Lunchtime News Monday 11th April 2022

News

Driver arrested after fatal coach crash - Two people have died and several were injured in a French tourist coach accident on a motorway in northern Belgium on Sunday. The driver who was the subject to a narcotics test has been arrested after testing positive. The 35-year-old was driving a French BlaBlaCar coach  his license was withdrawn immediately. The passengers are mostly French but people of Spanish, Canadian, Mexican, Croatian and American nationality were also on board. The accident occurred at midday on a highway in the province of Antwerp, near the town of Schoten. The bus was carrying 30 passengers at the time of the accident. An emergency number has been set up 0.801.90.75.58.

Mayor of Nice welcomes Emmanuel Macron’s score in first round of elections - The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi has "welcomed Emmanuel Macron's score in Nice" following Sunday’s first round in the Presdiential elections in France and has called to "block Marine Le Pen". Estrosi, thanked the people of Nice who placed Emmanuel Macron "in the lead" of the 1st round with "at least 4 points more" than in 2017. According to the first results, Emmanuel Macron would have obtained nearly 25% of the votes in Nice. In a press release Estrosi wrote "this is the first time that an outgoing President has improved his score compared to the previous election. A sign that the French adhere to the policy pursued by Macron over the last 5 years ". 

Meanwhile in Cannes Macron took the lead over Republican mayor of the city David Lisnard at 26.19% up from 18.07% back in 2017 when he was third. But the city experienced a breakthrough from far right Éric Zemmour (3rd), who reached 17.35%, a figure well above the national level and LR Valérie Pécresse plummeted to 5th position at 7.02%.

Marine Le Pen achieves one of her best scores in the Var - Far right leader of the National Rally party in France Marine Le Pen has achieved one of her best scores in the Var with a score estimated at more than 30%, Marine Le Pen once again achieved one of her best scores in the department. In Fréjus, the National Rally won 35.55% of the vote, Emmanuel Macron, 22.57% and Jean-Luc Mélenchon 14.08% ahead of far-right Eric Zemmour 12.68%. In Draguignan, 31.39% of the vote went to Marine Le Pen, 13.05% to Éric Zemmour. Emmanuel Macron totals 22.6% and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, 16.13%.

Weather warning - The departments of the Haute-Garonne and the Tarn have been placed on an orange weather alert due to strong winds. Gusts could reach 110 to 120 km an hour this evening and the warning is in place from 6pm.

Retired man finds an original approach to find love - An 82-year-old retired man living in La Londe in the Var has taken an original approach to dating by putting up advertising posters in Toulon to find true love. Looking for a companion the man would like to meet a single serious woman and has printed more than 100 posters intended to be on display around the town.

 

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