French and Riviera News Tuesday 5th December 2023

News

According to a study the 1.5°C objective of the Paris Agreement is now unattainable - Global action to reduce fossil fuels is not moving fast enough to prevent dangerous climate change, according to a Global Carbon Budget study published today Tuesday 5th December. The Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels is now unattainable according to the study. According to the Global Systems Institute, while COP28 is currently being held in Dubai, it now seems inevitable that we will exceed the 1.5°C objective of the Paris Agreement" signed in 2015 during COP21.  The report estimates that overall, total global CO2 emissions will reach 40.9 billion tonnes in 2023, roughly the same level as in 2022. The Global Carbon Budget study is produced by an international team of more than 120 scientists.

Ban on disposable electronic cigarettes - France’s National Assembly has adopted a law aimed at putting an end to disposable electronic cigarettes in France. MPs unanimously adopted on Monday, December 4, a bill to ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes or “puffs” which are very popular among young people, sometimes even minors. The text supported by the government was welcomed by all political groups and adopted by the 104 MPs. It will now have to go to the Senate, but also obtain the approval of the European Commission, in a procedure that the government hopes to see completed by the end of next summer.

Man hit by train – In local news, train traffic has been interrupted in both directions between Ventimiglia and Monaco after a person was fatally hit by a train. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon. The 35-year-old man died at the scene. An investigation is underway.

Police appeal for witnesses - Police have appealed for witnesses following the death of man in Hyères in the Var. The man’s body was discovered on Saturday November 25th, along the sea wall separating the port of La Capte and the beach of Pesquiers. According to the first elements observed by the police, the victim, who has not yet been identified, suffered “injuries probably due to a sharp weapon”. The individual is said to be a "30 to 40-year-old man, with brown, medium-length hair, brown eyes, of normal build and with a beard. When he was found, he was wearing a "black t-shirt, and black denim trousers and a brown leather belt were found nearby. Anybody with any information relating to the identification of the victim or the circumstances of his death are invited to call 04.98.03.56.52.

Road accident - A 12-year-old girl has been knocked over in her wheelchair in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. The road accident occurred shortly before 5pm on Monday, just before the Gérard Rossi stadium, on the road of Plan-de-la-Tour. The teenager was seen to by a medical team on site. Traffic was disrupted in the area in both directions for almost an hour.

Snowfall - The region’s ski resorts have witnessed their first proper snowfall. Valberg, Isola 2000 and the Colmiane woke up on Monday morning to a blanket of snow with -8 degrees Celsius in Isola. A yellow warning for snow and ice issued on Monday remains in place until 10am this Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile there was a definite nip in the air on Monday, with highs of just 8 degrees in Nice making it the coldest it’s been in the city for nearly a year. The last time was on the 7th December 2022, with 7 degrees.

#ILOVENICE - The I Love Nice sculpture has regained its usual spot in Nice following renovation work. The popular selfie spot on the Promenade saw the hashtag sculpture be reinstalled at the weekend looking shiny and new.

Most beautiful tree of the year competition - Finally, the town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in the Alpes-Maritimes has put forward a remarkable 2,000-year-old olive tree to participate in this year “most beautiful tree of the year competition.  Like every year, the competition is extremely tough and out of 140 trees presented, only 14 were selected last September. Online votes will close on December 18th with the winner being announced in January.

Business

France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has announced plans to modify the conditions for granting mortgages in France to facilitate access to the real estate market. Amongst the new measures, longer loans will be accepted in the case of major works needed to encourage energy renovation work, interest on bridging loans will be reviewed and the right to review an application to a mortgage will be introduced in the event of it being refused.

Europe is once again attacking airline practices regarding carrying baggage on board. A nightmare all too familiar for many passengers when boarding a plane with baggage is whether or not it will be allowed, or will I have to pay extra?  On paper, however, things are simple. The International Air Transport Association (Iata) has adopted a framework with a format of 55 x 35 x 20 cm, intended to set the rules to ensure theoretically, that all passengers are able to store their carry-on baggage for free, on-board aircrafts with 120 seats or more. However, the reality sees many low-cost companies apply their own rules with dimensions that vary by a few centimetres. Following new guidelines from the European Parliament, at the end of November the European Commission has asked carriers to harmonize their practices and above all to be transparent on the sizes of hand luggage authorized in the cabin.

The world’s fourth-largest telecommunications company by revenue and the largest wireless carrier in the United States AT&T has said that it has chosen Ericsson to build a telecom network that uses only Open Radio Access Network technology, which creates more efficient networks, and which will cover 70% of its wireless traffic in the US by 2026. The move marks a milestone for the new technology.

A former Tesla employee has told reporters that he believes the technology powering the firm's self-driving vehicles is not safe enough to be used on public roads. The data leaked by the ex-employee included customer complaints about the braking and self-driving software. The information coincides with the US Department of Justice investigating Tesla over its claims relating to its assisted driving features.

Sky Sports has won the rights to show nearly a hundred more English Premier League matches from 2025. The move comes as part of a new four-year deal and will mean that exclusive live coverage will increase by 70%. The league added that all games except Saturday 3pm kick-offs would be televised in Britain for the first time.

And - Shoppers in the UK have been warned not to buy or eat fake and potentially unsafe Prime or Wonka chocolate bars. The Food Standards Agency said it was working with Trading stardards to protect consumers following report of fake branded chocolate currently on sale in many outlets.

Sport

Cricket - The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has introduced an independent regulator in response to a damning independent report into the game. The report said racism, sexism, classism and elitism are "widespread" in cricket. The move means that the regulator will be overseen by a new independent cricket board and ring-fenced from the rest of the ECB.

Athletics – British sprinter Bianca Williams has suffered a setback in her chances of attending the 2024 Olympics following a driving ban. Williams had failed to tell police who was driving a Tesla model 3 when an alleged offence took place. The athlete claims that the ban would make it difficult for her to get to training.

Weather

Sunny intervals and scattered showers. Highs of 12 degrees in Nice, 10 degrees in Monaco with the possibility of light rain. Strong winds and sunshine with highs of 12 degrees in Saint-Tropez. This evening going down to 4 degrees along that coast and 1 degree inland.

The outlook for Wednesday and Thursday mainly fine with highs of 13 degrees.

Sunrise       07.47am

Sunset        04.53pm

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