News
Monaco calls for global action to ensure a safe and inclusive future for all children - Monaco has called for joint global action to ensure a safe and inclusive future for all children. Speaking at the United Nations general debate earlier this month Léa Beuzit highlighted the worsening situation of children’s rights and called for child protection to remain a global priority. Beuzit highlighted the Principality’s support for the MEPENDAX clinical trial, as well as the work of UNICEF and stressed the success of the initiatives of the Monaco Humanitarian Collective, the Monegasque Development Cooperation and the World Association of Children’s Friends. She also mentioned the adoption of a law to compensate children who are victims of violence, as well as the renewal of agreements with the Council of Europe and the OSCE on child trafficking. She concluded by reaffirming the Principality’s commitment to working with the entire international community to ensure a safe and inclusive future for all children.
Weather warning conflicting forecasts – As it stands the Var region has been placed on an orange weather warning due to another Mediterranean episode. Antony Brunain from the association météo 06 has warned that this episode is more worrying than previous episodes, which have affected our region recently with the possibility up to 250mm of rainfall. Speaking to BFMTV Brunain said that the situation would be worse in the Var and that the possibility of increasing the warning from orange to a maximum red weather warning in both the Var and the Alpes Maritimes, due to flooding, would be up to Météo France and the prefect, for him this would be a likely scenario. The Mediterranean episode started in the early hours of this Friday morning and is expected to last until Sunday, easing this afternoon but intensifying during the day on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Cécile Capelle, meteorologist-consultant at Météo-France in Aix-en-Provence has a very different outlook on the bad weather telling local media that it will be "nothing very serious, and not to worry! Capelle forecast light rain nothing very significant, with accumulations of between 10 to 20 millimetres and locally 40 to 60 over the entire day today, Friday 25th October. The coast is expected to be mainly affected with rainfall crossing the entire department of the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes. Saturday will be stormier in both departments of the Côte d'Azur and once again, it is on the coast that we can expect to see accumulations of around 40 to 60 millimetres of rain. Locally, the accumulation could be 120 to 130 millimetres over 24 hours.
EDF workers have a lucky escape - EDF workers have had a lucky escape after a fire broke out in an underground tunnel in the Haut-Var. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at around 5.30pm lucky no casualties were reported. The technicians were stuck for five hours in the 5.4 km long underground structure, located between Lake Esparron and Vinon-sur-Verdon, which supplies water to the nearby hydroelectric power station. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the blaze, and the renovation work will resume after the necessary safety checks.
New convention centre on the port of Nice - The port of Nice is preparing for its new convention centre which will host the United Nations Conference on the Ocean and is expected to be completed before April of next year. Since mid-October, the first phase of work has begun on the port to house the future convention centre, which is intended to be "semi-temporary". The United Nations Conference on the Ocean will take place in Nice in June 2025 and the three future buildings which will make up the convention centre must be up and running before April 30. This colossal project will include a new maritime station, a multi-purpose hall, a "Sea pavilion", a 3,800 m² complex and a rooftop garden.
Comic-Con to come to Monaco - The world's largest festival dedicated to pop culture, is coming to Monaco for the first time from November 15th to 17th. The “Comic-Con” started in San Diego in 1970 and is now the world's largest event dedicated to pop culture, bringing together 135,000 paying visitors every year for four days. In short, Comic-Con is a paradise for geeks, celebrating superheroes, comic books and film. A thriving industry worth billions of euros.
Business
French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has confirmed that the SMIC or minimum wage in France will increase by 2% on November 1st. The amount of the gross hourly SMIC will be 11.88 euros or 1,801.80 euros per month based on a 35-hour week. It’s the fourth revaluation of the minimum wage in 22 months. The number of employees paid the minimum wage in France has increased significantly. As of January 1, 2023, 17.3% of employees were on the minimum wage.
A rare typescript of the children's story The Little Prince, one of the most translated books ever published, is set to go on sale for $1.25m. The typescript was produced in New York by its author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, while in exile from Nazi-occupied France in the 1940s and is one of three known to be in existence. The copy contains handwritten notes and sketches by Saint-Exupéry. It will go on sale at the Abu Dhabi Art Festival in the United Arab Emirates in November. Saint-Exupéry wrote Le Petit Prince, in the original French, for children while living in exile in New York during World War Two. It was published in 1943.
And - Dean Forbes, who was homeless twice as a teenager before becoming a multimillionaire entrepreneur has topped the listing celebrating influential black Britons. After failing to make it as a professional footballer, Forbes began his career in a call centre and is now the boss of several software companies. He worked his way up from a housing estate in south-east London to become chief executive of a Swedish software firm. Forbes said topping the Powerlist 2025 was a "professional and career high". He told reporters that although he grew up in a single-parent family in Lewisham, his disabled mum always encouraged her children to be positive and gave them hope. He said he had a "whale of a time" growing up despite having little money, living in a local community which "looked after each other". He said his mum taught him and his two brothers to "raise our expectations", "never to be victims" and not dwell on misfortunes. He added that his roots remain very important to him, and he wanted to inspire and give opportunities to others who have not started out with advantages in life.
Sport
Football – In the English Premier League this evening Leicester City are at home to Nottingham Forest kick off is at 9pm French time. In tomorrow’s matches with a 4pm kick off, Aston Villa play Bournemouth, Brentford face Ipswich, Brighton are at home to Wolves and Manchester City face Southampton. The last match of the day at 6.30pm is Everton against Fulham. On Sunday, Chelsea are at home to Newcastle, Crystal Palace face Tottenham, West Ham are at home to Manchester United and Arsenal play Liverpool.
Formula One – Ahead of this weekend’s Mexico Grand Prix British Formula One racing driver Lando Norris has told reporters that he is "not quite at the level" of title rival Max Verstappen when it comes to race-craft. Norris said: "Max is the best in the world in this style of defence and attacking.
Tennis - British number ones Katie Boulter and Jack Draper have each reached another quarter-final at the WTA Tour as they look to finish their respective career-best seasons strongly.
Weather
An orange weather warning is in place for both the Var and the Alpes Maritimes due to a Mediterranean episode. Heavy rain and flooding is forecast. Strong winds. Highs of 21 degrees.
The bad weather is expected to last until Sunday intensifying on Saturday.
Sunrise 07.57am
Sunset 06.30pm
Weather elsewhere
London 18° light rain.
Berlin 17° sunny.
Copenhagen 13° sunny intervals
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