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Day: 15 March 2022

Lethal combination: warming seas and plastics

by: Stephanie Horsman
15/03/2022

The Monaco Scientific Centre has just published a report on the threat associated with plastic waste dumped in the seas and warming ocean temperatures, which they say is creating a witch’s brew of pathogenic bacteria that can cause serious or even fatal illness.

Over 20 million tons of plastic waste is dumped in the world’s waterways each year.

This shocking figure is made worse in light of a recent study by the Monaco Scientific Centre (CSM) entitled ‘An Increase of Seawater Temperature Upregulates the Expression of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Virulence Factors Implicated in Adhesion and Biofilm Formation’, which shows that plastics in increasingly warmer sea environments pose huge threats to human health.

The study found that higher seawater temperatures promote the attachment of pathogenic bacteria to plastics, thus increasing the risk of infection.

The study program conducted on Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a bacterium responsible for very severe food poisoning, shows “that under the effect of warming seawater, this marine bacterium goes from a state of dormancy to a state of activation,” according to Dr. Dorota Czerucka, Research Director in the ecosystem and immunity team at the CSM. “Under these conditions, the overexpression of virulence factors allows it to produce proteins involved in the formation of the biofilm – its ability to colonise surfaces – and adhesins – attachment molecules, the first step in adhesion to a cell to be infected.”

The study also showed that under the same conditions, Vibrio parahaemolyticus expresses a toxin, hemolysin, that attacks the blood system by targeting red blood cells.

In the ocean, bacteria are mainly associated with plankton, sediment and plastics. The presence of plastic coupled with increased sea temperatures can turn plastics into “ecological niches”, which are likely to spread pathogens or create an infectious focus. This is done either by ingestion of filter feeding organisms, such as a mussel contaminated with microplastics, or by direct contact with seawater.  

The reaction observed in Vibrio parahaemolyticus can also be found in other bacteria, such as Vibrio vulnificus, which is responsible for serious, potentially fatal skin infections.

The study was made possible by the Monaco government, Friends of the Scientific Centre, and Lady Monika Bacardi.

 

 

 

Analysis: Is this Charles Leclerc’s year?

by: Luke Entwistle
15/03/2022

The stars could be aligning for a Charles Leclerc title challenge following promising pre-season tests. The heralding of the new era in F1, however, takes place amidst a troubling political backdrop.

As ever in a motorsport category so defined by innovation, there are large changes coming to Formula 1 this season. That change is most visible in the appearance of the cars themselves with longer front-wing noses, larger wheel rims, slicker aerodynamics and wheel covers giving the new-era car a futuristic design.

These car changes aren’t just superficial, they have been introduced to provide better racing. Drivers should not find it easier to follow in the dirty air, making it easier to keep touch with the car in front, hopefully providing more entertaining wheel-to-wheel racing.

Despite these changes, there is a certain degree of continuity in the build-up to the season, notably the obfuscation and mind-games that drivers and team principals have gradually mastered over the past few years.

The annual “we have a bad car” quote from Lewis Hamilton was trotted out in Bahrain over the weekend, and although this has often been used as mis-direction, that may not be the case this year. “I’m sure everyone can figure it out, we aren’t the quickest,” the Mercedes driver began. “Ferrari looks the quickest, perhaps Red Bull, then us or maybe McLaren.”

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is, however, wary of taking his rivals’ words at face value. “I think it is a typical Mercedes. They hype up the others, and then when it comes to the race, they blow the competition away. They have done it for five or six years now.”

Although Sainz’s scepticism is well-founded, there is a general consensus that Mercedes are off the pace, whilst Ferrari, who have been focusing on the 2022 rule changes longer than most, seem quick.

On day one and two of Bahrain testing in particular, Ferrari put in consistently quick times. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen topped the timing sheets on the fast day to allude not only to an inter-team battle for the championship, but an intra-team one too. However, the times set must also be caveated by the fact that teams, in order to slip under the radar, often hide their true pace in pre-season tests, and so no definitive conclusions can be drawn.

All of the indications, however, are that in his third season as a Ferrari driver, Charles Leclerc may now have the tools to mount a championship challenge. Having been marginally out-performed by his team-mate last season, Sainz will likely provide stiff competition for the much-coveted title.

Verstappen meanwhile will be looking to retain the world championship that he won so controversially in the closing stages of the final race of 2021. The decision taken by then race director Michael Masi to allow only the lapped cars that stood between Verstappen and Hamilton through under a late safety car prompted an off-season review into the incident. Masi has since been replaced as F1’s race director.

Hamilton will of course be looking to launch a title challenge and so will his new team-mate George Russell, who has replaced Valterri Bottas at Mercedes. Over the course of a five-year stint, a challenge for the latter failed to materialise, whilst Russell looked imperiously quick in the car when he stood in for Hamilton when he had Covid.

There have been few other driver changes, although Alfa Romeo’s line-up has completely changed with the arrival of Bottas and Guanyu Zhou replacing the retiring Kimi Raikonnen and Antonio Giovanazzi.

With all drivers confirmed, there would nonetheless be one final surprise. Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, who was billed to line-up for Haas, was relieved of his seat just prior to pre-season and replaced by Kevin Magnussen. The decision was prompted by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Not only is Mazepin a Russian citizen, but his father, Dmitry Mazepin, is a Russian oligarch and owner of the Uralchem chemical company. Mazepin sat down with Vladimir Putin in January to discuss Uralchem and Uralkali’s operations, leaving no recourse for rejection of his close links to the Kremlin.

The unfolding tragedy in Eastern Europe has also precipitated the cancellation of the Russian Grand Prix, not just for this year, but definitively. Whereas Russia has seen their contract cancelled, the Bahraini, Saudi Arabian and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will all go ahead, despite the protests of the Bahraini Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD).

The institute pointed out “a clear double-standard” as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE have all been involved in the conflict in Yemen yet continue to host F1 races.

As one of the greatest competitions in the sporting world prepares for lights out, it will do so under a cloud of moral indignation as the role of sport in the cleansing of a state’s image – aka sportswashing – lingers over Sunday’s curtain-raiser in the Gulf state.

 

 

Photo of Charles Leclerc during the Barcelone F1 testing, source Scuderia Ferrari Press Office

 

 

 

Global housing prices on the rise

by: Stephanie Horsman
15/03/2022

Monaco may top the charts as the most expensive place to buy in the world, but other countries are also seeing astronomical rises in the cost of property, making obtaining a little slice of heaven that much more out of reach for the average buyer.

In 2021, house prices rose in 49 of the 56 world housing markets that publish statistics, showing huge jumps in what it takes to buy a property.

The home price boom is slightly deceptive in that many figures don’t take inflation into account. When this aspect is considered, the number of countries that saw jumps in prices falls to 38 out of 56, still a considerable number.

The strongest housing markets of 2021, as shown by a global house price survey done by Global Property Guide, included Australia, which saw a massive +17.57% leap, Turkey with an equally big +17.27% rise, Slovak Republic, which rose +15.71%, New Zealand at +14.66%, and Jersey, which was up +14.06% using inflation adjusted figures.

Australia’s phenomenal housing market growth has been fuelled by high demand coupled with low inventory levels in the country’s eight major cities. This is a big leap up from the previous year’s 3.87% rise.

As for year-on-year decreases, Morocco saw the most dramatic drops, falling -10.54% followed by the Philippines with a -9.81% drop, Sri Lanka with -9.6%, Peru with -8.86% and Italy coming in at -6.62%, again using inflation adjustment figures.

Europe’s housing market continues to be strong, despite the economic strain caused by the pandemic. Housing prices have risen in 21 of the 27 European markets whose statistics are available for 2021. Three of the five strongest housing markets in the global survey are European nations.

Other than the three previously mentioned countries – Turkey, Slovak Republic and Jersey – housing price booms are also evident in the Netherlands, with the average purchase price rising by +13.83% in 2021, almost double the +7.33% of the previous year.

Germany also saw a healthy market in 2021, with the price of flats rising by +7.04% on average. The UK also saw a +5.5% rise, on par with the country’s previous year, though it was notably flat in London, whilst the rest of the country saw rises. This can partially be explained by the government decision to have a transaction tax holiday on stamp duty to allow homebuyers affected by the Covid crisis to buy.

Sweden, Lithuania, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania and Ireland also saw appreciable growth. France saw a more modest rise of +4.27% brought on by renewed optimism in the last quarter of 2021.

The Pacific has seen massive growth, with Australia’s being record-breaking. The North American market is still booming as well, with double digit house price growth. Asian markets are seeing a ramping up, whilst the Middle East is a mixed bag and Latin America continues to struggle.

In general, the news is positive, but for those already struggling to pay rent, the prospects of purchasing are becoming increasingly out of reach. Affordability was a growing problem before the start of the pandemic, and the crisis did nothing to help.

People wanting to flee small flats during lockdowns coupled with decreased construction created an environment ripe for price increases. But for many, household incomes stayed stagnant, were cut completely, or were affected by inflation. The idea of home ownership for many flew out of the window, making for a continental divide that may continue for generations.

As a result, young and lower-income people despair they will ever be able to save enough to get on the property ladder. They may be right.

 

 

Photo by Maximillian Conacher on Unsplash

 

 

 

Remarkable Monaco women gather for International Women’s Day

by: Stephanie Horsman
15/03/2022

The 3rd edition of the Women of Monaco Lunch brought together 60 remarkable women from different countries, fields and backgrounds to celebrate the passing of International Women’s Day at the Monaco Yacht Club.

The guest list reads like a who’s who of the Principality, with the enduringly chic Princess Caroline, model Victoria Silvstedt, businesswoman and filmmaker Lady Monika Bacardi, Elisabetta Gregoraci, and Princess Antonella of Orleans-Bourbon amongst a cast of glittering and accomplished women meeting up for a luncheon organised by 5 Star Events on 8th March at the Monaco Yacht Club.

Sixty women in all came together for International Women’s Day and were recognised for their collective and individual achievements and giving special notice to those who have gone above and beyond through the awarding of the Women of Monaco Award.

This year, there were five winners starting with Rita Caltigirone-Rovelli in the Art and Culture category for her Monaco Project for the Arts, a non-profit association supporting arts and education. Under the Charity heading was Donatella Campioni for her work as President of Monaco Aide and Presence, which carries out humanitarian and charitable actions around the globe with special emphasis on children in need. The Image Award went to model Victoria Silvstedt, who has spent a lifetime cultivating her talents in the fields of acting and singing. Lady Monika Bacardi was honoured with the Entrepreneur Award for her many endeavours in the world of film, business and art patronage. And Oxana Girko won the Green Award in recognition of her last international project to reduce plastic pollution on the planet by creating a new formula of plastic that dissolves after use.

The theme of the lunch was Capri, which tied in beautifully with creations by Maison Chantecler Capri and was attended by CMS Monaco Christine Pasquier-Ciuilla, a founder of the prestigious family law firm.

The event was rounded out with a hint of what’s to come in spring trends, with a fashion show put on by stylist Oscar Scirè.

 

Photo from left to right: Oxana Girko, Monica Landeau, H.R.H Princess Caroline of Hanover (President of the Princess Grace Foundation), Sandrine Knoell (organizer of the Women of Monaco Lunch), Elisabetta Gregoraci, Victoria Silvstedt.

 

New Northbound Exhibition at the Oceanographic Museum

by: Cassandra Tanti
15/03/2022

Visitors to the Oceanographic Museum are invited to journey from Föhr in Northern Germany to the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway in an exciting new exhibition that reveals the beauty of the North Sea and the importance of preserving its coastal and marine areas.

The Museum Kunst der Westküste, located in Alkersum on the North Sea island of Föhr, Germany, is presenting the ‘Northbound. Connected by the Sea’ exhibition at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco from 19th March to 19th June 2022. It brings together 24 paintings and photographs, historical and contemporary works which illustrate the role of the North Sea and the importance of preserving its coastal and marine areas. The Northbound exhibition, scheduled as part of Monaco Ocean Week, will be complemented by a scientific symposium entitled ‘The North Sea, a Sea of Solutions’, on 11th May 2022.

The North Sea, a shelf sea in Northwestern Europe, is revealed through an exclusive selection of paintings and photographs from the collection of the Museum Kunst der Westküste, providing exhibition visitors with a visual voyage across four ports of call.

First stop is the Netherlands, where artworks such as Cool Early Spring on Scheveningen Pier by Isaac Israëls (1865–1934) is characterised by a warm grey-blue tone. The tour then heads to Denmark where the Skagen Painters, a group of Scandinavian artists who gathered in the village of Skagen in the northernmost part of Denmark, captured in their compositions the famous ‘blue hour’ specific to Danish outdoor painting since the 1880s. These atmospheric conditions are characteristic of Peder Severin Krøyers (1851-1909) renderings of Skagens beaches, such as Fishermen on the Beach at Skagen, Mild Summer Evening or Anna Ancher and Marie Krøyer on the Beach at Skagen – a work loaned by the Broere Charitable Foundation, a patron of the Oceanographic Institute.

Joakim Eskildsen, Skagen VI, 2008 © Museum Kunst der Westküste

Contemporary artists are perpetuating this tradition by capturing in their photographs the twilight of ‘blue hour’, as seen in Skagen VI (2008) by Joakim Eskildsen.

In Norway, landscapes are romantic and emotive in conception, as seen in A Norwegian Fjord in Summer by Georg Anton Rasmussen (1842-1914).

Finally, the journey highlights the wonderful island of Föhr in North Frisia (Germany), with its special cultural and scenic features. The seascape of Otto H. Engel (1866-1949) makes Frisian culture around 1900 very vivid, whether through pictorial figures as in Evening Beach Scene, the interior of Frisian houses as in Frisian Parlour, or portrait painting as in In Front of the Mirror, which shows a woman from Föhr wearing traditional costume and readjusting her embroidered headscarf.

All the works presented have a common denominator: the sea. For centuries artists have challenged themselves to ‘capture’ this subject, which never stands still. In constant motion, the sea changes continually in its overall appearance, its colours, its temperament. At times the sea captivates by its calm, smooth, reflective surface. At times it is immersed in green, blue or sometimes grey, interspersed with white crests formed by the waves.

Laurits Tuxen, Fresh Day in June on Skagen, 1908 © Museum Kunst der Westküste

By creating a dialogue between historical and contemporary artworks, the Northbound exhibition is inviting visitors to explore the role played by the North Sea throughout history. The exhibition also highlights the role the North Sea played and continues to play in the cultural links between the island of Föhr, Northern Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. These regions are also linked by the threat posed by climate change, pollution and overfishing. By letting visitors appreciate the beauties and characteristics of the North Sea region, the aim is to draw their attention to the importance of protecting coasts and encourage as many people as possible to have a responsible attitude towards nature.

Guided tours of the exhibition will be offered during school holidays as well as a treasure hunt, accessible online, for schoolchildren and their parents.

The exhibition will be complemented by a scientific symposium open to the public. It will address, using a comparative approach, the challenges to be met as well as exemplary experiments carried out for the protection of the environment for the North Sea and the Mediterranean. This meeting will be led by Peter Herzig, former director of the GEOMAR Institute.

 

Top photo: Georg Anton Rasmussen, A Norwegian Fjord in Summer, n.d. © Museum Kunst der Westküste, Photo Lukas Spörl

 

 

 

Spring is in the air at the Monte-Carlo Spring Arts Festival

by: Stephanie Horsman
15/03/2022

Welcome the return to warm days and sunshine with the Monte-Carlo Spring Arts Festival, the theme ‘My End is My Beginning’ perfectly representing what is in store at this decidedly modern event.

As the days grow longer and nature begins her wondrous renewal dance, so too does the Principality at the 2022 Monte-Carlo Spring Arts Festival.

Cinema, art, and dance all join together, creating moments of beauty and wonder for audiences and guests to enjoy.

Under the theme ‘My End is My Beginning’, chosen by the event’s new artistic director Bruno Mantovani, the programme, as well as the lectures and roundtable events, will offer insight into the idea that when one creative period ends, another often starts. This will be portrayed in myriad ways, whether it be through the identity of Russian music or writing for string quartets.

Additionally, Armenia is in the spotlight for this year’s event, and will be celebrated with a series of concerts that showcase the artistic vitality of a country that has just the right blend of tradition and modernity.

The works of artist Sergei Parajanov will be featured in an exhibit and his film, Sayat Nova, will be screened. The ballet Sept, les anges du Sinjar, composed by Aram Hovhannisyan and Michel Petrossian and choreographed by Michel Hallet-Eghayan, will enlighten people to the plight of the Yazidi culture, which has been persecuted over the centuries and still faces the same trials today.

Some of the concerts will be followed by “salons” where artists and audiences talk about the music, shared in an intimate setting.

The Monte-Carlo Spring Arts Festival runs from 10th March to 3rd April and a full listing of the events, times and places can be found on their website at https://www.printempsdesarts.mc/programme