An exhibition of filmed portraits taken in Monaco by French photographer Charles Fréger, organised and produced by Monaco’s Department of Cultural Affairs, is on display at the Quai Antoine I Exhibition Hall until 3 January 2021. The exhibition came about in the unique context of the period during which lockdown measures were eased. The artist casts his eye over Monaco and some of the various groups and communities that make up the country’s identity. Working people, athletes, schoolchildren and artists were filmed at a time when social distancing had become the norm. Charles Fréger opted to focus on moving images, thereby bringing his subjects closer to the audience. “The portraits, projected in enormous scale onto a 26-metre-long wall, are, for the first time in Charles Fréger’s work, more like an installation than an exhibition of photographs,” explains Björn Dahlström, the exhibition’s curator. Free entry, Tuesday to Sunday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. (closed on 25 December 2020 and 1 January 2021). Source: Gouvernement Monaco

Billionaire business and SpaceX owner Elon Musk has announced that his company will launch its first uncrewed mission to Mars in 2024. "I think we have a fighting chance of making that second Mars transfer window," Space.com quoted Elon Musk as saying. Musk made the statement during a discussion at the International Mars Society Convention. It is to be noted that China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched missions to Mars in July 2020 and the next "window" to launch a mission to Red Planet will open in 2022. Musk also said that SpaceX "would maybe have a shot of sending or trying to send something to Mars in three years," if the mission timings didn't depend on the "orbital mechanics that call for Mars launches every 26 months". "Earth and Mars won't be in the best position...But the window is four years away, because of them being in different parts of the solar system," he said. SpaceX is gearing up to launch its first uncrewed mission to Mars on its Starship rocket. Starship is a "reusable rocket-and-spacecraft combo" which is being developed at the company's South Texas facility, the report said. The report added, "SpaceX is also planning to use Starship for missions to the Moon starting in 2022, as well as point-to-point trips around the Earth." Elon Musk has believed that human beings "need to establish a permanent and self-sustaining presence on Mars to ensure "the continuance of consciousness as we know it"" - just in case, some nuclear war or asteroid strike leave Earth uninhabitable, the report said. However, Musk's SpaceX is not planning to build a base on the Red Planet. "As a transportation company, its only goal is to ferry cargo [and humans] to and from the red planet, facilitating the development of someone else's Mars base," the report said. SpaceX launched two test flights of Starship prototypes, called SN5 and SN6, in 2020. "Those flights reached an altitude of 500 feet (150 meters)," SpaceX said.

Monaco will spread its digital identity and trusted services. A true cornerstone of its digital ecosystem and the Monegasque digital identity must guarantee an optimal level of security through IN Group technologies. Monaco, October 15, 2020-The Principality of Monaco announces the selection of IN GROUP as a technological partner to design and secure its digital identity. Following the vote by the 1483 of Law 1483 of December 17, 2019, the Government, faithful to its data protection and privacy values, wants to guarantee a confidence level needed. As part of the digital transition program,... 5... The Princely Government has engaged in many major projects (Sovereign Cloud, 5 G, Digital College, e-Health, Security Token Offering...). On behalf of this partnership with IN Group, the Principality intends to enable the realization of the probative value to be achieved on digital. A Global Specialist in Secure Identity and Digital Services, IN Group is a trusted strategic partner for any state that wants to act in its identity sovereignty and guarantee every one of its citizens a fundamental right, the Right to Be Self. Source: Gouvernement Monaco

Opening of diplomatic relations between the Principality of Monaco and Granada. On Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Grenada became the 151th State with which the Principality of Monaco established diplomatic relations, by signing a joint communiqué by the Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in New York, H.E. Ms. Keisha McGuire and Ms. Isabelle Picco. Small island developing state of the Caribbean, a member of the United Nations (United Nations) since 1974, Grenada faces several recurring challenges, including impacts of climate change such as floods, drought and longer hurricane seasons and dangerous. Like the Principality, Grenada was elected to one of the 16 vice-presidencies of the UN General Assembly for this commemorative session of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. Monaco and Granada will continue their close collaboration on sustainable development, especially in the protection of the oceans and seas. Source: Gouvernement Monaco

Ms. Isabelle BONNAL, Director of National Education, Youth and Sports (DENJS), Mr. Olivier WENDEN, Vice-President of the Prince Albert II Foundation and Ms. Jessica SBARAGLIA, Founder of the Terre de Monaco company, formalized today their partnership through the signing of an Agreement based on eco-responsible commitment and Education for Sustainable Development among students in the Principality. Implemented last March, this agreement, which could not be formalized due to the health crisis, provides for the organization of numerous educational activities related to the environment and the development of organic vegetable gardens in certain establishments in the Principality, such as the Prince Albert II Leisure Center, the Parc school, the Fontvieille school, the Monaco Technical and Hotel Lycée and the Condamine school where this official signing took place. The objective of this convention is to allow students, from an early age, to interact with nature, to discover the production process of fruits and vegetables but also to be sensitive, by knowing the products consumed, to a healthy and balanced diet. Thus, nearly 3,000 students per year garden and harvest their produce. On the occasion of this ceremony, the Prince Albert II Foundation presented CM1 B students from the Condamine school with a set of cards recalling the main Sustainable Development Goals, set by the United Nations in 2015. This fun educational tool will be distributed to all schoolchildren in the coming days. This tripartite agreement confirms that the Prince Albert II Foundation and the Terre de Monaco company are today the privileged partners of the DENJS in the development of a real Education for Sustainable Development, among the students of the Principality. Source: Gouvernement de Monaco