News
Mayor of Nice pays tribute to the victims of the New Orleans New Year’s Eve attack - The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, has led a tribute to the victims of the “act of terrorism” committed on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans. At least 15 people were killed and 35 others injured after a vehicle-rammed into a crowd in a busy tourist district of New Orleans, targeting people celebrating the start of the year 2025. The perpetrator was reportedly shot dead by the police. His death was confirmed a few hours after the tragic attack. Estrosi reacted on X expressing his full support to the victims’ relatives, the residents and the mayor. He added that “the tragic attack was a very painful reminder of what Nice experienced on July 14th, 2016, when people’s lives were cut short in the midst of celebrations”. The City of New Orleans has indeed been twinned with that of Nice since 2003. In the United States alone, Nice is also twinned with Miami (since 1963) and Houston (since 1973).
An agitated New Year’s Eve on the Riviera - In other news New Year’s Eve in our region has been marked by several incidents, a knife attack in the ski resort of Isola 2000, eight arrests in Nice and two people inured in Cannes. According to reports 13 vehicles were torched on New Year's Eve in Nice and eight people have been placed in police custody, including three minors. Clashes with the police were reported in the Ariane district.
Meanwhile, in Isola 2000, three people were injured in a knife attack, in what the Nice public prosecutor has described as an "attempted homicide". The perpetrator remains on the run. Furthermore, in Cannes, at around 1am on New Year’s Day, two men aged around 35 were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Investigations are ongoing into both incidents.
Road checks see young party goers stopped for drink driving - And in the Var police confiscated nine driving licenses for drink driving offences following New Year’s Eve celebrations. Fines were issued on the road between La Londe and Bormes les Mimosas as police carried out the road checks between 2am and 6am on New Year’s Day, when many young partygoers were heading home.
French President uses new year’s address to apologise - In national news in France French President Emmanuel Macron used his New Year's address to the French people to admit that his decision to dissolve parliament and call snap elections, casting France into a political crisis had backfired. Macron said, “I must recognize that the dissolution has, for the moment, brought more division in the National Assembly than solutions for the French”. The uncharacteristically humble admission was according to some French media outlets, “as close as the French leader has come to apologising for his decision in June that triggered early legislative elections.
Winter sales - The winter sales are set to start here in the Principality today Thursday January 2nd running until February 15th. Monaco has a slight head start compared to France, where the sales traditionally kick off on the second Wednesday of January. For 2025, the winter sales in most of France will begin on 8th January and will end on 4th February.
Carlos Santana to make a comeback to Monaco after a seven-year absence – You may want to save the date, as it’s been announced that the legendary guitarist Carlos Santana is coming to Monaco for the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival. The 77-year-old will be taking to the stage at the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival on 23rd July in a much-anticipated return to the Principality after a seven-year absence.
New Year’s Day swim - As many of you took the plunged on New Year’s Day for the annual swim it was in Toulon in the Var which saw one of the biggest gatherings with 800 swimmers courageously braving the water which was a cool 14 degrees. The swimmers dressed as elves and in other colourful costumes took their first dive of 2025. Some had even come from as far as the Netherlands, Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
Christmas market - The Christmas Market in Nice will be closing its doors today, Thursday 2nd January and according to a recent ranking of the best Christmas markets Nice comes 19th out of 20 and is one of the most searched for Christmas markets on search engines. Every year, the Christmas markets across France are full. Unsurprisingly, the Strasbourg Christmas market remains the unbeatable Christmas capital of France, attracting a large number of visitors. Meanwhile, if you haven’t yet then you still have the chance to experience the Christmas village and sports village here in Monaco until January 5th well worth a visit!
Business
The Fiji government has announced that police are investigating incidents involving two crew members of Australian airline Virgin Australia who were allegedly victims of rape and theft in Nadi in the early hours of New Year's Day. The crew members were in the popular tourist destination on a layover before they were supposed to fly off the following day.
Chinese car maker BYD saw its sales jump at the end of last year, as it competes with Tesla to be the world's best-selling electric vehicle (EV) maker of 2024. The news comes as Tesla is due to announce its own quarterly sales figures later on today Thursday 2nd January. BYD's total vehicle sales jumped more than 41% in 2024, year-on-year. The surge was powered mainly by sales of its hybrid cars.
And - Energy bills in the UK have become more expensive and forecasters have said they are likely to rise further in the spring. The energy price cap rises from January, bringing the cost of a typical annual bill to £1,738 - £21 a year more than from October to December. Continued instability in international energy markets is behind the cost increases.
Sport
American Football - The Sugar Bowl between the US college football teams of Notre Dame and the University of Georgia has been postponed until today Thursday 2nd January, following the New Orleans attack that killed 15 people. At least 35 others are injured after a man drove into a large crowd in New Orleans in the early hours of New Year's Day. The FBI confirmed the incident was being investigated as an "act of terrorism". It has not yet been confirmed what time the rearranged game will kick off on Thursday.
Football – Arsenal came from behind in the Premier league on New Year’s Day beating Brentford 3-1. The win for Arsenal in their first Premier League fixture of 2025 gives them a boost in their title hopes and see’s them go second in the Premier league table.
Rugby Union - Scarlets welcomed the new year with a bonus-point derby win over Dragons in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Returning Wales wing Blair Murray scored twice in a dominant first-half display, with skipper Josh Macloed also going over.
Weather
Mainly fine start becoming increasingly cloudy with moderate to strong winds in the Alpes Maritimes. Highs of 16 degrees in Nice, 15 degrees in Monaco, 14 degrees in Vence and Saint-Tropez, drizzle forecast for Hyeres in the Var. This evening going down to 6 degrees along the coast with cloudy skies.
The outlook for tomorrow and heading into the weekend. Sunny intervals. Light rain expected by Sunday and highs of 15 degrees.
Sunrise 08.04am
Sunset 05.04pm
Weather elsewhere
London 5° sunny.
Paris 6° heavy rain.
Dublin 4° sunny.
Expect heavy traffic this weekend in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var as the school holidays end.
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Following France's first 2025 Council of Ministers, the government emphasized unity and responsibility amid political instability, aiming for cross-pa...
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H.S.H Prince Albert II of Monaco has expressed in an official statement to US President Joe Biden, his “profound sorrow and sadness following the car-...
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This week, police and gendarmerie are conducting a large-scale roadside operation targeting drug and alcohol-impaired drivers in the Alpes-Maritimes....
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As part of Monaco's energy transition, the government is replacing outdated fluorescent and sodium lighting in its tunnels with energy-efficient, long...
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