News Bulletin
New French Prime Minister – French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister, following François Bayrou’s resignation. The 39-year-old former defence minister is France’s fifth PM in two years and takes office amid a tense political climate.
‘Bloquons tout’ protest disrupts region - Today’s nationwide “Bloquons tout” protest may cause disruption in Alpes-Maritimes and Var. Student marches in Nice expect over 500 participants. Traffic near protest sites could be affected, and Nice Airport has cancelled 50% of flights between 6pm and midnight. About 300 police are deployed locally. Some leisure centres are closed, but schools mostly remain open. Larger education strikes are planned for 18th September.
Record Chikungunya outbreak – The Alpes-Maritimes has reported 79 local chikungunya cases, including 71 in Antibes, the largest outbreak in France. The tropical disease transmitted by the tiger mosquito causes fever, joint pain, and rash. Health officials advise residents to use repellent, wear long clothes, and remove stagnant water.
FEDEM backs metro project - The Monaco business federation has announced its support for a €4 billion metro linking Nice to Ventimiglia to ease congestion for 50,000 daily Monaco commuters. The 30km underground line would have about ten stops. FEDEM urges political action to start studies and funding.
Wildfire risk - Three Var forests — Estérel, central Var, and Maures — are closed today due to a “very severe” wildfire risk amid strong winds. Access is banned in these zones. The Corniche des Maures faces a “severe” alert, and some motorway rest areas are closed. Check the prefecture website for daily updates.
Johnny Hallyday statue anniversary – Finally, Fréjus will celebrate the first anniversary of its Johnny Hallyday statue on 20 September. Events include a motorcycle run and live concerts featuring artists who performed with the rock legend. The mayor will speak at 6pm, with music until 11pm.
Business
U.S. President Donald Trump has called on EU officials to impose tariffs of up to 100% on China and India, aiming to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin by targeting key buyers of Russian oil. According to a U.S. official and an EU diplomat, Trump sees the move as part of a broader strategy to weaken Russia's economy amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Two former Meta safety researchers told a U.S. Senate committee that the company concealed potential harms to children linked to its virtual reality products. One whistleblower has accused Meta of ignoring problems and burying evidence of harmful user experiences. Meta denied the claims, calling the allegations "nonsense."
And - Apple has launched its new iPhone lineup, featuring the slimmer iPhone Air with a high-density battery and new processor, starting at $999. Despite U.S. tariffs impacting profits, the company kept prices steady, avoiding hikes that Wall Street had anticipated.
Sport
Football – In the UEFA World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday evening. England cruised to a commanding 5–0 win over Serbia. Meanwhile, France battled past Iceland 2–1 in Paris.
Golf - Tommy Fleetwood returns to action at the BMW PGA Championship this week after his landmark Tour Championship win in the U.S. Fleetwood called the support after his victory “more meaningful than the win itself.”
Athletics - Athletes at the World Championships in Tokyo will face extreme heat, warns World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, as Japan battles its hottest summer on record. With temperatures expected to hit 32°C on opening day.
Weather
Sunny intervals with possible showers in places. Moderate to strong winds. Highs of 24 degrees in Monaco, 26 degrees in Nice and Antibes, 27 degrees in Vence and Saint-Tropez, 28 degrees in Cannes for the Cannes Yachting Festival. This evening going down to 19 degrees.
The outlook for tomorrow, mainly fine with strong winds persisting in the Var. Highs of 27 degrees.
Sunrise 07.04am Sunset 07.49pm
Beach weather
Sea temperature 25 degrees. UV level 6. Sunny spells with possible showers and moderate to strong winds.
And Finally
A new study shows that how you hug can say a lot about your personality. Using AI to analyze hugs between friends and romantic partners, researchers found couples hug longer, about 7 seconds, while friends hug for under 3 seconds on average. Personality traits also affect hugging style. People with high neuroticism tend to hug less tightly and keep more distance, while conscientious individuals prefer tighter hugs. Surprisingly, hugging tightness didn’t differ much between friends and lovers. So, if someone hugs you for less than three seconds, you’re likely “in the friend zone,” but a seven-second hug could mean deeper feelings. The study highlights the comforting power of hugs, which can even help calm nerves after an argument.
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Air traffic at Nice-Côte d’Azur Airport is disrupted again today, with several flight delays following an already difficult day yesterday. ...
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