News
French government to tackle social benefit fraud - The French government has presented plans to tackle social security fraud. It was just a few weeks ago that the government announced plans in the fight against tax evasion and it now plans to tackle social security fraud, which according to the court of auditors, costs the country between 6 and 8 billion euros per year. The government is proposing more controls and an increase of resources including the creation of 1,000 civil servant posts and 1-billion-euros of investment. From 2025 applications will be pre-filled to simplify and better control access to benefits and from July 1st benefits will no longer be paid to accounts outside of the European Union.
Kidnapped girl found safe and sound - 10-year-old Eya who had been kidnapped by her father last Thursday in Isère has been found, safe and sound. Thirty hours after her abduction the 10-year-old was found with her father in Denmark, she has since returned to France to be with her mother. Eya, was kidnapped on Thursday while walking to school with her mother in Fontaine, in the suburbs of Grenoble. According to police, the father "and a hooded accomplice" had "gassed the little girl's mother with tear gas" before abducting the child. The girl was found on Friday afternoon about a hundred kilometres south of Copenhagen.
Torrential rain - Torrential rain has hit the Var region with the town of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume seeing between 60 and 70mm of rainfall in just one hour on Monday. No emergency interventions or damage was reported. Like all the departments of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, the Var had been placed on a yellow weather alert of Monday, due to the risk of thunderstorms and also heavy rain and flooding.
Plane crash - A light plane has crashed on takeoff at Saint-Tropez-La Mole airport. The incident occurred on Monday morning. Local reports say that two men were on board the plane, which was heading for Limoges. Both escaped unhurt.
Man shot in Marseille - A man is in hospital with serious injuries after being shot in Marseille on Sunday night. Reports say that the man in his thirties was enticed out of his home in the 14th arrondissement by a fake pizza delivery man before being surrounded by four individuals who then opened fire. Investigations are continuing.
Secours Populaire launches campaign - The charity Secours Populaire has launched a new campaign to appeal for donations in the Alpes-Maritimes. From Thursday 1st June the organisation calls on companies and schools to organize material and food donations. Over the last year in the Alpes Maritimes the charitable organisation has seen a 23% increase of people benefiting from aid including more than 50% of Ukrainian refugees with the association spending more than 50,000 euros each month to shop for food aid.
Business
Ahead of the launch of a new phone model. Apple supplier Foxconn has announced plans to recruit more workers for the world's largest iPhone factory. New workers at its plant in China will receive bonuses of up to 3,000 yuan ($424; £343) for at least 90 days of work adding that current employees who successfully refer a friend or family member will also qualify for an award. The iPhone 15 is expected to be launched in September. It marks the latest move by the Taiwan-based manufacturer to improve benefits for its workers at the huge plant - known as iPhone City.
Meanwhile, Amazon in the UK is offering parents and grandparents who work in their warehouses the choice to work in term-time only. Amazon said the new contract will mean people with children to look after can take six weeks of holiday in summer and two weeks at Easter and at Christmas. But the GMB union, which is fighting Amazon for recognition, said that while flexible working is welcome, most workers want better wages.
And – Also in the UK the rate of price rises in supermarkets across the country has hit a new high due to coffee, chocolate and non-food goods. While prices for fresh food have fallen marginally, the cost of commodities such as coffee and cocoa has jumped. The government is in talks about asking supermarkets to cap prices on food items to help with the cost of living. An agreement, which would be voluntary, would limit the cost of basic foods such as bread and milk.
Sport
Football - Chelsea have appointed former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach on a two-year deal, with the option of a further year, from July 1. The 51-year-old Argentine, who returns to the Premier League following previous spells in charge of Tottenham and Southampton, permanently succeeds Graham Potter, who was dismissed at the start of April after less than seven months in charge.
Tennis – In today’s night session at Roland Garros the men's singles match will see France's Gael Monfils taking on Argentine Sebastian Baez and on the first day of the men’s doubles tournament Britons Neal Skupski, Jamie Murray and Lloyd Glasspool will all be on court.
On Monday Britain's Cameron Norrie was unhappy that an "absurd" call from the umpire changed the momentum of his French Open match against France's Benoit Paire. Norrie, is the only Briton through to the second round with Jack Draper's injury problems continuing as he retired from his opening match with a shoulder issue.
Weather
Sunny with highs of 24 degrees in Saint-Tropez and Antibes. 25 degrees in Monaco, Vence and San Remo. Light rain is forecast for San Remo. 26 degrees in Nice, 27 degrees in Marseille and Toulon. 29 degrees in Montpellier. Gentle breeze. Showers by this afternoon inland in the Alpes Maritimes and the Var. This evening going down to 19 degrees.
The outlook for tomorrow and Thursday, fine to begin with, rain is forecast with thundery showers inland by the afternoon, highs of 26 degrees.
Sunrise 05.52am
Sunset 09.03pm
Beach weather forecast
Nice – Sea temperature 20 degrees. Air temperature 26 degrees. Sunny intervals. UV level 8.
Saint-Tropez – Sea temperature 20 degrees. Air temperature 25 degrees. UV level 8.
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