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Day: 8 February 2023

Pension reform strikes: unions call for “harder, more massive, more numerous” strikes on 11th February

by: Stephanie Horsman
08/02/2023
pension reform strikes

The third pension reform strikes in a month in France drew significantly less people on Tuesday, however another is planned in just a matter of days.   

According to union sources from the CGT, two million people were out in the streets of France on Tuesday versus the more conservative French Ministry of the Interior figure of 757,000. Unions in Nice set their own numbers at 20,000 marchers, though police estimated around 6,300.  

The turnout, whilst not exactly disappointing, has re-energised strike organisers, who are now looking ahead to Saturday 11th February, when another strike is in the offing.  

“Tonight’s message will be a call to demonstrate massively on Saturday,” said Laurent Berger, the CFDT secretary general, on Tuesday. He suggested the diminished numbers were caused by “a small handicap with the holidays”, which started in Zone A this week, adding, “[But] the parliamentary debate is until the end of March, and in March there will be no more holidays.”  

CGT leader Philippe Martinez called for strikes to be “harder, more massive, more numerous”, with the intention of rallying workers into taking to the streets this coming Saturday.  

Though the strikes are largely over for many for now, the SNCF is continuing its actions into Wednesday, with the company saying that regular service will be disrupted, making for difficult commutes. TER traffic is severely curtailed in the Alpes-Maritimes region. For information on what is running and when, visit the website. 

 

READ MORE:

France to raise retirement age to 64

 

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Photo source: Dean Moriarty on Pixabay   

Study reveals the world’s safest airlines for 2023

by: Elsa Carpenter
08/02/2023
safest airlines

AirlineRatings.com has released the results of its Top 20 Safest Airlines in the World for 2023 and the list shows that experience – of the carrier and the crew – is the biggest factor in a safe flight. So which airline takes the top spot? 

That accolade goes to Qantas, the Australian flag carrier that has been in operation for over 100 years, making it the third oldest airline still flying and “industry’s most experienced airline”, according to AirlineRatings.com’s editor-in-chief, Geoffrey Thomas. The world’s oldest airline in operation is KLM, which came in 18th position.  

Filling out the rest of the Top Five is Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines. The first European airline to rank is TAP Air Portugal in sixth, which flies regularly out of Nice Airport.  

Other big names at Nice Côte d’Azur Aéroport also feature on the list: Emirates (seventh), SAS (13th), Lufthansa (15th), Finnair (16th), British Airways (17th), and Delta (20th). The French flag carrier of Air France failed to make the Top 20.  

In total, the study considered 385 airlines in its rankings, looking at crashes over the last five years, serious incidents over two years, audits from aviation’s governing bodies and lead associations, fleet age, expert analysis of pilot training, and COVID protocols.  

Click here for the full list.  

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

  

Andrea Chénier coming to Opéra de Monte-Carlo

by: Stephanie Horsman
08/02/2023
andrea chenier

Love and hate in the French Revolution set the scene for the four sold-out Andrea Chénier performances this month at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. 

Leave it to the Italians to create the seminal opera about the French Revolution. First seen at La Scala in Milan in March 1896, with music written by Umberto Giordano and the libretto by Luigi Illica, Andrea Chénier tells the sad tale of the daughter of a countess, Maddalena de Coigny, who falls in love with Andrea Chénier, a poet and French patriot during the Revolution.  

Andrea offers her protection, only to find a rival in former servant Carlo, who now holds a position of power and threatens to not only derail their romance, but to eliminate the competition by having Andrea condemned.  

Renowned tenor Jonas Kaufmann is taking on the title role alongside Maria Agresta as Maddalena. This piece is one he is well-suited for as a seasoned performer who has taken on other challenging parts such as Don José in Carmen and Cavaradossi in Tosca.  

“I think playing a historical character is fantastic, because you have access to a lot of background information that you can incorporate into your interpretation,” said Kaufmann of the role. “In addition, the role of Andrea Chénier is very rewarding musically and vocally, it is in my eyes an absolute masterpiece. And it is an opera through which many great tenors of the past have become immortal, notably Franco Corelli. In this regard, it is always a special honour for me to be able to sing this ‘tenor opera’.” 

Andrea Chénier, a co-production with the Teatro Comunale Bologna and directed by Pier Francesco Maestrini, is playing sold-out shows on 19th, 21st, 23rd and 25th February, with a Gala performance being held on 21st.  

For more information, please click here.

 

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Photo credit: Bill Cooper

Register now for the Pink Ribbon Monaco walk

by: Cassandra Tanti
08/02/2023
women dressed in pink during the Pink Ribbon Monaco Walk

Pink Ribbon Monaco and its supporters will take to the streets on Sunday for a five kilometre walk in support of breast cancer detection. So, grab something pink and join in the fun!

The annual walk starts at 9:45am on Sunday 12th February, but participants are encouraged to turn up early and enjoy everything that is planned.

Pink Ribbon Monaco describes it as a day to “let loose, have fun, and celebrate life!”.

Children under 13 walk for free and pets are welcome.

All profits raised from Pink Ribbon Monaco events and activities go to fund a new scientific study on lobular breast cancer detection directed by Dr. Florent Hugonnet at the Princesse Grace Hospital Centre.

In addition to raising important funds, participants can also win some great raffle prizes, including a pair of Von Löwenstein shoes, a dinner for 2 at Rampoldi, a treatment at Spa Metropole by Givenchy, and a limited edition Rosie-Pink Ribbon Monaco t shirt.

To register, visit the website here: https://www.pinkribbon.mc/pink-ribbon-walk-2023

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Photo source: Pink Ribbon Monaco