Local
Migrant drop-off - Italy's far-right Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini has lashed out at President Emmanuel Macron after French police crossed over the Italian border to return migrants. French authorities admit to a "mistake", but accuse Italy of politically exploiting the incident. Salvini hit out at President Emmanuel Macron after French police were caught committing the "unprecedented offence" of dumping migrants in Italian woods. Salvini, also deputy prime minister and head of the anti-immigrant League party, has demanded a "clear response" after French authorities admitted to returning migrants to Italy in "error".
Wojciech Janowski, has been found guilty - Wojciech Janowski, who was on trial for the murder of Hélène Pastor, has been found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment by the court in Aix-en-Provence. Amongst the other defendants, the shooter, and the lookout were also sentenced to life imprisonment. Pascal Dauriac, the former sports coach, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for organising the murder.
Another body has been found in a rural area of the Aude Department - Another body has been found in a rural area of the Aude Department near the village of Villalier, bringing the death toll from the recent floods to 14, according to the prefecture. One person is still missing. The Aude river has continued to recede, with the flood alert level being lowered to yellow from the orange which was in force on Wednesday, nevertheless, the levels remain high. Meanwhile, five people have been arrested on suspicion of looting food from a truck in an area affected by the flooding. Local reports say that over a thousand professional rescuers were mobilised in recent days to help in the emergency, including 680 firefighters, 250 gendarmes, 200 members of the civil security service and a hundred police officers.
Toulon - The US television channel CNBC has listed Toulon amongst the top five cities in the World. In the ranking the city is praised for its quality of life at very low prices and being home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The channel added that unlike its more expensive neighbours, Saint Tropez, Cannes, Bandol and Cassis, tourism is a secondary industry, which means that it remains open all year round.
National
Brexit - Germany and France are starting to step up their preparations for a no-deal Brexit even though both publicly insist an agreement with the UK over the terms of its departure from the EU can still be achieved. France has published a draft bill that would allow the government to introduce new legal measures to avoid or lessen the consequences of a hard Brexit by emergency decree, within 12 months of the law being passed. It said those consequences would include Britons needing visas to visit and UK nationals resident in the country being in an “irregular” legal situation.
Man shot dead while cycling in France - The girlfriend and father of a man shot dead while cycling in the French Alps have defended him against rape claims. Marc Sutton, from south Wales, was mountain biking in the Alps when he was struck by a stray bullet understood to have been fired by a hunter. Following tributes to him, his sister Katie Toghill told reporters that he repeatedly raped, threatened and physically abused her as a child. But other family members said they are devastated by the allegations.
Business
US Federal Reserve policymakers appear to be largely united on the need to raise borrowing costs further despite the views of President Trump who thinks that interest rate hikes have already gone too far.
Minutes from the September policy meeting of the Federal Open Markets Committee show that every policymaker backed the central bank’s decision to raise rates to between two and two and one quarter percent.
The minutes,which were published on Wednesday afternoon also show that members “generally anticipated that further gradual increases”in short term borrowing costs “would most likely be consistent” with the kind of continued economic expansion,labour market strength and firm inflation that most are expecting.
President Trump has repeatedly said that he opposes the Fed’s current interest rate policy as he thinks it will hurt the recovery.
The United States has refrained from labelling China as a “currency manipulator” in a move that may help to de-escalate rising tensions over trade between the two nations.
President Trump has previously accused China of keeping its currency weak to make its exports more competitive but speculation that the US Treasury would make the claim formally this week has not happened.
The US Treasury said in a statement on Wednesday that China’s policies were still of “particular concern” and that the recent weakness of the yuan continued to pose major challenges to achieving “more balanced trade”.
However, the Treasury said that did not find that China was directly intervening to undermine the value of its currency.
And-The Financial Times has reported that Rupert Murdoch’s children could each receive 2 billion dollars from the sale of his 21st Century Fox global entertainment empire to Disney.
Mr Murdoch is in the final stages of completing the 71.3 billion dollar sale of Fox which includes the Hollywood film studio and a 39 percent stake in the satellite TV operator Sky.
The Murdoch family trust controls a 17 percent stake in Fox which is worth some 12 billion dollars.
The beneficiaries of the trust are Mr Murdoch’s 6 children but there are likely to be multibillion dollar tax implications associated with the deal which could amount to some 2 billion dollars.
Sport
Football-The former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said that he expects to be back at work on the 1st of January and that he has had offers “from all over the world”.
The 68 year old Frenchman who left Arsenal at the end of last season said that he was “well rested” and ready to work again.
He hinted that his new job could be a role with an association,national team or even a return to Japan.
Wenger started his managerial career at Nancy before spending 7 years at Monaco where he won the French title in his first year in charge.
A short spell in Japan was then followed by 22 years at Arsenal where he won 3 Premier League titles and 7 FA Cups.
Cricket-England have taken a two nil lead in the one day international series against Sri Lanka after winning a rain affected third match in Kandy on Wednesday.
The match was reduced to 21 overs because of rain with the home side making 150-9.
England got to the target in 18.3 overs in a total of 153-3.Skipper Eoin Morgan made 58 not out.
Pakistan are in the box seat heading into day 3 of the second Test against Australia in Abu Dhabi.
On day 2 Australia were dismissed for a paltry 145 in their first innings with Pakistan on 144-2 in their second innings at stumps-a lead of 281.
Rugby Union-Mako Vunipola is the latest England player to be struck by injury ahead of the autumn internationals and will miss all 4 matches.
The Saracens prop strained his calf in last weekend’s European Champions Cup win over Glasgow and will be out for around 6 weeks.
England are also without Billy Vunipola.Chris Robshaw,Joe Launchbury and Sam Simmonds while Nathan Hughes could miss some of the games through suspension.
Coach Eddie Jones will announce his squad this morning.
Weather
Possibly one or two showers this morning then hazy sunshine developing in most areas with light easterly winds.
Top temperature 24 degrees Celsius.
Overnight lows of 17 degrees on the coast and 14 degrees inland with clear skies.
Friday and the start of the weekend-Clear skies with highs of 23-25 degrees.
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