News
French President Emmanuel Macron says he intends to stay - French President Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed that he will stay on until the end of his mandate in May 2027 in an address to the nation. Speaking on French television on Thursday evening, a day after lawmakers toppled his government led by Michel Barnier Macron said, 'the mandate you have given me is for five years and I will exercise it until the very end’. Macron went on to say that he will be naming a new prime minister "in the coming days". He thanked Barnier for his dedication during his brief term as prime minister and accused the French far right and hard left of collaborating in an "anti-republican front" to bring down the government.
It is unclear if the next government will be in place before Saturday, when world leaders including US President-elect Donald Trump are due to attend the opening ceremony of the rebuilt Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Macron said the rebuilding of the ravaged cathedral, plus France's successful hosting of the 2024 Olympics, were "proof that we can do great things". "We can do the impossible," he said. "The world admires us for that."
Risk of desertification - In other news, France has highlighted the real risk of desertification which threatens 40% of the planet’s land area including Europe. Speaking at the COP16 which is on until Dember 13th the president of the French Scientific committee Jean-Luc Chotte, says that desertified areas are appearing, particularly around the Mediterranean. On the maps of regions at risk, the South-East is particularly affected. In a scenario where greenhouse gas emissions would be high, the Pyrénées-Orientales, already hit by drought, Corsica and a wide coastal strip extending from Nîmes to Saint-Tropez would be concerned.
Carré Vilette medical centre - The Carré Vilette medical centre in Hyères, in the Var is to close its doors on December the 18th. The centre continues to welcome more than a hundred patients daily, but due to financial reasons and administrative changes it has been forced to announce its closure. The Carré Villette has been up and running for four years and has been a “pillar of rapid and quality care”, however operating costs, already high, continue. For the manager, "the closure of the centre is not a failure. The project has demonstrated its value and usefulness for the region."
SBM show strong financial results - The Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) has announced “strong financial results” for the first half of the fiscal year. Revenue has grown by 11%, which is largely due to a successful summer season and the reopening of the Café de Paris as well as the restaurant Amazónico. CEO Stéphane Valeri describes the performance as a “testament to the group’s diversified strategy”.
MonacoPhil - Attention all stamp collectors, the MonacoPhil Show is back. The exhibition is on until tomorrow at the One Monte-Carlo above the Place du Casino. Visitors will be able to admire stamps and documents from the collection of King Charles III and private collectors, including that of Prince Albert II. Part of the exhibition is devoted to the postal history of the Far East. Entry is free.
Reminder – Don’t forget that this coming Sunday, the AS Monaco Kids Tour will be joining in with the festivities at the Christmas Village here on the port of Monaco. A dedicated stand will be open to visitors all day, from 11am to 6pm. Organisers have suggested that a surprise is in store, but you’ll have to go along to find out.
Ducruet’s announce birth of second daughter - Congratulations! to Marie and Louis Ducruet wo have announced the birth of their second daughter Constance. Taking to social media to share the news the couple posted a collection of photographs of Constance one-year-old sister Victoire, who was born in April 2023.
Business
Police in New York have released two photos of an unmasked individual wanted for questioning over the killing of a healthcare chief executive. 50-year-old UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson was fatally shot in the back on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The attacker fled the scene without taking any of Thompson's belongings. Police believe the victim was targeted in a pre-planned killing. Investigators are also using facial recognition technology and bullet casings with cryptic messages written on them to track down the suspect. They have yet to reveal a motive in the shooting.
A survey carried out be a charity in the UK has found that three quarters of young people believe their family will be anxious this Christmas due to money worries. Action for Children said nearly seven in 10 people aged 11 to 21 think their parents will have to sacrifice something special to make sure their families get presents. Out of nearly 3,000 people surveyed by the charity, 1,050 thought their loved ones would be worse off this Christmas compared with last year, while 630 worried their families would not have enough to pay their bills.
Sport
Football – In the Premier League on Thursday, Fulham beat Brighton 3-1 and Bournemouth beat Tottenham 1-0. In Premier League action this weekend tomorrow lunchtime Everton are at home to Liverpool, Aston Villa play Southampton, Brentford play Newcastle, Crystal Palace face Manchester City and Manchester United are at home to Nottingham Forest.
Formula One - Charles Leclerc looks like he is set to make another historic moment in Formula one as he and brother Arthur Leclerc are to become the first brothers in the history of F1 racing to drive on track at the same time and for the same team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. It was back in May that Charles Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix, making him the first Monégasque to win his home race in the history of F1.
Weather
Mainly fine with moderate to strong winds. Highs of 15 degrees in Nice and Marseille, 16 in Toulon, 17 degrees in Saint-Tropez and Cannes. This evening going down to 8 degrees and cloudy.
The outlook for tomorrow, partly cloudy, sunny intervals with highs of 15 degrees. Sunday fine but feeling cooler with highs of 13 degrees.
Sunrise 07.49am
Sunset 04.53pm
Weather elsewhere
London sunny 9°
Dublin sunny 12°
Paris 10° sunny intervals.
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