Lunchtime News Thursday 20th August 2020

Local

Two-year-old suffers serious head injuries after fall - A two-year-old child has suffered serious head injuries after falling two metres from a mezzanine. The incident occurred at 8am this morning in an apartment in Salon de Provence in the Bouches du Rhone region. The child was taken by emergency services to hospital in Marseille.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel to visit French President Emmanuel Macron in the Var today – French President Emmanuel Macron is to welcome the German Chancellor this afternoon at the Fort Brégançon in the Var.

On the agenda will be major international issues and in particular the crisis between Greece and Turkey.

For the German Chancellor, this is a first. In the fifteen years that Merkel has been in power she has never been invited to Fort Brégançon, in Bormes-les-Mimosas, the summer residence of French Presidents. The last time a German leader visited the summer residence was back in 1985 when Helmut Kohl was invited by François Mitterrand.

At today’s meeting, which will be followed by a press statement and then a dinner at 7 p.m the two leaders will take stock of the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the need for strong cooperation between countries of the European Union, in particular on border control.

Emmanuel Macron has spent three weeks at Brégançon and is expected to leave at the end of the week for Paris where on Monday the Head of State will chair the Council of Ministers.

Distribution of masks - As Nice announces that from today protective masks against Covid-19 are now compulsory throughout the city. France’s Health Minister Olivier Véran, has announced that a massive distribution has begun throughout France of masks for people in a precarious situation.

In the Var, 736,800 masks will be distributed to 122,800 people. The distribution started on Wednesday with masks being delivered directly to the letter boxes of households concerned.

National

Weather - The hot weather is expected to return today in southwestern and northeastern France according to Météo France.

Maximum temperatures of between 25 and 33 degrees are expected in the north-west reaching up to 31 to 37 degrees in the Southwest.

Artwork on display to trace rightful owner - After 76 years in Germany a 19th century oil painting has gone on display in an attempt to trace its rightful owners. The artwork by the French painter Nicolas Rousseau, who was a member of the Barbizon school of painters was stolen from Nazi-occupied France during the second world war

Now back in France the painting is being exhibited at the World Centre for Peace, Liberty and Human Rights in Verdun.

Next to it hangs a sign that reads: “If you recognise the landscape or have any information about this painting, we would be grateful if you would let us know.”

According to the director of the centre the work’s true value goes far beyond its market value of €3,000-€5,000.