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☆ France makes high-profile push to be the A.I. hub of Europe setting up challenge to U.S., China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Macron told CNBC France will "invest like crazy" into A.I. "I think we are number one [in AI] in continental Europe, and we have to accelerate," French President Emmanuel Macron told CNBC's Karen Tso last week. watch nowWhile the U.S is seen as the leader in AI by many measures, France hopes to catch up. Underscoring the potential and hype of AI developments, four-week-old French startup Mistral AI raised 105 million euros to fund the company. I think we need a global regulation," Macron said.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Nathan Laine, Karen Tso, OpenAI's, Bruno Le Maire, Jean, Noel Barrot, Paris, Anton Dahbura, Rishi Sunak, Dahbura, … Organizations: Viva Tech, CNBC France, Bloomberg, Getty, PARIS —, French Finance, Digital, CNBC, European Union, Johns Hopkins Institute, Autonomy, Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, Global, EU, Organisation for Economic Co Locations: A.I, PARIS — France, Europe, China, U.S, France, Germany, Britain

☆ Singapore is not looking to regulate A.I. just yet, says the city-state's authority
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"We are currently not looking at regulating AI," Lee Wan Sie, director for trusted AI and data at Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority, told CNBC. It is calling for companies to collaborate in the world's first AI testing toolkit — called AI Verify — that enables users to conduct technical tests on their AI models and record process checks. Google , Microsoft and IBM are among tech giants which have already joined the AI Verify Foundation — a global open-source community set up to discuss AI standards and best practices, as well as collaborate on governing AI. "By creating practical resources like the AI governance testing framework and toolkit, Singapore is helping organizations build robust governance and testing processes," said Smith. Singapore has really sort of positioned itself as almost like the steward in the region of responsible and trustworthy use of AI.

Persons: Nicky Loh, Lee Wan Sie, IMDA, Lee Wan, chatbot ChatGPT, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Lee, Haniyeh, Brad Smith, Smith, Josephine Teo, Teo, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Stella Cramer, APAC, Clifford Chance's, Clifford Chance, Stella Cramer APAC Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Media Development Authority, CNBC, Tech, IBM, Singapore Airlines, Tesla, U.S, National AI Advisory, Google, Microsoft, Singapore government's, Asia Tech, Singapore's, Communications, European Union, Artificial Intelligence Locations: Bay, Singapore, DataRobot, U.S, China

☆ Murray wins in Nottingham to claim second straight grasscourt title
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Tennis - - Nottingham Tennis Centre, Nottingham, Britain - June 18, 2023 Britain's Andy Murray poses with the trophy after winning the Nottingham Open in the final against France's Arthur Cazaux REUTERS/Andrew BoyersJune 18 (Reuters) - Andy Murray ramped up his preparations for Wimbledon by beating Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 6-4 6-4 in the Nottingham Open final on Sunday to lift a second successive grasscourt title after his victory in Surbiton last week. "It was a really good week, I really enjoyed my time here. The courts have played brilliantly, the groundstaff did an excellent job," Murray said. "I played really well and got better as the week went on and I'm glad to get through - on to Queen's. The 36-year-old Briton, who has resurrected his career after hip resurfacing surgery, skipped the French Open to focus on the grasscourt swing.

Persons: Andy Murray, France's Arthur Cazaux REUTERS, Andrew Boyers, Andy Murray ramped, Frenchman Arthur Cazaux, Murray, Aadi Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Nottingham Tennis Centre, Nottingham, Wimbledon, Surbiton, Queen's, Thomson Locations: Nottingham, Britain, Queen's, Nashik, India

☆ Exclusive: Mystery X9 helicopter takes shape as potential successor to Airbus H145
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Tim Hepher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

PARIS, June 18 (Reuters) - After a decade in the shadows, one of Europe's mystery aerospace projects - the X9 helicopter - is taking shape as a potential future successor to Airbus Helicopters' H145 light-twin chopper, with plans for a demonstrator underway, industry sources said. A Berlin filing by Airbus Helicopters' German subsidiary in 2020 noted its board had been briefed on the X9 and unspecified "further steps". The same unit later said it would focus on ensuring "the future viability of civil helicopters" at Donauwoerth, Germany. Any future H145 successor would regenerate the German side of Airbus Helicopters, formed from a 1992 merger between divisions of France's Aerospatiale and MBB of Germany to counter U.S. rivals led by Bell, Boeing and Sikorsky. Those barriers are gradually fading as Airbus Helicopters adopts a system under which specialised sites pre-assemble major sections, which then converge on one site for final assembly.

Persons: Lutz Bertling, Tim Hepher, Mark Potter Organizations: Airbus Helicopters, Airbus, Reuters, Chase, Associates, Aerospatiale, Bell, Boeing, Sikorsky, Eurocopter, Thomson Locations: Donauwoerth, Germany, Bavarian, France, German, GERMANY, Paris, U.S, Spain, Marignane, Airbus Germany

☆ A dozen French police wounded in clashes with protesters opposing rail link in Alps
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Activists take part in a protest against the Lyon-Turin rail link between France and Italy, in Les Chavannes-en-Maurienne, France, June 17, 2023. REUTERS/Denis BalibousePARIS, June 17 (Reuters) - Twelve police were wounded on Saturday in clashes with demonstrators in France's Savoie department where a protest against a high speed rail project in the Alps turned violent, authorities said. Some 2,000 protesters, including a roughly 300-strong dark-clad hardcore, were in the Maurienne Valley objecting to construction of a rail link including a tunnel between Lyon and the Italian city of Turin. Association Les Soulevements de la Terre contested that figure in a Twitter post late on Saturday and said 50 demonstrators were wounded, including six who were hospitalised. "The day is not over, we remain prudent and mobilised," said Ravier, noting a security presence would go through the night.

Persons: Denis Balibouse PARIS, Francois Ravier, Les, Gerald Darmanin, Mimosa Spencer, Andrew Cawthorne, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Lyon, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Turin, France, Italy, Les Chavannes, France's Savoie, Lyon, Italian

☆ How Daniel Ellsberg, who died at 92, went from being a disillusioned member of the government-military elite to a hero of anti-war movements
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower behind the Pentagon Papers, died at 92, his family said Friday. David Halberstam, the late author and Vietnam War correspondent who had known Ellsberg since both were posted overseas, would describe him as no ordinary convert. "Without Nixon's obsession with me, he would have stayed in office," Ellsberg told The Associated Press in 1999. Ellsberg's story was depicted in the 2009 documentary "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers." He and Marx wedded in 1970, the year before the Pentagon Papers were made public.

Persons: Daniel Ellsberg, Ellsberg, —, — Daniel Ellsberg, Richard Nixon, Julia Pacetti, Dan, Robert S, McNamara, Lyndon Johnson's, John F, Kennedy, David Halberstam, Johnson, Neil Sheehan, Henry Kissinger, Hannah Arendt, Nixon, Nixon fumed, H.R, Haldeman, Matthew Byrne, Gordon Liddy, Howard Hunt, Byrne, Daniel, Harry Truman, nodded, Ellsberg's, Rand, Anthony J, Russo, Robert, Kissinger, Sen, William J, Fulbright, George McGovern of, Marcus Raskin, Ralph Stavins, Sheehan, Raskin, Stavins, didn't, spry, George W, Bush, Obama, Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Snowden, Patricia Marx, Marx Organizations: Pentagon, Service, Supreme, Defense, Harvard, Democratic, Republican, The New York Times, Washington Post, The Associated Press, National Security, United, U.S, White, Democratic Party's, Washington , D.C, Associated Press, Coast, Rand Corp, Christian Science, Soviet Union overseas, Harvard University, Marines, Ivy League, Defense Department, State Department, Rand, Xerox, Arkansas, Foreign Relations Committee, Institute for Policy, Times, ., Army, New York Times, Massachusetts Institute, Technology's Center for International Studies Locations: Boston, Los Angeles, Vietnam, Indochina, U.S, France's, America, United States, Beverly Hills , California, Washington ,, Saigon, Santa Monica, Chicago, Detroit, Pearl, London, Germany, Japan, Santa Monica , California, George McGovern of South Dakota, Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia

☆ WTA roundup: Russian stars to clash in Dutch final
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

7 Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in Saturday's semifinals of the WTA 250 grass-court event. Kudermetova is 2-1 against Alexandrova, who won the last meeting in the semifinals of this tournament last year en route to the title. Rothesay OpenKatie Boulter and Jodie Burrage will meet in Nottingham, England, on Sunday in the first all-British WTA Tour final since 1977, when Virginia Wade beat Sue Barker in San Francisco. Boulter advanced with a 6-4, 7-5 win over another countrywoman, Heather Watson, while Burrage took down France's Alize Cornet 7-5, 7-5 in her semifinal match at the WTA 250 grass-court tournament. Boulter overcame a 4-3 deficit in the opening set and dug out of a 4-1 hole in the second set against Watson.

Persons: Jodie Burrage, Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko, Paul Childs, Veronika Kudermetova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Kudermetova, Slovakia's Viktoria, Alexandrova, Katie Boulter, Virginia Wade, Sue Barker, It's, Heather Watson, Burrage, France's Alize, Boulter, Watson, Cornet Organizations: Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko REUTERS, Slovakia's Viktoria Hruncakova, Hruncakova, Sasnovich, British WTA, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Netherlands, Belarus, Saturday's, Kudermetova, Rothesay, Nottingham, England, San Francisco, Leicester

The continent-wide European STOXX 600 (.STOXX) index rose 0.5%. The index gained 1.5% in the policy-packed week, its best performance in over two months. China-focused luxury stocks such as LVMH (LVMH.PA) and Richemont (CFR.S) gained nearly 3% each, boosting the broader STOXX 600. Defensive shares such as healthcare (.SXDP) gained 0.9%, and utilities (.SX6P) climbed 1.3% to a four-week peak. The STOXX 600 broke away from a restrictive 1% trading range that was seen for much of the past two weeks, as investors gradually start putting behind major central bank events.

Persons: Travis Perkins, DAX, Germany's DAX, Danni Hewson, AJ Bell, Hewson, Shreyashi Sanyal, Siddarth, Sohini Goswami, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: European Central Bank, U.S, U.S . Federal, Bank of Japan, Bank of, Britain's, Rheinmetall, Apollo Global Management, Claure Group, Thomson Locations: China, U.S ., Stockholm, Millicom, Bengaluru

Changpeng Zhao, founder and CEO of Binance, waves as he arrives on stage for a panel session on the second day at the VivaTech Conference in Paris, June 16, 2022. PARIS — Days before French police visited Binance's Paris office, the crypto exchange's top French executive dismissed concerns about U.S. regulatory charges affecting Binance's other operations, comparing them with the flapping of a butterfly's wings. Just days before the raid, CNBC asked Binance France President David Prinçay if he was concerned about charges from the top two U.S. financial regulators against the exchange. Binance's founder, Zhao, dismissed the police statement and reporting as "FUD," claiming it was a "surprise on-site" inspection that was "the norm." Binance faces over a dozen charges from the SEC and a similar slate of allegations from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Persons: Changpeng Zhao, Le Monde, Binance, David Prinçay, Prinçay, Changpeng Zhao's, Binance France's, Zhao Organizations: VivaTech Conference, Le, CNBC, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Futures Trading Commission, of Justice Locations: Paris, PARIS, Binance's Paris, U.S, Europe, French, European

☆ Binance under investigation in France for money-laundering
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 16 (Reuters) - Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange, is under preliminary investigation for both illegal canvassing of clients and aggravated money-laundering, the Paris prosecutor's office said on Friday, confirming media reports. "The investigation is about, on one hand, the unauthorised practice of the profession of virtual assets service provider and, on the other, about aggravated money-laundering (...), " the prosecutor's office said in a statement. "In France, on-site visits by regulators and inspectors are part of regulatory obligations to which all financial institutions must adhere. The investigation follows various setbacks for Binance including a June 5 decision by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to charge the company with evading securities laws. In May last year, Binance said it had registered with France's market regulator, adding it was seeking to open a regional headquarters in France.

Persons: Binance, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Tom Wilson, Frances Kerry, Jason Neely Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Binance, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Cyprus, French

☆ Elon Musk met with Italy prime minister to talk A.I., birth rates, as hunt for new factory location continues
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Elon Musk met with Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday and discussed the risks of artificial intelligence and birth rates, among other topics, the Italian leader tweeted Thursday. Meloni tweeted in Italian that she and Musk discussed "innovation, opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence, European market regulations, and birth rates." Musk has repeatedly warned of the risks of artificial intelligence. In February, Musk said AI is "one of the biggest risks to the future of civilization." Musk has also in the past called rapidly declining birth rates "one of the biggest risks to civilization."

Persons: Elon Musk, Giorgia Meloni, Tesla, Meloni, Musk, Jean, Noel Barrot, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: Italy, Viva Tech, France's, CNBC, Macron Locations: Rome, Austin , Texas, France, Paris, Europe

☆ CNBC Daily Open: The Fed paused, but so did markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, at the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC, on June 14, 2023. This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Pause and playThe Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, as widely expected. That could mean a return to raising rates to combat Turkey's sky-high inflation, which was 39.6% in May.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Elon Musk, Noel Barrot, Barrot, Jeffrey Gundlach, Gundlach Organizations: Federal Reserve, CNBC, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Twitter, DoubleLine Locations: Washington ,, Europe, France, EU, U.S

☆ France sees global A.I. regulation ideas by the end of this year, wants to work with U.S. on tech laws
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

I think we need a global regulation," Macron told CNBC's Karen Tso on the sidelines of the event. lawFrance's call for global AI regulation comes as the European Union closes in on passing an unprecedented law called the EU AI Act. watch nowFrance, which has traditionally taken a pro-regulatory stance, has expressed concern that the EU law around AI has gone to far. The U.S. has not yet come up with any kind of framework for AI regulation. France's top politicians who spoke to CNBC discussed their focus for AI regulation.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, ChatGPT, Bruno Le Maire, Jean, Noel Barrot, Macron, Karen Tso, Barrot, …, Le Maire Organizations: PARIS —, CNBC, U.S, European Union, Finance, Digital, Wednesday, Organisation for Economic Co, Development, EU A.I, EU, Nvidia Locations: China, France, Paris, U.S, Germany, EU, VivaTech, Europe

The group will study this expression of interest and keep the market informed," Casino said in a statement on Wednesday. And the holding company through which Naouri controls Casino is also heavily indebted. Niel, Pigasse and Zouari said they would invest 200 million to 300 million euros themselves, with the rest coming from unspecified partners, including Casino creditors. The trio's proposal comes after Kretinsky, Casino's second-largest shareholder, offered in April to take control of the group through a 1.1 billion euro capital increase. A Casino spokesperson declined to comment beyond its statement on Wednesday or on behalf of Naouri.

Persons: Jean, Charles Naouri, Xavier Niel, Daniel Kretinsky, Casino, Kretinsky, Niel, Matthieu Pigasse, Moez, Alexandre Zouari, Clement Genelot, Garnier, Pigasse, Zouari, Casino's, Mathieu Rosemain, Chiara Elisei, Laura Lenkiewicz, Sudip Kar, Silvia Aloisi, Mark Potter, Alexander Smith Organizations: Casino, Monoprix, BNP, Credit Agricole, Carrefour, Reuters, France's, Naouri, Thomson Locations: PARIS, Czech, Natixis, Casino

☆ Potential Olympics sponsorship deal tests LVMH heir Antoine Arnault
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Discussions on the Olympics deal, being negotiated by Antoine, revolve around promotions focused on LVMH as a group, its two biggest fashion labels - the Louis Vuitton and Dior brands - as well as champagne. However, the behind-the-scenes role of the oldest of Arnault’s four sons, Antoine, hasn't been widely known. Although Antoine Arnault's work shepherding LVMH's sponsorship of the Olympic Games is taking place behind closed doors, the outcome would be highly public. Steve Martin, global CEO of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, said that while LVMH is already associated with France, a formal sponsorship of the Olympics would help to further differentiate LVMH from luxury rivals. “If we get involved it would be to help out,” LVMH fashion group CEO Sidney Toledano told Reuters.

Persons: Antoine Arnault's, Antoine Arnault, Bernard Arnault's, Bernard Arnault’s, Delphine Arnault, Dior, Antoine, Louis Vuitton, Bernard Arnault, hasn't, Tony Estanguet, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, ”, Steve Martin, LVMH, Martin, Sidney Toledano, –, we’re, Toledano, Mimosa Spencer, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Deal, Dior, FIFA, Olympic, Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, Olympic Games, Reuters, Thomson Locations: PARIS, LVMH, Paris, France, Qatar, Atlanta, London

☆ France wants Elon Musk to build Tesla factory in the country even as it threatens Twitter with a ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SpaceX, Twitter and electric car maker Tesla CEO Elon Musk with France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris on May 15, 2023. France has been looking to woo Musk and Tesla to set up a factory in the country. PARIS — France is trying to convince Elon Musk to build Tesla's next Gigafactory in the country, the nation's digital minister told CNBC on Wednesday, in the most explicit comments yet that Paris wants the billionaire's investment. France has been looking to boost its position as a hub for the electric car industry, opening its first electric car battery factory this year. Barrot praised Musk as a "great inventor, probably one of the greatest of the beginning of this century."

Persons: Elon Musk, Emmanuel Macron, Tesla, Jean, Noel Barrot, CNBC's Charlotte Reed, Barrot, Musk Organizations: SpaceX, Twitter, PARIS —, CNBC, Union, Viva Tech Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, PARIS — France, Europe, U.S, Germany, China

☆ Spanish rocket company PLD Space signs deal with France's Arianespace
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID, June 14 (Reuters) - Spanish startup PLD Space has signed a memorandum of understanding with France's Arianespace to develop joint services to launch small satellites into orbit, the Spanish company said on Wednesday. The agreement will allow PLD Space to offer its customisable services to Arianespace customers, it said in a statement. It plans to gradually increase its capacity to 10 to 12 launches per year by the end of this decade. Europe's efforts to develop capabilities to send small satellites into space are in focus after a failed orbital rocket launch by Virgin Orbit from Britain in January. Arianespace, which launches satellites from French Guiana, is majority owned by ArianeGroup, a joint venture between Airbus (AIR.PA) and Safran (SAF.PA).

Persons: France's Arianespace, Ezequiel Sanchez, Safran, Emma Pinedo, Inti Landauro, Mark Potter, Richard Chang Organizations: Virgin Orbit, ArianeGroup, Airbus, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Spanish, Spain, Britain, Guiana

☆ Macron to meet Elon Musk in Paris to talk Tesla investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Michel Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A general view shows the Tesla logo on the Gigafactory in Gruenheide near Berlin, Germany, August 30, 2022. "I'm going (into that meeting) with an agenda," Macron told reporters as he visited the VivaTech summit in Paris, France's biggest tech fair, which Musk will visit on Friday. Asked specifically whether he was hoping to secure a Tesla gigafactory, Macron said: "It's up to the company to look at these different issues in Europe. Earlier today, the French minister for digital affairs Jean-Noel Barrot told CNBC: "It will be great to have a Tesla factory in France. France previously tried to convince Musk to build a gigafactory in the country, but he chose Germany for his only such plant in Europe so far.

Persons: Annegret, Emmanuel Macron, Elon Musk, Tesla, Macron, Stellantis, Jean, Noel Barrot, Bruno Le Maire, Musk, Michel Rose, Akash Sriram, Silvia Aloisi, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Tesla, Reuters, Peugeot, Mercedes, Benz, CNBC, Finance, Thomson Locations: Gruenheide, Berlin, Germany, France, Spain, Paris, Europe, Bengaluru

☆ Factbox: Governments race to regulate AI tools
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

CHINA* Planning regulationsThe Chinese government will seek to initiate AI regulations in its country, billionaire Elon Musk said on June 5 after meeting with officials during his recent trip to China. ITALY* Investigating possible breachesItaly's data protection authority plans to review other artificial intelligence platforms and hire AI experts, a top official said in May. ChatGPT became available again to users in Italy in April after being temporarily banned over concerns by the national data protection authority in March. SPAIN* Investigating possible breachesSpain's data protection agency said in April it was launching a preliminary investigation into potential data breaches by ChatGPT. The Biden administration earlier in April said it was seeking public comments on potential accountability measures for AI systems.

Persons: Alan Turing, Elon Musk, Margrethe Vestager, Vestager, CNIL, Dado Ruvic, Ziv Katzir, Israel, ChatGPT, OpenAI, Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Michael Bennet, Biden, Alessandro Parodi, Amir Orusov, Jason Neely, Kirsten Donovan, Milla Nissi Organizations: Microsoft, Authority, Reuters, EU, Key, European Consumer Organisation, Seven, REUTERS, Israel Innovation Authority, UNITED, International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nations, U.S . Federal Trade Commission's, Thomson Locations: AUSTRALIA, BRITAIN, Britain, CHINA, China, Beijing, U.S, FRANCE, Italy, Hiroshima, Japan, IRELAND, ISRAEL, Israel, ITALY, JAPAN, SPAIN, Gdansk

☆ France's Mistral AI raises 105 mln euros shortly after being set up
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Sudip Kar-Gupta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The fund-raising highlights the rapid growth of the artificial intelligence (AI) sector as well as Europe's desire to create rivals to Silicon Valley companies such as Microsoft-backed (MSFT.O) OpenAI and Google's (GOOGL.O) DeepMind. Paris-based Mistral AI was set up by former Meta (META.O) and Google artificial intelligence researchers Timothee Lacroix, Guillaume Lample and Arthur Mensch. Mistral AI's fund-raising was led by international venture capital fund Lightspeed Venture Partners. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is also a shareholder in Mistral AI. "Bravo to the start-up Mistral AI which has raised 105 million euros just a month after its creation: a record!"

Persons: Schmidt, Xavier Niel, Rodolphe Saade, Timothee Lacroix, Guillaume Lample, Arthur Mensch, Mensch, Mistral, Eric Schmidt, Jean, Noel Barrot, Bravo, Sudip Kar, David Evans, Leslie Adler Organizations: Lightspeed Venture Partners, Microsoft, Meta, JCDecaux, Italy's Exor Ventures, Mistral, Paris, Twitter, Thomson Locations: PARIS, Silicon, DeepMind, Paris, France, Europe, New York , California, London

Pig prices soared in Europe last year as output was cut by farms squeezed by high grain and energy costs. The EU pork industry has been buffeted in the past decade by a Russian trade embargo, the westward spread of African swine fever and the COVID-19 pandemic. "We're continuing to add costs to the overall pork production chain," Justin Sherrard, global strategist for animal protein at Rabobank, said. That may mean EU pork exports, whose share of production more than doubled to 21% between 2000 and 2020, have peaked. But an inflationary economy may make consumers less ready to accept rising pork prices and deepen a shift towards chicken as a cheaper, more convenient option.

Persons: Carole Joliff, Joliff, Jean, Paul Simier, AKI, We're, Justin Sherrard, slaughterhouses, Klaus Kaiser, FICT, Rabobank's Sherrard, jamon serrano, prosciutto, Tim Koch, Gus Trompiz, Forrest Crellin, Michael Hogan, Johannes Birkebaek, Emma Pinedo, Toby Sterling, David Evans Organizations: European Union, Commission, Rabobank, BLE, Danish Crown, AMI, Thomson Locations: PARIS, Brittany, Europe, Russian, Hungarian, China, Japan, Denmark, Netherlands, Danish, France, Brazil, United States, Germany, EU, Paris, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Madrid, Amsterdam

It comes as hydrogen technology is getting a boost from favourable legislation in the United States and Europe, which are both seeking to strengthen the technology to help carbon dioxide-heavy industries, including steel and chemicals, to decarbonise. "A potential IPO would enlarge the financial flexibility of Thyssenkrupp Nucera and raise its profile as a leading supplier of technology for the production of green hydrogen," he said. The listing, which is run by Citi (C.N) and Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE), will primarily consist of new shares, Thyssenkrupp Nucera said. First-half sales were up 74% at 306 million euros, while the group's earnings before interest and tax rose 87% to 13.3 million euros. "With our electrolysis technology we want to shape a new era of the energy transition," said Werner Ponikwar, chief executive of Thyssenkrupp Nucera.

Persons: Nora, Italy's De Nora, DNR.MI, Miguel Lopez, Thyssenkrupp, Thyssenkrupp Nucera, De Nora, Nora's, Norway's Nel, Werner Ponikwar, Christoph Steitz, Tom Kaeckenhoff, Francesca Landini, Miranda Murray, Clarence Fernandez, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Thyssenkrupp, Britain's ITM, Energy, U.S ., Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, DUESSELDORF, Ukraine, United States, Europe, U.S

☆ EU to try again for renewable energy deal after nuclear row
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 10 (Reuters) - European Union countries will try again next week to pass a deal on new renewable energy targets, which have been stalled by concerns from France and other states that the law sidelines nuclear energy. Paris has sought changes to the law to offer more favourable treatment of nuclear energy, and said the final deal puts at a disadvantage countries like France with large shares of nuclear power. Nuclear energy is low-carbon, but not renewable. The EU law is designed to drive a rapid expansion of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Meanwhile, states including Germany and Luxembourg - both anti-nuclear countries - plus Denmark and Ireland have urged the EU to resolve the spat quickly, warning the delay endangers investments in renewable energy.

Persons: Paris, Bruno Le Maire, Kate Abnett, Dominique Vidalon, Frances Kerry Organizations: Union, EU, European Commission, French Finance, France, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, France, EU, Paris, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland

MILAN, June 9 (Reuters) - Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI) said on Friday it received two new offers for its landline grid as Italy's biggest telecoms group seeks to resolve the impasse over the sale of its main asset. U.S. fund KKR (KKR.N) and a rival consortium comprising state lender CDP and Australian fund Macquarie (MQG.AX) separately submitted bids for Telecom Italia's network, according to a statement. Debt-crippled TIM had sought improved offers for its most valuable asset after having assessed as not yet adequate the proposals received in May. The antitrust problems are linked to CDP and Macquarie's owning fibre optic wholesale provider Open Fiber. Treasury-owned CDP is the second-largest investor in TIM after France's Vivendi (VIV.PA) with a 10% stake.

Persons: Pietro Labriola's, Akriti Sharma, Elvira Pollina, Marguerita Choy, Leslie Adler Organizations: MILAN, Telecom Italia, KKR, Macquarie, Telecom Italia's, TIM, Treasury, France's Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, Milan

☆ France plans to close tax loophole benefiting AirBnB
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File PhotoPARIS, June 9 (Reuters) - France's finance ministry is working on plans to close a tax loophole benefiting short-term furnished rentals such as AirBnB (ABNB.O), Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday. A trio of cross-party lawmakers last month called for rules regulating such rentals to be tightened and for an end to the more favourable tax treatment such rentals receive vis a vis normal long-term rentals. "I have a hard time understanding the very favourable tax treatment for AirBnB. We are going to reform the tax rules and I will make proposals," Le Maire said on BFM TV. "When a windfall gets too big and tax is too favourable, there is no reason to keep such tax treatment that leads to excess," he added.

Persons: Charles Platiau, Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, pollsters, Le Maire's, Leigh Thomas, Elizabeth Pineau, Louise Heavens Organizations: La Defense, REUTERS, Finance, Thomson Locations: La, Paris, France

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