French and Riviera News Thursday 7th November 2024

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 beh