National News France
French President backs proposal for a Gaza ceasefire - French President Emmanuel Macron has backed the proposal for a Gaza ceasefire in phone talks with Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. Macron told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Palestinian Authority should "ensure the governance" of the Gaza Strip. Macron in phone talks backed the proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal presented by US President Joe Biden. Macron said that "this deal should reopen a credible perspective for the implementation of a two-state solution, the only one able to provide Israel with the necessary security guarantees and to respond to the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians” adding that "Gaza must be an integral part of a future Palestinian state, and a reformed and reinforced Palestinian Authority, with the help of the international community, ensuring its governance”.
Meeting between Zelensky and Macron planned this Friday – Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris this Friday June 7th. The two plan to talk on the needs in Ukraine and the situation on the ground as Russian strikes intensify on the front line. Zelensky is also due to address France's Assemblée Nationale. The meeting between the two leaders is set to take place after D-Day commemorations. However, news of the meeting has been met with criticism from the opposition, with the leader of right-wing Republicans in parliament, Olivier Marleix, saying it was "inappropriate" to invite Zelensky to speak just days before the upcoming European elections. Moscow's top diplomat has warned that French military instructors training soldiers in Ukraine would be a "legitimate target" for Russian strikes. France does not officially have military personnel assisting or training Ukrainian forces in Ukraine at the moment, but Kyiv said last week it was "in talks" with France on the issue.
Local News
Traffic expected to be normal at Nice airport today despite air traffic controllers strike - In other news air traffic is expected to be normal today Wednesday 5th June, at Nice Côte d’Azur airport despite an air traffic controllers strike. Strike notice was filed until June the 7th by unions, however with the exception of a few delays towards the end of the day flights are expected to run as normal.
Confiscated items at Nice airport are passed on to French charity, the first French airport to do so – Meanwhile, Items which have been confiscated at Nice International Airport have been redistributed to the French charity the “Restos du Cœur”. Every week, between 700 kilos and a ton of non-regulatory items are confiscated from passengers departing from Nice. An all too familiar problem for travellers who, during airport security checks, are forced to abandon any liquid or object more than 100 ml. But a good thing for the Restos du Cœur, which gets given the products which would otherwise be destroyed or thrown away. To collect the items, the association does need a passenger’s consent requested by airport staff and they do have the option to refuse, a rare scenario as in just 18 months the Restos du Cœur volunteers have collected 117,000 items. The partnership between the airport and the charity was signed for the first time in March 2022, and has just been renewed. Nice airport is the first French airport to implement such an initiative
Maritime prefecture deplores increase in diving accidents - The maritime prefecture of the Var has deplored a “worrying increase” in the number of interventions linked to autonomous diving and freediving. Two people died in two separate incidents in the Var on Sunday June 2nd. A 52-year-old woman who was diving in Port-Cros and a 73-year-old man in Cap Dramont. The maritime prefecture has announced plans to increase controls around the Mediterranean. Since 2021 there has been a 33% increase in incidents with 156 interventions and eight deaths in 2023. The prefecture reminds the public that in the event of an emergency at sea, whether you are a victim or a witness, you should contact Cross Med on 196 from any telephone, or on the VHF channel 16 to alert rescue services.
Lorry driver gets prison sentence and hefty fine for transporting drugs - A lorry driver has been given a four-year prison sentence and 977,000 euros fine for transporting half a ton of drugs. The 61-year-old was arrested in November 2022 and appeared in court in Draguignan on Tuesday June 4th following his attempted participation in an international drug trafficking ring. He was at the time travelling on the A8 motorway between Spain and Italy when he was stopped by customs in Fréjus.
Diabetes Prevention Week - This week is national diabetes prevention week in France. Locally screenings and fitness checks are available for free all week in Nice. Until the 7th of June, you can undergo a free screening at the vaccination centre on 10 Rue Hancy in the centre of Nice, at 162 bd de la Madeleine, or on 157 route de Turin from 9 to 12:30am. In France, one person out of seven are diagnosed with diabetes.
Olympic flame could possibly pass through the Principality - The Olympic flame could possibly be passing through the Principality however it's still to be confirmed by the organisers. Expected on June 18th in the Alpes-Maritimes, the flame may now make a stop in Monaco. 38 days before the opening of the Paris Olympic Games, the flame is expected in Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes, Cannes, Grasse, Valberg and La Colmiane-Valdeblore. The flame will appear at 8:05 a.m. on June 18, on the port of Villefranche-sur-Mer carried by freediving champion Alice Modolo. It was in 1968 ahead of the Olympic Games in Grenoble, that the Olympic flame passed through Monaco and HSH Prince Albert II Monaco was one of the torchbearers in 1996, before the opening of the Atlanta Summer Games in the United States.
H.S.H Prince Albert seen test driving the Tesla Cybertruck for the opening of Top Marque
