Lunchtime News Friday 21st August 2020

Local

Nine-year-old child killed in boating incident in the Cap d’Antibes area - A nine-year-old child has been killed in a boating accident in Antibes. The incident occurred at around 10:30pm on Thursday evening. Emergency services intervened in the Cap d'Antibes area after a vessel with four people onboard got into difficulty.

It is still unclear exactly what happened, and an investigation has been opened to determine the exact circumstances.

Heavy traffic on French roads this weekend - French roads monitor Bison Futé has warned of another busy weekend on French roads. Saturday is expected to be the busiest classified as red, as holidaymakers head back home affecting motorways in the south east and along the Mediterranean coast.

Water shortage in the Gulf of Saint Tropez following leaking pipeline - Gassin, Ramatuelle and Saint-Tropez are to face water shortages of up to 36 hours following a leak in one of the main pipelines in Cogolin which was detected this morning. Work is currently being carried out on the pipeline which supplies the Gulf of Saint Tropez. Cogolin and Grimaud are also expected to be affected.   

Residents are asked to avoid using water supplies for gardening or swimming pools and bottles of water will be distributed in the affected towns by this evening.

Special unit set up in Vallauris - The city council in Vallauris has set up a special surveillance unit for Covid-19. The mayor Kevin Luciano says the “aim is to be able to follow the development of the current health crisis not only on a national level but also on a local one”.

While the regional health agency has not reported any cases in Vallauris in the last two weeks officials wish to remain vigilant. Several measures have already been adopted in the town such as making it compulsory to wear a mask in all enclosed places open to the public and in the open-air markets and when social distancing is not possible.

Concerning the possibility of getting tested for Covid in the town laboratories are able to carry out tests and there is a drive through testing facility at the carpark of the McDonald's restaurant avenue du Tapis Vert where anyone who wishes to can be tested.

National 

Health protocol for schools in France - The health protocol for the start of the school year is being strengthened. The Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, has announced that the health protocol for the start of the school year is being strengthened. The wearing of a mask will be "systematic" in college and high school in closed spaces, for teachers and students, even when the rules of physical distancing can be respected.

The Minister of Education ruled out a general postponement of the start of the school year due to the increase in Covid-19 contaminations even if "local exceptions" could be considered.

Vaccine - French President Emmanuel Macron has said that there were "reasonable prospects" of obtaining a vaccine against the coronavirus "in the coming months". Macron made the comments during a joint press conference on Thursday with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Fort

Brégançon, in the Var. The Head of State added that "This will not solve the problem of the next few weeks, but the next few months."

Sport 

Football - Rangers have rejected an offer for winger Ryan Kent from Leeds United worth around £10m, says manager Steven Gerrard.

The 23-year-old Englishman joined Rangers from Liverpool for a fee reported to be £6.5m in September 2019 after an initial year-long loan.

He has made 80 appearances for the Glasgow side, scoring 16 goals.

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