Education Crisis in France: Protests over overcrowded, underfunded schools and teacher shortages spread across France, with thousands arrested, hundreds of schools disrupted, and reports of injuries including attacks on staff and fires at school sites. Energy Prices & Policy: G7 leaders agreed to release up to 100m barrels from strategic reserves and coordinate refinery maintenance to help bring down surging diesel and petroleum prices. Overseas Investment Push: France launched the €35m “Outre-mer One” fund to shift from subsidies to investment in overseas territories, aiming to back commercially viable projects tied to local strengths like the blue economy. AI Ethics Spotlight: Pope Leo XIV said he’s not in “panic mode” about AI, but urged serious attention to expert concerns and highlighted a Vatican AI commission. Optical Networking for AI: Coherent’s new AI-focused optics platform helped lift optical networking stocks after bullish Wall Street coverage, signaling demand for faster, more energy-efficient data center connections. Réunion Connectivity Angle: A reminder that Réunion’s Paris air bridge is treated as a domestic route under French status, enabling one of the world’s longest regularly scheduled domestic flights.