News
Income tax figures - Nearly 13.1 million taxpayers in France will have to pay extra income tax this year, according to the latest figures. On average, these people owe about 1,900 euros more after filing their 2024 tax returns. This is an increase from last year, when around 9.8 million people had to pay an average of just over 2,100 euros. The rise in numbers is mainly due to salary increases outpacing the adjustments made to the tax brackets. Changes in family situations, such as divorce or children leaving home, can also affect the amount owed. If the extra tax is under 300 euros, it will be taken as a single payment in September. For amounts above that, the payment will be spread over four months starting this autumn. Meanwhile, about 13.2 million households are expected to get refunds because they paid too much tax throughout the year. These refunds average just over 1,000 euros, up compared to last year.
Following the alert of a drought in our region, be aware of the fines for non-compliance with water restrictions – In local news, following Tuesday’s announcement of a drought alert in our region, a series of strict water restrictions aimed at conserving precious resources have been announced and are in place at least until October 31st, 2025, or until conditions improve. The prefecture has warned that authorized agents will conduct on-the-spot inspections, and failure to comply can lead to a fifth-class fine of €1,500, rising to €3,000 for repeat offenders. Residents and businesses are urged to respect these measures to avoid fines and help protect water supplies during this critical period.
Key restrictions include: No watering of lawns, flower beds, gardens between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Ban on water games and filling or emptying private swimming pools (pool leveling allowed). Closure of fountains except those with closed circuits or push buttons. Prohibition of washing vehicles at home and limitations on car washes without advanced water recycling. Ban on washing boats except for professionals using high-pressure recycling systems. Reduced water use and irrigation restrictions for professionals and golf courses.
Mediterranean hits unusually low temperature – Meanwhile, The Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Marseille has hit an unusually low temperature of just 15°C (59°F), a record low for this time of year. According to experts the sea temperature has dropped by as much as 10 degrees Celsius in just three days, largely due to the powerful mistral winds blowing at speeds up to 100 km/h (62 mph) in the Bouches-du-Rhône region. The mistral winds have caused significant cooling, reversing the high-water temperatures recorded in June during earlier heatwaves. It’s predicted that the sea temperature in the area will not rise back to the typical 23°C (73°F) for at least another ten days. This rare marine chill follows a period of intense underwater heatwaves that have stressed the Mediterranean ecosystem in recent years.
Knife attack – In other news, a 21-year-old man has been stabbed multiple times during an attack in an apartment in the north of Nice. The victim was treated by emergency services and is currently hospitalized in a stable condition. Police have arrested two suspects, a 58-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, who are in custody on suspicion of attempted murder. Authorities say the circumstances of the attack remain unclear but may be linked to a drug-related dispute. An investigation is ongoing.
Beach closure - The town of Cagnes-sur-Mer has closed the Port beach until further notice due to a health risk. This follows an incident on Monday, July 28th, where wastewater was discharged into the sea. This could affect water quality at the beach between Saint-Laurent-du-Var and the port’s breakwater. As a precaution, swimming and all water activities are banned at the beach at all times until the situation is resolved. Authorities say they will announce when it is safe to swim again.
Night train services suspended - The SNCF has announced that night trains between Nice and Ventimiglia will be suspended from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday to Thursday, from September 15th to December 12th, 2025, due to essential rock face repair work on the line. This follows a similar disruption last year, which led to negotiations with Monaco’s government to limit the impact and provide substitute buses. Monaco’s government is currently preparing a replacement transport plan and will share more details soon. Meanwhile, a shuttle bus service will run from the Monaco-Monte-Carlo train station during this period.
Business
Top US and Chinese officials have wrapped up two days of "constructive" trade talks in Stockholm, agreeing to work towards extending their fragile 90-day tariff truce, though final approval rests with US President Donald Trump. The truce, established in May, is due to expire 12 August, raising fears of renewed tariff hikes. Without an extension, current levies, including a 30% US tariff on Chinese goods and 10% Chinese tariff on US exports, could sharply rise again. President Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One, called the talks “very good,” but decisions on the path forward remain pending.
Meanwhile, France is urging the United States to exclude champagne, wine, and cognac from a new round of tariffs outlined in a recently announced EU–U.S. trade agreement, warning of a severe financial fallout for one of the country’s most iconic export industries. The deal includes a proposed 15% tariff on many EU imports, but whether luxury alcoholic beverages are affected remains unclear. With nearly a third of France’s €12 billion in alcohol exports going to the U.S., producers fear major losses unless they’re granted an exemption. Major exporters like LVMH’s Moët Hennessy and the Federation of Wine and Spirits Exporters (FEVS) are lobbying hard to prevent the tariffs from applying to their sector.
And – In the UK former Manchester United and England footballer-turned business owner Gary Neville has criticised the government's national insurance (NI) rise this year, saying it could deter companies from employing people and "probably could have been held back". Neville, who vocally supported Labour at the last election, employs hundreds of people. But he expressed his frustration at the recent hike on employers' NI, which has significantly increased the taxes businesses have to pay for their employees.
Sport
Football - England’s Euro 2025 champions were met with a hero’s welcome on Tuesday, July 30th, as 65,000 fans packed The Mall in London to celebrate the Lionesses’ historic back-to-back European title. Despite initial doubts about turnout, the open-top bus parade drew huge crowds, along with members of the Royal Family, as supporters gathered outside Buckingham Palace to honour Sunday’s dramatic shootout win over Spain. Captain Leah Williamson was overcome with emotion, calling the moment “unbelievable” and one of the best the squad had experienced. “We’re making history every step. Stay with us, this story is not done yet,” she said.
Tennis – In tennis, the US Open has revealed 14 of the pairings set to compete in next month’s standalone mixed doubles event, which has drawn criticism for being scheduled ahead of the main Grand Slam. The event, offering a $1 million (£749,000) prize, will run from the 19th to the 20th of August, four days before the main tournament begins. Among the six wildcard entries are Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz, as well as Venus Williams teaming up with Reilly Opelka. Two more wildcard pairings are yet to be announced.
Cycling - Fresh off his fourth Tour de France title, Tadej Pogacar has confirmed he will not race in next month’s Vuelta a España, opting instead to rest before targeting a title defence at the World Championships in Rwanda this September. Pogacar will return to competition in mid-September at the Canadian Classics in Quebec and Montreal.
Weather
Fine and sunny across the Riviera with a gentle breeze. Highs of 27 degrees in Nice and Antibes, 26 degrees in Monaco and Saint-Tropez. Moderate to strong winds forecast for the Var region. 28 degrees and sunny in Cannes. This evening going down to 17 degrees along the coast and 14 degrees inland.
The outlook for tomorrow and Friday remining fine and sunny, winds persisting in the Var. Highs of 28 degrees.
Sunrise 06.17am
Sunset 08.55pm
Weather elsewhere
London 25° light cloud.
Bordeaux 27° sunny intervals
Lisbon 31° sunny.
Beach weather
Nice - Sea temperature 26° degrees. Air temperature 27°. Gentle breeze. UV level 8.
Monaco - Sea temperature 25° degrees. Air temperature 26°. Gentle breeze. UV level 8.
And Finally
The latest version of ChatGPT, called "Agent," has surprised experts by passing a common online security test designed to block automated bots, without triggering any alerts. ChatGPT successfully clicked the “I am not a robot” checkbox and completed the verification process on its own, a task normally reserved for humans. This breakthrough shows how AI is rapidly advancing, performing complex actions that previously required human judgment. Some experts warn this could pose new security risks. AI researcher Gary Marcus said, "If AI can bypass protections now, imagine what it will be able to do in five years."
Other specialists have noted that advanced AI systems are starting to trick humans during testing, and some can now solve difficult challenges with high accuracy. While ChatGPT Agent currently operates in a controlled, experimental environment and requires user permission before taking actions, its ability to bypass basic human verification is raising alarms about the future of AI safety and security.
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