March in memory of firefighter killed by speeding driver last year - A silent march will be held through Nice on Saturday in memory of a firefighter who was killed in a hit-and-run on the Promenade des Anglais this time last year. 41-year-old Jérémie Boulon was returning home from work on his scooter when he was struck at high speed by a 19-year-old driver behind the wheel of a Mercedes, who was high on laughing gas. Representatives from Nice city hall will take part in the march, which will set off at 6.30pm on Saturday near the Avenue de la Californie. Nice has also announced that a new square on the Boulevard de la Madeleine will be named after him. Building work starts in September.
Travellers to arrive tomorrow in Saint-Laurent-du-Var - A court in Nice has ordered the mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Var to allow travellers to settle on several plots of vacant land, partly owned by the municipality. The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes had requisitioned four hectares of land, to be used as a "temporary transit area" - but the town's mayor made a legal appeal, which has now been rejected. He had opposed the plans, arguing that the land was not suitable for accommodation as there is no access to water and electricity. He also insisted that the prefecture and national police be responsible for security on the site, as the municipal police are overstretched. About 120 caravans are expected to arrive tomorrow and the travellers can stay until 4th August. A French law from the year 2000 requires every French department to provide space for travellers. The Alpes-Maritimes currently does not have one - and municipalities take it in turns to share the burden. After Mandelieu, Grasse and Levens, it's the turn of Saint-Laurent-du-Var this summer.
Bus driver attacked with tear gas - A Lignes d'Azur bus driver has been treated in hospital after he was sprayed in the face with tear gas. The incident happened yesterday morning on board a number 20 bus in Saint-Laurent-du-Var when a man attempted to steal the on-board cash register. The driver resisted and the tear gas caused minor burns to his face. He has since been signed off work suffering from shock. The attacker remains at large and an investigation has been opened.
Marseille transport strike ends - Meanwhile, public transport workers in Marseille have called off their strike and returned to work. Metro, bus and tram services in the city had been disrupted since Sunday. Management at the RTM met union reps for several hours of negotiations and reached an agreement on some of the workers' complaints. These included staff shortages, poor hygiene conditions in stations and ageing rolling stock that often breaks down.
Summer sales are under way - France's summer sales have begun and they run until 22nd July - except in Corsica where they run from 9th July to 5th August. There are only two official sales periods in France each year - one in the summer and one in the winter. They're the only time of the year when shops are legally allowed to sell at a loss to clear stock. While some shops will try to claim otherwise, shopping in the sales is covered by exactly the same consumer protection rules as the rest of the year. You might see signs in-store saying articles on sale cannot be returned or exchanged, but this is not legally enforceable.
Skin cancer awareness week - The French League Against Cancer has begun a week-long campaign to raise awareness about skin cancer. The prevention campaign aims to remind people about the risks associated with exposure to the sun. According to Nice University Hospital, more than 100,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in France, making it the most common form of cancer. It's recommended that people with fair skin and light-coloured hair see a dermatologist once a year from a young age.
New pitch for Allianz Riviera - A major renovation project is under way at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice to replace the soil and grass on the pitch before the new football season begins. The irrigation and drainage system on the pitch is also being replaced for the first time since the stadium was inaugurated in 2013, as the ground had become too hard for grass to grow properly. The works come at a cost of more than €1 million.
Riviera ice cream for dogs - A firm in Carros has developed a range of artisanal ice creams and sorbets designed especially for dogs. While ordinary ice cream isn't recommended for dogs, Neige Azur uses lactose-free milk and agave syrup instead of sugar, adding probiotics and vitamins to the recipe, to ensure the cold treats support dogs' digestive and immune systems. The ice creams are now sold in more than 60 pet shops around France, under the Delamour brand. Four flavours are currently available - vanilla, strawberry, raspberries - and roast chicken. An ice cream range for cats is also being developed.
BUSINESS
Chinese premier Li Qiang has warned that global trade tensions are “intensifying”. Speaking at the opening ceremony of a World Economic Forum conference, Li said the global economy was “undergoing profound changes” – a nod to Donald Trump’s trade wars that have shaken the global economy this year. Speaking a few weeks after the US and China hammered out a new trade framework, Li also insisted China would "open its doors still wider to the world".
Passengers on Eurostar have faced severe delays and last-minute cancellations after a cable theft disrupted operations. Eurostar has apologised, and advised passngers to cancel or postpone their trip. The theft near Lille of about 600 metres of copper cables caused other trains to be rerouted, leading to extended journey times. Water was handed out to passengers onboard delayed trains, and stations were also very busy.
And a US judge has ruled that using books to train artificial intelligence software is not a violation of US copyright law. The decision came out of a lawsuit brought last year against AI firm Anthropic by three best-selling authors, who accused it of stealing their work to train its Claude AI model and build a multi-billion dollar business. In his ruling, the judge said Anthropic's use of the authors' books was "exceedingly transformative" and therefore allowed under US law.
SPORT
Rugby Union - Australia have released two players to play for Queensland Reds against the British and Irish Lions next week. However, six other Reds players have instead stayed with Australia to prepare for their warm-up Test against Fiji on 6 July. Head coach Joe Schmidt's decision to allow centre Hunter Paisami and hooker Matt Faessler to return to the Reds for the match on 2 July follows tension over whether the hosts' big names will be allowed to play against the Lions for their Super Rugby sides. Lions chief executive Ben Calveley had warned holding back Test players for the fixtures was contrary to an agreement with Rugby Australia and risked the tour being devalued. However Schmidt has argued it is counterproductive to release all Wallabies back to their provincial sides as he attempts to prepare for the three-Test series.
Football - French club Lyon have been demoted to Ligue 2 because of the poor state of their finances. The club were provisionally demoted by the DNGC, the body which oversees the accounts of French professional football clubs, in November. Lyon officials, including owner John Textor, met with the DNGC on Tuesday but failed to convince the body that the club had sufficiently improved their financial situation to lift the punishment. Lyon said the decision was "incomprehensible" and confirmed they would appeal. Lyon's relegation could prove significant to Crystal Palace's hopes of playing in the Europa League next season. Their participation is currently in doubt because of Uefa rules, which prevent multiple teams under the same owner from competing in the same European competition.
Former England midfielder Adam Lallana has retired from playing at the age of 37. Lallana, who won 34 caps for his country, returned to Southampton last season after making his name in his first spell there. Lallana joined Liverpool from Saints for £25m in 2014 and went on to win the Premier League and Champions League. He has also worked as a coach, a role he will continue at Southampton under new boss Will Still.
And in transfer news, Arsenal are interested in Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard amid uncertainty over Thomas Partey's future. Sources have indicated that the Gunners are exploring a deal worth an initial £10m, with a possible £5m in performance related add-ons for the 31-year-old Danish international. Norgaard is now on the club's radar as they seek experience in midfield with 32-year-old Thomas Partey having so far failed to agree terms over extending his contract. The Ghana midfielder's contract expires next week and if a deal cannot be reached he will leave the club.
WEATHER
Fine and sunny with a gentle breeze, just the chance of some occasional thunderstorms further inland in the Var this afternoon. Staying very warm, with temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius on the Alpes-Maritimes coast, 32 on the Var coast and 34 inland in the Var. There'll be clear skies overnight, light winds and another tropical night with temperatures not going below 23 degrees Celsius on the coast and 21 inland. The outlook for Friday: fine and sunny again, 30 degrees on the coast and 34 inland, perhaps some occasional light rain inland in the Alpes-Maritimes along the Italian border. More of the same for the weekend - fine, sunny and hot, with just a possible thunderstorm inland in the Alpes-Maritimes on Sunday.
A silent march will be held through Nice on Saturday in memory of a firefighter who was killed in a hit-and-run on the Promenade des Anglais this time...
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A Lignes d'Azur bus driver was reportedly attacked with tear gas during a robbery as he started work this morning. According to the city of Nice, the ...
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A British man has been questioned by police and charged after privatising part of Disneyland Paris to stage a fake wedding with a nine-year-old girl....
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A child has died after falling from the 18th floor of a building in Marseille. The tragic incident occurred last night in the 15th arondissement ...
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French air traffic controllers have filed a strike notice for the start of the summer holidays, in a dispute over working conditions....
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