Lunchtime News Thursday 1st July 2021

News 

Cluster of covid Delta variant identified in Antibes - The Regional Health Agency has announced the identification of a cluster of the covid Delta variant in Antibes. In what is being described as a “wake up call” the mayor of Antibes has taken the opportunity to remind everyone that you need to be vaccinated to eradicate the Covid-19 epidemic. 200 people were tested. The positive cases have been placed in isolation.

While hospitalizations are down and the vaccination campaign is running out of steam, the cluster that recently broke out in Antibes, in a dance school, shows that the Covid-19 epidemic remains very present. In all, 200 people have been tested in recent days. With a total of sixteen positive cases for the Delta variant, including six children and ten young adults, supervisors and dancers. None of those tested were vaccinated and all of them have been placed in solitary confinement. It is believed that the virus was able to spread after one of the students contracted covid and took part in the end of year show.

Strike action - Strike notices have been filed by unions with the SNCF and at Paris airports as of today Thursday, July 1st. On the rails, the expected disruptions concern the TER today and the Ouigo, this weekend. As for the ADP group, it warns of possible flight "delays". The action is expected this weekend which is the first weekend of July holiday departures. Demonstrations are also expected on Friday morning at Paris airports.

Driving licence - The official website to exchange your UK driving licence for a French one, under certain conditions,  is now open. The new UK-France deal on driving licences came into force as of Wednesday 30th June and you can now go to permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr to request an exchange by clicking on Demander un permis de conduire.

New body cameras deployed amongst police force from today - New body cameras for police and gendarmes in France have been introduced from today Thursday 1st July. According to France’s Minister of the Interior these new cameras are "easier to use, more robust, and with an autonomy of twelve hours with is much greater than the previous model". In a statement, the Ministry of the Interior specified that this camera will be "attached to the uniform" of the police or the gendarme, and "used in intervention in order to calm conflict”.

According to the ministry, they will "also make it possible to objectify offenses and provide the elements necessary for the prosecution of their perpetrators by collecting evidence.

Climate inaction - France’s highest administrative court the Council of State has given France nine months to take "all measures" to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In January 2019 a former mayor in the north of France seized the Council of State to denounce the "climate inaction" of France. In an unprecedented decision announced today, the State must now take within nine months additional measures, in order to achieve the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030.

 

 

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