A new law a long time coming has been passed in France slapping drivers with a fine, points taken and loss of license for up to six months if caught using mobile phones whilst driving.
Drivers in France are now facing stiff penalties for using a mobile phone on the road. “Using” a phone includes holding it in your hand, looking at it in a way that takes attention away from driving, touching the buttons or screen, or engaging with the device in any way. Needless to say, talking and texting are big no-nos. Additionally, talking whilst using headphones, which was once permissible, no longer is, though hands-free systems connected directly to one’s vehicle are allowed.
The rules apply to anyone caught using their phones whilst committing another infraction, such as speeding, running a red light or refusing to give way, and already came with a hefty €135 fine and three points on the license. Law makers have decided to add revocation of the driver’s permit for up to six months in the hope this will further discourage drivers from practicing the unsafe habit.
Anne Lavaud, general manager at APR, told France Info that, “This is going to make drivers realise that if they had not had their phone [in their hand], they would never have run the red light.”
A poll taken last summer revealed that 37% of French drivers admit to having used phones when on the road at some point. Some even admitted to using their phones more when driving. The percentage of phone-using drivers jumps to 60% in the under 35 segment. 43% of all drivers polled say they keep their mobiles on the seat next to them, and 15% keep them on their laps.
According to La Sécurité Routière, the road safety agency, one in 10 road accidents in France are linked to unsafe mobile phone usage.
Using a mobile when driving is not permissible in Monaco unless using a hands-free kit. The fines in the Principality are in line with French rules, though the new French law has not been adopted.
It was a Monaco Grand Prix weekend like no other, with not a single car racing around the Principality, save for a Ferrari being driven by Monegasque pilot Charles Leclerc with Prince Albert in the passenger seat.
The new Casino Square was closed off for the filming of short film Le Grand Rendezvous by French director and cinematographer Claude Lelouch on Sunday 24th May.
Ahead of the final take in his cameo role, Leclerc was joined by Prince Albert in front of the Hôtel de Paris, where the two ‘masked’ men bumped elbows before setting off in a Ferrari SF 90 Stradale, the roar of its hybrid V8 sending out a message of optimism and signalling a first step towards the return of motorsport, film and social life in the Principality.
Pictures and a video of the filming were shared on Monte-Carlo SBM’s Instagram page… https://www.instagram.com/p/CAlM7f5DYCW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Ferrari Chairman John Elkann, Prince Andrea Casiraghi and Prince Pierre Casiraghi with his wife, Princess Beatrice Borromeo, also visited the set. Thanks to a progressive lifting of the lockdown in France and Monaco, the shoot was also watched by a group of excited onlookers from the balconies and the streets carefully supervised by the local authorities. Le Grand Rendezvous is a sequel to the 1976 cult classic C’etait un Rendezvous, in which the director himself illegally raced around the streets of Paris at the crack of dawn clocking speeds in excess of 230km/h. The film languished underground for 26 years, as the city was none too thrilled at the driver’s dangerous antics, though without the proof, they were not able to convict Lelouch of anything more serious than a traffic infraction.
This time, the filming was completely legal, and the Prince’s complicity proved that beyond doubt. As Leclerc took to the Grand Prix circuit, he hit speeds of over 240km/h and completed a lap in one minute 51 seconds.
The short will be aired on 13th June on Canal Plus.
But wait! There’s more. Later in the day, the Virtual Monaco Grand Prix took place and saw 22-year-old baby-faced British Williams pilot George Russell win the day by over 39 seconds. Leclerc was in a comfortable second place, until with under three laps to go, Mercedes driver Esteban Gutierrez came up from behind and the two collided at the exit of a tunnel. Leclerc was pushed into third, giving Gutierrez his best finish of the series. This third place finish marks Leclerc’s fifth consecutive podium finish.
Arthur Leclerc made news as well, winning the virtual F2 race on his home turf, albeit on a technicality. He was sitting pretty behind Juan Manuel Correa, and would have surely been in the number two spot, except Correa was hit with two time penalties, raising Leclerc to the top spot. It should be noted the younger Leclerc brother also came in 5th place in the Formula 1 race.
Exciting day all around!
Facemasks are currently a necessary part of life during the coronavirus health crisis and now the fashion world is ensuring that they also become trendy.
In an interview with Monaco Life, local fashion designer Margaret Wisniewska talks about why she decided to incorporate masks into her latest collection. Monaco Life: Tell us about yourself, where you are from and how you came to be a fashion designer?
Margaret Wisniewska: I am from Poland and I have felt the need to be creative since the age of seven, always enjoying drawing, painting and sewing. I used to paint Disney characters for kids at school, for example. I always dreamt of becoming an artist and designer.
I also spent time watching Hollywood movies, especially musicals, as music, rhythm, modelling and designing all make me feel alive.
I was never into sciences and preferred the artistic side of life. So, I decided to go to fashion college in my motherland, Poland. Later in life, I worked as a model and studied fashion design at the University of Arts in London. In 2016, I opened a fashion design company in London and just like that, the brand name Margaret Wisniewska was born.
From London, I moved to Monaco where I now reside. In the not-too-distant future, I shall make my entry into the US fashion design market. Fashion designer Margaret Wisniewska What is the philosophy behind your creations?
My philosophy in life is “Fashion is therapy”. Everyone should take care of themselves and have a unique style, because your appearance shows who you are.
Also, a positive mindset, self-love, trust in one’s values, strength, and the guidance of God have all given me experience and inspiration and have developed my philosophy behind my creations.
My principal goal is to fulfil the needs of different women through bespoke designs. I’m inspired when creating my designs through natural flowers and movies. Anita Chui at the Cannes Film Festival Has anyone famous worn your dresses?
Celebrities who have worn my fashion designs include Anita Chui who wore my Black Mysterious Dress during the Cannes Film Festival. The name of this dress was inspired by the Mystical Black Magic petunia.
Also, the beautiful Victoria Silvestedt wore my amazing Purple Rose Dress in the 2020 collection at the Hermitage Hotel in Monaco. This creation was inspired by the American romantic comedy film ‘The Purple Rose of Cairo’. Victoria Silvestedt in the Purple Rose Dress Do you have a favourite dress or design?
Sure, every fashion design artist has their own preferences. My favourite is ‘The Purple Rose Dress’.
I also love designing wedding dresses and special occasion-clothing. Beauty and elegance impact not only the women wearing these clothes for what is perhaps one of the most exciting moments of their lives, but also the friends and family who share that moment. While designing them, I transport myself into a realm of total happiness and love. One has to love the creation. This is how the world started, did it not? How have you coped during the coronavirus health crisis?
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has obviously affected all of us negatively from a business viewpoint. However, it has also taught me how fragile we all are and how nothing should be taken for granted. I do hope that out of this terrible situation we will all come out more mature, attaching relatively more value to what matters: family, friends, the pleasure of a well-done job, and the importance of caring for each other. How did the coronavirus crisis impact your business?
Cancelled events have hit the business hard. Confinement is about staying as invisible as possible. Whereas fashion is about making people happy by looking beautiful and seeing beauty in others. Fashion designer Margaret Wisniewska You have diversified your business and now sell fashionable face masks. Can you tell us more about them?
When lockdown was enforced, I asked myself: “Why should a mask look sad?”. That is why I decided to design masks that represent a chance at life, not just protection from sickness. The masks I am designing are made of silk. They can be worn after washing at gentle temperature. I can also include a filter inside the mask, upon request. Has the crisis made you think about diversifying your product line long-term?
In the long-term, I do not think that the product line has to be altered. Competitive prices for high-quality products are always going to be necessary, for sure. Yet, the product line will be as distinct and unique as it currently is. At the moment, I do not see a need for a change in the values that I consider, if I may say so, eternal.
I shall approach the future as I have lived so far, trusting myself, working hard, trying to inspire others with my designs and getting inspired by what good is in human beings. How do you think this crisis will affect the fashion industry as a whole?
The future will need to be viewed, as I hinted earlier, as a return to basic values. At least, I do hope so. Beauty is a basic value and the industry of fashion design will only have to continue doing its job of enlightening our lives with beauty. What is the future of Margaret Wisniewska designs?
I would like to have more designs and develop more products for women and increase my luxury brand’s visibility all over the world.
And as I love kids, I am in the process of creating a new range for children. This collection will include, for example, unique bags, because it’s one of my preferred design activities. Where can we find your designs?
My designs are available online through my official website: Margaretwisniewska.com as well as at private events in luxury hotels in Monaco, France, Italy and London.
Instagram @wisniewskamargaret.
France will reciprocate the UK’s two-week quarantine when it starts on 8th June, however it will be on a voluntary basis.
British Home Secretary Priti Patel announced on Friday travellers entering the country would have to self-isolate for 14 days or they could face a £1,000 fine. It was confirmed France would not be exempt following earlier reports that its citizens may not be forced to self-isolate.
Patel said the British government is “following the science and introducing public health measures that are supported by SAGE”, adding “now we are past the peak of this virus, we must take steps to guard against imported cases, triggering an insurgence of this deadly disease.”
Upon arrival into the UK, all international travellers, including returning Britons, will be asked to fill in a form with their contact information, and health officials will perform spot checks to ensure they are complying with the measures. Road hauliers and medical officials will be exempt, while the common travel area with Ireland will be unaffected.
The airline industry, as well as the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), have been heavily critical of the move.
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: “Introducing a quarantine at this stage makes no sense and will mean very limited international aviation at best. It is just about the worst thing government could do if their aim is to restart the economy.”
In France, however, visitors will be invited to voluntarily self-quarantine at home.“We take note of the British government’s decision and we regret it,” said a spokesman for France’s Interior Minister. “France is ready to put in place a reciprocal measure as soon as the system comes into force on the British side.”
More than 6,000 people have already taken voluntary Covid-19 tests provided by the Principality in the first week of Monaco’s testing blitz.
Two centres – the Grimaldi Forum and Espace Léo Ferré – have been converted from cultural centres in to mass testing sites, welcoming on average 1,500 residents a day.
Monaco aims to eventually test 90,000 residents and employees of the Principality.
The programme, which kicked off on Tuesday 19th May, has commenced with residents who are invited to present themselves to the centres in alphabetical order. Monaco has a population of just over 38,600.
Eventually, the programme will be taken to various companies in the Principality so workers may also be tested for Covid-19 if they wish.
Meanwhile, Monaco recorded another case of Covid-19 on Saturday 23rd May. The non-resident is being cared for at the Princess Grace Hospital. It was the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the Principality since May 18th.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Monaco is therefore 98, of which 90 have been healed, and two are hospitalised – one in ICU. The Home Monitoring Centre is caring for two patients with mild symptoms.
After weeks of negotiations, AS Monaco players and managers have come to a wage agreement brought about by the health crisis which cut the season short.
It has been a while coming, but the team and management of AS Monaco have decided how to handle wages from a season cut short by coronavirus.
The deal is not management’s hoped-for reduction in salaries but simply a postponement in pay. It had been speculated that, especially after the high-profile 30% pay cut offered by star midfielder Cesc Fabregas, the rest of the team would follow suit.
Alas, this was not the case. As confirmed to Monaco Life, the players have agreed to collect half of the pay due to them in April now, with the remaining 50% to be paid out in August. For players whose contracts run out in June, the remainder will be paid upon cessation of contract.
Monaco has the second largest Ligue 1 payroll, an estimated €147 million, with only Paris Saint-Germain carrying a heavier load.
AS Monaco and Rennes are the only two clubs to have managed to reach such an agreement with players.
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