News
Summer Paralympics - The French capital is getting ready to host 11 days of elite competition that will produce new stars at a range of landmark venues as the Paralympic Games gets underway with its opening ceremony at 8pm French time this evening. Eleven days of elite competition across 22 sports. With no fewer than 549 medals at stake, 4,400 athletes will be taking part from 128 different nations, each of them with a disability. This evening's ceremony will be staged not in a stadium but in the city, with the location shifting from the River Seine to the Champs Élysées. A “people’s parade” will be accessible to the general public before arriving at the Place de la Concorde with the lighting of the Paralympic torch. The sporting action begins tomorrow.
Tributes to police officer fatally killed whilst on duty - Tributes are to be paid today, Wednesday 28th August, in both Cannes and Mougins following the death of police officer Eric Comyn. 54-year-old Eric was fatally mowed down by a motorist on Monday evening during a police road check on the A8 motorway in Mougins. The father of two had been serving in the force for 30 years. Emergency services at the scene were unable to save him. Meanwhile, the motorist who was on the run having fled the scene was stopped by police in Cannes in the early hours of Tuesday morning and was found to be under the influence of alcohol.
Macron under pressure to appoint a Prime Minister – In other news, in an attempt to appoint a Prime Minister for France, French President Emmanuel Macron will today meet with several leading figures from the left-wing alliance. Meanwhile, the far-left La France Insoumise is calling for demonstrations against Macron, following what they consider to be, a “coup de force" after his dismissal of their candidate.
Back to school - Ahead of students going back to school in France next week. The minister of education has defended plans to introduce “level groups” to college students. Nicole Belloubet told French media that the new method of assessing the brevet, will be outlined once France has a new government.
Experiment to ban mobile phones in French schools - Also, ahead of going back to school France has announced a trial to ban mobile phones at school for pupils up to the age of 15. The aim is to give children a “digital pause” and if it is judged successful, the new measure could be rolled out nationwide from January. Just under 200 secondary schools will take part in the experiment that will require youngsters to hand over their phones on arrival at reception.
Storms cause damage inland - Torrential rain and hail have caused damage in the town of Entrevaux in the Alpes de Haute Provence. The storm of rare intensity hit the medieval village on Monday, causing flooding and was described by locals as similar to a “tsunami”. Several cars were damaged, and businesses flooded however, no damage was reported in the surrounding towns of Puget-Théniers or Annot and fortunately, the incident caused no injuries. The Mayor Lucas Guibert has begun the process of requesting a state of natural disaster.
Weather warning - Meanwhile, today Wednesday 28th August, the yellow storm warning has been renewed for a third consecutive day. While the coastline will be spared it is once again inland that the weather is expected to deteriorate this afternoon with the risk of thunderstorms.
Le Lavandou is the place to retire - If you’re looking for peace and wellbeing after a lifetime of work you may want to head to Le Lavandou in the Var. The seaside town has been voted as the best city to retire to on the Côte d’Azur. 69 coastal towns in both the Var and the Alpes Maritimes were taken into account and were ranked on security, taxes, health and leisure activities and it was Le Lavandou that came top of the ranking. The town is said to be a “dream setting with an exceptional living environment”. In terms of real estate, Le Lavandou remains a solid market with a price increase of 36% over the last five years. Although prices are high, around 6,800 euros per square meter, they remain in line with those of other coastal towns on the Côte d'Azur.
Most beautiful beach - Finally, if you’re looking for the most beautiful beach on the Côte d’Azur then according to the Michelin Guide the famous Pampelonne beach, in Ramatuelle is where you want to park your parasol along with the Lecques Beach in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer. Pampelonne beach stretches over five kilometres and offers an idyllic setting with its turquoise waters and natural dunes and is not only a heavenly place to relax, but also a hotspot for celebrities and jet-setters. Famous beach clubs like Le Club 55 and Nikki Beach add a touch of luxury, offering high-end services and a party atmosphere. Famous for the best addresses for fine food, the Michelin Guide has for several years extended its activity to hotels, but also to tourist sites.
Business
A Barbie-branded phone has been launched in the UK and Europe with the aim of helping young people take a break from their smartphones. Manufacturer HMD, which also makes phones for Nokia, says it's trying to tap into what it calls a "surge" of people wanting a smaller "digital impact" on their lives. The phone is very pink and fundamentally a very basic device, with no front camera, only one game and very limited access to the internet; However, some say that it would be better to teach people how to use their devices in a healthier and more controlled way. There are growing calls from parents and campaigners to limit the time children spend on smartphones, or even ban the devices completely. Their concerns range from the suspicion children will end up with shorter attention spans, to the fear that they might be exposed to harmful or illegal content.
And – Apple has reportedly eliminated about 100 jobs in its digital services group, with the biggest cuts affecting the team responsible for its Apple Books app and Apple Bookstore. The layoffs include some engineering roles and other services teams like the one that runs Apple News.
Sport
Football – Liverpool football club have agreed to sign Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia in a deal worth up to £29m. The 23-year-old will join, subject to a work permit and international clearance, for a fee of £25m plus £4m in add-ons. However, he will remain with the La Liga club this season before moving to Merseyside for the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
Formula One – The Williams racing team have replaced Logan Sargeant with academy driver Franco Colapinto for the remainder of the 2024 season. In a statement, Williams said Sargeant "will remain in the Williams family". Argentine Colapinto, meanwhile, said the opportunity is "what dreams are made of".
Tennis - Former champion Emma Raducanu is out of the US Open after losing a "rollercoaster" first-round match to Sofia Kenin. Britain's Raducanu was searching for her first victory in New York since unexpectedly winning the title in 2021 as a teenage qualifier.
Weather
Fine and sunny with a gentle breeze in the Alpes Maritimes. Moderate to strong winds by this afternoon in the Var region. Highs of 33 degrees inland in the Var in Collobrières, 32 degrees along the coast in Fréjus and Saint-Tropez. 30 degrees in Nice and Monaco, 32 degrees in Menton and 34 degrees inland in Saint Martin du Var.
This evening going down to 22 degrees along the coast and 19 degrees inland in Le Luc.
The outlook for tomorrow mainly fine, highs of 34 degrees in Saint-Tropez and Antibes. Friday, a fine and sunny start, clouding over by the afternoon with temperatures remaining much the same.
Sunrise 06.49am
Sunset 08.12pm
Beach Weather
Sea temperature 24° in La Ciotat in the Var.
Air temperature 30°
Strong winds with sunny skies.
UV Level 6
Weather elsewhere
London 27° sunny intervals.
Paris 32° sunny.
Brussels 29° sunny.
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