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Month: August 2022

Heathrow extends flight cap to end of October

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/08/2022

Heathrow, London’s biggest and busiest airport, has announced it will extend the flight cap it has used all summer, citing an inability to ensure safe and reliable service without it.

Summer travel woes are now spilling over into autumn, as Heathrow Airport announces it will continue to use a flight cap of 100,000 passengers per day until 29th October. The original end date was set for 11thSeptember, but airport officials have extended the cap as the problems plaguing air travel from the summer have yet to be fully resolved, namely the struggle to recruit new staff.

In order to prevent the chaos experienced in early summer, the airport deemed it wiser to carry on with the limit, which since inception has reduced the number of problems for passengers.

“Since the cap was introduced, passenger journeys have improved with fewer last-minute cancellations, better punctuality and shorter wait times for bags,” Heathrow said in a statement.

The news isn’t hugely welcomed by airlines who blame Heathrow’s lack of foresight on the necessity for the limits. Heathrow has countered that the cap could be lifted sooner if “improved resource levels are evident and the airport continues to see sustained operational improvements”.

“Our primary concern is ensuring we give our passengers a reliable service when they travel,” Heathrow chief commercial officer Ross Baker said. “That’s why we introduced temporary capacity limits in July which have already improved journeys during the summer getaway.”

He went on to say, “We want to remove the cap as soon as possible, but we can only do so when we are confident that everyone operating at the airport has the resources to deliver the service our passengers deserve.”

Until then, though, passengers can expect fewer flights and less travel choice.

 

 

Photo credit: Nick Fewings on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Fun activity: Test skills at new escape game in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
16/08/2022

The Oceanographic Museum’s new escape room will take patrons on an adventure back in time to the high seas where danger abounds and only the clever will find their way home.

The new escape room at Monaco’s most popular tourist attract, the Oceanographic Museum, is a fun-filled, action-packed adventure for kids and adults alike.

Players will be asked to imagine themselves aboard the Princess Alice II, Prince Albert I’s famous laboratory boat, which is filled with all the tools needed to carry out a great ocean expedition. They will then be transported back in time to his 1901 Cape Verde explorations, where a violent storm threatens the whole voyage. Engines stop, the wind and waves toss the “crew” about and the nets on the seabed being used to gather data are in danger of being destroyed. It is up to the players to find a solution and get the precious cargo and the people back to dry land safely!

The game, designed in collaboration with IRIS Games, with an immersive scenography created by Camille Renversade, is a friend and family-friendly way to pass some time learning, exploring and having a lot of fun.

There are two games to choose from in these races against time. The first is the 30-minute mission, designed for those new to escape rooms, and the second is a hour-long ride for the more experienced players, covering two missions.

The minimum number of players is three, and the more players in a room, the lower the price, starting at €18 for the half hour and €35 for the one hour.

Note, the activity is only in French. For more info and tickets visit https://musee.oceano.org/activites/escape-game/

 

 

Image source: Oceanographic Museum of Monaco

 

 

 

Venturi’s Mortara victory not enough for championship win

by: Luke Entwistle
16/08/2022

Edoardo Mortara won the final race of the Formula E season in Seoul on Sunday, but the result wasn’t enough to achieve overall victory in the drivers or constructors standings.

Winner of this year’s Monaco ePrix Stoffel Vandoorne wrapped up the title on the tight, windy streets of the South Korean capital. The Mercedes-EQ driver effectively ended the season as a contest during Saturday’s race. A fifth-place finish left Mitch Evans with too much ground to make up in Sunday’s finale, whilst a DNF from ROKiT Venturi’s Mortara definitively ended his title aspirations.

However, going into Sunday’s race, the constructors’ world title was still up for grabs. After a good qualifying, Mortara took the inside line into turn one to maintain second position despite a challenge from Jake Dennis.

Mortara, knowing that only a victory and a strong performance from teammate Lucas Di Grassi would suffice, made inroads into António Felix Da Costa’s lead in the early stages. He then made a daring move down the inside of the Portuguese driver, having dummied a move around the outside. He made the move stick, whilst Dennis also profited and moved up to second.

Monégasque manufacturer Venturi was given hope mid-race when Nyck De Vries had to pit because of a puncture. However, that hope was short-lived. Just a few laps later, Di Grassi dropped down to seventh and then to the side of the track as he too suffered a puncture. Following his enforced pit stop, he re-joined outside of the points and the title looked to have slipped away from Venturi.

However, going into the final race, it was never really in Venturi’s hands. A solid, points-scoring race from Vandoorne was all that was needed for him to wrap up the drivers’ title as well as the constructors’ title.

Vandoorne’s result was more than solid as he profited from errors by the drivers in front of him. Running in fourth, a collision between Da Costa and Dennis saw the former drop back through the field, whilst the latter was handed a time penalty. Vandoorne therefore moved up to second and in doing so secured the title.

Mortara’s victory in the final round was ultimately inconsequential, although it did secure him third place in the drivers’ standings. Venturi finished the season as vice-champions, finishing 29 points ahead of DS Techeetah in third, but 24 points behind champions Mercedes-EQ.

Reflecting on the season, Venturi team principal Jérôme d’Ambrosio said, “A victory for Edo is a fantastic way to end the season. I think this result reflects the performance we have shown throughout the year, but at the same time, there is a bittersweet feeling because it feels like we could have had more in the World Teams’ Championship. We fought until the very end.”

He continued, “Reflecting on our progression and evolution as a team over the past two years makes me very proud. I’m proud of every team member, of what we’ve achieved together and the trajectory that the team is on.”

Race winner Mortara echoed d’Ambrosio’s thoughts, adding that he’s “confident that the best is yet to come.” Having narrowly missed out, Venturi will want to build on this strong season, and go one better next year.

 

 

Photo source: ROKiT Venturi Racing

 

 

 

Camara signs five-year deal at Monaco

by: Luke Entwistle
15/08/2022

AS Monaco have completed their fifth signing of the summer transfer window with the arrival of Mali international midfielder Mohamed Camara on a five-year deal.

Camara was spotted at the Stade Louis II on Saturday, before the transfer was officialised on Sunday. The fee remains undisclosed, although L’Équipe report the figure to be around €15m.

His arrival marks an end to a protracted search to replace Aurélien Tchouaméni. Since the Frenchman’s reported €100m departure to Real Madrid earlier in the summer, Monaco have been scouring the market for replacements.

Names such as Amadou Onana and Danilo cropped up, whilst the club were reportedly hot on the trail of Leicester’s Boubakary Soumaré. However, the search comes to an end with the arrival of Camara from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg. He has excelled during his time in Austria, winning the title in three consecutive seasons and featuring in the ‘team of the season’ at the end of the last campaign.

Given his experience and his reputation as one of the most exciting defensive midfielders in Europe, he will likely find a place in Philippe Clement’s starting eleven, alongside Youssouf Fofana. Despite the latter’s red card against Rennes on Saturday, he has nonetheless begun the season brightly, picking up where he left off last campaign.

Speaking in a press release, the new signing said, “I am very happy to join a big club like AS Monaco. I had the opportunity to experience very good seasons with RB Salzburg, where I strengthened and where I managed to have a magnificent first experience in Europe. I am now fully focused on this new step in my career.”

Sporting director Paul Mitchell added, “At just 22 years of age, Mohamed already has an impressive record for his age. In addition to the titles he has won with Red Bull Salzburg, he has also had several successes with Mali’s youth teams. Mohamed has made steady progress over the last few seasons, putting in top performances both in the league and internationally, in the Champions League and with the Mali national team.”

The Englishman continued, “Mohamed has a winning mentality and team spirit. His profile as a powerful midfielder will be an additional asset to our collective.”

Given Fofana’s likely suspension following last weekend’s red card against Rennes, Camara may quickly be called into action, and he could make his home debut as soon as Saturday, when Les Monégasuqes face RC Lens at the Stade Louis II.

 

 

Photo source: AS Monaco

 

 

 

 

New fire erupts in southern France despite rains

by: Stephanie Horsman
15/08/2022

A forest fire in southern France has flared up, causing over a thousand people to flee their homes on Sunday, whilst rain in other parts of the country brought flames under control.

It has been a brutal summer in France. This year will go down in the record books for off the charts temperatures, major drought conditions and horrendous forest fires.

One such fire is in the southern Aveyron region, which has blazed since last Monday and appeared to be waning by Saturday when it suddenly regained strength and reignited in what the local prefecture called a “virulent manner”, burning through over 500 more hectares of land.

An estimated thousand people were evacuated from the village of Mostuejols and six other nearby hamlets, the prefecture said. Roughly 3,000 inhabitants had already been asked to leave due to the fire but were allowed back when it first appeared to be under control. No casualties are associated with the fire, but it has burned a total of 1,260 hectares so far.

The fire is thought to be accidental, caused by a local man whose car had scraped the road, sending sparks into tinder-dry vegetation.

Meanwhile, the situation in the region around Bordeaux has improved thanks to overnight rain where a huge fire has been raging since last Tuesday.

The situation “considerably improved during the night,” Arnaud Mendousse of the Gironde fire and rescue said, adding that there had been between 10 and 30mm of rain in the region but on “terrain that is extremely dry”.

He made clear the threat is far from over, though. “We know that this offers a respite but does no signify an end to the fight. We know that if it does not rain in the next 48 to 72 hours the risk will increase considerably.”

In the northwest Broceliande forest region of Brittany, a mythical place where King Arthur is said to have roamed and where wildfires are a rarity, a fire was contained after rain fell overnight, but remained under watch after burning through 400 hectares, officials said.

Sunday’s rain over a large part of France has improved not only the fire situation but has brought temperatures down and raised humidity levels, making daily life for people much more manageable.

 

 

Watch the Perseid meteor shower at Monaco’s history museum

by: Stephanie Horsman
15/08/2022

The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology is inviting people to join them in wishing upon a shooting star Thursday night as they host a night of exhibitions, conferences and a chance to see the Perseid meteor shower.

The Perseid meteor shower is an annual event that greets stargazers with an unparalleled display of shooting stars in the summer months in the northern hemisphere. The displays, which usually last between mid-July and mid-August, are created by Earth’s transit through an ice and rock debris field left behind by the Swift-Tuttle comet. On good years, anywhere from 150 to 160 meteors can be seen in a single hour.

The Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology in Monaco is taking advantage of the last days of the showers to invite guests to join them for a full evening on Thursday 18th August from 8:30pm to 11pm for ‘The Night of the Shooting Stars’, in conjunction with their partners at the Spéléo (Caving) Club of Monaco.

The event will open with an astronomy exhibition of equipment, photographs and tools of the trade for sky watchers. This will be followed by two short talks. The first is ‘The Great February 23, 1887 Earthquake of the Riviera’ presented by André Laurenti, author of the Azurseisme.com site, and the other talk will be on ‘The Constellations seen by Mythology’, given by Bruno Mongellaz from the Science Partage Information Côte d’Azur (SPICA).

At 10pm, the grand finale commences, with the spectators being provided with telescopes and special glasses to watch as the meteors rain down from the skies.