Lunchtime News Wednesday 8th July 2020

Nice city council plans to extend ban on access to coastal paths at night - Nice city council has announced plans to extend a ban on access to coastal areas in and around Nice. Following noise pollution and uncivil behavior last month access at night, to several coastal paths, was prohibited in certain areas. The ban is now set to be extended to Boulevard Franck-Pilatte on the port of Nice.

France’s new Justice Minister a familiar face in the region –One of the big surprises of a new French government is the arrival of Eric Dupond-Moretti, a high-profile defence lawyer whose appointment as justice minister has raised more than a few eyebrows. 

Eric Dupond-Moretti is one of few lawyers who could stake a claim to being a household name in France. The 59-year-old is widely known for representing high-profile defendents such as Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, footballer Karim Benzema and rogue trader Jérome Kerviel. 

The newly appointed Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti is also a familiar face on the French Riviera spending most of his weekends in a house in Châteauneuf-Grasse and now in Nice.

Macron defends decision to appoint Gérald Darmanin - Meanwhile President Emmanuel Macron and his new government have defended choosing a man under investigation for alleged rape to lead France's interior ministry.

Gérald Darmanin firmly denies the accusation which date back to 2009. But his promotion has caused shock and anger from feminist groups and government critics.

Brigitte Bardot Foundation launches campaign - The Brigitte Bardot Foundation has launched a major campaign aimed at pet owners who may be tempted to abandon their four-legged companions due to financial difficulties generated from the health crisis.

Through a dedicated hotline, 0 805 691 820 (free service and call), a team is ready to provide psychological and material assistance such as food for animals or veterinary care, for pet owners. The campaign intends to" put solidarity at the heart of its actions ".

In National News

France’s Director General of Health warns of a second wave - In today’s Figaro newspaper the Director General of Health has warned the French population of the risk of a "second wave" and went on to specify the strategy of the government in the face of an epidemic which has certainly weakened but has not disappeared.

In the interview Jérôme Salomon called for caution. In France, 29,933 people have died since the start of the pandemic. On Tuesday July 7, the country registered another 13 new deaths linked to Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, according to the DGS.

To limit the risks, the Director General of Health called for everyone to be cautious and respect "barrier gestures, hygiene measures, social distancing and wearing a mask, especially in crowded conditions and in an enclosed space ".

475 new cases of Covid-19 have been identified in the last 24 hours 300,000 tests are performed weekly since the end of lockdown on May 11th.

86 clusters have currently been identified in France. Salomon added that the government’s strategy is to "break the chain of contamination as soon as a person is sick."