Lunchtime News Wednesday 27th April 2022

News

Ukrainian ambassador to France and Monaco says the “situation is critical” - The Ukrainian ambassador to France has said that the “situation is critical” and called for help. In an exclusive interview with the Nice Matin Vadym Omelchenko ambassador of Ukraine to France and Monaco takes stock of the war. Asked if the risk of “World War III” was very “real”, Omelchenko replies that it’s a testimony of weakness as the “Russians realise they are losing, they resort to threats” adding that in reality he thinks “the prospect is quite possible”, because “no one knows what is going on in the head of the Russian head of state”. Concluding that “future initiatives will depend on the determination of the West and the Western community”.

Yacht seized in Marseille - Meanwhile French authorities have frozen a fourth yacht that belongs to a Russian billionaire in the Mediterranean. The Rahil has been docked since March 13th in the port of Marseille. This superyacht belongs to Arkady Rotenberg, a Russian businessman whose fortune Forbes estimates at 2.9 billion dollars. He has been a close friend of Vladimir Putin since childhood, having been his training partner in judo.

It is the fourth yacht frozen by the French authorities on the coast of Provence-Alpes Côte d'Azur, since the entry into force of European sanctions against Moscow in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Last month, France already immobilized in the port of La Ciotat an 86-meter mega-yacht, the Amore Vero, owned by a company linked to the boss of the Russian oil giant Rosneft, Igor Setchin and two other yachts in Cannes and in Antibes, belonging to the Russian oligarch Alexei Kouzmitchev.

If the frozen boat leaves the port, the Customs code provides for a penalty of up to 5 years in prison and a heavy fine for misappropriation of the frozen property. The freezing of these vessels also poses the problem of payment of guarding and maintenance costs. According to the law, it is up to the owner to settle the bill, but in the current context, all transactions are blocked with Russia. A difficult situation for shipyards where two of these yachts were under maintenance. The bill amounts to several tens of thousands of euros per month.

Number of covid patients hospitalised drops slightly in France - France has seen a slight drop in the number of people hospitalised due to covid. According to figures published on Tuesday April 26th, 24,703 people are in hospital, which is nearly 280 fewer patients than on Monday.

In Monaco on Tuesday, 45 new cases of covid were identified bringing the total number of residents affected to 11,677. Twenty-seven people are currently in hospital and 115 are being followed by the Home Monitoring Centre.

Product recall – Meanwhile according to the government website RappelConso, due to the presence of listeria or salmonella, fifteen products have been recalled from French supermarkets in different regions of France since the beginning of the week. For details of the product and outlet go to rivieraradio.mc

Product recall - barquette de pieds de porc vinaigrette Super U brand sold in Maubourguet; salade italienne Sobovia brand sold by Super U, Auchan, Proxi, Ferme Baehl in le Bas-Rhin; sliced ​​meat pâté of the Sobovia brand sold by Transgourmet, Distribution Iller, Pomona, Cora in the Grand-Est; minced beef steak sold on demand at the traditional butcher's department of E.Leclerc Rouen St Sever; salmon tail fillet from the E.Leclerc brand in La Rochelle; vegetable specialty with almond milk from the Jay&Joy brand sold throughout France.

Pines under attack in the Gulf of Saint Tropez - The French State has asked professionals and individuals in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez to act quickly against CAR CH NEILS cochineals which are attacking pine trees in the region. The insect originally from North America, causes enormous damage in pine forests and officially appeared for the first time in France last year in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, where it poses a serious threat to pines, in particular pinion pines (known as umbrella pines).

Cannes Film Festival - French actor Vincent Lindon has been chosen to be the President of the Jury of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. He will be joined by seven other jury members from all over the world. The jury will award the Palme d'or to one of the 21 films in the competition on Saturday 28 May.

 

 

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