Telegram CEO Durov released on bail, but formally put under investigation

Paris, (IANS): Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging service Telegram, was released after paying a five-million-euro (about $5.6 million) bail, but he is required to report to the police twice a week, Paris Public Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said.Durov is officially placed under investigation on six charges and he was prohibited from leaving France during the investigation, Beccuau added on Wednesday night as reported by Xinhua news agency.Durov was arrested by French Police at an airport outside Paris on Saturday night.Beccuau said on Monday that the Telegram founder is accused of 12 criminal offences, including failing to act against Telegram users involved in cyberbullying, sharing pedophilic content and glorifying terrorism.He added the arrest "comes in the context of a judicial investigation opened on July 8, 2024".It also concerns "refusal to communicate, at the request of competent authorities, information or documents necessary for carrying out and operating interceptions allowed by law," the Paris prosecutor said.In response to the arrest, the Telegram group...

Read More........ → August 30, 2024

France sets out long-term nuclear recycling plans

Lescure (second from left) and Le Maire (centre) pictured with La Hague Site Director Stéphanie Gaiffe (far left) and Orano CEO Nicolas Maes (on the right) during the visit (Image: Orano)Minister for the Economy, Finance, Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Bruno Le Maire announced the decision to continue with France's treatment-recycling strategy for used nuclear fuel beyond 2040, with plans to extend the life of existing recycling plants and to launch studies for a new MOX fuel fabrication plant and a new used fuel processing plant.The announcement was made during a visit by Le Maire and Minister Delegate for Industry and Energy Roland Lescure to Orano's La Hague recycling site, days after France's Nuclear Policy Council (Conseil de Politique Nucléaire) said on 26 February that the country would continue with its closed nuclear fuel cycle strategy.Le Maire announced three measures that will be taken towards this goal: a sustainability/resilience programme extending the life of the La Hague and Melox recycling plants beyond 2040; the launch of studies for a new MOX fuel fabrication...

Read More........ → August 03, 2024

Why does the Olympics have an ‘AI agenda’ and what does it mean for the future of sport?

Dotshock / Shutterstock Tom Hartley, University of Tasmania and Vaughan Cruickshank, University of Tasmania The 2024 Summer Olympics, kicking off in Paris on July 26, will be novel for more than just the first inclusion of breakdancing. The event will also be the first instalment of the quadrennial sportsfest since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) unveiled its Olympic AI Agenda. You might be wondering why the Olympics – founded in 1896 in imitation of the famous athletic contest of ancient Greece – needs an “AI agenda”. What can computers do to help the human body’s quest to reach higher, faster and stronger? The answer, according to the IOC, is quite a lot. The committee’s far-reaching agenda envisions a world in which AI systems aid athletes in reaching their peak performance, help to ensure fair play, optimise event operations, and transform the spectator experience. The goal, according to IOC president Thomas Bach, is “to set the course for the AI future of sport with responsible leadership by embracing the change while preserving the Olympic values”. Spotting...

Read More........ → July 24, 2024

Hosts France get kind Olympic draw as Mbappe uncertainty lingers

PARIS - Thierry Henry's France side are firm favourites to progress following a kind group draw for men's football at the 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday, as the hosts wait to see if Kylian Mbappe will be made available. "Nothing is easy," said Henry after the draw, but his side, already amongst the favourites for the gold medal on home turf, avoided potential pitfalls in not drawing Morocco and Egypt. Les Bleus are in Group A of the 16-team tournament with New Zealand, USA and the winners of the AFC-CAF play-off, as they seek to win a second Olympic gold after success in 1984. "It's never easy to win a home tournament, I think Brazil and Spain did it (in 2016 and 1992, respectively) but it doesn't happen often," said Henry. "We will try to make it happen, but it'll be a long journey." It is understood that Paris Saint-Germain superstar Mbappe is also very keen to represent his country at the Olympics, but he would likely have little time to rest after Euro 2024. Football's world governing body FIFA does not oblige clubs to release players for the Olympics, which could complicate Mbappe's...

Read More........ → March 22, 2024

Improved fortunes for French nuclear sector

The Flamanville 3 EPR, where fuel loading is expected to start next month (Image: EDF / Alexis Morin and Antoine Soubigou))France's nuclear industry giants - EDF, Framatome and Orano - have each reported improved results for 2023, compared with 2022, and expect continued growth in 2024, partly due to France's plan to build new reactors. EDF - which was renationalised last year - recorded sales of EUR139.7 billion (USD150 billion) and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of EUR39.9 billion in 2023. The group's net income totalled EUR10 billion, following record annual losses of EUR17.9 billion in 2022. The company said its "exceptional" results were "driven by a very good operational performance, achieving a significant 41.4 TWh increase in nuclear generation in France in a context of historically high prices". It added: "Coming after the sudden drop in nuclear power output in France in 2022 due to the stress corrosion phenomenon and exceptional regulatory measures to limit price rises for consumers, these results have reduced net financial debt." In...

Read More........ → March 12, 2024

Macron doing better after virus infection: presidency

French President Emmanuel Macron, who contracted Covid-19 last week, is doing better, his office said on Wednesday.Macron tested positive for the virus on Thursday showing symptoms of fatigue, coughing and muscle aches.The president, who was self-isolated in an official residence near Paris from where he is running meetings remotely, had promised daily updates on his health.He is now “showing signs of improvement,” the Elysee palace said, without giving details.All previous daily updates had said that the 43-year old president was in a “stable” condition.The French authorities are concerned that the holiday period could see a new spike in infections after the country’s total Covid death toll went above 60,000 last week.Authorities said late Tuesday that nearly 12,000 new cases had been reported in the previous 24 hours and 386 deaths.A vaccination campaign will be started on Sunday, with health workers and older people among the first to get Covid shots, the government said.The EU gave the green light for the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, paving the way for the first inoculations...

Read More........ → December 24, 2020

Morocco King buys a palace in Paris for 80 million

The King of Morocco, Mohamed VI , one of the world's richest men, has bought a palace near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. He bought the impressive Parisian property that previously belonged to a Saudi royal family member for €80 million.It is reported that he bought the palace through Champ de Mars in consultation with Khalid bin Sultan, a former Saudi defense minister and member of the royal family.Paris property agents said the palace had 12 bedrooms, a swimming pool, a playground, a private garden, a spa and a private parking facility. Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com...

Read More........ → October 11, 2020

India to allow 'air bubble' flight ops from US, France

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said India will allow limited flight operations from US and France under the 'Air Bubble' arrangements made with these countries. Accordingly, these flight services will be operated under certain pre-conditions. Besides these, operations of Lufthansa flights to India under the arrangement with Germany will commence. He said that similar arrangement are under advance stages of negotiations with the UK. In aviation parlance, 'Air Bubble' travel arrangements are established between two countries under a certain set of safety and travelling conditions such as high demand, legal entry and exit norms and airlines' willingness to operate on these sectors. Puri said that India has allowed Air France to operate 28 flights to Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai from July 18 to August 1. Similarly, US-based United Airlines has been allowed to operate 18 flights between July 17-31st. At present, the civil aviation authorities of India and the UAE have agreed to allow operations of special repatriation flights between the two countries...

Read More........ → July 17, 2020

His Majesty sends greetings to French President

Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik has sent a cable of congratulations to President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic, on his country's National Day. In his cable, His Majesty expressed his sincere congratulations along with his best wishes of good health and happiness to President Macron and the friendly people of France further progress and prosperity. Source: https://timesofoman.com/ ...

Read More........ → July 12, 2020

Corona virus cure found?

French researchers use malaria drug to cure 36 patients Researchers think they've found a cure for corona virus. French physician-researchers have completed a largely successful clinical trial using a drug originally developed to treal malaria, the New York Post reported. Hydroxychloroquine, sold under the brand name Plaquenil — and also used to treat arthritis and other ailments — was determined to be effective in killing the deadly bug in laboratory experiments, Forbes reported, citing findings published March 9 in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal. The drug developed in 1955 is showing signs that it may also help cure COVID-19 — especially when combined with an antibiotic, a promising new study reveals. “(W)e predict that the drug has a good potential to combat the disease,” the study’s authors, most from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan, wrote in a letter published in Cell Discovery on Wednesday, according to the report. 36 patients — including 20 treated individuals and 16 infected controls — were enrolled in the study, led by Didier Raoult,...

Read More........ → July 10, 2020

France prepares for new coronavirus outbreak with targeted lockdown: PM

PARIS: France was preparing for eventual resurgence of coronavirus epidemic and targeted lockdown would be imposed to preserve economic and social activities, Prime Minister Jean Castex said Wednesday. "The virus is still here," Castex told local broadcaster BFMTV. "It was time to prepare for a second wave of the epidemic... It is the role of the State to prepare, to anticipate." "But we would not proceed to a general lockdown like in March, as that has terrible economic and human consequences. Any new lockdown would be targeted," he added. Castex, who had orchestrated the de-confinement plan, stressed "the need to preserve economic and social life" while implementing emergency measures to contain the epidemic resurgence. France had put its 67 million residents into lockdown from March 17 to May 11 to curb the spread of the virus. Only necessary journeys were allowed, all non-essential businesses were shut down, factories halted production and borders were closed. The restrictive rules triggered the country's worst post-war economic recession. The government expected...

Read More........ → July 09, 2020

Quality issue detected with Flamanville EPR welds

The Flamanville EPR (Image: Alexis Morin and Antoine-Soubigou/EDF) Quality deviations have been detected on certain welds of the main secondary system in the EPR reactor under construction at Flamanville, northern France, EDF announced today. The utility has informed the French regulator of the discovery, but has yet to determine whether the unit's start-up, expected at the end of this year, will be delayed. In a pressurised water reactor, steam generators transfer reactor core heat from the primary coolant loop into a secondary loop where it can be used to generate electricity. The secondary loop is a closed system in which steam produced in the steam generator is conducted towards the turbine. Once condensed, the water is returned to the steam generator. EDF said the first quality deviation in the welding of the main secondary system was detected on 21 March during the initial comprehensive inspection, a regulatory requirement prior to the reactor starting up. This inspection includes an examination of the welds in the primary and secondary systems, and allows an initial...

Read More........ → April 13, 2018

Is the climate conducive for a change?

The Paris Summit brought out a global agreement on curtailing the global warming. How much change is the treaty actually going to bring on mother earth? Mona: All eyes were on Paris second time around in a month’s time. Only the top world leaders gathered the second time to save the earth. Paris Summit was extended by a day as 196 parties sat together to form a global agreement on the reduction of climate change. Two weeks of intense negotiations led to a deal to limit the rise in global temperature to less than 2C. India emerged a key player at the talks. Young turks from Chandigarh share their reflections on the treaty. Too good to be true: The United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP 21) comes across a goody goody deal for all nations from developed to developing, including the US, China, India and Iceland but it’s not comprehensive. While the aim is noble, who does what, when and how remains largely unlettered in order to curtail the rising temperature. It’s tougher for developing nations than the developed, for while we have to carry on development, industry...

Read More........ → December 16, 2015

World leaders unite to condemn Paris strike

Obama talks with Turkish President as other world leaders applaud at the G-20 summit in Antalya (Photo: AP) World leaders united on Sunday to denounce terrorism at a heavily-guarded summit in Turkey after the gun and bomb assaults in Paris, despite divisions over conflict-riven Syria. US President Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin of Russia, China’s President Xi Jinping and other leaders gathered at the Mediterranean resort of Antalya two days after the Paris attacks claimed by Islamic State jihadists. Mr Obama condemned the killing of 129 people in Paris as well as a double suicide bombing in Ankara in October as attacks “on the civilised world” and vowed to “redouble our efforts” to eliminate the ISIS network. “We stand in solidarity with France in hunting down the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice,” Mr Obama declared after talks with his host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Paris killings darkened the mood of the summit of the Group of 20 top world economies, with security and the Syrian conflict now eclipsing an economic agenda that will also...

Read More........ → November 16, 2015

French 700 MHz auction set to start

France’s auction for the allocation of 700 MHz band spectrum will begin on November 16th, with four candidates taking part: Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile, Orange and SFR. Telecoms regulator ARCEP will issue an update on the status of the auction at the end of each day, up until the end of the procedure which could take one or several days. These updates will include: the price reached on each block at day’s end; whether this is the closing price for a block (i.e. requests from the four candidates total six blocks) or whether the bidding will continue the next day as the four candidates are still requesting more than six blocks in total. ARCEP will not provide any details on the requests made by the candidates while the auction is still ongoing. Once the auction is complete, ARCEP will issue a communique on the quantity of spectrum awarded to each candidate, and the price paid for the frequencies. The 700 MHz band is currently being used by DTT services. The French Government decided that, with improvements to DTT compression standards, it was possible to free up the 700 MHz...

Read More........ → November 15, 2015

French economist Jean Tirole wins Nobel for analysis of big companies

French economist Jean Tirole won the Nobel Economics Prize on Monday, for his analysis of big companies, market power and regulation, the Royal Academy of Sciences said. Tirole, the second Frenchman to be honoured this year, is "one of the most influential economists of our time," the jury said. "Many industries are dominated by a small number of large firms or a single monopoly," the jury said of the economist, from Toulouse 1 Capitole University. "Left unregulated, such markets often produce socially undesirable results -- prices higher than those motivated by costs, or unproductive firms that survive by blocking the entry of new and more productive ones." The power of markets and the importance of strong and appropriate regulation has been a central issue in the management of national economies in recent years. This has been the case especially since the 1980s, when policies in advanced countries moved progressively to allowing markets a freer role, and privatised former state monopolies, with the aim of raising competition and reducing inflation. One of the chief contributions...

Read More........ → October 17, 2014

Nobel Literature Prize Goes to French Novelist Patrick Modiano

. Image: http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/l By Graham Beattie: French novelist Patrick Modiano has won the Nobel Prize in Literature "for the art of memory with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human destinies and uncovered the life-world of the Occupation," the Swedish Academy said. The prize is worth 8 million kronor (about $1.1 million). In its biography of the winner, who was born near Paris less than three months after the end of World War II in Europe, the Academy said that "Modiano's works centre on topics such as memory, oblivion, identity and guilt. The city of Paris is often present in the text and can almost be considered a creative participant in the works. Rather often his tales are built on an autobiographical foundation or on events that took place during the German Occupation. He sometimes draws material for his works from interviews, newspaper articles or [his] own notes, which he has accumulated over the years. His novels show an affinity with one another, and it happens that earlier episodes are extended or that persons recur in different tales."...

Read More........ → October 12, 2014

Eurosatory the largest international land and air-land defence and security exhibition.

This year, Eurosatory will be held from the 16 to 20 June 2014 in Paris, France. Founded in 1967 on the Satory plateau in Versailles, Eurosatory is currently the largest international land and air-land defence and security exhibition. Held once every two years, in 2012 the exhibition welcomed Eurosatory 2014 will endeavour again to cover the full spectrum of Defence and Security equipment in all price groups, from new, complex and high-ticket most advanced technology systems, to more affordable and tried-and-tested solutions, that particular countries prefer. over 53,480 professional visitors from 130 countries who came to meet the 1,432 exhibitors from 53 countries, under the keen eye of 684 accredited journalists, from all five continents. Source: World Defence New...

Read More........ → April 02, 2014

New speed record for the Eurocopter X3 hybrid helicopter at 263 knots 487 km/hr.

The Eurocopter X3 is an experimental high-speed hybrid helicopter under development by the French aviation Company Eurocopter.  The Eurocopter X3 hybrid helicopter has opened the frontiers of aviation by attaining a speed milestone of 255 knots (472 km/hr) in level flight on June 7. Several days before this accomplishment, the X3 reached a speed of 263 knots (487 km/hr) during a descent. With these two successes, the X3 surpasses the unofficial speed record for a helicopter. Source: Articl...

Read More........ → February 15, 2014

Terminator axed? France calls for ban on killer robots

International committee to consider asking nations not to develop autonomous killing machines WHEN Hollywood invented the Terminator - a killer robot played by Arnold Schwarzenegger - it was pure science fiction. But now, France is calling for an international ban on developing exactly that: fully-autonomous killing machines. On Friday, nations will vote on whether to consider imposing a ban, at the annual Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) in Geneva, says Sky News. How real is the prospect of a self-guiding robot attacking human targets with lethal force? Who is developing autonomous military robots? The US, UK, Israel and South Korea are all already flying armed drones with some degree of autonomy. On the ground, the US is developing battlefield robots including the remarkable Big Dog - though there is no indication they would ever be weaponised. According to the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots: "Several nations with high-tech militaries, including China, Israel, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, are moving toward systems that would give greater...

Read More........ → November 14, 2013