French and Riviera News Friday 6th September 2019

Local

30 million euros to reduce toxic fumes - The regional council of the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur has announced plans to invest 30 million euros to reduce toxic fumes from ferries and ocean liners in the ports of Marseille ,Toulon and Nice. The announcement made on Thursday will see a plan of “zero smoke stopovers” from ferries and ocean liners which dock in the three major ports. A recent study has shown the negative impact they have on the quality of air for residents in the area.

Fake police officers - Police in Antibes have warned residents to be aware of people impersonating officers in order to gain access to homes. An elderly lady was the latest victim on Thursday after two men presented themselves with fake ID and robbed her of money and jewelry. Anyone who suspects any suspicious behavior is invited to contact the police immediately.

Fire - About 1,500 square metres of undergrowth has been destroyed by a fire in Grasse. The blaze broke out near an agricultural nursery on Thursday afternoon. It was brought under control by two water bombing helicopters and about 45 firefighters. Meanwhile, in the Var, 6 forest massifs have been placed on a “very severe” fire risk, meaning that they are totally closed to access. The 3 other massifs in the department are at a “Severe” risk level.

No internet for SFR customers in Nice - SFR customers in many areas of Nice, have experienced an interruption in their internet service following a breakdown. The mobile phone provider reported the incident on Thursday afternoon and have confirmed that the service will be out of action until this evening. The cause of the breakdown remains unknown.

Man boards private vessel in Antibes - A thirty-year-old man has been stopped by police after boarding a private vessel in the port of Antibes. The owner came face to face with the intruder in the middle of the night as he was carrying his bags on board. Police were alerted but the intruder fled on foot only to caught later by officers and taken to the police station where he was found to be in a state of intoxication.

International School of Nice - The CCI of Nice Côte d'Azur and NACE Schools has announced their partnership. During a press conference on Thursday the project to develop the International School of Nice was presented to local media. Initiated by the CCI Nice Côte d'Azur in 2018, the partnership between the CCI Nice Côte d'Azur and the NACE Schools group intends to give the ISN all the conditions success of its development.

National

Charges dropped - Magistrates in France have dropped charges against Air France and Airbus over a mid-Atlantic plane crash in 2009 that killed all 228 people on board. The Airbus 330 aircraft flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris stalled in a storm and plunged into the ocean. On Thursday, the magistrates looking into manslaughter charges brought by victims' relatives decided that there were not enough grounds to prosecute.

Mayor of Paris - Top mathematician Cedric Villani has said he’ll be a man for all Parisians if he is elected the capital's next mayor. Villani is hoping to oust the socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo in next year's vote. Hidalgo has been in office since 2014 but she has not revealed if she will seek re-election.

Human isolation - The French national statistics agency has just published its latest report on human isolation. This is the third such survey over the past two decades, and the findings are both sad and surprising. The report from the national statistics agency on human contact says that one French person in every ten suffers from isolation. The French population is currently estimated at just short of 70 million. The findings therefore suggest that as many as 7 million people are the victims of what the report calls “extreme relational isolation”.

Maurice the cockerel - A court in the French city of Rochefort has ruled in favour of Maurice the cockerel, who made international headlines when neighbours made a legal complaint because of his unusually loud song. The verdict is final: Maurice can crow on. Maurice has been at the centre of a two-year quarrel between his owner and her neighbours. In July this year they took the case to court, complaining of noise pollution. 

Business

Investors have cheered the news that China and the United States have agreed to high level trade talks which it’s hoped will result in a thaw in relations between the world’s two largest economic powers.

Fresh US tariffs on Chinese goods are fueling tensions and putting pressure on global growth.

The talks were arranged in a telephone call between the Chinese Vice-Premier and the US trade representative Robert Lighthizer and would be the first face-to-face high level discussions since a failed meeting at the end of July.

So far there’s no indication that a fresh 15 percent duty on Chinese goods introduced by Washington on the 1st of September will be eased.

No timing for the talks has been given with the US trade representative’s office only saying that they would take place “in the coming weeks”.

The social media giant Facebook has confirmed that some 200 million phone numbers from its members have been exposed in an online database.

Facebook says that it’s investigating who had complied the database and left it unprotected online.

The database of telephone numbers and Facebook IDs was discovered on an unprotected web server and had not been password protected.

The list is not thought to have been compiled by Facebook or placed online by the firm.

Last year ,Facebook  switched off a feature that allowed people to search for other users by typing in their phone number.The firm said that “malicious actors” had been abusing the feature by typing in millions of phone numbers to find out who owned them.

And-A strike by British Airways pilots is still on after the company rejected a union proposal to end the dispute.

BA pilots are due to strike on Monday and Tuesday next week over pay.

The pilots union BALPA said that it would call off the strike if the firm agreed to discuss new proposals which it outlined in a letter.

BA said that it was open to “constructive” negotiations but that it did not believe that BALPA was acting in good faith.

The planned two day strike is the result of failed negotiations between the union and BA over a pay offer of 11.5 percent over three years.

 

 

Sport

Cricket-Steve Smith was once again the man as Australia built a big first innings total against England on day 2 of the 4th Ashes Test at Old Trafford.

England wasted several chances in the field as Smith powered to 211 before he was eventually dismissed off the bowling of Joe Root but a quickfire 54 from Mitchell Starc lifted Australia to 497-8 declared.

At stumps ,England were on 23-1 with Joe Denly unable to survive the final few overs of the day as he was dismissed for 4.

Australia are firmly in the driving seat with play due to resume at noon French time.

 

Tennis-Serena Williams is through to the final of the US Open at Flushing Meadows after beating Elina Svitolina 6-3 6-1.

She’ll play the Canadian teenager Bianca Andreesccu in the final tomorrow and is on track to win a record equalling 24th Grand Slam title.

 

It’s men’s semi final day today with Rafael Nadal up against Matteo Berrettini and Grigor Dimitrov facing Daniil Medvedev.

 

Formula 1-First practice for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza is at 11am this morning with Charles Leclerc looking to repeat the success that brought him his first ever Grand Prix victory in Belgium last weekend.

Lewis Hamilton leads the drivers’ championship by 65 points from Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Second practice is at 3pm with qualifying at 3pm tomorrow and the race at 3.10 on Sunday.

 

Football-European Championship qualifying continues over the weekend with several games tonight.

Wales play Azerbaijan in Group E while Scotland face Russia in Group I.

Tomorrow ,England play Bulgaria in Group A and France host Albania in Group H.

 

The FA Women’s Super League is also back in action this weekend with Bristol against Brighton and Manchester City against Manchester United tomorrow while on Sunday Chelsea play Spurs ,Birmingham face Everton ,Liverpool host Reading and Arsenal play West Ham.

 

Rugby Union-There are three World Cup warmup games today.Japan play South Africa ,Scotland play Georgia and England play Italy.

Tomorrow New Zealand play Tonga ,Australia play Samoa and Ireland play Wales.

 

Cycling-Philippe Gilbert of Belgium has won stage 12 of the Vuelta a Espana after a late break to the finish line in Bilbao.

Primoz Roglic still leads the overall classification with a one minute 52 second advantage over Alejandro Valverde.

Today’s 13th stage is 166.4 kilometers between Bilbao and Los Machucos.

Weather

Mainly fine in coastal areas,showers inland with some possible thundery outbreaks in the Alpes-Maritimes this afternoon.

Light to moderate westerly winds and a high of 25 degrees.

Overnight lows of 19 degrees on the coast and 14 degrees inland with clear skies.

The weekend-Mainly fine with highs of 25-28 degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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