President Macron has said that he wants autonomy for Corsica. In a speech to the Corsican Assembly in Ajaccio today he said that he is proposing the "entry of Corsica in the French Constitution" and that he was in favour of the specific situation of Corsica being recognised with its own article in the Constitution. He said that he wanted autonomy which is "neither against the state nor without the state". President Macron added that he wanted to see an agreement being reached between Corsican political interests and the government within six months.
Michel Barnier, the former French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and Brexit negotiator has been in Nice today. He was at the Nice Climate Summit, a two day event being held at the Palais de la Mediterranee, in which round table discussions will be held between politicians, scientists and economists on climate change.
Six women, thought to be migrants, have been rescued from the back of a lorry in the Rhone department. The four Vietnamese and two Iraqi nationals alerted a journalist from the BBC who helped to contact police who then stopped the lorry. The driver was arrested. An investigation has been opened into a suspected human trafficking operation.
One of Monaco’s top schools has been named as one of the best private schools in the world as part of the fourth annual Schools Index, led by education consultants at Carfax Education. The International School of Monaco was named as one of the Top 15 Schools in Europe, and among the best 125 private schools internationally in the index. The schools index has been reviewed and selected by a panel of education experts, led by Carfax Education. As well as formal criteria, such as academic results and preparation for university entry, schools are selected for their unique ethos, their reputation both locally and internationally, and how they prepare students for life beyond academia.
In Monaco, the Société des Bains de Mer and its subsidiaries have reported an increase in revenue and profit. Consolidated revenue for the fiscal year 2022/2023 was €667 million, which is an increase of 26% from the previous fiscal year. The SBM Group’s operating profit was €72.2 million, compared with €35.4 million the previous fiscal year. The disposal of an interest in the online gaming business Betclic Everest Group resulted in an exceptional profit of €813.5 million.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene have inaugurated a new rapid intervention boat of the Monaco Maritime and Airport Police Division. The RAFALE 1000 model, designed by the Sillinger company, has a length of 10.16m and a width of 3.32m and can accommodate up to 12 people on board with a top speed of 45 knots.
BUSINESS
Shares in Chinese property company Evergrande have been suspended in Hong Kong. A statement didn't give a reason for the halt in trading. The heavily indebted property developer filed for bankruptcy in New York in August in a bid to protect its US assets as it worked on a multi-billion dollar deal with creditors.
Ryanair have announced schedule reductions this winter as a result of Boeing aircraft delivery delays. Ryanair said it had expected to receive 27 aircraft between September and December, but due to production and repair and delivery delays, Ryanair now expects to receive only 14 aircraft between October and December. Ryanair said it is working with Boeing to try to accelerate deliveries in the January to May 2024 period so that it can enter the Summer 2024 peak travel season with all 57 new Boeing aircraft deliveries as expected.
German Federal statistics office Destatis has said that Consumer Prices Index inflation on an annual basis is expected to be 4.5% in September compared to the same month last year. It was last below that level in February 2022.
SPORT
Football... Scotland women's team member Caroline Weir is likely to be out for a significant period after suffering an injury in the match against Belgium. Her club, Real Madrid, have said that she will undergo surgery in the next few days.
Cricket.... Surrey have won the County Championship for a second successive season. They become the first side to retain the county title since Yorkshire, who won back to back in 2014 and 2015.
A powerful Mistral storm has swept through Provence, with wind gusts exceeding 150 km/h in some areas. ...
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France’s recently appointed Prime Minister François Bayrou has promised a new government "before Christmas" and reserves the possibility of using 49....
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A four-day strike at DHL has caused delays in package processing, raising concerns about on-time deliveries for Christmas....
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French judges in Avignon will today Thursday 19th December, deliver their verdicts in a mass rape case against 51 men that has appalled France and the...
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Monaco Info and TV Monaco are set to make way for a new television channel on September 1st of 2025. During the debates on the 2025 preliminary budget...
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