Emmanuel Macron has come under scrutiny after the French president jetted off for a holiday as the Olympics are underway in Paris. Macron taking a hiatus comes at a time when police leaves have been cancelled, accident and emergency doctors are on stand-by and municipal workers are putting in overtime to keep the city running for the biggest sporting event.

Emmanuel Macron has come under scrutiny after the French president jetted off for a holiday as the Olympics are underway in Paris. Macron taking a hiatus comes at a time when police leaves have been cancelled, accident and emergency doctors are on stand-by and municipal workers are putting in overtime to keep the city running for the biggest sporting event. According to reports, Macron left the capital city to vacation on the French Riviera alongside his wife, Brigitte, daughter Laurence Auzière and her partner Matthieu Graffensttadden. The family is staying at Fort de Brégançon which was once a military outpost, used by French troops in battles against the English in 1707 and 1793. The French president has equipped the historical fort with a swimming pool and secure communications to enable him to run the country from the seaside. Notably, it is a family tradition for the Macrons to holiday at Brégançon which they have visited almost every year since he took office in 2017. Watch | French President Emmanuel Macron accused of transphobia × Macron criticised However, the holiday has not gone down well with political opponents. Christian Piquet, a member of the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF), which won the most seats in the recently concluded snap elections called by Macron, said his party won't allow the president to get away easily. “We are going to put pressure on Emmanuel Macron right to the end. He will not leave for Brégançon with the feeling that we will leave him alone," said Piquet. Meanwhile, in a scathing editorial, the French daily Le Figaro called Macron the “casual worker of the Elysée” - referring to the official residence of the president. Also read | Paris Olympics: Will polluted river Seine be the 'water loo' of President Macron? Check out the meme fest The Paris Olympics started off on the wrong foot after far-left saboteurs destroyed the high-speed railway lines in the country on the day of the opening ceremony. Afterwards, the ceremony itself drew flak from all quarters as drag queens and transgenders performed what many described was a parody of the 'Last Supper' - leading to the organising body of the Olympics issuing an apology. Quizzed about the president stepping away at a crucial time, Macron's team said he was still at the helm, focusing on the Olympics and keeping a close eye on the events unfolding in the Middle East. The team said Macron spoke to Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s new president, on Monday. (With inputs from agencies)

Macron slammed for holidaying during Olympics as city workers do overtime

In a devastating incident that occurred early Sunday (August 13), a fire engulfed a residential building located in the central district of Grasse, a renowned city in the French Riviera.

The blaze killed three people, while leaving three others in critical condition and four with minor injuries.

The fire, now extinguished, inflicted significant damage on the upper floors of the five-story building, casting a shadow over the picturesque town known for its fragrance heritage, reported AFP.&nbsp;

The origin of the fire, which tore through the historical heart of Grasse, remains shrouded in uncertainty.

The edifice's top three levels bore the brunt of the flames, with the exterior partially charred. The stairwell suffered the most substantial impact, while the individual units endured smoke-related harm, according to Jean-Christophe Demarte, leading the rescue operation, who spoke to AFP.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eiffel-tower-in-paris-evacuated-after-bomb-threat-reports-624867">Eiffel Tower in Paris briefly evacuated after bomb threat: Reports</a>

<h2>Emergency response </h2>

Local residents sounded the alarm, prompting firefighters to rush to the scene at approximately 3:00 am (0100 GMT).

Tragically, one life was lost as a person leapt from the building, while two more bodies were discovered within its confines.

Witnesses recounted harrowing scenes, including a woman's urgent cries for assistance and a man's desperate fall while attempting to escape the inferno.

Also watch |&nbsp;UK: Six dead after migrant boat capsizes crossing from France to UK

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-six-dead-after-migrant-boat-capsizes-crossing-from-france-to-uk-624980/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2>Heart of the old town</h2>

Situated in a vibrant square within Grasse's old town, the ill-fated building was a hub of activity during the summer months, attracting both tourists and locals.

The charming locale, adorned with eateries, a fountain, and charming pedestrian pathways, now bears the scars of the calamity that unfolded.

Jerome Viaud, the city's mayor, clarified that while the building did not exhibit structural deficiencies, plans for renovations were slated for October, focusing on communal spaces and the facade.

Although speculation about the fire's cause abounds, Viaud emphasised the need for patience as investigators seek to determine whether the incident was accidental or malicious in nature.

Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation to ascertain the root cause of the tragic fire. The city's prosecutor confirmed that a probe is currently underway to shed light on the circumstances that led to this unfortunate event.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

In a devastating incident that occurred early Sunday (August 13), a fire engulfed a residential building located in the central district of Grasse, a renowned city in the French Riviera.

In a devastating incident that occurred early Sunday (August 13), a fire engulfed a residential building located in the central district of Grasse, a renowned city in the French Riviera. The blaze killed three people, while leaving three others in critical condition and four with minor injuries. The fire, now extinguished, inflicted significant damage on the upper floors of the five-story building, casting a shadow over the picturesque town known for its fragrance heritage, reported AFP. The origin of the fire, which tore through the historical heart of Grasse, remains shrouded in uncertainty. The edifice's top three levels bore the brunt of the flames, with the exterior partially charred. The stairwell suffered the most substantial impact, while the individual units endured smoke-related harm, according to Jean-Christophe Demarte, leading the rescue operation, who spoke to AFP. Also read | Eiffel Tower in Paris briefly evacuated after bomb threat: Reports Emergency response Local residents sounded the alarm, prompting firefighters to rush to the scene at approximately 3:00 am (0100 GMT). Tragically, one life was lost as a person leapt from the building, while two more bodies were discovered within its confines. Witnesses recounted harrowing scenes, including a woman's urgent cries for assistance and a man's desperate fall while attempting to escape the inferno. Also watch | UK: Six dead after migrant boat capsizes crossing from France to UK Heart of the old town Situated in a vibrant square within Grasse's old town, the ill-fated building was a hub of activity during the summer months, attracting both tourists and locals. The charming locale, adorned with eateries, a fountain, and charming pedestrian pathways, now bears the scars of the calamity that unfolded. Jerome Viaud, the city's mayor, clarified that while the building did not exhibit structural deficiencies, plans for renovations were slated for October, focusing on communal spaces and the facade. Although speculation about the fire's cause abounds, Viaud emphasised the need for patience as investigators seek to determine whether the incident was accidental or malicious in nature. Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation to ascertain the root cause of the tragic fire. The city's prosecutor confirmed that a probe is currently underway to shed light on the circumstances that led to this unfortunate event. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Fatal building fire kills three in French Riviera city of Grasse

The situation in France is going from bad to worse. Despite President Emmanuel Macron's assurances, the wildfires in the French Riviera are yet to be contained. Evacuations continue as these wildfires spread to newer areas.

Heatwave fuels wildfires in French Riviera, thousands evacuated

France's Mirazur restaurant -- whose Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco draws inspiration from the sea, the mountains, and his own garden -- was crowned Tuesday the world's best by an influential trade list, beating contenders from Denmark and Spain.

The accolade came just months after Colagreco was handed a third Michelin star, and was the first time a French establishment has triumphed in the World's 50 Best Restaurant list.

"I'm in the sky and I'm waiting to come back here," Colagreco said as he collected his award for his restaurant in the French Riviera town of Menton. "I don't have words to explain," he said.

In second spot in the awards -- which took place in Singapore, their first time in Asia -- was Noma in Copenhagen, and third was Asador Etxebarri in Spain.

Gaggan in Bangkok was fourth, the highest ranked Asian restaurant. Fifth was Geranium in Copenhagen, and sixth was Central in Lima, tagged as Best in South America.

The top restaurant award has gone to Spain seven times, the most of any country. Last year Italy's Osteria Francescana took the number one spot.

Mirazur took the third spot in the awards last year.

- 'Feet on the ground' -

After his victory was announced, Colagreco took to the stage joined by his Brazilian wife carrying a banner representing four flags -- those of Argentina, Brazil, France and Italy.&nbsp;

"Thank you my team. You deserve it, all these years. Thank you friends for supporting us during these last 13 years," he said.

Colagreco is the only foreign chef working in France to have been awarded three Michelin stars. He opened the restaurant in 2006 and was awarded his first star the following year, before getting his second in 2012.

The Argentine-born chef moved to France in 2001 and worked with Bernard Loiseau, Alain Passard and Alain Ducasse before spending a year at Le Grand Vefour.

He said that he ended up in Menton by chance.&nbsp;

"The owner of the place was the perfect stereotype of an Englishman on the Cote d'Azur, a white linen outfit and a Panama hat," he told AFP in a recent interview.

"He saw that I had no money but he wanted to know what an Argentine was doing in Menton... He rented me his restaurant for a ridiculous sum."

This "gave me a lot of freedom" to experiment, he said.

The early days were tough but since being awarded the second star the restaurant has seen its popularity grow.

Mirazur, located in southeast France near the Italian border, offers dishes made with ingredients from Colagreco's own backyard farm, including fresh vegetables and seafood.

Despite his growing fame, Colagreco said that he wants to "keep his feet firmly on the ground."

- First time in Asia -

For their first foray into Asia, award organisers picked Singapore, which is well-known for its buzzing culinary scene.&nbsp;

But Europe continued to dominate with 25 restaurants named in the best 50, including seven in the top 10. Asia won seven, the United States six, and Latin America six.&nbsp;

The awards are organised by British magazine Restaurant, owned by William Reed Media.&nbsp;

They were launched in 2002 and are now as coveted as Michelin stars, although the methodology used to select the best restaurants has faced criticism, especially from several French chefs who say it remains unclear.

There are no criteria for putting a restaurant on the list, which is based on an anonymous poll of more than 1,000 chefs, restaurant owners, food critics and other industry insiders from around the world.

Each member gets 10 votes and at least four of those votes have to go to restaurants outside their region.

The event has been held before in Spain, London, New York and Melbourne.

France's Mirazur restaurant -- whose Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco draws inspiration from the sea, the mountains, and his own garden -- was crowned Tuesday the world's best by an influential trade list, beating contenders from Denmark and Spain.

France's Mirazur restaurant -- whose Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco draws inspiration from the sea, the mountains, and his own garden -- was crowned Tuesday the world's best by an influential trade list, beating contenders from Denmark and Spain. The accolade came just months after Colagreco was handed a third Michelin star, and was the first time a French establishment has triumphed in the World's 50 Best Restaurant list. "I'm in the sky and I'm waiting to come back here," Colagreco said as he collected his award for his restaurant in the French Riviera town of Menton. "I don't have words to explain," he said. In second spot in the awards -- which took place in Singapore, their first time in Asia -- was Noma in Copenhagen, and third was Asador Etxebarri in Spain. Gaggan in Bangkok was fourth, the highest ranked Asian restaurant. Fifth was Geranium in Copenhagen, and sixth was Central in Lima, tagged as Best in South America. The top restaurant award has gone to Spain seven times, the most of any country. Last year Italy's Osteria Francescana took the number one spot. Mirazur took the third spot in the awards last year. - 'Feet on the ground' - After his victory was announced, Colagreco took to the stage joined by his Brazilian wife carrying a banner representing four flags -- those of Argentina, Brazil, France and Italy. "Thank you my team. You deserve it, all these years. Thank you friends for supporting us during these last 13 years," he said. Colagreco is the only foreign chef working in France to have been awarded three Michelin stars. He opened the restaurant in 2006 and was awarded his first star the following year, before getting his second in 2012. The Argentine-born chef moved to France in 2001 and worked with Bernard Loiseau, Alain Passard and Alain Ducasse before spending a year at Le Grand Vefour. He said that he ended up in Menton by chance. "The owner of the place was the perfect stereotype of an Englishman on the Cote d'Azur, a white linen outfit and a Panama hat," he told AFP in a recent interview. "He saw that I had no money but he wanted to know what an Argentine was doing in Menton... He rented me his restaurant for a ridiculous sum." This "gave me a lot of freedom" to experiment, he said. The early days were tough but since being awarded the second star the restaurant has seen its popularity grow. Mirazur, located in southeast France near the Italian border, offers dishes made with ingredients from Colagreco's own backyard farm, including fresh vegetables and seafood. Despite his growing fame, Colagreco said that he wants to "keep his feet firmly on the ground." - First time in Asia - For their first foray into Asia, award organisers picked Singapore, which is well-known for its buzzing culinary scene. But Europe continued to dominate with 25 restaurants named in the best 50, including seven in the top 10. Asia won seven, the United States six, and Latin America six. The awards are organised by British magazine Restaurant, owned by William Reed Media. They were launched in 2002 and are now as coveted as Michelin stars, although the methodology used to select the best restaurants has faced criticism, especially from several French chefs who say it remains unclear. There are no criteria for putting a restaurant on the list, which is based on an anonymous poll of more than 1,000 chefs, restaurant owners, food critics and other industry insiders from around the world. Each member gets 10 votes and at least four of those votes have to go to restaurants outside their region. The event has been held before in Spain, London, New York and Melbourne.

Mirazur on the French Riviera crowned world’s best restaurant

Nice has become the latest French seaside resort to ban the burkini, the body-concealing Islamic swimsuit that has sparked heated debate in secular France, city officials said on Friday. 
 
Using language similar to bans imposed in a string of other towns on the French Riviera, the city barred apparel that &quot;overtly manifests adherence to a religion at a time when France and places of worship are the target of terrorist attacks&quot;. 
 
The wording of the ban in Nice refers specifically to last month&#39;s Bastille Day truck attack in the city that claimed 86 lives as well as the murder 12 days later of a Catholic priest near the northern city of Rouen. 
 
Fifteen towns in the southeast, as well as others elsewhere in France, have already banned the burkini including nearby film festival host city Cannes, where three women were each fined 38 euros ($43) under the ban at the weekend. 
 
Nice&#39;s deputy mayor Christian Estrosi, from the centre-right Republicans party, wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday that &quot;hiding the face or wearing a full-body costume to go to the beach is not in keeping with our ideal of social relations&quot;. 
 
Valls came under fire after saying on Wednesday that the burkini was &quot;not compatible with the values of France and the Republic&quot;. 
 
The Socialist premier cited the tensions in France after the jihadist attacks to justify his support for the mayors who barred a garment that he said was &quot;founded on the subjugation of women&quot;. 
 
France&#39;s Human Rights League accused Valls of &quot;participating in the stigmatisation of a category of French people who have become suspect by virtue of their faith&quot;. 
 
Burkinis are a rare sight on French beaches, where a small minority of Muslim women can be seen bathing in ordinary clothes and wearing headscarves. 
 
Islamic dress has long been a subject of debate in France, which was the first European country to ban the Islamic face veil in public in 2010, six years after outlawing the headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols in state schools. 
 
Meanwhile, the imam of Florence, Italy, triggered a storm on Friday by posting on his Facebook page a picture of a group of eight nuns, veiled and dressed in their habits, on a beach. 
 
Izzedin Elzir, who is also president of the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy (UCOII), posted the picture without a caption but unwittingly sparked a wave of criticism. 
 
The image was shared more than 2,000 times and drew many negative comments. Facebook blocked Elzir&#39;s profile page for several hours after receiving hostile notifications from users. 
 
Interviewed on Sky Tg24 television, Elzir said he had simply sought to stir a &quot;positive debate&quot; and in fact had received messages from &quot;very many Christians&quot; to thank him. 
 
He said he posted the picture &quot;to respond to those who say that... western values are different in the way people dress and cover their body&quot;. 
 
&quot;I meant that part of western values comes from Christianity... and you can see that Christian roots are also derived from people who cover themselves almost completely.&quot; 
 
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Tuesday that Italy would not ban the burkini, saying the measure would be fruitless and even counter-productive, as it could cause a potential backlash. 
 
(AFP)

The French town said the apparel 'overtly adhered to a religion' at a time when the country is in the grips of cascading terror attacks

Nice has become the latest French seaside resort to ban the burkini, the body-concealing Islamic swimsuit that has sparked heated debate in secular France, city officials said on Friday. Using language similar to bans imposed in a string of other towns on the French Riviera, the city barred apparel that "overtly manifests adherence to a religion at a time when France and places of worship are the target of terrorist attacks". The wording of the ban in Nice refers specifically to last month's Bastille Day truck attack in the city that claimed 86 lives as well as the murder 12 days later of a Catholic priest near the northern city of Rouen. Fifteen towns in the southeast, as well as others elsewhere in France, have already banned the burkini including nearby film festival host city Cannes, where three women were each fined 38 euros ($43) under the ban at the weekend. Nice's deputy mayor Christian Estrosi, from the centre-right Republicans party, wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Tuesday that "hiding the face or wearing a full-body costume to go to the beach is not in keeping with our ideal of social relations". Valls came under fire after saying on Wednesday that the burkini was "not compatible with the values of France and the Republic". The Socialist premier cited the tensions in France after the jihadist attacks to justify his support for the mayors who barred a garment that he said was "founded on the subjugation of women". France's Human Rights League accused Valls of "participating in the stigmatisation of a category of French people who have become suspect by virtue of their faith". Burkinis are a rare sight on French beaches, where a small minority of Muslim women can be seen bathing in ordinary clothes and wearing headscarves. Islamic dress has long been a subject of debate in France, which was the first European country to ban the Islamic face veil in public in 2010, six years after outlawing the headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols in state schools. Meanwhile, the imam of Florence, Italy, triggered a storm on Friday by posting on his Facebook page a picture of a group of eight nuns, veiled and dressed in their habits, on a beach. Izzedin Elzir, who is also president of the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy (UCOII), posted the picture without a caption but unwittingly sparked a wave of criticism. The image was shared more than 2,000 times and drew many negative comments. Facebook blocked Elzir's profile page for several hours after receiving hostile notifications from users. Interviewed on Sky Tg24 television, Elzir said he had simply sought to stir a "positive debate" and in fact had received messages from "very many Christians" to thank him. He said he posted the picture "to respond to those who say that... western values are different in the way people dress and cover their body". "I meant that part of western values comes from Christianity... and you can see that Christian roots are also derived from people who cover themselves almost completely." Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Tuesday that Italy would not ban the burkini, saying the measure would be fruitless and even counter-productive, as it could cause a potential backlash. (AFP)

Nice latest town in French riviera to impose ban on burkini

Get the champagne out, Patsy and Edina are back. The champagne-swigging, chain-smoking duo, who love to shop and of course party, return for more antics in &quot;Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie&quot;, a big screen adaptation of the hit 1990s British television comedy show. 
 
Stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley reprise their roles as raucous fashion PR agent Edina Monsoon and her bestfriend, magazine editor Patsy Stone, alongside other original cast members and plenty of famous names in the highly-anticipated film. 
 
This time the duo, known for their disastrous shenanigans and calling everyone &quot;sweetie&quot; and &quot;darling&quot; through it all, see their glamorous London lives turned upside down after accidentally pushing model Kate Moss into the Thames. 
 
Seeking to escape a media frenzy over Moss&#39;s presumed death, they flee to the French Riviera to try to get back into the glitzy high life. 
 
&ldquo;What don&rsquo;t we get up to in the film,&rdquo; Saunders told Reuters at the film&rsquo;s premiere in London on Wednesday. &ldquo;They do everything you&rsquo;d expect them to do and more. They manage to kill a supermodel, I don&rsquo;t know how much worse it gets than that.&rdquo; 
 
&quot;Absolutely Fabulous&quot;, which was born from a sketch by Saunders and her comedy partner Dawn French, originally aired for three series starting in 1992 before being revived again in 2001. 
 
The movie, has been eagerly awaited by fans, many of whom wore Patsy and Edina face masks at the premiere. 
 
&quot;We thought we&#39;d be lucky if we got a second series,&rdquo; Lumley said. &ldquo;The extraordinary thing is knowing that this is going around the world and the fact that the world seems to know about &#39;Absolutely Fabulous&#39; is thrilling.&quot; 
 
On top of Moss, the movie features dozens of other famous names - models, designers as well as various celebrities - mostly playing themselves. Among those walking the gold carpet at the premiere were model Jerry Hall and designer Stella McCartney, as well as pop star Kylie Minogue, who sings the series&#39; theme tune for the film soundtrack. 
 
Asked if there could potentially be a sequel to the movie, Saunders said: &quot;Well I said yes just now so we&rsquo;ll wait and see. I&rsquo;m never going to say no.&quot; 
 
&quot;Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie&quot; begins its cinema rollout from Friday. 
 
(Reuters)

Known for their disastrous shenanigans, the glamorous lives of the duo turn upside down after accidentally pushing Kate Moss into the Thames

Get the champagne out, Patsy and Edina are back. The champagne-swigging, chain-smoking duo, who love to shop and of course party, return for more antics in "Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie", a big screen adaptation of the hit 1990s British television comedy show. Stars Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley reprise their roles as raucous fashion PR agent Edina Monsoon and her bestfriend, magazine editor Patsy Stone, alongside other original cast members and plenty of famous names in the highly-anticipated film. This time the duo, known for their disastrous shenanigans and calling everyone "sweetie" and "darling" through it all, see their glamorous London lives turned upside down after accidentally pushing model Kate Moss into the Thames. Seeking to escape a media frenzy over Moss's presumed death, they flee to the French Riviera to try to get back into the glitzy high life. “What don’t we get up to in the film,” Saunders told Reuters at the film’s premiere in London on Wednesday. “They do everything you’d expect them to do and more. They manage to kill a supermodel, I don’t know how much worse it gets than that.” "Absolutely Fabulous", which was born from a sketch by Saunders and her comedy partner Dawn French, originally aired for three series starting in 1992 before being revived again in 2001. The movie, has been eagerly awaited by fans, many of whom wore Patsy and Edina face masks at the premiere. "We thought we'd be lucky if we got a second series,” Lumley said. “The extraordinary thing is knowing that this is going around the world and the fact that the world seems to know about 'Absolutely Fabulous' is thrilling." On top of Moss, the movie features dozens of other famous names - models, designers as well as various celebrities - mostly playing themselves. Among those walking the gold carpet at the premiere were model Jerry Hall and designer Stella McCartney, as well as pop star Kylie Minogue, who sings the series' theme tune for the film soundtrack. Asked if there could potentially be a sequel to the movie, Saunders said: "Well I said yes just now so we’ll wait and see. I’m never going to say no." "Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie" begins its cinema rollout from Friday. (Reuters)

Sweetie darling! Patsy and Edina return in 'Absolutely Fabulous' movie

french-riviera

French Riviera, News on French Riviera, stories on French Riviera, articles on French Riviera, French Riviera stories at Wion, French Riviera news, French Riviera latest news