Local
Yellow Vest Movement – A motorcyclist has died from his injuries as the “yellow vest” movement claimed a second life. The 37 year old who was seriously injured on Monday on the sidelines of protests in the Drôme, died on Tuesday.
Meanwhile French police dislodged protesters as the government took a harder line on the movement on Tuesday. In the region, demonstrators were again present on the A8 motorway at the pay tolls of Mougins, Antibes and Nice Saint Isidore. According to several polls the movement, launched on social networks and which has no known leader, is supported by nearly three quarters of French people.
Weather Alert - Météo France has placed the Gard region on an orange weather alert due to the risk of flooding. The alert issued on Tuesday has already seen firefighters carry out 70 interventions in the region since midnight due to thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. The alert remains in place until 4pm this afternoon.
Nurses stage protest in Nice - About one hundred nurses staged a protest in front of the prefecture in Nice on Tuesday afternoon. They were protesting at the introduction of the 2022 health plan and their levels of pay.
Aquarius - An Italian court has asked for the detention of the migrant rescue ship Aquarius, which is currently in Marseille. According to the prosecutor's office in Catania in Sicily, Aquarius and Vos Prudence, another humanitarian ship, are suspected of having treated a total of 24 tons of contaminated waste as conventional waste. Médecins Sans Frontiers, which has chartered the Aquarius with SOS Méditerranée since 2016, said that it was a disproportionate measure, aimed at criminalizing the medico-humanitarian action at sea.
Unemployment - Figures published by INSEE on Tuesday have shown that the unemployment rate in France has remained stable at 9.1% for the third quarter, with 2.73 million unemployed.
Disposable income – Meanwhile another study published on Tuesday has shown that disposable income for French households has dropped by 500 euros between 2008 and 2016. The study shows a drop in income for a large majority of middle class poople mainly due to tax and social reforms introduced by the government.
National
Mayors annual conference - Mayors from across France have met in Paris for their annual conference that is over shadowed by local tax cuts and the absence of President Emmanuel Macron. Over ten thousand mayors are meeting at Port de Versailles in the south of Paris conference centre until Thursday. Two major issues are dominating the conference: the cut in local taxes, and local service delivery.
Investigation opened into donation - An investigation has been opened by the prosecutor’s office in Paris into donations made to the Republic en Marche movement in 2017. French media reported confirmed on Tuesday that a preliminary investigation was underway into the origin of a donation of 144,000 euros.
Business
Global markets have slumped again amid steep declines in oil and losses in technology.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 550 points dragged down by Apple shares which closed down 5 percent while energy firms were affected by a 7 percent fall the price of oil.
Analysts say that a range of factors have contributed to this week’s downward spiral including Brexit,the post APEC and pre-G20 flare up in trade relations between the US and China and the continuation of a sell- off in tech.
The falls also reflect concerns about slowing global growth.
Investors in the US are also wary that the effect of tax cuts and increased government spending on the economy is now starting to fade and that America will start to slow down by late 2019 and into 2020.
Renualt has appointed a temporary deputy chief executive to take over the running of the firm following the arrest of Carlos Ghosn.
Following an emergency board meeting on Tuesday,Renault said that Thierry Bollore would step up to the role but that Mr Ghosn would remain as its chairman and chief executive.
Mr Ghosn was arrested in Japan on Monday following allegations of financial misconduct.
Thierry Bollore will have the same powers as Mr Ghosn who Renault say is “temporarily incapacitated”,
However,the French car giant may be forced at some point in the near future to take further measures against Mr Ghosn with Nissan planning to replace him as chairman.
And-The US administration has renewed its attacks on China’s trade policy calling it “unfair”.
In an update to a report issued in March,the US said that China had failed to alter its “unreasonable” practices.
The latest development has increased tensions between the two countries ahead of a high level meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina later this month.
Sport
Football-A James Forrest hat trick gave Scotland a 3-2 victory over Israel last night as they ended top of their Uefa Nations League group and guaranteed them a play-off place for Euro 2020.
Forrest scored twice in the first half and once in the second which was enough to give Scotland the points despite a spirited performance from Israel.
Also last night Wales lost 1-0 away in Albania in an international friendly while France beat Uruguay 1-0.
Cricket-Cricket Australia has said that it is “not appropriate” to reduce bans for ball tampering against Steve Smith,David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
Smith and Warner were banned for a year and Bancroft for 9 months following the incident in South Africa in March.
The Australian Cricketers Association wanted the punishments lifted following an independent review which found that Cricket Australia itself had been “partly responsible”.
However,the intermim chairman of Cricket Australia said that it was not appropriate to make changes to the sanctions.
Rugby Union-The Wales full-back Lee Halfpenny will miss the final autumn international against South Africa after failing to recover from concussion.
The 29 year old was injured in a challenge during the game against Australia on the 10th of November and has still not recovered.
George North will be available after recovering from a bruised leg.
Chris Ashton has been ruled out for England against Australia on Saturday with a calf injury.
The winger had been expected to recover but will now be out for 2 weeks.
Meanwhile,several members of the Australia squad have come down with a stomach bug three days before the match.
10 members of the Australia party are reported to be unwell and some have not trained.
Weather
Overcast with outbreaks of rain and light variable or easterly winds.
Top temperature 15 degrees Celsius.
Overnight lows of 9 degrees with partially cloudy skies.
Thursday and Friday-Partially cloudy with a high of 16 degrees tomorrow,rain returning on Friday with a high of `14.
Finally
It's been revealed that only half of British men think a kiss counts as cheating.
A new survey has revealed that men and women have very different views on what counts as cheating on a partner.
The research by BBC Radio 5 Live found that while three quarters of women would class kissing someone other than your partner as cheating, only half of men would agree.
Meanwhile 75 per cent of females in relationships would also see online experiences such as cyber sex as off-limits, while just 50 per cent of men think the same.
The research found just 40 per cent of British adults do not condone using a dating app if you have a significant other, but 91 per cent agree that sex with someone other than their partner is off-limits.
Nice airport says as many as 60% of flights will be cancelled tomorrow due to a nationwide strike by air traffic controllers....
Read More
After eight months of work and several sea trials, the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has begun a six-week operation in the Mediterranean, ...
Read More
A group of experts have come up with more than 150 recommendations for how Nice can deal with the increasing effects of climate change....
Read More
Some communes in the Alpes-Maritimes will be plunged into darkness this Monday evening. For the third year running to mark Earth Day, mayors in the Al...
Read More
Gendarmes in the Var have appealed for information after a 34-year-old man went missing in Cavalaire-sur-Mer....
Read More
