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Month: September 2020

Monaco’s space pioneers welcomed at Palace

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/09/2020

It’s been a big month for Orbital Solutions Monaco. Just weeks after successfully launching their nano-satellite into space, Prince Albert II invited the team to join him at the Palace.
Monaco start-up Orbital Solutions Monaco (OSM), attended a meet-up with Prince Albert II at the Palace last week where managers and employees presented the Sovereign with a commemorative photo of the Principality’s first nano-satellite.
OSM, headed up by Francesco Bongiovanni out of offices in Fontvieille, only has a handful of workers but the highly skilled team has managed to build a reliable nano-satellite that is currently flying over the Earth at an altitude of 530 kilometres.
“The miniaturisation of high technologies offers small states and private companies the possibility to become full-fledged actors in the space field once reserved only for big nations,” noted the Palace in a statement.
A chance to enter this new chapter of the “Space Race” is appealing for Monaco as it is for other smaller nations such as Luxembourg, Singapore and New Zealand, who are building rockets, intelligence and research-gathering satellites or projects for future mining and explorations of the moon, asteroids and even Mars.
The satellite weighs in at a tiny 10 kilos and can do an entire revolution of the planet in just 90 minutes and a speed of 28,000 km/h. Despite zipping by, it collects and transmits climactic and atmospheric data in what is considered by scientists to be a “low orbit”.
After several delays due to a variety of circumstances such as the health crisis and bad weather, the satellite was finally launched earlier this month from a launch site in Guyana.
The company is not resting on their laurels, though. They are already working on other satellite projects and intend to build one with the assistance of local secondary school students.
 
Photo © G Luci/Prince’s Palace
 
 

ASM takes historic win

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/09/2020

AS Monaco secured their 1,000th Ligue 1 win on Sunday in a 2-1 home match against Nantes. 
Only three other clubs have surpassed 1,000 wins in the French Ligue 1 and now there is a fourth. AS Monaco joined the ranks with Marseilles (1,115), Bordeaux (1,057) and Saint-Etienne (1,044) with their win against Nantes on Sunday.
Team President Dmitry Rybolovlev looked on with pride as his team carried the victory. Sofiane Diop handed the Red and Whites an early lead which lasted until just after the hour mark when Nantes’s Ludovic Blas evened up the score. It was only a few minutes later, though, that Willem Geubbels knocked one between the posts, putting Monaco in the lead for the rest of the game.
The game also hit another milestone, this one more personal. Cesc Fabregas, the team’s 33-year-old midfielder, marked his 800th professional appearance and was celebrated by his teammates after the game who gave him a team shirt emblazoned with the number 800 on the back.
“800 games as a professional!! What an amazing victory from the team. Let’s keep it up!” Fabregas posted on his Instagram site.
Coach Niko Kovac, whose early record as new head coach sits at two wins and a draw, was complementary to the team, saying, “I want to say bravo to my team. It was a very difficult match for both teams. We had a lot of scoring opportunities, so I think the win is totally deserved. We created four or five big chances. I hope we can score a little more next time. But I think the fans enjoyed the way we played.”
 
 

MIPCOM announces digital only format for 2020

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/09/2020

MIPCOM is going with a 100% digital format in Cannes for the 36th annual international television content market event and has rechristened it, for the year, as MIPCOM Online +.
Due to the restrictions in place from the health crisis, MIPCOM’s organiser Reed Midem has announced that it has decided to replace its “physical gathering” with what they have dubbed MIPCOM Online +, a totally virtual version that is offering month-long access to things such as keynote speakers, screenings, conferences, intel, pitching opportunities and networking parties.
By using a “premium digital platform offering one-to-one video meetings and live chat among attending delegates”, MIPCOM Online + is planning to deliver an experience as close to the real deal as possible. The platform will roll out on 5th October and will be available until 17th November.
Their slogan, “The best of MIPCOM is just one click away”, demonstrates a real show-must-go-on spirit and a willingness to make alterations in the way they do business, in the hope that the heavy hitters of the TV world are just as flexible and willing to do the same.
“Our motivation has always been to bring together the global entertainment community around the flagship week of MIPCOM in order to support content discovery and new business deals, whether online or in person,” explains Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division. “We made clear when we announced MIPCOM Rendezvous Cannes that we would only hold the physical market if conditions permitted. Due to the ongoing uncertainty around Covid-19 and recently increased travel restrictions, we believe that MIPCOM Online+ is the most effective way to move forward and to gather the global television community around MIPCOM Week.”
MIPCOM Online + will be centred around the virtual MIPCOM Week that runs from 12th to 16th October, though with additional features before and well after the event is over.
 
 

Princess’ Serenity wins The Crossing

by: Cassandra Tanti
13/09/2020

Princess Charlene has led her team to victory in the gruelling 24-hour water bike relay from Corsica to Monaco against her brother’s team ‘Notorious’, who was notably missing one of its star members.

Princess Charlene and team Serenity officially crossed the finish line at the Yacht Club of Monaco at 11.31am on Sunday, 22 hours and 33 minutes after setting off from Calvi.
Her children Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques joined Prince Albert in cheering home their mother, together with a crowd of supporters.

The Notorious team, led by her brother and General Secretary of her Foundation Gareth Wittstock, crossed the finish line 14 minutes later.

Team Serenity (left), Prince Albert (centre), and team Notorious (right). Photo courtesy Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation

The Crossing: Calvi to Monaco saw two teams of four internationally renowned athletes take turns to cycle 180 kilometres from Corsica to Monaco.

It kicked off in Calvi on Saturday amid “extreme” weather conditions, as Princess Charlene and her brother Gareth Wittstock led the charge, with the lead crossing between the two teams at various times throughout the race.

But within the hour mark of Monaco, Serenity took the lead and kept it right until the end.

The challenge wasn’t without controversy, however. World fighting champion Conor McGregor was forced out of team Notorious after he was arrested in Corsica on suspicion of alleged attempted sexual assault and alleged indecent exposure. The Irishman denies any wrongdoing.

“Conor Mcgregor vigorously denies any accusations of misconduct,” a representative for the MMA fighter told TMZ Sports.

McGregor was released on Saturday without being charged, his lawyer said.
He was replaced at the last minute by Guido Belinskis, who joined team Notorious with Gareth Wittstock, Jérome Fernandez and Kevin Crovetto.

Team Serenity was composed of Princess Charlene, David Tanner, Mathew Bennett and Brandon Green.
The aim of the challenge was to raise awareness of and money for the various projects of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.

© Photos : Eric Mathon / Palais princier, Manu Vitali / Direction de la communication`

Click on the photos below to enlarge…

 

Photos: Monaco retrofits Grace Kelly’s famous convertible

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/09/2020

Prince Albert has unveiled a hybrid version of the Sunbeam Alpine driven by Grace Kelly in ‘To Catch a Thief’, a retrofit undertaken right here in the Principality.
The 1954 Hybrid Sunbeam Alpine Mark III was the star of Ever Monaco on Friday 11th September, as Prince Albert and actress Brigitte Auber uncovered the stunning retrofit hybrid car.
As a light rain fell during the ceremony, the Prince held the arm of the 95-year-old actress and protected her with his umbrella. Brigitte Auber played Daniella in the Hitchcock classic, a teenager with a crush on Cary Grant’s character John “The Cat” Robie.
 

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The Smart Electric Monaco Association has equipped the sapphire blue convertible with two 15 hp electric motors, which complement the original petrol engine.
The conversion was carried out in the garage of the The Cars Collection of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco and forms part of the museum exhibition.
With Cary Grant by her side, Grace Kelly fled French police in the Sunbeam Alpine during a daring car chase along the Moyenne Corniche in the 1955 cult film.

While not the exact car that was driven by Grace Kelly, this retrofit is the first one involving an historic vehicle connected to Monaco.
After Friday’s unveiling, the Grimaldi Forum hosted a screening of the film To Catch a Thief, which is this year celebrating its 65th anniversary year.
 
Photo gallery: click on the photos below to enlarge…


Photos by Monaco Life,  all rights reserved

Where are masks now mandatory?

by: Cassandra Tanti
12/09/2020

The government has announced that the wearing of a mask is now mandatory in a large number of new outdoor spaces in the Principality.
On Friday 11th September, Monaco extended the list of areas where masks are required to be worn to include public transport, places receiving the public, waiting lines and in some outside areas.
The new list is as follows:

  • Palace Square
  • The Rock
  • Place du Casino
  • The esplanade of the Fontvieille Shopping Centre
  • The surroundings and access areas of schools
  • Access areas to public transport, including bus stops and railroad tracks: Allée Lazare Sauvaigo, Promenade Honoré II and Sainte-Devote Bridge
  • The surrounding areas of Place du Casino that form the Golden Square, including Monte-Carlo One, the Avenue des Spélugues gardens and the Boulingrins gardens
  • La Condamine and Monte-Carlo markets during operating hours

The Monaco government is also recommending mask wearing in other areas where it is not mandatory.