Verstappen took a dominant victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix to strengthen his chances of a first world championship. Verstappen's title rival Lewis Hamilton was second. Verstappen's ninth win in 2021 gives him a 19-point lead with four races and a total of 107 points remaining. One of the most imposing victories of the year therefore puts Verstappen in a commanding position in the championship.

Football – West Ham stunned Liverpool on Sunday beating them 3-2 and overtaking them in the league table. With four Premier League wins in a row, third in the table they stopped Liverpool from setting a new club record of 26 games unbeaten.

Cricket - Pakistan maintained their 100% record at the Men's T20 World Cup with a 72-run win over Scotland to set up a semi-final against Australia. England will face New Zealand, who beat Afghanistan earlier on Sunday to knock out India, in the other semi-final. That game will be on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, with Pakistan-Australia on Thursday in Dubai.

Rugby Union - Scotland claimed a third consecutive victory over Australia on Sunday and continue their winning start to the Autumn Nations Series.

Cycling - Olympic champion Katie Archibald won the women's elimination race on the opening night of the first UCI Track Champions League in Mallorca.

Weather 

Sunny intervals with a moderate breeze. Highs of 20 degrees in Monaco, Nice and Cannes. 19 degrees in Saint Tropez and La Croix Valmer, in the Var. Possibility of light showers this afternoon in the Alpes Maritimes. This evening going down to 10 degrees with clear skies.

The outlook for Tuesday and Wednesday - Fine tomorrow with highs of 20 degrees. Light showers are forecast for Wednesday and a cool wind and highs of 17 degrees.

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