Lunchtime News Monday 13th December 2021

News

French towns to recover 93 million euros in tourist taxes - 29,000 French towns including Nice, are to recover a total of 93 million euros amongst them in tourist taxes which were collected via the Airbnb platform. The amount concerns seasonal rentals from November 1st, 2020, to October 31 2021. Paris tops the list of cities with the highest tourist taxes, with 9.4 million euros followed by Marseille, Nice and Cannes.

Prison guards block entrance in protest movement - Prison guards have blocked the entrance to the prison in Nice this Monday morning in protest against a series of attacks of which they have been the victims. Three unions called for action in Nice today Monday 13th December, following two attacks on staff at the prison which occurred last week. Nice prison has 171 guards our of a total staff of 204. There are currently 475 detainees. The prison administration deplores about 4,000 attacks per year in France's 180 institutions.

SNCF guards in the region authorised to carry out searches on passengers - Meanwhile as part of a measure towards public security and in the fight against terrorist acts on public transport, the Prefecture of the Alpes Maritimes has signed an order authorising SNCF security guards to search passengers at stations in the region. The order is valid up until Sunday January 2nd and concerns the main train station in Nice, as well as Saint-Augustin, Riquier, Anitbes, Cannes, Cagnes-sur-mer and Menton.

Obligation to wear mask extended - The prefecture of the Alpes Maritimes has extended the obligation to wear a mask until Monday 20th December. The regulation concerns all those over 11 years of age and all outdoor spaces including those open to the public such as markets. It is also mandatory to wear a mask at indoor spaces open to the public and where a health pass is required.

Confidence in covid vaccination - France's government spokesperson Gabriel Attal has said that the public can have "complete confidence in the vaccination against covid" speaking to reporters while on a visit to a vaccination centre, Attal who had just received the booster jab of covid, attempted to reassure the public adding that mixing the "pzifer jab with moderna was not a problem either". Attal said that he who had received pfzer for the first two doses had just received the moderna as a booster jab.

Doctors warn not to hide information - Doctors in a hospital in the Haut Seine region of France have called on the public not to "hide information from medical staff" by using a false health certificate, after a woman aged 57 years old died at the weekend in intensive care having presented a false vaccination certificate.

False health passes - Meanwhile France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin confirmed at the weekend that 400 cases of "health pass fraud" are currently under investigation, warning that the punishments are tough. Those caught offering false health passes risk a five-year prison sentence.

 

 

 

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