Education Under Strain in France: Student protests over dilapidated schools, overcrowding, and teacher shortages escalated into violence, with hundreds of schools closed and thousands arrested, including clashes in Paris-region suburbs like Saint-Denis where demonstrators and police were injured. Tech & Society: French photographer Jérôme Gence spotlights “Virtual Marriages,” where people form real emotional bonds with fictional partners—an intimate look at how tech reshapes love and identity. AI Film Industry: The AAIFF 2026 winners shared how AI-generated films are being made and marketed, from character work to direction and concepts. AI Infrastructure in Africa: Madagascar billionaire Hassanein Hiridjee’s Axian Group is expanding Stellarix data centers in Senegal to support cloud and AI demand, aiming to strengthen “digital sovereignty.” Optical Networking for AI: Coherent’s new AI-focused optics push helped lift optical networking stocks as data centers chase faster, more energy-efficient connections. Energy Prices: G7 leaders agreed to release up to 100m barrels from strategic reserves to help bring down diesel and petroleum prices. Reunion Travel Tech Angle: A Paris–Saint-Denis (Réunion) route is treated as domestic, avoiding passport control thanks to Réunion’s overseas-department status—an air-bridge shaped by European integration.