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News Strike action today from France Télévisions and Radio France - Employees of the public audio-visual sector of France Télévisions and Radio France have called for strike action today Tuesday 28th June, to demand the maintenance of public funding for broadcasting, after the announced end to the license fee. While it may present one less tax for the French it’s considered to be one more worry for public media employees. French President Emmanuel Macron wishes to replace the contribution to public broadcasting from 2022 with a current budget over several years and ensures that the end of the fee will not lead to a reduction in the means of public broadcasting. However, the measure would force the State to find an additional 3.14 billion euros each year, in addition to the 560 million it already pays to compensate for the non-payment of the fee by the lowest income households. To replace the fee, the unions are calling for, among other things, the "implementation of a universal tax allocated to public broadcasting", whose "yield would be at least equivalent to the current amount of the fee", as well as a "dedicated funding to fight fake news". Mayor of Nice warns that the covid vaccination pass could be reintroduced - The mayor Nice Christian Estrosi has warned that the covid vaccination pass could be reintroduced from August 1st. Speaking during at the metropolitan council on Monday Estrosi issued an alert concerning the resurgence of covid cases in France and in the Metropolis, pointing out that according to the “scientists, the number of real cases of covid would be 25 times higher than the official figures”. The mayor of Nice went on to say that the city’s wastewater Nice currently showed a covid rate above 4% and that with a new peak expected early August, screening tests, in particular saliva tests for children will be reintroduced from August 3rd. In addition, pop-up centres will also be set up from Monday August 29th "in anticipation for the start of the school year". Finally, the vaccinodrome at the Palais des Expositions is ready to reopen. France’s Health Minister request a mask to be worn on public transport out of “citizen duty” - Meanwhile France’s Minister of Health has "requested" that a mask be worn in public transport. Brigitte Bourguignon has asked the French to put the mask back on when travelling on public transport “out of good citizenship” and in the face of the rise in cases of covid. The minister referred to the "citizen duty", consisting in "protecting oneself, in the face of a very transmissible variant", but also in "protecting others and in particular the most fragile" in confined places. All without “going as far as the obligation” to wear a mask. France, like the European countries, is faced with a resurgence of covid contaminations, in particular with the BA.5 variant. The minister also reiterated her call for a new vaccination booster with the fourth dose for certain categories of the population. Motorist charged following fatal accident in Antibes - The motorist responsible for the death of a 17-year-old boy in a road accident in Antibes at the weekend has remained in police custody and has been charged with intentional homicide after it he was found that he was under the influence of alcohol and narcotics at the time of the fatal accident. Young girl slightly injured on a ride at Luna Park - A young girl has suffered slight injuries after the elastic of an attraction ride at the Luna Park in Fréjus in the Var gave way. The incident occurred at the weekend when the elastic on the left side of the carousel gave way sending the passengers flying completely to the right. Emergency services intervened after the young girl suffered slight injuries to her foot. No complaints have yet been filed. An investigation is underway. In the meantime, the attraction concerned as well as "the other rides of this type" have been put on hold. Sailboat catches fire - A ten-metre sailboat has sunk off the Léoube beach in Bormes-les-Mimosas in the Var. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon shortly after 2pm when the sailboat caught fire after a gas canister exploded. Two people were on board at the time and were rescued by a fellow yachtsman sailing nearby. The Cross-Med intervened after being alerted by several witnesses. City of Nice to increase cost of underground car parks - The City of Nice has increased the prices of its underground car parks. The increase which was voted at Monday’s metropolitan council will come into effect from Friday July 1st and will concern car parks managed by the Parcs d’Azur de Nice in the city centre. French footballer holidaying on the Riviera - French footballer Karim Benzema has been relaxing on the Côte d’Azur notably paying a visit to the famous restaurant Michelangelo in the old Antibes. Winner of the Champions League and the Spanish Championship with Real Madrid, Benzema has been enjoying the break, before resuming training with his club. No more lost socks in the washing machine - It’s one of life’s mysteries, where do the socks go when they disappear in the washing machine? Well, we might not know where they go but, we can stop them from going there thanks to mother of two Nathalis Gras from the Saône et Loire who has created Keep’socks (a recyclable sock clip) and an innovation which has even won a silver medal at this year’s Lépine competition. |
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Business As Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis in decades the country has suspended sales of fuel for non-essential vehicles. For the next two weeks only buses, trains, and vehicles used for medical services and transporting food will be allowed to fill up with fuel. Schools in urban areas have shut and officials have told the country's 22 million residents to work from home. The South Asian nation is in talks over a bailout deal as it struggles to pay for imports such as fuel and food. Switzerland's criminal court has found the bank Credit Suisse guilty of involvement in money laundering related to a Bulgarian drugs ring. The bank allegedly did not do enough to prevent members of the crime syndicate from profiting off the trafficking of cocaine into Europe. The bank has been fined around £1.7m and ordered to pay £15m to the Swiss government. The bank denies wrongdoing and said it would appeal against the ruling. Japan's government has urged people in Tokyo and its surrounding area to use less electricity on Monday, as it warned that supplies will be strained as the country faces a heatwave. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said people should switch off unnecessary lights but still use air conditioning to avoid heatstroke. For weeks, officials have warned of a power crunch as temperatures rise. The French government will increase the index point for civil servants by 4% as the Minister of Transformation and the Public Service receives unions today to make the announcement. For the first time in five years, the point of index of the civil servants will be revalorized. The salary increase for the country's 5.5 million civil servants will reach 4%. The gesture has been long awaited by public officials because the index point has been frozen since 2017 and has only increased by 1.2% since 2010. Following the news in France of a freeze on the increase in rents granted to tenants, the French government is now considering a gesture for landlords. According to reports in French media the government wants to limit the future increase in property tax or “taxe foncière”. While the tax was only 0.2% in 2020, it rose to 2.4% last year, and in May of this year nearly 6% at 5.8%. |
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Sport Tennis - Britain's Andy Murray maintained his record of never losing in the first round at Wimbledon with an encouraging win over Australia's James Duckworth on Monday. The former world number one, now ranked 52nd, won 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4. The 35-year-old Scot will now face big-serving American John Isner, seeded 20th, in the second round on Wednesday. Meanwhile, British number one Emma Raducanu says she "cherished every moment" in a winning start to her first Wimbledon as a Grand Slam champion. The 19-year-old overcame a nervy start on her Centre Court debut to beat Alison van Uytvanck 6-4 6-4. Football - Chelsea have made contact with Manchester City about a move for England forward Raheem Sterling. Sterling, who joined from Liverpool in a £49m deal in 2015 and has scored 131 goals in 339 games, is a major transfer target for new Blues owner Todd Boehly. Cycling - Mark Cavendish will not ride the Tour de France, despite equalling the all-time record for stage wins last year. Cavendish had been hopeful of selection after winning the British road race title on Sunday, as well as several other races this season. Ireland's Sam Bennett is also a surprise omission from the Tour. The Tour begins in Copenhagen, Denmark on Friday. Cricket - England claimed a victory on the final day of the third Test against New Zealand at Headingley to seal a stunning 3-0 series win. The hosts scored the 113 runs needed to complete their chase of 296 in only 65 minutes as they won by seven wickets. Weather Thundery showers and a moderate breeze in the Alpes Maritimes with highs of 27 degrees in Monaco, Nice and Antibes. 25 degrees in Saint Tropez and the Var. This evening going down to 19 degrees with clear skies. The outlook for Wednesday and Thursday - Sunny with a moderate breeze, highs of 27 degrees. Sea Temperature: 22 degrees UV level: 8 Sunrise: 05.50hr Sunset: 21.16hr And Finally Urinating in the sea could see you issued with a 750 euros fine in a city in Spain. In Vigo, in the northwest of Spain, relieving yourself on the beach can be expensive. On June 15th, the municipality published the new regulation. Anyone caught urinating on the sand or in the ocean will be fined 750 euros. However, the town hall did not indicate how it intended to identify and verbalize the offenders. Vigo has also decided to fight against the abusive reservation of deckchairs. It will no longer be possible to drop off your towel to reserve one. Those caught are liable to a fine of 30 euros.
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