Lunchtime News Wednesday 15th September 2021

News

Missing person found “safe and sound” - The person reported missing following the bad weather in the Gard has been found “safe and sound”. The 65-year-old man had been reported missing after extreme weather conditions hit the region on Tuesday.

Five departments are still placed on an orange weather alert due to the risk of flooding with the Ardèche and the Drôme still on orange thunderstorm alert. The prefecture has decided that schools in the Gard as well as leisure centres will remain closed today.

Body of newborn baby found inside a bin on train at Marseille - The body of a newborn baby has been found inside a bin in a Ouigo train at the Saint-Charles train station in Marseille. The discovery was made by a maintenance agent after the train arrived in Marseille from Lille shortly before 9pm on Monday. An investigation has been opened.

Compulsory vaccination for health care workers - A law requiring healthcare workers in France to prove their vaccination against covid or face suspension without pay comes into effect today, as tens of thousands remain unvaccinated. The situation is raising concerns as to how the health system will continue to provide services with the loss of staff.

Compulsory vaccination affects some 2.7 million people, including hospital staff, private doctors, retirement home care workers and those taking care of the elderly at home, ambulance drivers, and fire-fighters. They have to prove they have had at least one shot of a vaccine, a recent Covid infection, or a valid medical reason why they cannot get vaccinated. Those who do not meet the requirements are to be suspended immediately, without pay, or can use their paid time off to extend the deadline. They must prove full vaccination by 15 October or face being laid off.

Vaccinobus - Meanwhile to encourage adolescents in our region to get vaccinated, mobile teams are being deployed with four vaccinobuses visiting high schools of six departments in the region, every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m until the beginning of October. According to figures put forward by the region, currently, 27% of young people under 17 in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur are fully vaccinated compared to 32.4% on a national level.

Mayor of Nice announces “blue economy project” for the port of Nice and coastline - The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi has given details of his “blue economy project” for the port of Nice and coastline during a speech at the “conference on the economy of the sea” held in Nice on Tuesday.

The project, includes the redevelopment of the port which was built in 1860, with the goal to making it an "economic attraction and a place of environmental protection". The project also includes the creation of a protected maritime area "from the airport to the Cap de Nice".

Ahead of the plans a study will be launched to determine whether the current port will keep its "merchant and commercial facilities in the future, or whether it should turn to yachting, boating and fishing. The Quai des Deux Emmanuel would become pedestrianized and the lighthouse car park would disappear, to be replaced by a green space.

Relaunch of Nice Cap d’Ail shuttle – Meanwhile the mayor has also recently announced his wish to relaunch the maritime shuttle project between the port of Nice and Cap d'Ail. The project which would allow people to get from Cap d'Ail to Nice and vice versa in just 35 minutes by boat was unfortunately, abandoned due to an unsuccessful tender with the launch planned for last August not taking place.

Christian Estrosi told reporters: “I am relaunching the maritime shuttle project between Nice and Monaco”. However, it’s not expected in the near future as the project is unlikely to be finalized until 2025.

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