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Day: 21 July 2020

Huawei will not be prevented from investing in France

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/07/2020

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday that France would not ban China’s Huawei from investing in the country, in contrast to Britain which has decided to purge the firm’s equipment from its 5G network by 2027. 
Le Maire told France Info radio there was “no blanket ban” on Huawei in France, but that sensitive locations would be protected.
“We won’t ban Huawei from investing in 5G, we will protect our national security interests,” Le Maire said, adding that he had reaffirmed France’s position to Chinese authorities on Monday.
In July 2019, Monaco became the first country in Europe to introduce a next-generation 5G mobile phone network based on technology from Chinese firm Huawei.
As mobile operators shift away from slower 3G and 4G networks, Europe has been torn over its approach to the Chinese giant, which is a pioneer in 5G technology.
Offering super-fast wireless access, 5G mobile networks offer much greater data transfer speeds.
 
(ML and Reuters)
 
Top picture: 5G cell tower, Pixabay
 
Related stories:
Fully 5G connected
 
 

Prince Albert tops ranking of European royalty

by: Cassandra Tanti
21/07/2020

Prince Albert II of Monaco is the best qualified of all reigning monarchs in Europe, according to a new study.
With a ‘royal CV’ listing 14 years of reign, 19 years of military service, a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, and an estimated net worth close to €1 billion, Prince Albert has hit the top of the table (although he is technically not a royal).
To find out who the world’s most distinguished royals were, Royal Vegas conducted a study, awarding scores to royals according to their titles, length of reign, size of their palaces, estimated net worth, education, military service, and social media following on Twitter.
Prince Albert topped the list as the most distinguished European royal with a total score of 653, while King Felipe VI of Spain came in second, followed by King Philippe of Belgium in third, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in fourth, and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in fifth.
Meanwhile, Prince Albert ranked in third place for most distinguished royal across the world, coming behind only Queen Elizabeth II (1st) and Abdullah of Pahang (2nd).
In terms of net worth, Prince Albert II goes down in the list to 14th place with an estimated net worth of close to €1 billion.
Grand Duke Herrin of Luxembourg is the top richest in Europe with a net worth of around €4 billion, but is dwarfed by King Vajiralongkorn in Thailand who has a net worth of around €30 billion.
Where Prince Albert II stands out the most, however, is the size of his palace, which takes up 197 hectares. The Prince’s official residence is the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, which has been the stronghold of the Grimaldi family since the end of the 13th century. Today, it is the fully working palace and headquarters of the Monégasque ruler, with its staterooms open to the public during the summer. The palace courtyard has also been the venue of open-air concerts by the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra since 1960.
He is followed by Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, who has a royal property of 144 hectares, and Emperor Naruhito of Japan with 115 hectares.
 
Photo: Prince Albert celebrating the return of the Palace Guards in June, by the Prince’s Palace 
 
 

Carrefour signs up to Energy Transition Pact

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/07/2020

Carrefour Monaco, now under new management, is modernising to make the supermarket energy efficient. To prove its commitment, the store has signed Monaco’s Energy Transition Pact.

Carrefour Monaco is undergoing many changes these days, not least of which involve a new philosophy toward ethics and the environment. With the recent arrival of Rémi Feipeler as Store Director, the supermarket is being imbued with a new sense of responsibility in how and what they purchase, as well as having an eye on making changes that will cut waste and energy consumption.  

Amongst the changes being put in place are a new cold storage system which operates on CO2 not freon, greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and cutting energy use by 25%. The store is also cutting plastic use by offering more bulk foods choices and eco-responsible packaging, whilst also sorting plastics and cardboard for recycling. Additionally, the store will be lit 100% by low-energy using LED lighting. Finally, Carrefour’s delivery service will now be made using an electric vehicle, further lessening their carbon footprint.

Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux, Director of the MTE, praised Carrefour Monaco saying that they “count on the store to continue to change the purchasing habits of consumers who live and come to work in the Principality.”

All 300 of Carrefour Monaco’s employees will be made aware of the pact and will be instructed to assist in making the energy transition.
 
PHOTO: Rémi Feipeler for Carrefour Monaco, next to Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux / © Michael Alesi/ Communication Dept
 
 

Boxer and Princess team up for charity

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/07/2020

Princess Charlene and recently-retired fighter Conor McGregor have been training together off the coast of Corsica for an upcoming charity race sponsored by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
Princess Charlene gave former Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor a run for his money in the sea off Corsica on Monday where the two were photographed training for the Calvi-Monaco Water Bike Challenge benefitting the Princess’s Foundation.
“A great day racing the water bikes with Princess Charlene of Monaco,” McGregor posted on his Facebook page. “A phenomenal athlete and former Olympian, we are teaming up for a 180km voyage in September to raise awareness in water safety. I cannot wait!”
He went on to say that, “We will be utilising my training under the McGregor F.A.S.T program to excel on these mounted water bike devices, which are incredibly good! It is like freedom out there! Thank you for the great day for my family, Your Highness.”

Photo: Facebook/thenotoriousmma

Other photos include snaps of the Princely couple joined by McGregor and his girlfriend, Dee Devlin.
This is not McGregor’s first brush with the Wittstock family. There are photos dating back to 2016 of the boxer and Princess Charlene’s brother, Gareth Wittstock, from a vacation he spent in the South of France that summer.
Photo: Facebook/thenotoriousmma

The Calvi-Monaco Water Bike Challenge will take place on the 12th and 13th of September. The 24-hour challenge consists of two competing teams who will cross the 180 kilometers of sea between the Corsican port of Calvi, ending at the Yacht Club of Monaco on water bikes.
All precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of the teams. Princess Charlene recently met with Calvi’s mayor Ange Santini and port captain Philippe Gabrielli in order to organise the race under the best possible conditions.
Money raised through the event will go toward various water safety and learn-to-swim programmes sponsored by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
 

PHOTO: Conor McGregor FB

Rollout out of ‘Monaco Safe’ label begins

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/07/2020

Businesses in the Principality have begun bearing the ‘Monaco Safe’ label, an initiative by the Prince’s government to alert customers to Monaco’s commitment to safety.

Over the next days, signs bearing the ‘Monaco Safe’ logo will be popping up in establishments all over the Principality. These signs have been given to shops, restaurants, hotels, and other public gathering places who have applied for and met the strict rules of compliance set out to receive this status symbol, signifying that they are taking all possible precautions to ensure the health and safety of all who come through their doors.  

Welcome Office Chief Laurence Garino delivered the signs to merchants and business operators all over the Principality on Monday 20th July. The recipients were proud to have passed the rigorous test that allowed them to obtain the signs but were equally happy to know that customers and clients will now know they can enter these “safe-haven” establishments with knowledge that their health and well-being is a priority.

The signs are not obligatory and applying for them is free of charge. There is a dedicated teleservice available to assist in processing applicant’s requests in order to process them in the fastest time period possible. In order to obtain permission to use the sign, the establishment must prove they are adhering to the health protocols put out by the government. 

 
PHOTO: © Direction de la Communication / Stéphane Danna