NEWS
Sale of Alcohol Prohibited Tomorrow in Monaco - The sale of alcohol will be prohibited on Tuesday the 22nd of October in Monaco. With the arrival of the Etoile Rouge of Belgrade supporters for the Champions League match against the AS Monaco at 6:45pm, the sale of alcohol will be prohibited from 2:30 to 6pm for all retailers. Every shop who fail to obey that rule will face sanctions.
Housing Assistance Regulations - The Monaco Government has updated housing assistance regulations to better reflect real-life situations. Key changes include more favourable aid calculations for certain private-sector categories, full support for surviving spouses over 65, and adjustments for income calculation, excluding student children's earnings up to a set limit. Additionally, the reference rent grid has been reevaluated for 2025, with new rates for various apartment sizes. These updates aim to improve housing support and were published on October 18, 2024.
Homeless Thieves - Two homeless people, aged 21 and 65, have been sentenced for breaking into cars and stealing their content at the Nice international airport. They admitted having stolen between 20 and 30 vehicles’ content since the month of June. 600 luxury glasses valued at 120.000 euros, 2 Louis Vuitton bags, 2 Rolex watches and luxury clothing valued at 100.000 euros have been stolen and sold. The 65-year-old man, a repeat offender risks 15 months of prison and his acolyte a 10-month suspended-sentence and 105 hours of community service.
Couple from Nice Stuck - A couple from Nice who has gone on holiday to Tunisia has been stuck there for nearly two months due to administrative issues. While the husband was able to fly back to Nice, the wife, after discovering her residency card had expired, was told to apply for a return visa, which has been delayed due to a series of bureaucratic hurdles. This situation is jeopardizing her job, causing immense stress and uncertainty for her and her husband.
Landslide Causes RM30 to Close - A road has been closed due to a landslide this Monday, 21st of October in the hinterland of Nice. The RM30 has been closed both ways near Roure in the Tinée Valley, stopping for an unknown amount of time. 2,6 km away from the RM30 and RM2205 intersection, no deviation are possible and, according to the Town Hall, the reopening of the road isn’t scheduled until at least Tuesday afternoon.
The Var Department, a Top Touristic Destination - The Var department has become one of the top tourist destinations for the Toussaint holidays, with a 12% rise in holiday bookings for 2024, ranking just behind the Hérault and Alpes-Maritimes. Many families choose it as a sunny, affordable alternative to foreign destinations. Campings in the region are seeing increased bookings, with the Toussaint holiday being their second busiest period after summer.
Triathlon des Roses - The Triathlon des Roses, held as part of "Octobre Rose" to support cancer research, saw 250 participants raise over €60,000 for breast cancer research in Antibes. Due to bad weather, the swim has been replaced with an additional running segment, but participants embraced the challenge. Over the past decade, the event has raised €2 million for cancer research, with this year's national event across seven cities collecting €624,000.
Bureaux du Coeur - The "Bureaux du Cœur" Association connects homeless individuals with companies to offer temporary shelter in their office spaces In Marseille. Smaïn, a 52-year-old without housing, has been living in the office of "Staff Me" for four months, using the space at night and weekends. This initiative provides him with warmth, kitchen access, and privacy, with a renewable three-month agreement between him and the company, fostering trust and minimal daily interaction with employees.
BUSINESS
Community radio stations in France are concerned about a proposed 2025 budget cut that would reduce state funding by €10 million, potentially threatening their operations. These stations, like RCF Nice, rely heavily on state subsidies, which make up over 30% of their budget. Without this support, 3,000 jobs in the sector are at risk, raising fears that only large, national radio stations will survive, diminishing local news and voices.
Ministers are considering plans to transfer ownership of the Post Office to sub-postmasters across the UK. This proposal is in early stages, with consultancy BCG exploring the idea. The move follows the Horizon scandal, where over 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted due to faulty IT systems.
Dr. Ravi Kumar, an NHS consultant, lost £39,000 to scammers who tricked him into transferring money to his Revolut account. Despite complaints, Revolut refused a refund, as he had authorized the transactions unknowingly. Kumar is among over 100 customers who feel mistreated by the e-money firm, which has faced criticism for its handling of fraud cases.
And - UK ministers will directly oversee the HS2 rail project to control rising costs, which could reach £66 billion. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh criticized past management failures and promised urgent measures to stabilize spending. The government confirmed it will not extend HS2 to Crewe and Manchester, and an independent review has been commissioned to address issues with project delivery.
SPORTS
Football - More than 100 professional women's footballers have signed an open letter urging Fifa to drop the Saudi oil giant Aramco as a sponsor, calling it a "punch in the stomach" to the sport.
Cricket - New Zealand were crowned surprise champions of the Women's T20 World Cup with a comprehensive 32-run win over South Africa in Dubai.
Rugby League - Mason Billington is in line to make his England debut in Saturday's wheelchair rugby league international against France after taking up the sport only eight months ago.
Tennis - Daria Kasatkina fought past her good friend Mirra Andreeva to win the Ningbo Open 6-0 4-6 6-4 title in China.
WEATHER
Partly sunny with gentle to moderate winds. Highs of 24 degrees in Nice, Saint-Tropez and Toulon, and 25 degrees in Cannes and Marseille.
Tonight, partially cloudy with lows of 17 degrees.
Outlook for tomorrow, cloudy with sunny spells. Highs of 24 degrees with a gentle breeze.
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