Author: France 24

A survey on the outlook of French businesses released by the Bank of France shows that the country’s industrial and construction sectors have reached levels of uncertainty last seen during the 2022 energy crunch. This comes as Emmanuel Macron is expected to name a prime minister who will be tasked with forming a new government, thereby pushing back the approval of a budget for 2025. Also, Ukrainian farmers clear their fields of mines in a bid to boost grain production.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the recent olive branch extended to Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Fidan said that the proposal by Devlet Bahceli – the leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) – to have Ocalan address the Turkish parliament offered a “space” to find a peaceful solution to the long-running conflict with the PKK.

Google on Wednesday unveiled Gemini 2.0, a new artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to tackle more conceptual work and thinking done by humans amid fierce competition from the world’s leading tech companies. 

Afghanistan’s Taliban leader has ordered that new residential buildings are constructed without windows looking onto “places usually used by women” and said that existing windows with such views should be blocked to prevent “obscene acts”. 

Australia’s labour government unveiled a new scheme this Thursday that would tax social media platforms if they fail to agree to compensate local media publishers. The plan is meant to provide support to an industry that has lost hundreds of jobs and seen advertising revenue dwindle. Also, the death of a 26-year-old white collar worker in India sparks a national conversation on the importance of preserving work-life balance.

An Italian journalist who was reporting in Tehran has been detained by the Iranian police, Italy’s foreign ministry said in a statement Friday. Cecilia Sala was reporting in the Iranian capital when she was detained on Dec. 19, the ministry said, adding that it was working with Iranian authorities “to clarify the legal situation of Sala and to verify the conditions of her detention.”

Artificial intelligence could transform the future of sound. The market for generative AI in the music industry is taking off, with both huge opportunities and substantial risks for creative professions. A study by Goldmedia consulting and research group found that music creators could lose up to 27 percent of their revenue by 2028 as a direct result. Klaus Goldhammer, Managing Director of Goldmedia, says artists are calling for regulations to protect their jobs. 

Israeli air strikes pummelled Sanaa’s international airport and other targets in Yemen on Thursday, with Huthi rebel media reporting six deaths. Details with FRANCE 24 correspondent in Jerusalem, Noga Tarnopolsky.

The UK has officially become a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), joining 11 existing members including Australia, Japan and Canada. The CPTPP rose from the ashes of the TPP, which was signed in 2016 but was never ratified after Donald Trump pulled the US out of the deal. Plus, France has a new government but still no budget. MPs are set to start debate on an emergency spending bill. 

Luxury fashion is big business. To stay relevant, big luxury houses and independent labels alike know to constantly refresh their communication strategies. Celebrity endorsement still holds enormous sway, but the clothes themselves need to tell a story. Today, that story is increasingly one of liberté, égalité and fraternité! For proof, look no further than the latest collections from Louis Vuitton Homme, Jeanne Friot, Imane Ayissi and Yohji Yamamoto.