France Government
NFL monitors France street violence before Saints-Steelers game near Paris with a major decision looming
Human vs. ChatGPT NFL Week 6 betting picks: AI goes all-in on totals after another weekly win College football chaos: Historic upsets, Arch Manning's fiasco, clock controversy and CFP ramifications arise Hostile Valkyries fans verbally attacked women's sports activists at WNBA Finals Game 1 in San Francisco Could injured Giants star Jaxson Dart return for the playoffs? Joel Embiid rejects idea 76ers stars must'take a back seat' as NBA regular season looms Steve Sarkisian vows to'evaluate everything,' won't rule out benching Arch Manning amid Texas' two-game skid Freshman Tommy Carr's second-half magic leads Michigan to must-have win over Penn State Ole Miss defense takes charge, shuts down Missouri's high-powered rushing attack in 31-3 win Ohio State shatters Indiana's 22-game winning streak, but questions linger about Julian Sayin's health Ex-wrestler Pac's sudden death cause revealed by Cook County Medical Examiner's Office Eagles' Jalen Hurts placed on injured reserve after superficial blood clot found in his calf area Trump defends Iran strikes amid gas price concerns: 'I don't view things politically' Pro-Palestinian, communist mobs in France are making an'anarchic effort,' expert warns Kaylee McGhee White: Voting for Democrats is voting for a'progressive grievance hamster wheel' Kaylee McGhee White: Dems don't even know what they're supposed to be mad about Lara Trump: With super intelligence, there's information everywhere you turn Benjamin Netanyahu: What genocidal country sends food to its enemy? Benjamin Netanyahu: The Iranian people have been taken captive by'ideological thugs' Netanyahu: Let's forge a different future for the Middle East Rep Andy Barr: If it taxes like a socialist, it's a socialist Jack Smith's actions were unjustified for his mandate, Gregg Jarrett says'Border czar' Tom Homan touts major ICE arrest surge Mike Rogers calls Michigan'last line of defense' against socialism A league source says a venue change'can be considered' if events warrant as arrests climb to 1,800 Former NYPD inspector Paul Mauro and criminal defense attorney Josh Ritter join'Saturday in America' to analyze escalating unrest across France as protesters clash with police, fires break out and businesses are vandalized in Paris. Mauro discusses the challenges facing French law enforcement as authorities respond to the violence. The NFL is monitoring the street violence in France with no current plan to move its first-ever game in the country scheduled for next Sunday just north of Paris, but a league source said that can change if events warrant playing in a different venue.
French former minister on trial over alleged Renault-Nissan lobbying
French former minister Rachida Dati has gone on trial in Paris for corruption, accused of taking money from Renault-Nissan in return for political influence. Dati, 61, who was justice minister under former President Nicolas Sarkozy and culture minister under Emmanuel Macron, is known to have been paid €900,000 (£770,000) by the car giant between 2009 and 2013. According to a contract signed in 2009, shortly after she ceased being a minister under Sarkozy and was elected as a member of the European Parliament, the payment was for legal services performed for the company. But magistrates argue the contract was used to disguise payments for lobbying work. Magistrates believe Renault-Nissan's former CEO Carlos Ghosn recruited Dati to lobby on the company's behalf in the European Parliament, and to facilitate contacts with Sarkozy who was head of state until 2012.
Manga-inspired theme park to be built near Paris
Three theme parks will be built near Paris as part of a €6bn (£5.13bn) deal agreed between France and Saudi Arabia. The new development is expected to include a manga-themed park, inspired by the popular Japanese franchise Dragon Ball Z. French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the move as on a scale not seen since Disneyland Paris, and added you know my interest for manga. An opening date for the parks - which will be built near Cergy-Pontoise - has not set by the Élysée Palace, but they will open in stages and construction is expected to take years. The project was given the green light during a two-day state visit to France by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It stemmed from a previous discussion between Macron and bin Salman about their shared passion for Japanese comics, in particular Dragon Ball Z, advisers to the president told reporters on Monday.
Esports World Cup ends with surprise win for China-based team
China-based team AG.AL have been crowned surprise winners of the Esports World Cup (EWC) after seven weeks of competition in Paris. The team claimed the tournament trophy and $7m (£5.1m) top prize at a ceremony attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Fifa boss Gianni Infantino. Bosses moved the contest, which was due to be held in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, to France at the last minute due to safety concerns over the conflict between the US and Iran in the Middle East. The event has attracted criticism from some fans due to Saudi Arabia's ongoing involvement, but organisers the Esports Foundation said it had attracted more viewers this year. Image caption, He's never got his hands on football's World Cup, but Cristiano Ronaldo was on hand to reveal the esports version Although it is branded as a World Cup, players in the EWC don't compete for their countries but as individuals or in a team, fighting it out across popular video games such as Call of Duty and League of Legends.
Macron's G7 legacy hangs on fickle AI funding and data centers
Macron's G7 legacy hangs on fickle AI funding and data centers With less than a year left in office, Emmanuel Macron wants to be remembered as the French president who put Europe back in the technology race. His decade-old ambition to turn France into a "startup nation" never fully delivered. Now Macron sees a second chance by positioning France as Europe's artificial intelligence powerhouse, leveraging the nation's abundant supply of nuclear energy for data centers. He convinced SoftBank Group to invest as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) in French projects. His advisers have dubbed the AI effort "Project Marengo," a reference to Napoleon Bonaparte's victory over an Austrian army in 1800 at the battle of the same name, won through speed and decisive action. Marengo was also a political victory, securing Bonaparte's hold on power.
SoftBank plans up to 75 billion investment in French AI centers
SoftBank Group plans to invest as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build 5 gigawatts of artificial intelligence data center capacity in France, saying the country is poised to become a top European hub for AI infrastructure. The first phase comprises an initial €45 billion investment to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in the Hauts-de-France region by 2031, SoftBank said Saturday in a statement. The commitment, which SoftBank called its biggest AI infrastructure investment in Europe, reflects personal diplomacy between Emmanuel Macron and SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, who met during the French president's visit to Japan this year. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right. With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories.