News
Pope Francis ends visit to Corsica - Pope Francis ended his visit to Corsica on Sunday, December 15th meeting French President Emmanuel Macron at Ajaccio airport. The Pope shared his support for the victims of deadly cyclone which hit Mayotte at the weekend, where hundreds are feared dead. During his trip the Pope had celebrated an open-air mass in front of thousands of people on the Place du Casone in Ajaccio he also made his first appearance in the battery-powered G-Wagon Popemobile during the trip. The specially made vehicle was designed to have a rotating heated seat and handrail and is the first fully electric popemobile
Eric Ciotti wishes new Prime Minister “good luck” - MP of the Alpe Maritimes Eric Ciotti has wished newly appointed French Prime Minister François Bayrou “good luck”. It was on Friday that Emmanual Macron appointed Bayrou as Prime Minister, a huge challenge for the president of the MoDem party. While the far left “La France Insoumise” has already mentioned a censure of the government following Bayrou being appointed Prime Minister, Ciotti wished him "good luck" calling on him to “get out of the fiscal madness of the 40 billion in taxes carried by Emmanuel Macron and the previous government”.
Runway temporarily closed at Nice airport - A runway at Nice International Airport has been temporarily closed and two flights were diverted after a plane hit a flock of starlings during take-off. The incident occurred on Sunday morning and did not have any impact on the flight, but did cause disruption to air traffic. Several flights experienced significant delays. In particular a Brussels-Nice flight which arrived three hours later than planned.
Road accidents in Monaco at the weekend - Two car accidents have occurred at the weekend here in the Principality. The first occurred at 3.30am in the early hours of Saturday morning, when a car caught fire in the Carton tunnel. Two passengers were injured and taken to the Princess Grace Hospital. The driver who was found to be under the influence of alcohol has been placed in police custody. Meanwhile, in the early hours of Sunday morning at around 2.30am two people were injured after their car swerved onto the opposite side of the road hitting another oncoming vehicle in the Louis II tunnel. The driver of the other vehicle was also taken to hospital suffering slight injuries. Police are investigating both incidents.
New website - A new website has been launched promoting the “Monaco Institute of Judicial Professions”. The site aims to provide information about training programmes, including courses, for Monegasques wishing to follow a career in the legal sector. The website will serve as a comprehensive resource for students as well as legal professionals and Monaco’s legal community. To find out more go to www.imfpj.mc
World Capital of Sport for 2025 - The Principality of Monaco has been designated as a World Capital of Sport for 2025. Organised by the “Association of European Capitals and Cities of Sport” the ACES, an official partner of UNESCO. The title recognizes the proactive policy of the Prince's Government towards the development and promotion of sport. A policy which is supported by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, who has always affirmed his commitment to sport in the service of peace and development. The Prince's Government encourages sport at school, promoting education through physical activity. It also promotes well-being through sporting activities, by offering public facilities accessible to all and encouraging the spirit of competition by supporting high-level athletes and hosting international sporting events.
Sports Village - Meanwhile, don’t forget that this Friday 20th December in addition to the Christmas Village there will be the opening of the Sports village. A vast area of fun offering sporting activities on the Port of Monaco! Composed of 3 obstacle courses (inspired by the famous TV game "Ninja Warrior"), a treetop adventure course, a climbing structure and a 180-meter-long zip line, the Sports Village will appeal to the public, from 3 years old. Opening times, prices and all information are available on the Town Hall website: https://www.mairie.mc/le-village-des-sports
Giru de Natale - Finally, a young man from Nice and an Italian woman have won the 29th Giru de Natale in Monaco at the weekend. The 10km race from La Condamine to Larvotto and Le Rocher organised by the sports association for Public Safety in Monaco saw 1,900 people take part. Rugby player Antoine Zeghdar was at the starting line to give the start of the race. In the men’s category it was Tom Maubert, who completed the race in 31'19 minutes while Italian Camille Magliano, on the women's side, crossed the finish line in 36'32 minutes.
Business
Bitcoin has surged to a new record high. The world's largest cryptocurrency briefly passed $106,000 (£83,890), before falling back to around $104,500 in Asia trade on Monday. The incoming Trump administration is seen as being far more friendly towards cryptocurrencies than the Biden White House. The US president-elect reiterated last week that he is considering creating a national stockpile of the digital currency, similar to the country's strategic oil reserve.
Canal+, the international pay-TV company and owner of the studio behind the Paddington film franchise, is to make its multibillion-pound stock market debut in London today Monday 16th December. The flotation, which the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has said is a “vote of confidence” in the UK’s capital markets, is set to be the largest new listing in London in two years with some projecting its market value will climb to about €6bn (£4.99bn). The company is being spun out by the French media Vivendi.
Tube and rail fares in London will go up by 4.6% from next March. The hike matches the rise in regulated train fares for England's mainline railway. From 2 March, Transport for London's (TfL) daily caps will increase by 40p-70p, depending on what zones are travelled through. Labour mayor Sadiq Khan said ministers had told him a rise was necessary to secure "funding for key transport projects". Meanwhile, London bus and tram fares will be frozen at £1.75 for unlimited journeys within an hour.
Sport
Football - In the Premier League on Sunday Crystal Palace beat Brighton 3-1, Manchester City lost 2-1 at home to Manchester United. Chelsea beat Brentford 2-1 and Tottenham beat Southampton 5-0 which led to Southampton manager Russell Martin getting sacked. This evening Bournemouth are at home to West Ham.
Formula One - Controversial changes to the statutes of Formula 1's governing body constitute a "worrisome concentration of power", according to the head of one of its member clubs. Opponents say the changes will reduce accountability at the FIA. Before the vote, Thierry Willemarck, the head of the Royal Touring Club of Belgium, expressed to FIA members his concerns about the process through which the changes had been made.
Weather
Sunny with a gentle breeze. Highs of 16 degrees in Nice, 15 degrees in Monaco, Saint -Tropez and Marseille. This evening going down to 6 degrees, with clear skies
Outlook for tomorrow – sunny, Wednesday sunny intervals. Highs of 15 degrees.
Sunrise 07.58am
Sunset 04.54pm
Weather elsewhere
London light cloud 12°
Paris light cloud 11°
Dublin sunny intervals 11°
France is considering a "taxe lapin” or “rabbit tax" to fine people who cancel medical appointments without warning. The proposal aims to hold patient...
Read More
Due to high murkiness caused by recent storms, several municipalities in the Pays de Fayence continue to face tap water restrictions. ...
Read More
A recent report published by the Court of Auditors has highlighted the underestimated risk of flooding on the Cote d’Azur, particularly criticizing th...
Read More
Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, has said he is open to compensating Villefranche-sur-Mer’s businesses if they suffer losses due to the cruise ship ba...
Read More
On Monday, two skiing accidents occurred in our regions ski resorts.
Read More
