News
President of Scientific Council says “2022 will still be a difficult year due to covid” - The president of the Scientific Council in France Jean-Francois Delfraissy has said that “2022 will still be a difficult year due to covid”. In France hospital pressure is increasing, and hospitals have recorded nearly 400 deaths in 24 hours, a record since April 2021. Delfraissy went on to say that they are currently closely monitoring a sub-variant of the Omicron variant BA.2 which appears to be “taking over in some countries, being the dominant variant in India” however, the seriousness of this sub-variant remains to be seen.
Complaints dismissed - Meanwhile France’s Court of Justice has dismissed 19,685 complaints lodged against several members of the French government. The complaints filed mainly attacked the health pass and vaccination and were largely targeted at Prime Minister Jean Castex and Health Minister Olivier Véran on their management of the health pass and their promotion of vaccination in the context of the pandemic.
In other news
Talks to be held over Ukraine in Paris tomorrow - The Elysee has announced that Russian and Ukrainian officials are set to meet in Paris tomorrow Wednesday 26th January for talks with their French and German counterparts in a bid to defuse tensions. French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his “concern” over the situation adding that he thinks “there is a space for diplomacy and a path to de-escalation”.
UK travel - Fully vaccinated travellers arriving in the UK and Scotland will no longer need to be tested for Covid-19 from February 11th. Rules have also been eased for unvaccinated travellers, who will no longer have to take a day eight test or self-isolate. However, they will still need pre-departure and day two tests. Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet said whether they will change their testing rules, although they are expected to follow suit.
Gas boilers - Gas boilers have been banned in new builds in France. As part of aims to achieve more energy-efficient housing France is outlawing gas boilers in domestic housing from the beginning of 2022. The rule will apply to newly built properties and will apply to anyone who has made a request for a building permit from January 1st 2022 onwards. The regulation does not yet affect people doing a renovation project or changing the heating system in their homes. The aim of the regulation is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Man falls asleep drunk at the wheel of his motorbike - A man in his fifties has been handed a three month prison sentence after falling asleep completely drunk, while at the wheel of his motorbike and hitting another vehicle, here in the Principality. The incident occurred last week in the early hours of Monday morning. Police intervened at the intersection of the Route de la Piscine and Avenue Kennedy. Nobody was injured in the incident.
A man has fallen to his death after apparently climbing up the front of his apartment building in Marseille. ...
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Cagnes-sur-Mer council has decided to temporarily close two of the town’s beaches due to suspected oil pollution. The slick was observed off the coast...
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The Var and the Alpes Maritimes department have been placed on a yellow weather warning due rain, flooding, and thunderstorms today. ...
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Monaco is set to take a historic step by voting on a bill to legalize abortion (IVG), currently only permitted in rare cases. ...
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- A taxi driver has been charged by French police with the theft of luggage and cash from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his wife, Nicola Green,...
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