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Day: 6 August 2020

Italy inaugurates new Genoa bridge

by: Cassandra Tanti
06/08/2020

Traffic has begun traversing across Genoa’s new highway bridge, just two years after the terrifying collapse of the original Morandi bridge which killed 43 people.
“Today, Genoa is starting again,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told a crowd of officials gathered in the port city on Monday. “Our country can face and overcome difficulties, and can go back to racing.”
Jets trailing the colours of the Italian flag roared overhead and ship sirens sounded as Genoa’s mayor, Marco Bucci, called the new bridge “a message of trust and competence for the future.”
Just before midday on 14th August 2018, the Morandi highway gave way during heavy rain, sending dozens of cars and several trucks plummeting onto railway tracks below. If the disaster had struck at rush hour, the death toll would have been much higher.
Each night, 43 stars will shine on the new bridge in memory of the victims.
The first cars crossed the sleek steel structure just after 9pm on Tuesday 4th August. The San Giorgio bridge was designed by famed Italian architect Renzo Piano and features a curved underbelly evoking the hull of a ship, in tribute to Genoa’s maritime history. The new bridge restores a primary connection between the western part of Genoa and the rest of the city, and between Genoa and much of north western Italy.
While the names of the victims were read aloud during Monday’s ceremony, many of their loved ones were not present, saying the pomp and ceremony overshadowed the 2018 tragedy.
“We’re still there, at the collapsed bridge, with the people we lost under the bridge. We’re stuck in 2018,” Giorgio Robbiano, 43, who lost his brother, sister-in-law and nephew in the disaster, told AFP on Tuesday.
However, he added: “the bridge had to be built and we’re happy for the city… It was also important to show that large works could be successfully finished in time, without complications.”
For decades, the Morandi bridge had suffered structural problems, leading to expensive maintenance. Its collapse put a spotlight on the country’s crumbling infrastructure.
Autostrade per l’Italia, the company that operated the Morandi bridge, is under investigation. The public enterprise was privatised in 1999. Several transport ministry officials are also being investigated for homicide. A trial is expected next year.
 
Photo: Monday’s ceremony, by AP
 
 

PACA: Rise in cases but no increase in mortality

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/08/2020

New figures have revealed that while the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region has seen a recent rise in coronavirus cases, the number of hospitalisations and deaths have remained low.  

The latest report by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) shows that 919 people were diagnosed with coronavirus in the past week, compared to 421 the previous week. However, it also showed that the number of people hospitalised is declining (-5), as those contracting the virus are showing less severity in symptoms.

The rise in cases may be partly attributed to the fact that cities like Nice have introduced free testing sites, such as this one Place Massena:

Free Covid-19 testing site at Place Massena in Nice, photo by Monaco Life

There have been 190 deaths in the Alpes-Maritimes since the official start of the pandemic, with an increase of three this week compared to last. Meanwhile, four patients are currently in intensive care and 34 remain in hospital.

The Var has seen 139 total Covid-related deaths, with the latest occurring in the last seven days. There are three people in intensive care, a gain of two since the week before, with the total number of hospitalisations sitting slightly up at 55.

The latest figures published by INSEE on 31st July confirm that after the peak recorded between the end of March and mid-April, the overall mortality rate in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var has returned to normal levels. This includes all causes of death and all age groups, including the over-75s who were the worst hit by the virus during its peak in the spring.

Regardless, the Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes has now mandated that eight towns and districts be required to wear masks in public places: Biot, Vence, Saint-Laurent du Var, La Gaude, Nice, Mougins, Saint Cezaine sur Siagne and Menton.

The Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, had already taken up the call and imposed mandatory mask-wearing before the regional order was imposed. Offenders risk a fine of €135 for non-compliance.

 
Top photo: Place Massena, Nice, by Monaco Life
 
 

Monaco mourns with Lebanon

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/08/2020

Both Prince Albert II and Minister of State Serge Telle have offered heartfelt condolences to the President of Lebanon after massive explosions rocked the country’s capital on Tuesday killing at least 135 people and injuring 5,000 more.
After explosions that shocked the world and decimated part of the city of Beirut at the port on Tuesday, the Sovereign Prince and Minister of State reached out to President Michel Aoun to convey their deepest sympathies and support.
In a letter made public by Prince Albert II, he expressed his sadness on behalf of the country.
“Deeply marked by the tragic explosions at the port of Beirut which has just mourned and plunged your country into suffering, I would like to express to you all my compassion in front of this tragedy and to assure you of my unfailing support in this so painful ordeal that your country is going through. The people of Monaco join me in offering the families so cruelly touched our most saddened condolences, assure the many blessings of our union of thought and the Lebanese people of our full support. Please accept, Mr. President, the assurance of my highest consideration and sympathy.”
Serge Telle, the Minister of State, also penned a letter to President Aoun conveying his grief for the people of Lebanon at this terrible time.
“I learned with great emotion the terrible news of the explosions that took place in Beirut on Tuesday, August 4. On behalf of the Prince’s Government and on my own behalf, I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to the families of the victims and their loved ones. I also give my full support and solidarity to the Lebanese people in these tragic circumstances. Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.”
Meanwhile, National Council President Stéphane Valeri has sent a message of condolence to Nabih Berri, President of the National Assembly of Lebanon, in which he said:
“The National Councillors, like the entire population of Monaco, are deeply saddened by the deadly consequences of the devastating double explosion which shook the port of Beirut, devastating a large part of the city and which leaves the Lebanese nation in mourning.  Also, on my own behalf and on behalf of all the elected members of the National Council, I ask you to be our interpreter for the families of the victims, to convey to them our heartfelt condolences and assure them of our compassion and our support, in this painful ordeal… rest assured that the Monegasques are with you wholeheartedly.”
Since the explosions, which billowed a huge plume of red smoke above the city skyline and killed or injured countless people, the city has been on high alert, imposing a two-week state of emergency. Hundreds are still reported missing sparking fear that the death toll will rise and more than 300,000 have been displaced.
It is still not entirely clear what caused the explosion. The Prime Minister of Lebanon has stated an investigation will take place focusing on 2,750 metric tonnes of an explosive called ammonium nitrate that has been stored at a warehouse at the port since 2014.
 
 

Monaco struck off Ireland’s “Green List”

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/08/2020

The Emerald Isle has dropped five countries off of its “Green List” for travel following a rise in Covid-19 cases over the past week, Monaco amongst them.
The Irish government has taken five countries, Malta, Gibraltar, Cyprus, San Marino and Monaco, off their list that allows for restriction-free travel. Visitors from these countries must now confine their movements for two weeks before being allowed full access to the country.
Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs website for travel advisories had not been updated as of Wednesday night, but the government’s spokesperson has said that the quarantine measures for people arriving from these nations was effective immediately.
The short list for the Green List is even shorter now and has only 10 restriction-less countries: Italy, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Greenland, Greece, Hungary and Slovakia, though the government’s advice is to curb all non-essential travel and stay at home this summer.
During a press conference at Dublin Castle, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that only one country from the original list published two weeks ago has seen jumps in the number of coronavirus cases. “14 of the 15 countries on Ireland’s Green List have seen significant increases in just the last two weeks since the list was created,” he said.
There has been no explanation why Monaco was taken off the list, but it has been hinted that the status was changed due to a rise in cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
 
 

Is this €280,000 TV the future of home entertainment?

by: Cassandra Tanti
06/08/2020

I was recently invited to the Luxury Living Lounge in Monaco to witness The Wall by Samsung, a jaw-dropping modular MicroLED television that is set to change the future of home entertainment. Well, at least for those who can afford it.
At a whopping 3.7 metres in size, The Wall certainly commands attention as soon as you walk into the room. The Luxury Living Lounge’s moody interior and apartment-style layout confirm marketing specialist Joe Ghannam’s promise that this is no showroom. Viewings are by appointment only and the decor has been cleverly designed by Monaco’s own Daniela Boutsen to mimic the ultimate cinema room.
Will Faimatea, Director and Founder of Bond TM and consultant for The Wall, takes me through the technicalities of the mammoth display, which I cannot take my eyes off of for a second. Its size, brightness and contrast are undeniably captivating.

Kris Hogg, Samsung Electronics European Business Manager, Daniela Boutsen, President Boutsen Design, and Will Faimatea, Director and Founder Bond Technology Management

“This is not a normal screen,” reveals Will. “There are 24 million tiny LEDs creating the images directly, and there is no glass which means no reflection.”
MicroLED, explains Will, is the first new screen technology in a decade and is more akin to OLED than LCD. “It is a totally different viewing experience,” says Will. “You can’t compare this to any TV you’ve ever seen in your life. Customers are saying it’s like discovering colour television all over again.”
The result is eye-popping viewing with perfect colour distribution, intense blacks, rich brightness and incredible contrast. It is an experience so immersive and high-definition that you can identify the smallest sculptures adorning the Petra in Jordan and admire the intricate architectural features of the Taj Mahal.
In fact, the screen is bright enough that you can watch a movie, in daylight – something that can’t be done with a projector system.
If tech is your thing, then you will appreciate that The Wall is powered by Samsung’s Quantum Processor, which upscales the image to suit the screen size.
Will Faimatea with Monaco Mayor Georges Marsan at the Luxury Living Lounge in Monaco

“There are predictive algorithms in here taken from the bases of hundreds of thousands of pictures, so there is very clever pre-emptive technology behind this,” says Will.
But The Wall’s biggest advantage is its modularity. If 3.7 metres isn’t enough, you can add more LEDs to expand the screen size.
“This particular display is made up of 16 modules, each measuring around 800 x 450mm and 39mm in thickness,” says Will. “This makes it possible to scale up to 7.4 metres.”
And that means a television of mammoth proportions can easily be brought into an apartment or yacht, without the need for heavy lifting equipment or the removal of windows.
There is a reason why it is called The Wall, and not just because it can literally cover an entire section of a room. It is also intended to imitate a wall, to blend in seamlessly with the wall upon which it is mounted, or become a feature decorated with digital art.
The Wall is, in fact, a commercial-focussed product, used by luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Hermes to promote their equally prestigious products. In a place like Monaco, where showroom space is limited, it would be particularly useful.
But for those individuals who have €280,000 to spare, The Wall makes for an enticing new luxe toy.
Monaco Life Editor in Chief Cassandra and Will Faimatea

“The display is here in Monaco because people walk in and say ‘I will take it now’, like they do when buying a Ferrari. This is priced in that bracket, where you have to see it and like it that much, because it is an expensive piece of equipment.”
The Wall is one of a number of projects that Will Faimatea is involved in through his company Bond Technology Management and Consultancy. The Australian native began his career as an electronics engineer on boats, fitting out some serious heavy-hitters in the superyacht and megayacht world. For 14 years, his company has been responsible for managing audio visual, IT and communications systems in superyachts across the globe. It is through Will that Samsung saw an opportunity to reach the high-end yachting clientele.
For the rest of us, the good news is that The Wall marks the beginning of the mass adoption of this technology. These micro LED screens will start to trickle down into normal TV products and as the LED’s get smaller, we will start to see the technology in things like the dashboard of our cars or the face of our smart watches. In other words, welcome to the future.