National News
Major fire breaks out at waste sorting centre in Paris - A major fire has broken out at a waste sorting centre in Paris's 17th arrondissement, sending a massive plume of smoke across the city. The centre processes waste for 900,000 nearby residents. It is believed to have started in an underground shaft, spreading throughout the building. No injuries were reported and the building, inaugurated in 2019, was evacuated quickly thanks to the alarm system being activated. Firefighters continued to battle the fire late into the evening on Monday April 7th. Authorities have assured that no toxic particles were detected in the air.
French citizens launch a boycott of American products – In other news nationally in France, in response to Donald Trump's recent tariff announcements, some French citizens have decided to launch a boycott of American products as a form of political protest. Their aim is to express dissatisfaction with his policies and influence American companies. Speaking to French media, one such protestor, Karen, a retired accountant near Bordeaux, has long favoured local products and now scrutinizes labels even more closely. She switched from American batteries to German Varta batteries and replaced her American SodaStream machine with a French alternative, Les French Bulles. Many others are following suit, avoiding American brands and choosing European options instead. Some are even altering their online habits, like Emeline, a financial director, who stopped using Chrome and switched to the French search engine Qwant. Others, like Caroline, have taken more drastic steps, cancelling trips to the U.S. as a political gesture. Though the movement remains a small minority, these boycotting consumers see it as a powerful symbolic act against Trump's policies and a call for stronger European unity.
Local News
New measures to regulate furnished tourist rentals - The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, will today Tuesday 8th April, present new measures to regulate furnished tourist rentals, following a law adopted by the National Assembly in November of last year. The law strengthens the regulation of seasonal rentals, giving mayors more authority to supervise the activity. Nice is the second-largest city in France for furnished tourist rentals and Estrosi has long advocated for stronger measures to ensure access to long-term housing and minimize the impact of seasonal rentals. The new regulations aim to limit rental expansion. The mayor will give his presentation along with the new measure at 5:30pm today at the Nice City Hall.
New initiative against harassment in public spaces - Also on the mayor’s agenda today, will be the presentation of “Ask Angela” a new initiative in the fight against harassment in public spaces. Estrosi will visit a participating business to review the program, which offers support to anyone facing harassment, regardless of age or gender. Launched in 2023, the initiative uses the "Where is Angela?" code to help victims find safe spaces in partner establishments. Afterwards, Estrosi will attend a workshop on combating sexist and sexual violence at Place Garibaldi. The event is part of International Week Against Harassment in public spaces.
Prince Albert opens this year’s Mediterranean Model United Nations conference – HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco has formally opened this year’s Mediterranean Model United Nations conference (MEDMUN), welcoming around 500 students from 76 nations to the Grimaldi Forum. Speaking at the event last week the Prince said that "more than ever, our region is marked by divisions”, advocating for multilateralism and urging cooperation in an uncertain global context. Following a Monaco-based first day, the international gathering continued over the weekend with engaging talks and events at the Sciences Po Paris campus in Menton.
Major change for motorists and the A8 motorway entrance - From today Tuesday, April 8th, 2025, the A8 entrance towards Marseille on Boulevard du Mercantour in Nice has been permanently closed. This change is due to the opening of a new tunnel at the west exit of Voie Mathis, set to improve the flow of traffic. From now on, you cannot access the A8 towards Marseille from interchange No. 50. Instead, drivers should use Voie Pierre Mathis and Avenue Valéry Giscard d'Estaing to reach the motorway towards Cannes or Aix-en-Provence. For those heading towards Aix-en-Provence, two lanes on Avenue Valéry Giscard d'Estaing will be open during the day to ease traffic. However, this access will be closed at night (9 p.m. to 5 a.m.) until the end of April. The motorway junction lane on Boulevard du Mercantour is permanently closed. Access towards Italy remains the same. The new tunnel at Voie Mathis is expected to open by the end of May, improving traffic in the area.
Driving lessons in a Porsche – Meanwhile, a driving school in Monaco is now offering lessons in a Porsche, catering to wealthy young drivers who are likely to drive high-powered cars. The Monaco Bonne Conduite driving school, managed by Paul Croesi, introduced this option on March 31st for safety and awareness reasons. Croesi explains that many students, after passing their driving test in cars with 60-80 horsepower, return with vehicles boasting 600-700 horsepower. His goal is to train students on handling these powerful cars safely, emphasizing road safety alongside driving skills.
Robert De Niro to receive honorary Palme d’Or - It’s been announced that actor Robert De Niro is to receive an Honorary Palme d'Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24). The legendary actor, known for iconic roles in Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and The Godfather Part II, will be honoured for his remarkable career. De Niro, 81, expressed his deep connection to the festival, calling it "like coming home." He previously chaired the jury in 2011. Celebrated for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese and his diverse roles, including his Oscar-winning performance in Raging Bull, De Niro has become a film legend. His most recent appearance at Cannes was in 2023 with Killers of the Flower Moon.
Trailer for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – Meanwhile, American actor Tom Cruise has unveiled the trailer for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, but French fans will have to wait until May 21st, coinciding with the Cannes Film Festival to see it, while the U.S. release is set for May 23. In the trailer, Cruise revisits past exploits, promising explosive stunts for the survival of humanity.
Business
China has strongly responded after US President Donald Trump threatened a 50% tariff on Beijing unless it withdraws its retaliatory levy. Beijing's commerce ministry rejected what it called US "blackmail" and vowed to "fight till the end." Analysts warn this escalates the risk of a full-scale trade war. New tariffs could result in some US companies facing a 104% tax on certain imports from China. While most Asian markets rose on Tuesday, Taiwan saw a 4% drop, and Europe's major stock markets, including London's FTSE 100, closed over 4% lower on Monday.
Meanwhile, CEOs from some of the world’s largest banks, including Bank of America, Barclays, Citi, and HSBC, have held private talks about the turmoil in global markets triggered by President Donald Trump's tariffs. The call, organized by the Bank Policy Institute, took place to discuss the impact of plunging equity markets and fears of a global recession.
Sport
Football – In the Champions League quarterfinals this evening, Arsenal are at home to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich play Inter Milan. Kick of for both matches is at 9pm French time.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Nations League amongst this evening’s group matches, England play Belgium, France face Norway, Scotland play Germany and Wales are away to Sweden.
Tennis - Daniil Medvedev has beaten Karen Khachanov 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in a gruelling first-round match at the Monte Carlo Masters. The match, lasting 2 hours 51 minutes, saw 17 breaks of serve and 36 break points. Medvedev will face France's Alexandre Muller in the second round. Seventeen of the men's top 20 singles players will feature in Monte Carlo, including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Britain's Jack Draper.
Women’s Six Nations – Ahead of Ireland playing England in the Guinness Women's Six Nations in Cork on Saturday, 12th April, England prop Mackenzie Carson has been dropped due to an ankle injury. England are top of the Six Nations table after convincing wins over Italy and Wales, while second-placed France are also unbeaten.
Motor Racing - Motor racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart has shared the emotional moment when his wife forgot who he was, prompting him to set up Race Against Dementia. The three-time F1 champion recalled Lady Stewart asking, "Where's Jackie?" He explained that the changes in his wife inspired him to support a trial for a new blood test, developed by the University of Cambridge, aimed at detecting frontotemporal dementia years before symptoms appear.
Weather
Mainly fine with some cloudy patches. A moderate breeze. Highs of 15 degrees in Monaco and Vence, 17 degrees in Nice, 16 degrees in Antibes,18 degrees in Toulon. This evening going down to 11 degrees along the coast with cloudy skies.
The outlook for Wednesday, a cloudy start should clear by the afternoon. Thursday and Friday, sunny with highs of 18 degrees.
Sunrise 06.59am
Sunset 08.05pm
Weather elsewhere
Rome 17° sunny intervals. Bordeaux 24° sunny.
New York 7° sunny intervals. Belfast 16° sunny.
Liverpool 17° sunny. Amsterdam 15° sunny
Beach weather forecast
Nice Plage – Cloudy start clearing by mid-morning, giving way to sunshine. Moderate breeze. Sea temperature 16°, air temperature 17°. UL level 5.
Saint-Tropez Plage – Sunny intervals to start with clear skies by this afternoon. Moderate breeze. Sea temperature 16°, air temperature 15°. UV level 4.
And Finally
Do you ever scroll through social media and feel a little jealous of someone’s endless friend list? You glance at your own small crew and wonder, "Am I missing out?" But according to therapist Melissa Legere, it’s quality over quantity when it comes to friendships.
Having a few loyal friends who’ve stuck around for years? That’s gold. It shows you value close connections and know how to build trust. It's only a red flag if you're constantly bouncing from one friendship to the next. In that case, maybe there’s something deeper going on—like trust issues or difficulty maintaining relationships.
Plus, having too many friends can be a lot to juggle. As an adult, it’s easy to spread yourself thin, and that can turn friendship into stress rather than fun.
The key? Surround yourself with people who are honest, respectful, and care about your well-being. And if you want to spice up your social circle, try branching out in spaces that interest you, like a book club or workout class. Making friends as an adult is totally doable—sometimes, it just takes that first step to start a conversation. So, go ahead and ask someone how their day’s been!
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