Prince Albert watched on at Stade Louis II as AS Monaco beat cross-town rivals OGC Nice in the 100th Côte d’Azur Derby, making it their sixth straight victory in a row.
Wednesday was a banner night for the Red and Whites who played an at-home game against OGC Nice for the 100th time, winning two to one and making it six in a row for the team. To top it off, both Prince Albert II and Club President Dmitry Rybolovlev watched it happen from the Loge des Lègendes private box.
Coach Niko Kovac opted for the same 11 players as in Sunday’s game against Nantes. Things picked up rather fast, and in the 6th minute Team Captain Wissam Ben Yedder made the game’s first attempt with an assist by Kevin Volland. Though it didn’t hit the mark, it set the tone for the night, though no points were scored until almost the half hour mark.
At 28 minutes in, Ben Yedder put one between the posts, racking up his 10th goal of the season and sending the team back to the locker room at halftime with a 1-0 lead.
The second half proved more exciting with Nice’s Jeff Reine-Adélaïde’s attempt, picked up by teammate Pierre Lees-Melou who snuck past Benjamin Lecomte for the goal. The score evened up and the pressure was on for both sides, though not for long.
Just three minutes later, Sofiane Diop was fouled by Jordan Lotomba, resulting in a free kick that was taken by the star of the night, Ben Yedder. His brilliant kick found its way to the top centre of the posts, putting Monaco back in the lead at 2 to 1.
After this, both teams had a few more attempts, but no one was able to convert, so when the buzzer went off signaling the end of the game, Monaco was able to breathe easy.
“We wanted to win this 100th derby,” Coach Kovac said after the match. “It’s good for us, for the club, and for the supporters. We deserve this victory.”
Even with the win, Monaco is still three points off the top three in Ligue 1, and have some serious contenders to get past to reach the uppermost tier. For this reason, Coach Kovac isn’t ready to let the team rest of their laurels just yet.
“We must work on preserving this lead or even extending over the sixth-placed side. We are building a squad, a team. We have 15 matches left and we are progressing step by step. I don’t want to talk about the podium.”
AS Monaco’s next match is Sunday afternoon at the Stade des Costières against Nîmes.
(Monaco Life with AS Monaco press release, photo of Prince Albert and Club President Dmitry Rybolovlev by AS Monaco)
The Principality is taking its commitment to the environment one step further with the introduction of a fleet of 100% electric rubbish collection trucks.
Prince Albert II and Minister of Equipment, Environment and Town Planning Marie Pierre-Gramaglia were on hand in the Place du Palais Wednesday for the unveiling of the Société Monegasque d’Assainissement’s (SMA) newest vehicles. Rubbish collection in Monaco will now start to be more environmentally-friendly with the addition of several trucks that are 100% electric.
“From this week, four new electric rubbish trucks will run during the night and two to three in the morning. By the end of the first trimester, all household waste and all glass will be collected by 100% electric vehicles,” Thomas Battaglione, president of SMA, said during an interview with the government channel Monaco Info.
“They are really quiet, so you have to be careful,” joked the Prince, before saying, more seriously, that these new trucks “are better for the quality of life” in the Principality.
Rubbish collectors will be trained to handle the new trucks, as they differ slightly from the traditional ones.
Photo by Stéphane Danna for the Government Communication Department
Monaco has recorded its 18th coronavirus victim, a 91-year-old resident. It marks the fifth Covid fatality since the beginning of February.
The government reported the death in its daily coronavirus count on Wednesday evening. It continues a rising mortality rate in the Principality, which kicked off at the beginning of 2021. Of all 18 deaths so far, 15 have been recorded this year.
There were also an additional 29 people who tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total to 1,572 since the pandemic began.
Currently, 67 people are being taken care of at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre: 56 patients including 36 residents are hospitalised, while an additional 11 people, including seven residents,are being treated in intensive care.
There were 25 recoveries bringing that total to 1,320, while 139 Covid-positive residents with mild symptoms are being cared for by the Home Monitoring Centre.
Analysis: Covid's impact on female victims of violence figures
Interministerial Delegate for Women’s Rights Céline Cottalorda talks to Monaco Life about the latest Violence Against Women report for 2020.
It is only the second report on violence against women to come out of the Principality, yet it is crucial in steering government, police and judicial responses to fight the phenomenon.
Instigated by the Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights and compiled by Monaco’s statistics body IMSEE, the report draws on information gathered from various institutional sources, associations and health establishments.
The latest report, released on Monday, has delivered some interesting figures for a year marked by Covid-19.
2020 saw lockdowns, increased tension in the home, financial strains and unprecedented psychological pressure. Not surprisingly, it was also a year that saw an increase in violence against women, with 39 cases reported to police, compared to 33 in 2019. The average age of female victims was 36 years old, while for perpetrators it was 42 years. The majority of cases reported to police involved physical violence, while 10% were crimes of a sexual nature, and half were committed within the home of either party.
According to police figures, the majority of victims (72%) resided in the Principality of Monaco (compared to 58% in 2019), while 40% of victims at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre were Monaco residents.
Overwhelmingly, it seems, females are more likely to seek help from the Victims Help Association (AVIP): 42 women were received by the association in 2020, compared to 40 in 2019, and 81% of those victims reside in Monaco. Legal action
Of the 28 resident victims who presented to police, 14 complaints and four ‘courantes’ were filed in Monaco.
Meanwhile, 50 procedures were opened for cases of violence against women, including 20 for acts committed in 2020.
To date, one conviction has been handed down and one protection order has been issued for acts committed in 2020. Eight cases were dismissed last year. Impact of Covid
In 2020, 53 women who were admitted to the CHPG said they had suffered violence during the year, half of 2019’s figure which was 113.
Physical violence was involved in 36% of cases recorded at AVIP, while 31% were cases of psychological violence. Harassment (moral or sexual) represents 19% of cases. 14% were acts of sexual violence.
Analysing the numbers with Monaco’s Interministerial Delegate for Women’s Rights Céline Cottalorda.
Monaco Life: What trends have you noted in the statistics from 2020?
Céline Cottalorda: The general trend shows a relative stability of the figures. There is also an impact of the health crisis. Indeed, the violence concerned more residents, which can be explained by the fact that some left to confine themselves outside Monaco and others did not come to the Principality. Overall, the age of the victims has also increased. Were you expecting the number of victims to be higher given the lockdown and anxiety surrounding the Covid pandemic?
The number of cases is still up by 18% in terms of public safety. There is also an increase in the judicial handling of cases with 50 procedures opened in 2020. This is one of the outcomes of the victims’ freedom to speak. For its part, AVIP received the same number of women as in 2019, but with more cases of harassment at work. There were more than 50% less women admitted to the CHPG suffering from domestic violence in 2020. Why do you think this was? Do you think it was related to the pandemic?
Indeed, this figure is linked to the pandemic and containment. Many events were canceled last year which resulted in fewer trips to the Principality and therefore less admissions to the CHPG. It appears that female victims of violence in Monaco are more likely to go to a victims’ association than the police or hospital. Why do you think that is?
There are several gateways in Monaco to accommodate people who are victims of violence. It is true that going to an association like AVIP can be easier and perceived as more anonymous than the police or a social service, especially in Monaco where everyone knows each other. I don’t think there is a general fear of going to the hospital, except maybe in a pandemic, especially since in the hospital one can be relatively anonymous. People assume that violence against women is often physical or sexual, but 31% of cases at the AVIP involve psychological violence. Is this type of violence harder for victims to identify and seek help for?
Physical violence leaves traces, while psychological violence is more difficult to identify because it cannot be seen. In addition, the victims are often ashamed and do not dare to talk about it. However, we realise that there are several types of violence that are intertwined (physical, economic, moral). Physical violence is very often preceded or accompanied by psychological violence. Only one conviction was handed down in 2020 as well as one protection order for acts committed that year. Meanwhile, eight cases were dismissed. What is your opinion on that?And what efforts have been made to make the courts fairer for victims of violence?
It is true that there are still very few convictions, often for lack of evidence. To improve this, it is essential to file a complaint or have injuries observed if you have suffered physical violence. This is an essential first step in putting together a case that will allow the justice system to do its job and sanction the perpetrator. It is not a problem of tools but of providing proof. This statistical analysis was instigated by the Committee for the Promotion and Protection of Women’s Rights. What do you hope will come out of these annual reports?
From its creation, the committee wanted to have objective figures on violence in order to know the situation in Monaco and better fight against this scourge. This work is carried out in collaboration with IMSEE which brings its scientific know-how. In the longer term, this study will provide a complete series over several years to analyse the possible evolution of this phenomenon and put in place targeted actions.
The Nice to Paris night train, defunct since 2017, is being relaunched in 2021 to the excitement of travellers looking for an alternative to long drives and carbon-fuelled airline travel.
French Minister of Transport Jean-BaptisteDjebbari has announced that the Paris-Nice night train will be amongst the first lines to reopen after the cessation of night trains in France over two years ago.
The minister said that the Paris-Tarbes (south-west France) route will also be reopened this year and that he hoped to see a total of 15 night train lines in effect by 2030.
Secretary of state transport at the time of the stoppage, Alain Vidalies, took the decision because of exorbitant operating costs, saying in February 2016: “Night trains represent 25% of the trains deficit in the territory while they transport only 3% of travellers.”
Since then, there has been a general mobilisation of the national collective ‘Yes to Night Trains’, and the association ‘Friends of the Riviera Railways’, who called for the night train system to be reinstated, gathering 25,000 signatures for their cause.
Speaking to Le Parisien on Sunday, Transport Minister Djebbari said, “In France, the development of the TGV has eaten up the night trains and the supply has deteriorated. This must be changed.”
These lines will revolve around the planned European links, the two remaining lines in France and the two others announced in the recovery plan last September. This plan offered €100 million in funding for renovations of 50 carriages by 2022.
“If the Paris-Nice night train is able to restart, it is thanks to the recovery plan. It allows 44 sleeper cars to be put back into service,” Djebbari said.
The return of French night trains is part of a wider European Union plan, which aims to prioritise this particular service for travellers. Night trains are an environmentally friendly alternative to flying and one the European public are keen to use.
In December 2020, four European national railway companies promised new sleepers linking 13 major cities in the largest extension of Europen’s night train network in many years. The €500 million investment was announced by the state railways of Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland.
After the beating taken from Club Joventut Badalone last week, AS Monaco Basketball came back with a vengeance on Tuesday night, dominating their opponent with a 97-82 win at home at Salle Gaston Médecin.
When the Roca team faced off on 30th January against Spanish powerhouse team Badalone, their biggest competition in their group in the Euro Cup 7 standings, they were soundly defeated, pushing Monaco out of their Top 16 top spot.
On Tuesday night, they dramatically recaptured their number one standing, demolishing Badalone with a 97 to 82 win.
But it was hardly a foregone conclusion as the Joventut team started out strong, scoring 10 points to Monaco’s zero. This is when the Roca Boys kicked into gear and within minutes the score was evened up, 14 to 14, thanks to efforts made by JJ O’Brien, Marcos Knight and Rob Gray.
Suddenly, the court was all red and white, with the Roca Team pulling ahead, but not before a serious drive by the Spaniards finished the quarter with them taking a one point lead.
The back and forth went on until half time and saw the same one-point lead, only this time for Monaco, going into the break.
The third quarter saw Monaco step up their game, finishing with a strong 10-point lead. This lit a fire under Badalone who, in the final quarter, recovered some ground, almost evening up the score at one point.
Coach Zvezdan Mitrovic wisely called time out at this point, and the rest, as they say, is history. The Roca Team finished the match with a 15-point lead and a final score of 97 to 82.
“It was a really good game from us, a great result and above all I want to congratulate my players and everyone,” Coach Zvezdan said after the game. “There were a lot of points scored in this game and it was not bad defence. This experience will serve our young players in the future.”
Team Captain dee Bost added, “I was not well in the first leg, I was feeling a bit ashamed of the two points scored. I was obsessed with the idea of catching up tonight. But we did the team work and I think the guys gave it their all. We are first and we want to remain so.”
Monaco next play a Jeep Elite match on 6th February away against Cholet. The game starts at 6:30pm.
(Monaco Life with AS Monaco Basketball press release, photo by AS Monaco basketball)
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