Lunchtime News Monday 2nd August 2021

News 

Incidence covid rate for the Alpes Maritimes is three times above the national average - The latest figures for covid in the Alpes Maritimes region have shown that the incidence rate continues to increase. Standing at 742 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over seven days, it is now three times above the national average.

In the last ten days, the number of hospitalized patients with covid jumped by 50% and, on Sunday evening, there were 193 patients hospitalised with covid in the Alpes-Maritimes. Authorities are above all monitoring the situation in intensive care units which, while they remain below previous peaks, between the 14th and the 29th of July the number rose from 9 patients to 21 and since to date, an additional 16 patients have been admitted.

Meanwhile in Monaco two new cases of covid were reported on Sunday August 1st. The number of people affected in the Principality since the beginning of the epidemic now stands at 2,891. Thirteen people are currently in hospital including three in intensive care. 97 people are currently being followed by the Home Monitoring service.

On a national level France has registered 25,190 confirmed cases of Covid, up from 21,909 the previous week. According to a Drees publication posted on July 30th, the "unvaccinated represent nearly 85% of hospital admissions". The recent study reinforces the feeling of many healthcare teams which describe a change in the profile of patients. One nurse at the hospital in Perpignan said that "People hospitalized are not vaccinated and the average age is less than 60, adding that some are even in their twenties."

In other news 

France plans new measures in the fight against domestic violence - In an interview with French media France’s Minister of Interior Gérald Darmanin has announced new measures in the fight against domestic violence in France. 2020 and the first half of 2021 were marked by a series of feminicides - 102 women were killed by their spouse or ex-spouse in 2020 and 23 men lost their lives. New measures to try to stem domestic violence will see complaints become a priority with the presence of an officer specializing in domestic violence present in each police station.

French President sues owner of billboard - French President Emmanuel Macron is suing a billboard owner who depicted him as Adolf Hitler in protest against the covid restrictions. Michel-Ange Flori, who owns about 400 billboards in the southern region of the Var will be heard at the Toulon police station following a complaint by the president of the Republic.

The poster portrays Macron in the uniform of the Nazi leader Hitler, with a small moustache, a lock on his forehead and the message: "Obey, get vaccinated." It was shown in recent days on two billboards measuring four meters by three meters located on a four-lane road near the entrance to Toulon.

It is not the first time that Macron has been compared to the German dictator. In 2018, French newspaper Le Monde came under fire for publishing a cover photo of Macron in its weekly M magazine, that some said showed a likeliness to Hitler.

Certain vehicles to be banned from the Prom in Nice as part of the city becoming a low-emission zone in 2023 - Nice is set to become a low-emission zones (ZFE) in France from January 1st 2023. The scheme which intends to reduce pollution will see a ban on the oldest vehicles from city centers.

As of June 1st, vehicles classified as "Crit’Air 4" are no longer allowed in the metropolis of Greater Paris. In particular gasoline cars from before 2006, diesels from before 2011 and two-wheelers from before 2004. Other cities soon be added to Paris, Lyon and Grenoble will include Nice Côte d´Azur.

Panda gives birth to twin cubs - A giant panda on loan to France has given birth to twin cubs at the Beauval zoo in central France. Panda reproduction, in captivity or in the wild, is notoriously difficult as experts say few pandas get in the mood or even know what to do when they do. Further complicating matters is that the window for conception is small as female pandas are on heat only once a year for about 24-48 hours.

And Finally 

Usual way to repair a kayak - As every year, the athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympic Games have free condoms. This year, the organizers ordered 160,000 condoms, but nevertheless recommend to be careful as their use is not very compatible with Covid-19. Some athletes however decided to use them in another way. This is the case of Jessica Fox, crowned Olympic champion in canoe slalom Fox explained in an instgram post how she used the condoms made available by the organizers of the Olympics simply to repair her kayak.

So far the athlete, born in Marseille, had managed to win the bronze and silver medals. This time, and perhaps thanks to this unusual trick, Jessica Fox has finally managed to win the most beautiful medals.

 

 

Last local news

Evening Update Monday 18th March 2024

Police in Nice are reinforcing their patrols of the Cimiez district after a spate of vandalism and arson attacks.... Evening Update Monday 18th March 2024 Read More

18/03/2024

French and Riviera News Monday 18th March 2024

A schoolboy has been arrested after threatening his English teacher with a knife. The 15-year-old student was placed in pre-trial detention following ... French and Riviera News Monday 18th March 2024 Read More

18/03/2024

Evening Update Friday 15th March 2024

Hundreds of colleagues, friends and relatives have attended the funeral for an Escota motorway worker who was killed on the A8 earlier this month.... Evening Update Friday 15th March 2024 Read More

15/03/2024

French and Riviera News Friday 15th March 2024

The lower house of parliament in France has backed a string of measures to make low-cost fast fashion less attractive to buyers. ... French and Riviera News Friday 15th March 2024 Read More

15/03/2024

Evening Update Thursday 14th March 2024

Electric bike hire firm Pony says it will gradually put some of its bikes back into service in Nice, after all 800 of them were recalled as a safety p... Evening Update Thursday 14th March 2024 Read More

14/03/2024