News
12 people die after boat capsizes in Channel - French officials have said that a pregnant woman and six children are among the 12 people who died after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Channel off the coast of Boulogne sur mer on Wednesday. According to France’s interior minister fewer than eight people were wearing lifejackets on the overcrowded vessel. Rescuers saved 51 people from the boat, including two who are in a critical condition.
Politics - Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has officially announced his candidacy for the next presidential election in France in 2027. The mayor of Le Havre told French media that what he was preparing for the French was “massive” saying “the French will decide”. The news comes as French President Emmanuel Macron is still struggling to appoint a Prime Minister. Macron has been discussing with potential candidates, including former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Xavier Bertrand.
Local
Weather warning - Meteo France has placed the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes regions on an orange weather alert due to heavy thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rainfall hail and strong winds. The warning is in place from 6pm in the Var and at 9pm in the Alpes-Maritimes. The bad weather is expected to last through the night and into Thursday morning.
Climate Change – Meanwhile, according to recent data from Météo France this summer the South-East recorded an excess of +2.5°C in Nice, compared to the period 1970-2000, which was greater than Brittany which recorded +0.3°C in Brest. The Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region experienced its sixth hottest summer since 1947. Nice and the Alpes-Maritimes was particularly affected by the heat and the July-August period was the second hottest" for the city, which "has experienced tropical nights since July 6th".
Var under Drought Alert - The Var region is under an enhanced drought alert, with 85 municipalities facing water usage restrictions due to prolonged dry conditions. The measures, imposed by the prefecture, affect farmers, water parks, and municipalities, forcing them to adapt to the worsening drought. Water levels in the area continue to drop, making water conservation crucial for everyone.
Partnership between Pernod Ricard and PSG leaves a soarer taste with Marseille - Sacre blue! The people of Marseille have been left speechless after news that Pernod Ricard has gone into partnership with the football club of Paris Saint-Germain. The new global partnership, the first of its kind for Pernod Ricard, will feature the entire portfolio of the Group's premium brands. The four-year agreement will span across PSG's professional teams as an official provider. However, the news has been met with disbelief on social networks with the hashtag “#boycottPernodRicard”. In Marseille, which is where the company was founded in 1932 by Paul Ricard, the news provoked anger for many local football supporters. In a statement on Tuesday, the group said it "regrets the reaction" and spoke of a "misunderstanding" surrounding the partnership. According to them, PSG did not sign "with Pernod Ricard, but with the group's 240 brands".
French rapper wins big on scratch card - Finally, French rapper Wereonoi has won 25,000 euros on a scratchcard whilst on holiday here on the Côte d’Azur. The artist from Montreuil pocketed the biggest win allowed with an Astro scratch card.
Business
Major Asian indexes have dropped after stock indexes in New York fell sharply on Wednesday. Financial markets in both Asia and the US tumbled on concerns that the world's largest economy could be heading towards a recession. Shares in the American chip giant Nvidia slumped by almost 10% as concerns over the financial markets dampened optimism about the boom in artificial intelligence (AI). The highly-anticipated US non-farm payrolls jobs market report is due to be released on Friday. Investors will be watching those figures closely for clues on how much the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by when officials meet next week.
With the start of the student year in France the search to rent an apartment is an ongoing problem for many students with some even having to give up their studies because they can’t find accommodation. According to recent data the situation is only getting worse. The explosion in demand for rental properties shows that last year, a 14m² studio for 710 euros per month in Paris received 335 applications in one week, this year it saw 566 applications, an increase of almost 70%. And the trends are similar in Marseille and Lille. In the student city of Rennes, the supply has dropped by almost 80%.
And - Sony has announced that just two weeks after its launch of an online game exclusively for PlayStation 5 and PC they it is to be pulled from sales. The online shooter Concord game released on August 23rd will be taken offline from the 6th of September. Anyone who has bought the £40 game will receive a full refund while the team "determine the best path ahead" for its return.
Sport
Paralympics – France gained four medals on Wednesday three of which were in swimming. China remains top of the ranking with 53 gold medals, followed by Great Britain with 30 gold medals and the United States with 20 gold medals.
Football – Football club Leicester have won an appeal against a decision that could have led to a points deduction for an alleged breach of Premier League Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules. An independent panel found the Premier League did not have the power to punish the club. The Premier League said it was "surprised and disappointed" by the panel's decision.
And - Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins have withdrawn from the England squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures.
Cricket – The International Cricket Council has announced that Lord's will host the World Test Championship final for the first time in the summer of 2025. New Zealand were winners in the first edition of the tournament in Southampton back in 2021 and Australia, the defending champions beat India at the Oval last year. The five-day final, which will start on 11 June, will be held between the two highest-ranking teams in the Test Championship rankings.
Tennis – Jack Draper is set to play his first Grand Slam quarter final when he takes on Australian 10th seed Alex de Minaur at the US Open. The match is due to start at 8pm French time this evening.
Weather
Cloudy with sunny spells. Rain is expected by this afternoon and Meteo France has placed the Var and the Alpes Maritimes on an orange storm alert with heavy rain, hail and strong winds forecast. The warning is in place from 6pm this evening in the Var and 9pm in the Alpes Maritimes. Highs of 28 degrees in Monaco and Nice. This evening going down to 21 degrees.
The outlook for Thursday thundery showers and a moderate breeze. Feeling cooler with highs of 25 degrees. Friday, fine and sunny with a gentle breeze and highs of 26 degrees.
Sunrise 06.57am
Sunset 07.59pm
Beach weather
Sea temperature La Ciotat 27°
Air Temperature 27°
UV level 6
Thundery showers and strong winds by this afternoon.
Weather elsewhere
New York 25° and sunny.
Sydney 20°sunny.
Edinburgh 15° light rain.
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