Lunchtime News Friday July 16th 2021

Infections-Infection rates of coronavirus are climbing fast in France as the delta variant continues to spread rapidly across the country.

Although hospital occupancy is steady ,the infection rate is doubling every 10 days to two weeks with 38,700 new cases last week.

The delta variant is 30 percent more contagious than other strains of the virus and is now responsible for almost 100 percent of new cases detected in France.

 

Train arrest-A man has been arrested at Nice train station after brandishing a knife and threatening passengers on a regional TER train between Menton and Nice Ville.

Reports say that the man ,who is known to police said that he was going to make France “pay” for “what it had done in Syria”.

Passengers on the train ,some of who were quite shaken up ,informed SNCF security staff at Nice Ville station and police arrested the man who’s now being held in custody and will undergo psychiatric assessment.

 

Cannes 2021-It’s the final day of competition at the 74th Cannes Film Festival before the jury led by Spike Lee start their deliberations on who should be awarded the Palme d’Or.

There was drama near the Palais des Festivals on Thursday when the bomb squad had to be called in following the discovery of a suspicious bag in the baggage storage area near the Casino.

The area was evacuated and sealed off while officers examined the suspect item and then destroyed it safely.

The final two movies screening in the Palme d’Or competition today are “Les Intranquilles ” or “The Restless” , a Belgium drama from director Joachim Lafosse which deals with the struggles  of a couple one of whom suffers from bipolar disorder.

The final movie is the Australian drama-thriller “Nitram” directed by Justin Kurzel.

Caleb Landry Jones stars as “Nitram” who lives with his parents in 1990’s suburban Australia and doesn’t fit in until he strikes up a friendship with reclusive heiress Helen , played by Judy Davis.

 

Hold up-Police are searching for two men who held up a Bureau de Change on the avenue Robert Soleau in Antibes on Thursday afternoon.

Reports say that the robbery took place shortly before the Globex exchange bureau was about to close for the day.

The men ,who were both armed escaped on a motorbike with an unknown amount of cash.

They were both dressed in black and wearing crash helmets.

Fortunately ,nobody was hurt.

 

Var fire-Firefighters in the Var have been battling a blaze which broke out  near the Fort Napoleon in La Seyne.

5 fire trucks aided by water bombing helicopters attended the scene and managed to bring the fire under control last night.

It’s thought that the fire started in a car park near the Fort and it could have been a lot worse had it not been for the quick reaction  by firefighters.

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