|
News Petrol price rise - Petrol and diesel prices in France are set to rise from tomorrow. The 30 centime subsidy put in place by the government will be reduced to 10 centimes, while the 20 centime reduction at TotalEnergy stations will also be stopped. However, according to government spokesperson Olivier Véran a new system of aid will take effect from January 1st, 2023, which is intended to benefit up to 12 million people. Meanwhile, the scourge of fuel siphoning has spread across France. Fuel thefts have doubled in one year, going from 1,174 incidents reported in 2021 to more than 2,400 this year. Medical test centre strike - There will be difficulties getting routine medical tests over the next few days, due to a rolling strike that started yesterday at 90-95% of the country's medical test centres (laboratoires). Workers are protesting the government’s plans to cut funding for test centres as part of the 2023 Social Security budget. The strike is set to run until tomorrow evening, with the possibility of it being extended. It will affect blood and urine tests and several other procedures, although COVID antigen tests are available in pharmacies. French prime minister visits Marseille - The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne was speaking in Marseille yesterday, telling the region's mayors that the PACA region is endowed with exceptional biodiversity and landscapes, but is one of the most affected by rising temperatures and extreme climatic events. She outlined her vision to make the region a leader in ecological planning. Her experimental plan includes measures to decarbonise industry, develop less polluting transport, and preserve water resources and forests. A national watchdog has exposed hundreds of fraudulent products labelled as “Made In France” - After carrying out a national survey of a thousand companies claiming their products were "Made in France", the French fraud control agency DGCCR has reported that 15 percent of brands were not what was advertised on the label. The survey was related to non-food products – such as masks and hydro-alcoholic gels massively sold during the Covid health crisis – and various other sectors, including jewellery, eyewear, cosmetics, textiles, and furniture. The DGCCRF says it will continue its checks on the origin of brands "in view of the growing appeal of French and local products to consumers, and in order to support industrial relocation in France," and has reminded consumers who have doubts about the real origin of a product, that they can report it on the SignalConso website. Green Beans - Be wary if you have recently bought packets of frozen green beans: several brands are the subject of a massive recall throughout France, due to a risk of odours, bad chemical taste or even traces of hydrocarbons. Among the brands highlighted are Casino, Tous les jours, Top Budget from Intermactché Thiriet, and Notre Jardin by E. leclerc. For all these products, the instruction is clear: do not eat the beans and bring them back to the point of sale for a refund. Ski resort - France's highest ski resort has delayed its opening this weekend due to a lack of snow. Val Thorens, which is 2300m high will now open on November 26th. A statement says the delay is because “snow cover at altitude is satisfactory, but does not allow a ski in, ski out.” Isola 2000 and Auron are set to open on December 3rd. Paris to build memorial garden for victims of 2015 terror attacks - The Paris city hall has announced that a memorial garden for victims of the 2015 terror attacks will open in 2025 in the heart of the capital. The Paris city hall has chosen Place Saint-Gervais as a location which, "due to its neutrality and centrality, allows the memorial and commemorative vocation to come to life". The garden, to be opened in 2025, will represent the six places of the attacks with the names of the deceased on steles, with a special focus on vegetation. Last Sunday marked the seventh anniversary of the worst terrorist attacks in the history of France which left 130 dead and more than 350 wounded. French scientists call for ban on private jets, a symbol of 'climate inequality' - As climate negotiations continue at the Cop27 summit in Egypt, some 30 scientists gathered outside Dassault Aviation's headquarters in Paris to denounce the use of private jets. Dassault is the third largest manufacturer of private jets in the world and represents 30 percent of the business aviation sector. As part of an international campaign called Make Them Pay, the scientists threw paper planes over the French multinational's gate to denounce "the symbol of climate inequality" that private jets represent. Their demands are: "Ban private jets, tax frequent flyers, and make polluters pay". According to the European NGO Transport and Environment campaigning for clean transport, a private jet can emit two tonnes of carbon dioxide in an hour and is five to 14 times more polluting per passenger than an airliner. Emergency landing after sexual assault - A plane from the English low-cost company Jet2.com made an emergency landing at Nantes-Atlantique airport, when the captain decided to disembark a passenger who sexually assaulted a flight attendant. The accused man in question had 2.2 grams of alcohol in his blood. He was handed over to the Border Police and brought before the city court yesterday. Local News Cannes named best events destination - Cannes has been named the best destination in the world for festivals and events. The honour was bestowed during the World Travel Awards, which are considered to be the Oscars of the tourism industry. Cannes beat off challengers from 11 other major destinations on the shortlist including London, Barcelona, Rio, Dubai and Cape Town. The mayor David Lisnard paid tribute to the 140 world class events hosted by Cannes each year including the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Lions and MIPIM. In October, Cannes was also named best European destination for the second consecutive year. Nice – Safe city - Nice is amongst the safest big cities in France for crim |
