Lunchtime News Tuesday 12th May 2020

INVENT@UCA launched to remind us of the environmental changes during the coronavirus lockdown - A programme launched by the University of the Côte d’Azur plans to bring together professionals and students to act on the global environmental experience, which has come from the coronavirus crisis.

Forcing humanity to pause for a while the pandemic has led to a standstill for air, road and maritime traffic as well as a halt in industrial production.

From a boar on the Croisette in Cannes? An ostrich on the streets of Baltimore in the United States? The peaks of the Himalayas visible again? There have been so many exceptional snapshots, taken during lockdown.

The programme INVENT@UCA plans to, as we prepare to gradually resume normal activity after two months, remind us of the exceptional positive effects it has had on the environment.

A spokesperson for the project said “the album would be the legacy of a generation which experienced something unique with this pandemic and the lockdown”.

Focused around a global map which allows everyone to post, and geotag a snapshot, a video, a sound which they have collected near their home. Launched on Saturday May 9th, the project has already received contributions from around the world: United States, Sri Lanka, Chile, Mali, Tunisia, Italy, Spain and of course France.

The initiative has even attracted the attention of Fridays for future, the global network of climate activists with a collaboration being established between the two.

Medical profession in France fears a second spike - Meanwhile as France began an ease on the lockdown on Monday, the medical profession in France has warned of its  fears of a second wave of the Covid-19 epidemic if the population does not take precautions, such as barrier gestures and physical distancing in order to protect themselves from the virus.

Gatherings along the Saint Martin Canal - Monday evening saw many images circulating in Paris, of numerous groups of people seated on the banks of the Saint-Martin canal, not repecting social distancing and barrier gestures. In response, the Interior Minister Christophe Castaner has asked the Paris police prefect, "faced with the irresponsibility of certain behaviours" "to prohibit the consumption of alcohol along the Saint-Martin canal".

Collective responsibility - For doctor Jean-Daniel Lelièvre, head of the Henri-Mondor hospital, in Créteil (Val-de-Marne), this is the kind of scene "which will fuel the epidemic". He was quick to add that "We are facing an epidemic; we are facing an infectious disease which is contagious. And have gone from an individual responsibility to a collective responsibility”.

"If people do not realize this collective responsibility, and that they have to protect themselves to protect others, we are heading for a disaster, it is obvious,"

Figures - To date, the Covid-19 epidemic has killed 26,643 people in France since March 1st, said the Directorate General of Health Monday evening.

100km travel limit - If you want to know how far from home you can go, within the 100km limit. Go to following address and enter your address and it will tell you. https://carte-sortie-confinement.fr/

National newspapers - Due to strike action today, the distribution of national newspapers and certain magazines has been interrupted. Regional press, which have their own networks, are reportedly not affected.

Strike action has been taken following the announcement of the project to liquidate the SAD [Company of agencies and broadcasting, subsidiary Presstalis]",

Presstalis filed for bankruptcy in late April and is due to appear in the Paris commercial court today. The latter should decide between a liquidation and a recovery plan.  

 

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