Author: France 24

Paris SG striker Ousmane Dembele drew the main draw for the French Open yesterday. World No.1 Jannik Sinner will face home favourite Arthur Rinderknech in the first round. Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev could meet in the quarter-finals. In the women’s draw, Paula Badosa will face former World No.1 Naomi Osaka in the first round. 

As the global race in artificial intelligence gathers pace, American AI startup Anthropic has unveiled the latest, most powerful versions of its model Claude. The company says they can write computer code by itself and play Pokemon for much longer than its predecessors.  Yuka Royer speaks with the company’s Chief Product Officer Mike Krieger about ensuring safety, fighting deepfakes and reducing AI’s environmental footprint. 

The Israeli military issued an Arabic-language statement on Thursday to announce it was “operating with intense force” in 14 areas in the northern Gaza Strip, warning inhabitants to evacuate and accusing “terrorist organisations” of operating there. 

Arts24’s Eve Jackson brings you the latest from the Cannes Film Festival, starting with “The History of Sound” – a powerful period love story starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor. 

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, May 20: Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book “Original Sin” shows that Joe Biden’s cognitive decline was far more severe than portrayed. It comes as the Democrats are accused of covering for him during his presidency. Also, reactions after Britain and the EU sign agreements that effectively turn the page on Brexit. And, a sculpted bust of Jim Morrison, stolen from his Père Lachaise gravesite thirty-seven years ago turns up in a French police investigation!

Brennan Johnson’s bundled first-half goal helped Tottenham Hotspur win a scrappy Europa League final 1-0 against Manchester United on Wednesday as they cast aside their domestic woes to earn a berth in next year’s Champions League. It was Spurs’ first silverware since the 2008 League Cup and their first European trophy since 1984.

Japan’s new agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi vowed to bring down prices of rice, after his predecessor was forced to resign over a gaffe. Taku Eto had caused an uproar after joking he never had to buy rice thanks to donations from his supporters, touching many a raw nerve . But why is the country facing a crisis? Some analysts blame longrunning government policy for the shortage. Plus, Marks and Spencer says a recent cyberattack will wipe out nearly a third of its annual profits. 

Israel’s supreme court on Wednesday ruled as “unlawful” the government’s decision in March to fire domestic security chief Ronen Bar, a move which had triggered mass protests in the country. 

Scarlett Johansson joins the growing wave of actresses stepping behind the camera with her Cannes directorial debut “Eleanor the Great”, a touching tale of grief and reinvention. Jodie Foster also impresses in “A Private Life”, playing a wine-sipping, chain-smoking psychiatrist in her first lead French-speaking role. 

The government of French President Emmanuel Macron covered up decisions over the illegal treatment of mineral water by food industry giant Nestle, including the world-famous Perrier brand, a Senate inquiry commission said Monday. Its report focused on Nestle’s years of use of treatments to avoid bacterial or chemical contamination of water labeled as “natural mineral water” or “spring water” for brands also including Contrex, Vittel and Hépar. Such treatments are prohibited under French and European regulations. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, FRANCE 24’s Eve Irvine welcomes Dr. Davide Staedler, Tenured Professor at Université de Lausanne, and CEO /…