Lunchtime News Monday 8th March 2021

News 

Covid situation in the Var - The National Health Agency has reported ten new deaths from Covid during the weekend in hospitals in the Var (data concerning nursing homes has not yet been updated).  Since the start of the epidemic, the coronavirus has claimed 1,402 victims in the Var of which 986 were in hospitals and 416 in nursing homes.

After three consecutive days of decline, the number of patients hospitalised rose slightly on Sunday with 490 admissions that’s six more than the day before. According to Public Health France, the incidence rate in the Var stands at 310 for the period from February 25th to March 3rd remaining above the national average of 217.

Controls carried out during lockdown weekend - The prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes has said that just over 15,000 controls were carried out by police in the region during the weekend lockdown between Friday 6pm and Sunday 5pm. 956 people received fines for non-compliance or lack of justification.  

Meanwhile in Monaco border checks on the roads and at the train station at the weekend saw 2,811 vehicles not registered in the Principality controlled of which 270 were refused entry.

Saliva testing in schools - And today marks the start of saliva tests for Covid-19 in schools of the Aix-Marseille academy. The Minister of National Education has set a target of 300,000 tests per week by mid-March across the whole of France. From this week, 8,600 saliva tests will be available in the Aix-Marseille academy. Then, up to 16,000 saliva tests will be performed each week in the academy and 5,000 in the Var. Saliva tests in schools are not compulsory. Parents will be informed, and they must give their consent. If the test is positive, a systematic search for a variant will be carried out.

Covid 19 vaccine - France’s General Health Director has announced that a first delivery of doses of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine will be made on Thursday and Friday, in approved pharmacies in the 18 departments with the highest circulation of Covid. Prime Minister Jean Castex had announced the planned vaccination in pharmacies from March 15th but this has been brought forward in those regions the most affected by the pandemic including the Alpes-Maritimes, the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Var.

Arrest made in connection with November 13th 2015 attack - Italian police have arrested a man in connection with the attacks of November 13th 2015. More than five years later, the investigation into the attacks of November 13th, 2015 are continuing outside of the French borders. The Italian agency Ansa announced today Monday March 8th, that the Italian national police had arrested and taken into custody a 36-year-old Algerian national in the city of Bari (southern Italy). He is suspected of murder and participation in a terrorist organization.

The investigation carried out by the Italian counterterrorism directorate showed that he would have provided falsified identity documents to the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks on the Stade de France, the Bataclan and the attacks on the terraces in the French capital on November 13th, 2015. The man, whose identity has not yet been revealed, is said to be part of the radical Islamist movement and is part of the Islamic State.

International Women's Day 

SBM celebrates International Women’s Day - The Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer is today celebrating the women working in the heart of the SBM to mark International Women’s Day. You can find out more about these talented women and the Group’s various activities by checking out their interviews, where they share their thoughts on business and leadership. Each has a different role and brings her own, unique perspective. https://www.montecarlosbm.com/en/inspiration/special-section-international-womens-day-monaco

"Exception'Elle" award - Florbela Loureiro da Rocha Gil  from Nice will this lunchtime receive a national prize for her career. To coincide with International Women’s Day 43-year-old Florbela is to attend the ceremony in Paris having won the national "Exception'Elle" award from the AFPA for completing her training as a plumber and heating engineer. A rare role for women who represent just 2.2% in the thermal and sanitary installation sector in France.

France’s National Olymic and Sports Committee recognizes the achievements of Alice Milliat on International Women’s Day - Meanwhile to coincide with this year’s International Women's Day, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (the CNOSF) has unveiled at its Paris headquarters, a statue of Alice Milliat (1884-1957), one of the greatest activists in women's sport of the 20th century.

The CNOSF will today pay tribute to Alice Milliat the first French sports leader and activist for the recognition of women in the sporting world. It was between 1915 and 1935, that Milliat laid many milestones to entrench the place of women in the world of sport at a time when the latter existed only for one sex. Her career as a sports leader began in 1915 when she took over the presidency of Fémina Sport, a women's sports club. She was also one of the founders of the Federation of Women's Sports Societies in France (FSFSF) in 1917. She rose through the ranks: treasurer, then secretary to finally become president in 1919. In 1921 she founded the International Women's Sports Federation (FSFI), organized several women's competitions in football, basketball or hockey. After spending time in England, she had been introduced to different sports (such as rowing) and had become trilingual through her work as an interpreter.

Born in Nantes she suffered several refusals during her attempts to add women's events to the 1920 Games in Antwerp (Belgium), but she did not give up and managed to organize the Women's World Games between 1924 and 1936 in alternation with the Olympic Games. The success of these events was such that women were given the chance to compete in five athletic events at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928. And as a reward for her commitment, Alice Milliat was invited to be part of the jury. Milliat passed away in 1957 in complete anonymity and since, even her gravestone in Nantes does not bear her name.

 

 

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