French and Riviera News Tuesday 9th November 2021

News 

Construction worker injured on building site in Tourrettes - A construction worker has been seriously injured after a fall on a building site in Tourrettes. The accident occurred on Monday morning, at around 11am when the 45-year-old man fell from a five-metre-high roof. The man was airlifted to hospital in Toulon by emergency services.

Staff demonstrate due to lack of staff and closure of beds - Staff at the hospital in La Seyne in the Var have demonstrated in front of the establishment to denounce the closure of beds and lack of doctors. Several dozen people gathered on Monday 8th November. Unions warned that ten beds were closed in September and now the entire department is threatened due to the lack of medical staff.

Investigation into stabbing in Cannes - An investigation has been opened for attempted murder of a person holding public authority following the stabbing of two police officers in Cannes on Monday morning. Two police officers, a woman and a man, were stabbed whilst wearing their bulletproof vests and suffered no physical injuries. Their two colleagues used their firearms to neutralize the assailant, who is currently hospitalized. France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that the attacker is an Algerian national between 35 and 40 years old who has an Italian residence permit and was not known to the police or intelligence services. He said that he had been in France about 20 days and had applied for a residence permit in France on 21 October and the application had been under consideration, but no permit had as yet been granted.

Mayor of Nice expresses condolences to families of avalanche victims - The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi has expressed his condolences to the families and relatives of the three mountaineers who died in an avalanche in the Everest region. The bodies of the three have now been found and identified by a search team. One of the victims was from Nice and the others were from Briançon and Chambery.

Food items and non-food items set to increase - The president of E.Leclerc supermarkets Michel-Edouard Leclerc, has warned that consumers can expect "a significant price increase on food and non-food items on all brands as early as this month". According to provisional data published on Friday 29th October by INSEE, over one year in France, consumer prices increased by 2.6%. On Monday Leclerc, warned of a "higher inflation than that which has been announced by INSEE and other forecasters".

Police mobilised after teenager fails to return home after going out jogging in north western France - About fifty police officers have been mobilised following the worrying disappearance of a 17-year-old girl who did not return home after going out jogging in the Bellebranche forest north of Anger, in North western France. It was the teenager's father who alerted police shortly after 7pm on Monday 8th November, after his daughter failed to return home from her jog. According to police there will be reinforcements from this morning Tuesday 9th November, with 120 officers from neighbouring departments being mobilised.

Moderna vaccine not recommended for those under 30 - Professor Alain Fischer president of the vaccine strategy policy council in France, has said that "there is nothing to worry about" following the announcement on Monday 8th November that the Moderna vaccine is not recommended for those under 30. Adding that it's a "very reasonable precautionary measure".

France's High Health Authority has announced that it is now advising against the Moderna vaccine for anyone under 30 due to a possible increased risk of the inflammation of the heart muscle in younger people.

Chambéry plans to extend tobacco free month - The town hall of Chambéry in Southeastern France, has announced an extension of the "tobacco free month" in order to continue experimenting with the introduction of "smoke free zones around schools in the city". The move comes in an attempt to set an example for children. No fines are envisaged, the goal is above all to set an example to the young. At present only two schools are concerned by the measure which could be extended to the city's 36 schools by the end of the year.

Thomas Pesquet returns to earth - After more than six months in orbit French astronaut Thomas Pesquet has landed back on Earth. Pesquet and the three other members of his team landed this morning shortly after 4.30am French time off the coast of Florida. The astronauts will be taken to NASA's space centre in Houston Texas to undergo medical tests before flying to Germany to the European Astronaut Centre.

Business

After a historic week marked by many records, the Paris stock market the CAC 40, showed an additional 0.10% on Monday an 8th consecutive increase. It was back in April 2019 that the CAC 40 saw its last eight consecutive increases.

For his first speech since July 12th, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macon, in his national address this evening, will in addition to discussing the health situation, address various economic and social aspects. Macron is expected to remind people of the importance of barrier gestures in order to break the chains of contamination of covid and the introduction of a third dose of the vaccine being integrated into the health pass for those over 65.  On the economic side, several themes are expected to be covered by the Head of State including what he intends to do in terms of the pension reform and employment.

Meanwhile France's Health Minister Olivier Véran has announced in the Senate on Monday an extension of 1.7 billion euros for health insurance in 2021, including for hospitals.

Sales of luxury vessels priced up to $600 million have increased by more than 80% in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. The covid crisis has not slowed down the arrival of new billionaires in the world and on the contrary the super-rich are once again setting their sights on luxury superyachts. According to Fraser Yachts the "market is indeed experiencing unprecedented dynamics" with "2021 being significantly better than any of the last 12 years".

Rolls-Royce has been backed by a consortium of private investors and the UK government to develop small nuclear reactors to generate cleaner energy. The creation of the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) business was announced following a £195m cash injection from private firms and a £210m grant from the government. It is hoped the new company could create up to 40,000 jobs by 2050. However, critics say the focus should be on renewable power, not new nuclear. Currently, about 16% of UK electricity generation comes from nuclear power.

Sport 

Football – Newcastle United have appointed Eddie Howe to succeed Steve Bruce as the Premier League club's head coach.

And Manchester United's Paul Pogba has been ruled out of France's World Cup qualifiers with a thigh injury. The midfielder and world cup winner suffered the injury in training on Monday.

Cricket - A former Yorkshire academy player says he was racially abused by a member of staff as a 16-year-old, in the latest allegation of racism against the club. Yorkshire County Cricket Club said in a statement: "It is essential that those who have experienced racism, discrimination and abuse are able to come forward to share their experiences.

Formula One - Lewis Hamilton is refusing to accept that his world championship defence is doomed, telling fans he will dig deeper than ever before to win a record eighth world title. Hamilton, who finished 16.5 seconds behind Verstappen at Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix, said: 'We pick ourselves up, dig deeper than we have done before and keep on fighting.'

Weather 

Light cloud and a fresh breeze with some sunny spells and highs of 19 degrees in Menton, Nice, Monaco and Cannes. Saint Tropez and the Var strong winds highs of 18 degrees. This evening going down to 14 degrees with rain forecast.

Outlook for Wednesday - Gusty winds and light showers highs of 17-18 degrees.