Train strike planned for 21 November - Unions representing French rail workers have issued a strike warning for Thursday 21st November. The initial call is for a one-day action, but unions say they could call a longer strike into December if the SNCF fails to meet their demands. The French rail operator will release a detailed strike timetable nearer the time. The strike notice comes from France's four biggest rail unions, which means the disruption to train service is likely to be widespread. The walkout is in protest against the ongoing privatisation of some parts of SNCF, a move which unions say is leading to massive job losses and a decline in working conditions.
'Social cleansing' claim during Paris Olympics - A new report has claimed that almost 20,000 people were forcibly displaced in the lead-up to the Olympics from tent camps or shelters in the Paris region. A coalition of more than 100 community groups says it has gathered evidence of 19,526 people being forced to move from informal housing between April 2023 and September 2024 as part of what it calls “social cleansing” by authorities. The report notes that some people were evicted multiple times and, as a result, may be counted more than once. As the city prepared to host millions of spectators for the Games, the report claims there was widespread eviction of migrants and squatters from visible locations near event venues.
Manslaughter investigation into hospital death - In local news, prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation into the death of a patient in a Var hospital. A 25-year-old man died from a stomach infection while waiting in the emergency ward of Hyères hospital in October last year. Family members and fellow patients who were witnesses say he spent several hours on a stretcher, in pain, waiting to be seen. The regional health agency has already carried out an investigation into what happened on the night. Toulon prosecutor's office is now looking into whether charges should be brought and has opened an investigation into involuntary manslaughter through negligence.
Monaco recruiters sought for jobs fair - Organisers of the Monaco Employment Fair are looking for businesses in the principality that plan on hiring staff next year. Preparations are under way for the third edition of the free jobs fair, which earlier this year attracted 5,000 jobseekers to the Grimaldi Forum. The next fair will be on 24th February. If you work for a company in Monaco that's recruiting, you can register your place by emailing info@monacopourlemploi.mc
Winter jobs at Riviera ski resorts - Meanwhile, if you're looking for a seasonal job this winter, the Riviera's ski resorts are organising a jobs fair today and tomorrow. Recruiters will be in Auron today, at the Espace Maurice Rovery, until 1.30pm and the Espace Mounier sports hall near Valberg on Friday. Jobs on offer include ski lift operators, shuttle bus drivers and cashiers.
Demi Moore film shot on Riviera is released - A horror movie that was filmed on the Riviera hits French cinema screens this week. The Substance, starring Demi Moore, won the award for best screenplay at Cannes this year. It tells the story of a fading celebrity who uses a black market drug to create a much younger version of herself - with unexpected side effects. The film is set in Los Angeles - but it was actually entirely filmed in Cannes.
Mika to play at Cannes music industry festival - Mika is among the names confirmed to be performing a concert as part of next January's Midem festival in Cannes. The annual celebration of the global music industry takes place in Cannes from 29 to 31 January. And while the daytime conference is reserved for music industry professionals, every evening during the festival, Midem opens its doors to the general public. Tickets for the public concerts are on sale on the Midem website and more names are due to be added to the programme shortly.
Hospital window cleaners are superheroes - Window cleaners at Lenval children's hospital in Nice have come up with an innovative way to cheer patients up - by dressing up as super-heroes. They've been abseiling down the side of the hospital building, cleaning windows dressed as the likes of Spiderman, Superman, Batman and Captain America and waving to children as they work.
BUSINESS
The US dollar has surged as Donald Trump claimed victory, winning back the White House in the US presidential race. Bitcoin is also at a record high as traders bet on potential new tax cuts, tariffs, and rising inflation under Trump. The result of the election is expected to have a major impact on the global economy. The dollar soared by around 1.5% against a host of different currencies, including the pound, euro and the Japanese yen. Meanwhile, the value of Bitcoin jumped by $6,000 to record high of $75,371.69, surpassing the previous high of $73,797.98 in March this year. Experts were braced for a turbulent day for the financial markets as a response to global uncertainty and Trump's potential plans for the economy.
Offices of streaming giant Netflix in Paris and Amsterdam have been raided by the French and Dutch authorities as part of an investigation into tax fraud, French judicial sources say. Officials from the two countries have been co-operating on the case since the investigation was opened in November 2022. Netflix has not as yet made any specific comment on the raids, but insists it complies with tax laws wherever it operates. The Amsterdam office is the headquarters of the company's operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
And a series of parcel fires targeting courier companies in Poland, Germany and the UK were dry runs aimed at sabotaging flights to the US and Canada, Polish prosecutors say. Four people have been arrested and authorities across Europe are investigating the incidents.
Western security officials have now told US media they believe the fires - which happened in July - were part of an orchestrated campaign by Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. Russia denies being behind acts of sabotage. But it is suspected to have been behind other attacks on warehouses and railway networks in EU member states this year, including in Sweden and in the Czech Republic.
SPORT
Golf - Rory McIlroy believes Donald Trump’s return to the White House could bring peace between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia funded breakaway LIV circuit and has speculated that Elon Musk could play a key role in negotiations on golf’s future. The US tour is involved in protracted negotiations with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) aimed at healing a divisive split in men’s professional golf, where many leading stars remain banned from the PGA Tour. A proposed deal, first unveiled in June 2023, is likely to face opposition from America’s Department of Justice (DOJ), which has concerns over it potentially leading to breaches of anti-competition laws. Trump suggested earlier this week that he could solve golf’s so called "civil war".
Rugby Union - Full-back George Furbank says England will learn lessons from a run of three narrow defeats by New Zealand as they prepare to face Australia this weekend in the Autumn Nations Series. England surrendered leading positions on all three occasions as they lost their two-match summer series in New Zealand before opening their autumn campaign with a two-point home defeat by the All Blacks at Allianz Stadium last Saturday. England were also beaten 33-31 by France in their final Six Nations game this year after a last-minute Thomas Ramos penalty. England have beaten Australia in 10 of their last 11 meetings and will be favourites when the two sides renew their rivalry on Saturday.
Football - A judge has ruled that former Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy will receive the majority of his unpaid salary from the Premier League club. The France defender, who was charged with rape and sexual assault in August 2021, took Manchester City to an employment tribunal to claim around £11m before tax in unpaid wages after he was suspended without pay from September 2021 until he left the club in June 2023. The 30-year-old was cleared in 2023 of a series of rape and attempted rape charges made against him. A judge has now ruled that City was entitled to withhold Mr Mendy’s salary for the periods during which he was remanded in custody - which accounted for about five months of the 22 months he was not paid. Benjamin Mendy became the world's most expensive defender when Manchester City paid Monaco £52m for him in 2017.
Uefa has fined the Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland after the national anthems were booed before the Republic of Ireland played England in the Nations League in September. European football's governing body imposed a £10,500 fine on the Football Association following England fans' booing at Aviva Stadium. The Football Association of Ireland received a fine of 10,000 euros after home supporters booed God Save The King. The English FA's punishment is greater because the England fans' booing was deemed a repeat offence.
Among the Europa League action tonight, Galatasaray play Tottenham, Olympiakos face Rangers and Man Utd play Greek side PAOK. Locally, OGC Nice face Dutch side Twente at the Allianz Riviera.
WEATHER
Sunny spells and some light cloud today with some strong winds on the Var coast and temperatures up to 20 degrees Celsius on the coast and 17 inland in the Var. It'll be a cloudy night, still with strong winds on the coast and temperatures going down to 13 degrees Celsius on the coast and 10 inland. The outlook for Friday: more of the same, sunny intervals, a bit of cloud and up to 20 degrees Celsius.
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