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Day: 21 September 2022

EU plan to boost cancer screening by 2025

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/09/2022

The European Commission plans to make sure that 90% of all people who qualify for breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screenings actually receive the tests they need.

Deaths from cancer have been steadily on the rise in Europe, with an estimated 20% increase between 1995 and 2018 and a massive 50% jump in cases during the same period.

The European Commission (EC) is making efforts to combat this deadly disease through its Cancer Beating Plan, by asking member states to get the word out and urge people to get screened regularly.

The focus will be on early detection, using the latest scientific developments and research to offer 90% of the population who qualify for breast, colorectal and cervical screenings the testing they need by 2025. The new plan will also expand population-based screenings to include lung, prostate and some gastric cancers.

“In 2020, an estimated 2.7 million people living in the EU were diagnosed with cancer and more than 1.3 million people lost their lives to this disease,” said Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety. “We know that early diagnosis saves lives and improves quality of life. Today, under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, we are setting a new course for cancer screening in the EU. With our new recommendations, the EU Cancer Screening Scheme will be covering cancer types that together account for almost 55% of all new cases diagnosed in the EU every year.”

This plan will replace a two-decade old version that is now woefully out-of-date and will reflect the latest in cancer-beating studies.

Some of the specifics of the new programme include extending the target groups for breast screening from the current bracket of 50 to 69 to between 45 and 74 years of age, as well as recommending that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) tests be given for women 30 to 65 every five years in order to detect cervical cancers.

Lung cancer testing will also be made on current and ex-heavy smokers aged 50 to 75, prostate cancer screening for men up to age 70 will be given to those who have markers found in antigen tests, and screenings for Helicobacter pylori and surveillance of precancerous stomach lesions in places with high gastric cancer incidence and death rates will be more available.

The EU will now take steps to adopt the new plan and put it action as soon as possible.

 

 

Photo source: National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Economist Jean-Pierre Petit analyses year ahead

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/09/2022

French Economist Jean-Pierre Petit has told a room full of Monegasque entrepreneurs that he expects the war in Ukraine to last much longer than anticipated, and that inflation in Europe will continue to rise into next year.

Now that the world is moving forward again after the Covid crisis, information about the state of economic matters are at the forefront of many people’s minds. To offer some insight into that world, the President of the Cahiers Verts de l’Economie Jean-Pierre Petit took to the stage at the Hermitage Hotel on 16th September for an event  organised by the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) and Jutheau Husson.

The French economist, who has been speaking in Monaco every year since 2018, explained his key points to an enthusiastic audience of around 120 entrepreneurs and businesspeople, which also included Pierre Dartout, Monaco’s Minister of State.

Petit looked at the conflict in Ukraine and noted the serious consequences reverberating through Europe as a result of it. He said he believed that this war is most certainly going to last longer than anticipated and blamed that on the irrationality of leaders in Moscow.

Photo credit: MEB / Carte Blanche

He touched upon the energy crisis as well and predicted that, in Europe, even with a 15% drop in consumption and a diversification of imports and production, it would not be enough to cover all needs. Certain sectors, such as transport, heavy industry, textiles and agri-business, will be most hard hit, he said.

On a more global scale, he stated that the situation reveals an overall slowdown in activity as a result of the energy challenges facing the world. China’s ongoing health crisis has slowed their growth, dragging down the entire region. He gave minor praise to the United States, whom he thinks is handling the situation better than most due to a lack of dependence on outside players for energy.

European households, he thinks, need to continue to be protected through support measures, and despite the risk of inflation, he says that maintaining current levels of activity will make it possible to limit decline and social consequences, though not eliminate them. Tellingly, he thinks inflation will peak soon, except in Europe, where indicators show it will rise until next year.

The President of the Cahiers Verts de l’Economie also said that interest rates are topping out, and called for caution with regard to share prices for stocks, as the upward trends in the markets has yet to begin.

The next MEB economic conference will take place on 4th October during the Monaco Business fair, with the intervention of Christophe Barraud, chief economist and strategist at Market Securities.

 

 

Photo above: From left to right Président of MEB Michel Dotta, Minister of State Pierre Dartout, Président des Cahiers Verts de l’Economie Jean-Pierre Petit,  and Hervé Husson, Président of Jutheau Husson. Credit: MEB / Carte Blanche

 

 

 

 

Take a trip to Spain at the Condamine food market

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/09/2022

The Monaco Mairie is organising several special events at the Monte-Carlo Market over the coming weeks, including a Spanish-themed lunch featuring delicious food and drinks.

Spend a day in Spain without leaving the Principality on 24th September when the Town Hall of Monaco invites the public to the Monte-Carlo Market for a day of food and fun.

In addition to the already wonderful selection of traders on site, there will be exhibitors offering specialities such as paella, sangria and a multitude of other Iberian products. The food will be available for take-away from 11am, and for those who prefer to relax and eat on-site, meals will be served from 12pm.

Other upcoming market events include the Forager’s Market (Marché des Cueilleurs) coming on 8th October, when mushrooms and chestnuts will be on offer, as well at a Regional Wine and Cheese Market coming on 22nd October.

Access to the market is free and the day runs from 8am until 2pm.

 

Photo by Young Shih on Unsplash

 

 

 

Roca Team finish pre-season with a win ahead of curtain-raiser

by: Luke Entwistle
21/09/2022

AS Monaco Basketball concluded their pre-season tour with a victory against Bahceshir Koleji (58-76) ahead of their season-opener against Nanterre on Saturday. 

It has been a while since the home faithful have been able to see the Roca Team in action, in person. Due to the continued expansion works on the Salle Gaston Médécin, the club have been forced to take to the road this summer, traveling to Italy, Germany and Turkey.

The wait will also be prolonged by the scheduling at the beginning of the season. Monaco face Nanterre in the season-opener this Saturday before heading to Nancy the following Tuesday. Fans will have to wait until 2nd October to see their team return to the new-look Salle Gaston Médécin to face Roanne. The first Euroleague game to take place in the Principality will be on 13th October.

The Europe-wide pre-season tour has provided for the club’s many new recruits to create on and off-court relationships. Just like the previous season, the club has experienced a high turnover of players this summer, although there is the hope and expectation that this will be the last transfer window of mass upheaval.

Monaco have been able to integrate their new players, whilst ensuring a pre-season of positive results. They finished their preparations with a comfortable win against Bahceshir Koleji on Sunday, meaning they finish their tour with five wins and just two losses.

Despite the new-look feel to the Roca Team roster, it was the recognised faces of Mike James and Donatas Motiejunas who finished as Monaco’s top scorers in the final fixture with 17-points apiece.

One player that hasn’t been able to integrate into the side during the summer is Élie Okobo, who was bought from ASVEL. He has been on international duty with France, guiding the side to the Euros final before falling short against Spain. Okobo has, however, now joined up with his teammates and will add a level of domestic and international experience that fans hope will prove the difference.

This season, the club will be looking to finally get their hands on the Betclic Elite trophy, whilst also going once again making the Euroleague play-offs. Their preparation alludes to a successful upcoming season, but it is up to this new-look Roca Team to produce the goods on-court to convert hope into silverware.

 

Photo by AS Monaco Basket

 

 

 

Thomas Riqué: “Rugby is strong in Monaco”

by: Luke Entwistle
21/09/2022

AS Monaco Rugby president Thomas Riqué gave a glowing appraisal of the state of the sport in the Principality during the club’s start-of-season presentation on Monday.

Players, partners and the press gathered on the rooftop of the Cardio-Thoracique centre in Monte-Carlo to herald a new era of ASM Rugby, with the side now competing in the very top amateur division following last season’s promotion to the Fédérale 2.

The event celebrated not only that achievement but also the decade-long partnership between the club and the Cardio-Thoracique centre. The emotion from ASM rugby’s first win in Fédérale 2 on Saturday (24-19 v Saint Jean en Royans) was also still raw, and president Thomas Riqué was quick to congratulate the squad.

“I think we and our partners can be proud of our boys this evening, because what they did on Saturday was quite simply magnificent. Getting to the Fédérale 2, the highest level of amateur rugby, was already an exploit, which proves that we are a good team, but what they did over the weekend was a completely different challenge. I am happy today that we are showing our partners that rugby is strong in Monaco,” said Riqué.

New Monaco manager Walter Argoud added, “The victory was a great thing for the club. We knew it would be difficult, but the players played a great match with a great spirit, which allowed us to get the well-deserved victory.”

At the event, Argoud also set out the aims of the club going into this, the most special of seasons. “The objective is very much to stay up first of all, and if we manage that quickly, we’ll aim higher, but we need to keep our feet on the ground,” he said.

Monaco next face one of the favourites in the championship, Montmélian, on Sunday.

 

Photo of Guy Nervo and Thomas Riqué by Luke Entwistle