News
Mid-air collision involving French Air Force Alpha Jets - Three people have survived a mid-air collision involving two French Air Force Alpha Jets near an air base in northeastern France on Tuesday. The two pilots and one passenger ejected and were found conscious. One person sustained multiple injuries, and one jet crashed, causing a fire. There were no civilian casualties. Emergency services were deployed.
Depardieu denies sexual assault allegations, admits to grabbing woman's hips in court - French actor Gérard Depardieu has admitted in court that he grabbed a woman's hips during an incident, but claimed it was to avoid slipping, not a sexual assault. The 76-year-old actor is on trial this week in Paris for sexual assault, including allegations from a 54-year-old set decorator and a 34-year-old assistant director during the filming of Les Volets Verts in 2021. Depardieu faces up to five years in prison and a €75,000 fine if convicted. He denies all charges.
Largest video game museum in the World - The Odyssey project, set to be the world’s largest video game museum, has officially been launched. Located in Bussy-Saint-Georges east of Paris, the 11,000m² museum will open by 2028, showcasing rare consoles like the original 1972 Magnavox Odyssey. The project is estimated to cost €40-50 million, with €2.3 million raised through crowdfunding. The museum will feature around 2,500 consoles, a concert and esports venue, a Japanese village, and a food court. The project has strong backing, including support from President Macron.
Job Forum - The OGC Nice Jobs Forum will be held tomorrow, Thursday, March 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Allianz Riviera. This free event, now in its 8th edition, offers over 1,000 job opportunities across 10 sectors, including construction, banking, hospitality, and healthcare. Job seekers can find listings on France Travail with the hashtag #ForumOGCNice. Last year, over 900 positions were filled. The event is open to all and takes place at Gate K (west side) of the Allianz Riviera.
Customs officers seize 22 kilos of cocaine - Customs officers in Menton, Alpes-Maritimes have seized 22 kg of cocaine from a truck traveling between Spain and Italy. The vehicle, registered in Romania, was stopped at the La Turbie péage. The driver confessed to transporting the drugs and has been sentenced to four years in prison and a €1.43 million fine. The seizure follows a record one carried out in the region just last year, when 192 kg of cocaine was found. in the region in 2024.
Nice-Paris by train one of the worst punctuality records - A study by the Ville de rêve association has revealed that the Nice-Paris SNCF train line has one of the worst punctuality records among French TGV and Intercités routes. In 2024, only 64% of trains were on time, a drop from 82% in 2021. The line has seen a steady decline in on-time performance, with delays growing each year. The only route with a worse record is the Paris-Briançon line. In contrast, TER trains in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, including those from Nice, maintain a higher on-time rate of 88%.
Snowfall - Despite record snow levels on the French Riviera, with 1.37 meters at 2,400 meters, some ski resorts are closing, and others are expected to follow in the coming weeks. While snow has accumulated in the mountains, the region's residents are already putting away their skis, as March has been quite rainy along the coast. Over the weekend, 20-25 cm of snow fell above 1,600 meters.
Cannes prepares for big match - AS Cannes will face Reims in the Coupe de France semi-final on April 2nd, and the city of Cannes is setting up a fan zone on the Allées de la Liberté for those unable to attend the match. The fan zone, which can accommodate up to 500 people, will open at 8 p.m., one hour before the 9 p.m. kick-off. The match will be shown on a giant screen under a tent usually used for the Forville market. To support the team, the city will also feature red and white lights on landmarks like the Town Hall, La Croisette, and iconic hotels, along with entertainment stands, a photo booth, face painting, and flags for bars and restaurants. The fan zone and activities will help locals experience the excitement of this historic match, where AS Cannes aims for a spot in the final at the Stade de France.
Road Safety Day Monaco - Finally, Princess Charlene of Monaco led the inaugural Road Safety Day on March 23rd in Larvotto, promoting bike safety and sustainable mobility. She joined Prince Albert II, local authorities, and volunteers for the event, which featured activities like a pumptrack, a road safety circuit, and the Monabike Challenge—a cycling relay through the streets of Monaco.The event aimed to teach children how to bike safely, with fun attractions like a bike-powered smoothie blender. Local police officers participated in the challenge, finishing second. Organizers hope the event becomes a regular part of Monaco’s calendar.
Business
Recently nominated to lead France’s electricity board EDF, Bernard Fontana, is facing a tough task, as he attempts to resolve ongoing talks with French industry over long-term power supply prices. A new system for selling electricity to heavy industry starts next year, and EDF's current high prices have led to few agreements. The debate continues on whether EDF should act as a public service or a commercial company.
Tesla's sales in Europe dropped by 40% last month, raising concerns about the impact of CEO Elon Musk's politics on the brand. Despite a rise in overall electric car sales in Europe, Tesla sold fewer than 17,000 cars, down from over 28,000 in February 2024, reducing its market share from 2.8% to 1.8%. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association reported a 42.6% decline in Tesla's sales this year. However, in the UK, Tesla sales rose by 20% compared to February 2024.
The Coca-Cola Company is in advanced talks to rejoin the Premier League's top-tier commercial partners after a three-year break. The US soft drink giant is negotiating a multimillion-pound deal to become the league's official soft drinks partner, a role vacant since its previous deal ended in 2022. The agreement could be finalized at a Premier League shareholder meeting on Thursday. It's unclear which Coca-Cola brands, such as Sprite or Powerade, will be featured in the deal. Coca-Cola also owns Costa Coffee, a major UK coffee chain.
And - The UK government has approved the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), a major 14.5-mile road project linking Kent and Essex, 16 years after work began. The project, approved by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, includes a 2.6-mile tunnel under the River Thames and aims to ease congestion at the Dartford Crossing. The LTC will be the UK's longest road tunnel and nearly double road capacity east of London. National Highways is now exploring private finance options for the project.
Sport
Football – Wales drew 1-1 against North Macedonia. In the World Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday night and in other football news, Real Madrid is in talks to sign Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer this summer. Negotiations are progressing, with the Spanish club aiming to finalize the deal before next season. Alexander-Arnold, in the final months of his contract, is free to discuss a move abroad.
Rugby Union - France and Toulouse scrumhalf Antoine Dupont has undergone surgery for a ruptured ACL, according to L'Equipe. The 28-year-old captain injured his knee during France's 42-27 Six Nations win over Ireland in March, after his knee buckled under pressure from the Irish defense.
Tennis - Novak Djokovic has defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 6-2 to reach the Miami Open quarterfinals. After a slow start, Djokovic recovered from a break in the opening game and won nine straight games, dominating the match. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will face American Sebastian Korda next.
Cricket - Jos Buttler has scored 54 off 33 balls in his first innings since stepping down as England's white-ball captain. Buttler, who resigned after England's poor Champions Trophy exit, played a strong knock with four fours and two sixes before being dismissed by Marco Jansen in Indian Premier League 2025 on Tuesday.
Weather
Mainly fine with a gentle breeze. Highs of 17 degrees in Nice, 16 degrees in Monaco and Saint-Tropez. This evening going down to 8 degrees along the coast with clear skies.
The outlook for tomorrow and Friday. Fine with some light showers forecast inland. Highs of 17 degrees. Rain is forecast across the region for Saturday.
Sunrise 06.22am
Sunset 06.50pm
Weather elsewhere
London 17° light cloud.
Brussels 15° light cloud.
Milan 19° sunny.
A British man has died in an avalanche in the Savoie department. According to local reports, the man in his twenties was on a road near the ski resort...
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Senior US, European, and Ukrainian diplomats will meet again in London next week after what France called an "excellent" day of peace talks in Paris o...
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Mainly fine with light winds and highs of 17 degrees in Nice and Saint-Tropez, 16 degrees in Monaco, 19 degrees in Toulon. This evening going down to ...
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The French government has instructed local prefects across France to immediately reinforce surveillance and protection of prisons and their staff. The...
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French President Emmanuel Macron has promised that those behind a wave of attacks on prisons and staff will be “found, tried, and punished,” calling t...
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