Local
Strike - Today marks another day of national strike action against the government’s pension reform. Unions have called for demonstration throughout France.
In Nice demonstrators are set to meet at Place Garibaldi at 10.30 this morning. Trains are expected to be disrupted, there will be no trams running and the bus service will be severely disrupted.
As talks this week between unions and the French government ended with some union members walking out, it was declared by the unions that they intend to “strike hard”. 2 out of 5 primary school teachers are expected to take part in the protests, ports, oil refineries and transport will be affected. The strike is at a crucial turning point for those taking part as they see a drop in their salaries due to industrial action. While unions have raised money for those taking part, it will take time to receive any payment which will only be paid upon a justification and will be less than salaries.
Armed man barricades himself in his own home - Police have been deployed in Vence in the Alpes Maritimes after an armed man barricaded himself in his home in the early hours of this morning. Police and emergency services were at the scene and the road has been closed to motorists.
Director of public security in the Alpes Maritimes dismissed from his post - Almost a year after his appointment as head of the 2,000 Alpes-Maritimes police officers, Jean-François Illy, director of public security in the Alpes-Maritimes, has been removed from his post on Wednesday. The French interior minister Christophe Castaner announced on Wednesday that Jean-François Illy, had been dismissed.
The decision is reportedly the result of an administrative investigation of which the Jean Francois Illy is the subject. Illy was summoned by the General Inspectorate of the National Police and questions about the use of his personal chauffeur and expenses made to available while he was stationed in Strasbourg between 2012 and 2019.
Police are appealing for the public’s help in locating a 65-year-old man missing in Nice. Gilbert Ardouin is deaf and mute and was last seen on the 2nd of January in Nice. He has short brown hair and a greying beard. If you have any information, you’re asked to call the police on 04 92 17 22 93.
The route for the Paris to Nice 2020 cycle race has been unveiled. The race, which begins on the 8th of March will pass through Sorgues, Apt and La Colmiane in our region, before ending in a loop around Nice on the 15th of March.
Wine cellar of the year - An establishment in Nice has been crowned the "wine cellar of the year". “La Part des Anges” was awarded by the wine revue of France at a ceremony in Paris on Tuesday. Located in rue Gubernatis in Nice “La Part des Anges” was created in 1998 by Olivier Labarde, a “cellar-bistro” it was one of the first of its kind in France and the first in Nice.
National
Carlos Ghosn - Carlos Ghosn has vowed to clear his name as he made his first public appearance since escaping from Japan where he was facing trial for financial misconduct. At a news conference on Wednesday the former boss of Renault Nissan said "I'm here to clear my name," adding "The charges against me are baseless." Ghosn, who denies any wrongdoing, fled charges of financial misconduct including allegedly under-reporting his compensation worth $85 million. Ghosn said he was "presumed guilty" and had "no choice" but to jump bail.
Former President Nicolas Sarkozy - Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to stand trial on corruption charges in a case in which he is accused of trying to obtain classified information from a judge. The trial will begin on October 5th and will last until October 22nd. This will be the first trial in several graft investigations against Sarkozy, who was president from 2007 to 2012.
Jacques Chirac, who died last September, was the first ex-president put on trial but not on corruption charges - he was found guilty in 2011 of embezzlement and misuse of public funds during his time as mayor of Paris.
Air France has announced that it has suspended all flights over Iraqi and Iranian airspace. Several other international airlines have also said they will not be flying over the two countries after a missile strike by Iran on two Iraqi military bases last night.
An investigation has been launched after a tragic discovery at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris this morning. The body of a child, thought to be about 10 years old, was discovered in the undercarriage of a Boeing 777 plane. The flight had originated in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast.
Business
The World Bank has warned that global growth this year is likely to be only marginally higher than the weak performance seen in 2019.
Economists at the bank are predicting that the global economy is likely to expand by 2.5 percent in 2020 up from 2.4 percent last year.
The forecast reflects an expected recovery in some emerging markets that had a difficult 2019 but progress will be offset by slower growth in the United States and some other developed economies.
Growth last year was the slowest since the financial crisis and the moderate forecast for 2020 is clouded by uncertainty.
It depends on substantial improvements in some large emerging and developing economies and could be derailed by geopolitical tensions and rising oil prices.
The former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn has said that his decision to flee Japan was the most difficult of his life.
Speaking at a news conference in Lebanon ,Mr Ghosn said that he’d been a “hostage” in Japan and had been left with the choice of dying there or running.
The former Renault and Nissan executive fled Japan on the 29th of December where he’s been charged with a number of financial misconduct offences.
He said that his treatment in Japan failed to meet international standards of justice and that he’d been kept in a cell with only a small window and had only been allowed to shower twice a week.He also said that he’d been kept in solitary confinement for 130 days and had been questioned for up to 8 hours a day without having a lawyer present.
Japan’s Justice Minister has slammed Mr Ghosn’s claims saying that there was no evidence to back them up and that his escape from justice itself constituted a crime that would not be tolerated by any country.
And-Two senior McDonald’s executives have filed a lawsuit against the firm claiming that it discriminates against African-American customers and staff.
The two say that the climate at McDonald’s grew especially hostile after Steve Easterbrook became chief executive in 2015.
They say that under Mr Easterbrook ,the firm “conducted a ruthless purge” of high-ranked African-Americans and shifted advertising away from black customers.
McDonald’s said that it “disagreed with the characterisations of the complaint” adding that people of colour account for 45 percent of its corporate officers.
Sport
Football-Leicester and Aston Villa drew 1-1 last night in the first leg of their English League Cup semi-final.
Villa led for much of the game before Leicester equalised 16 minutes from time.
The second leg at Villa Park is on the 28th of January.
Cricket-James Anderson has been ruled out of the rest of England’s tour of South Africa with a rib injury.
The veteran bowler picked up the injury on the final day of England’s second Test victory in Cape Town and scans have revealed that he’s fractured a rib.
He’s expected to be out of action for 6-8 weeks.
Joffra Archer should be fit for the third Test on what’s expected to be another flat wicket in Port Elizabeth.
Rugby Union-The Ireland fly-half Joey Carbery has been ruled out of the 6 Nations with a wrist ligament injury.
Carbery picked up the injury while playing for Munster and is likely to be out for 2 to 4 months.
The new France coach Fabien Galthie has named 19 uncapped players in his 6 Nations squad as he rings the changes from the old regime.
Yoann Huget ,Maxime Medard and Camille Lopez are among the big names left out and Charles Ollivon who’s won just 11 caps has been named as captain.
Weather.
Clear skies with light variable or westerly winds.
Top temperature 15 degrees.
Overnight lows of 8 degrees on the coast and 5 degrees inland with a partially cloudy skies.
Friday and the start of the weekend-Sunshine and afternoon showers tomorrow, fine on Saturday.Highs of 14-16 degrees.
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