Lunchtime News Thursday July 15th 2021

Covid-19- Infection rates are rising across France as the delta variant continues to spread.

There have been 8,800 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours ,the highest level since the start of June and up from 6,950 in the previous 24 hour period.

Cases have now doubled since the start of June as experts continue to warn of a 4th wave and the government urges people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

 

Health Pass protests- There have been more than 50 demonstrations around France in protest over the introduction of the new health pass.

Demonstrators carried placards and shouted slogans about “liberty and dictatorship”.

There is still a sizeable minority of people who are completely opposed to vaccination and who say that their personal freedom will be removed with the introduction of the health pass which must be shown at public buildings as well as at cinemas and theatres from the 21st of July and  many shops and commercial outlets including restaurants  from the 1st of August.

 

Monaco doses-Monaco is to donate 15,600 vaccine doses to third world countries as part of the international Covax programme.

The vaccines will be handed to the World Health Organisation for distribution.

 

Cannes 2021- The 74th Cannes Film Festival is entering its last couple of days as the jury led by Spike Lee deliberates on which movie to select as the winner of the Palme d’Or.

They’ve still got a few films to get through today and tomorrow though before any serious decision making can start.

Today’s competition films are “Haut et Forte” or “Casablanca Beats”  from Nabil Ayouch which focuses on hip hop culture in Morocco amid a background of traditional culture ,“France” a Franco-Belgian feature from Bruno Dumont starring Lea Seydoux as a journalist in the modern media world and “Memoria” from  Thailand’s Apichatpong Weerasetthakul starring Tilda Swinton as a Scottish woman on a strange journey through the jungles of Colombia.

There are two more competition films tomorrow before the jury starts it’s deliberations.

 

Watch theft-Police are hunting for two men on a scooter who stole a valuable watch from a tourist in Cannes.

The theft took place on the rue des Freres Pradignac as the two men on the Italian registered scooter ripped the watch worth 15,000 euros from the victim’s wrist.

They then made off at high speed and disappeared.

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