Curfew extensions-The French Prime Minister Jean Castex is to hold a press conference at 5pm this afternoon during he’ll outline extensions to curfew restrictions.
Reports in French media say that the Mr Castex will announce that the entire Alpes-Maritimes department will be placed under a curfew from midnight on Saturday.
Under the restrictions people across the department will be required to stay at home from 9pm until 6am with fines of 135 euros issued to offenders increasing to 375 for those who break the law more than once.
Some exceptions are being made for workers ,medical visits ,walking dogs child minding , aiding a vulnerable or elderly person or existing travel plans inside the curfew hours on presentation of a valid ticket.
Bars and restaurants will be required to close at 9pm and existing restrictions on gyms and other establishments will continue.
People are also being encouraged to work from home if possible.
Mr Castex will set the full details out at a press conference at 5pm this afternoon.
If you do have to travel for work ,your employer should fill out an official form from the French Interior Ministry website and forms must also be completed on a daily basis if you need to leave your home at any time between 9pm and 6am.
The forms are available for download here https://www.interieur.gouv.fr
Local infections-The infection rate for Covid-19 in the Alpes Maritimes has risen to 12.7 percent from 10.7 percent according to the latest official figures.
The regional health authority says that 247 people are in intensive care in PACA hospitals with a total of 1,333 people receiving treatment.
Macron warning-The French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the murder of school teacher Samuel Paty last week must not “override the rule of law”.
France has been left in shock following the brutal decapitation of Mr Paty outside the school where he taught near Paris last Friday.
7 people including two students from the school have been charged with terrorism offences.
Mr Macron says promised to intensify a clampdown on Islamist radicalism in France and has said that “ fear must change sides”.
The hardline Interior Minister Gerald Darminin has been criticised in some quarters after saying that “the enemies of the Republic cannot expect a minutes respite”.
He’s also called for the Anti-Islamophobia Collective which monitors discriminatory attacks on Muslims to be dissolved.
Critics say that Mr Darminin is investing in “political opportunism” and his actions could easily be exploited by groups being targeted in court.
Cannabis farm-Police have arrested a 56 year old man in Nice after 76 cannabis plants were discovered at his property.
The arrest was made at an address at the impasse Serenza-de-Rimiez in the city.
The man says the plants were for his “personal consumption”.
He’s appeared in court and risks a jail term.
I’ll sail this ship alone-A 66 year old sailor from the Var is preparing for a solo round the world yacht adventure.
Pierre-Henry Mahul will set sail on Sunday and is taking some vintage French wine to keep him company on his 30,000 mile trip.
Mr Mahul has told the Var Matin newspaper that people think he’s “a bit mad” but that it’s “now or never”.
His boat is called Michaela de Bandol after the wine with his first objective the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
The intrepid sailor aims to compete the voyage in 6 months and has taken along a case of Moulin des Costes wine to fortify him on the open seas.
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