Day: 1 April 2018

The latest strike by French rail workers will make an impact from 7 pm on Monday, April 2, although in theory the strike has been called for two days, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Disruption due to the strike will continue well into Thursday, April 5.

Guillaume Pepy, the head of French railway company SNCF, said that as few as one train in eight will operate during the stoppage. Three rail unions are involved in the strike, CGT, Unsa and the CFDT.

There will be 12 official strike days during April, and May and June will see a similar pattern. The strike programme is similar to the multiple stoppages in November and December 1995, when the impact was so serious that the Juppé government abandoned a planned major reform of the SNCF, an outcome favoured by the rail unions this time around.

Unless the strikes fizzle out, they are likely to have a major impact on the thousands of French and Italian commuters who rely on the rail service to come to Monaco each day.

April’s strike days include officially: 3,4, 9, 13, 18, 19 , 23 and 24.

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News

A new regulation approved by the European Parliament in June 2017 came into effect in all EU Member States on Sunday, April 1, that will enable cross-border transmission and viewing of digital content, much of which had been restricted to national audiences.

According to the European Commission, half of Europeans access the internet with their mobile devices. Now, Europeans who buy or subscribe to films, sports broadcasts, music, e-books and games in their home Member State are able to access this content – including Netflix – when they travel or stay temporarily in another EU country.

The European Commission said that the development is logical, just as roaming telephone charges were abolished.

The regulation restricts geoblocking of online services, which resulted in access depending on country-specific agreements, especially for sports programming, where rights are often sold for very large sums.

Interestingly, the France Télévisions platform France.tv, which does not require identifiers, will not be available from abroad in the immediate future.

The Commissions says that 30% of Europeans who access films, TV series and other video clips online pay to view them by subscribing to an online service or by purchasing and renting them item by item.

Read “Travel with your online content across the EU”

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New Netflix series casting Americans and Brits in Monaco

Patrice Cellario, Minister of the Interior, participated in the 34th Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on Wednesday, March 28, which was also attended by a delegation from the Town Hall, led by Mayor Georges Marsan.

Reports on local democracy were adopted relating to the smaller states of the Council of Europe – Monaco, Andorra, Liechtenstein and San Marino. Mr Cellario took part in a debate on the specific challenges being faced by the small states in putting the European Charter into practice.

The Minister welcomed the overall positive assessment issued by the Congress delegation, following its monitoring visit in May 2017, of the local democratic situation in the Principality. He also outlined Monegasque peculiarities, partly due to the small size of the territory, and reiterated the will of the Government to ensure efficient collaboration.

On the sidelines of the event, Patrice Cellario, accompanied by HE Rémi Mortier, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Monaco to the Council of Europe, met Mr Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe’s actions in sport, education and the fight against terrorism were discussed as well as the Principality’s commitment in these respects.

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On the eve of the Easter weekend, and as part of their Civic Education, about 20 fifth-grade students of CM2 École de Fontvieille were received by President Stéphane Valeri and Marc Mourou, President of the Commission of Education and Youth, at the National Council.

Sitting in the chamber where the elected representatives normally sit, the students listened with interest to a presentation on the role and functions of the elected council.

At the end of the meeting and after answering their questions, the President referred to the importance of elections in the Principality. He said he would invite the future class delegate to return to the National Council for an official photo session.

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Terres méditerranéennes continue to offer creative workshops for children during the month of April.

On Sunday, April 8, from 2:30 pm to 4 pm, “Cactus Connection” with Mihaela Stoica will take place at U Mazaghìn (18 rue Grimaldi). Children from age 5 can make a felt cactus by learning sewing basics and then turn it into a brooch or key ring.

Then on Saturday, April 14, from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm, “Relaxation” with Thierry Villette and “Artistic Expression” using shapes and colours with Julie Golaz will be held at the Maison des Associations-Casa d’i Soci (Honoré II promenade).

The workshops are free but membership is €25/child or €40 for 2 children. To reserve, specify the name and age of the children at termedmonaco@gmail.com or 06 22 80 01 66.

Track pants are welcome for the relaxation workshop and aprons for the creative course.

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