Tag Archives: France

19Feb/26

Green Gold and Grey Zones: Africa’s Uneven Pivot from Prohibition to Industrial Powerhouse

February 19, 2026EconomyAccenture, Australia, Biopiracy, Bioplastic, Cannabis, Cape Town, Czech Republic, Entheogens, Euphoriants, France, Germany, Hemp, Herbs, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Medicinal plants, Morocco, South Africa, Spain, Telkom, United Kingdom, Zimbabweadmin

Africa’s Billion-Rand Botanical Blueprint: Bridging Ancient Ethnobotany and the Industrial Hemp Revolution

Feb 17, 2026 /Mpelembe media/ — The African cannabis landscape is undergoing a historic structural transformation, shifting from a century of colonial-era prohibition toward a sophisticated, multi-tiered regulatory environment driven by economic necessity and industrial innovation. As of 2025/2026, the continent is positioning itself as a critical supplier to the global legal market—projected to reach $50 billion by 2027—while grappling with significant internal challenges regarding social equity and regulatory coherence. Continue reading →

04Feb/26

The Great Grounding: Why 2026 is the Year Context Replaced Content

February 4, 2026MediaArtificial intelligence, Bobby, Chatbots, Elon Musk, Éric Bothorel, France, Generative pre-trained transformers, Grok, Jeffrey Epstein, John Smith, Large language models, London, Open-source artificial intelligence, Outernet London, Peter Mandelson, Tottenham Court Road, United Kingdom, Zambiaadmin

04, Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media — To look back at the start of the decade is to remember a world drowning in signal-less noise. Whether it was the “Blue Carpet” spectacle of Outernet London or the surreal corporate logistics of the 2026 AVN Expo—where lanyards and coffee queues met the stark reality of a dress code regulating body concealment over formal attire—we have lived in a state of restless, digital chaos. But as we move through 2026, the tectonic realignment of our digital existence is finally settling. We are transitioning from the era of mere digital literacy into a phase of deep, agentic integration. This is the year of “The Great Grounding,” where the abstract promises of technology and the opaque maneuvers of power are finally being anchored in verifiable, actionable context.. Continue reading →

03Feb/26

French Prosecutors Escalate X Investigation with Police Raid and Summons for Elon Musk

February 3, 2026Legal.google, America PAC, Artificial intelligence, Chatbot, Chatbots, Cybercrime, Deepfake, Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign, Elon Musk, Éric Bothorel, France, Grok, Laure Beccuau, Open-source artificial intelligence, Paris, SpaceX, Twitter, Twitter under Elon Muskadmin

03, Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The cybercrime division of the Paris prosecutor’s office has significantly escalated its yearlong investigation into the social media platform X. Originally opened following concerns from lawmaker Éric Bothorel regarding the platform’s algorithm, the inquiry expanded after X’s A.I. chatbot, Grok, was accused of spreading sexual deepfakes and Holocaust denial claims. Continue reading →

29Jan/26

Sovereignty, AI, and the Struggle for Control in Modern Enterprise Networks

January 29, 2026SecurityArtificial intelligence, Artificial intelligence arms race, Artificial intelligence in India, China, Cloud computing, Computational neuroscience, Cybernetics, Data center, Data science, France, Infrastructure, IQSTEL, United Kingdomadmin

Jan. 29, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — This research by Arelion highlights that a vast majority of enterprise leaders experience significant anxiety over protecting sensitive information across complex third-party networks. Organizations face mounting hurdles involving encryption management, artificial intelligence risks, and the intricacies of data sovereignty. Ultimately, these sources emphasize that while security investments are increasing, many businesses still struggle to maintain regulatory compliance and total visibility over their digital infrastructure. Continue reading →

29Jan/26

France to Abolish “Marital Duty”: Ending Legal Penalties for Lack of Sex in Divorce

January 29, 2026FamilyDivorce, Family law, France, H.W. v. France, Human sexuality, Interpersonal conflict, Laws regarding rape, Legal separation, Marital rape, Marriage, Mating, Prenuptial agreement, Sexual consentadmin

Jan. 29, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — France is moving to eliminate long-standing legal requirements that mandated sexual intimacy as a formal obligation within marriage. According to this report, the French government will no longer recognize the denial of physical relations as a legitimate justification for a fault-based divorce. This significant legislative shift effectively scraps the “marital duty” concept that previously penalized spouses for withholding consent. By removing these antiquated provisions, the state aims to modernize domestic laws and prioritize personal autonomy over traditional marital expectations. This policy update represents a major change in how the justice system evaluates marital misconduct and separation proceedings. Continue reading →

26Jan/26

Global Retail Outlook 2026: Slower Growth and the “Flight to Value” Amid Economic Strain

January 26, 2026EconomyBain & Company, Economics, France, Germany, Unemployment, United Kingdom, United Statesadmin

Jan. 26, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — This market analysis report from Bain & Company predicts a deceleration in retail sales growth across the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany for 2026. This financial outlook attributes the slowdown to persistent economic pressures, including rising unemployment and cautious consumer sentiment, which are driving shoppers toward lower-cost alternatives. While the United States is expected to see a slight dip to 3.5% growth, European nations like France and the UK face even tighter margins with nearly flat volume gains. To combat these trends, the report suggests that businesses must leverage artificial intelligence and refine their value propositions to remain competitive. The documentation is hosted by the Mpelembe Network, a platform that aggregates global news and trending topics ranging from macroeconomics to emerging technologies. Continue reading

23Jan/26

Redefining Time Off: The Rise of the Long Weekend

January 23, 2026TravelBangkok, Barcelona, Caticlan, Chengdu, China, France, Gemini, Hari Raya, Itinerary, Journey planner, Kuala Lumpur, Lisbon, London, marriott hotels, New York, Nice, Paris, Philippines, Project Gemini, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Thailand, Tourism, Travel, Travel itineraryadmin

Jan. 22, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — In 2026, short-term travel is undergoing a significant transformation as long weekends increasingly replace traditional extended holidays. Data indicates a 34% rise in trips lasting four days or fewer, a trend primarily propelled by working professionals aged 25 to 49. These travellers are leveraging public holidays to attend major entertainment events or visit bustling urban hubs like Bangkok, London, and Paris. To facilitate this shift, digital tools such as Gemini are being used to generate instant, customised itineraries for various travel styles. Ultimately, the modern workforce is prioritising efficient, meaningful escapes that require minimal annual leave. Continue reading →

21Jan/26

Tilting at Turbines: The 2026 Davos Standoff

January 21, 2026PoliticsBart De Wever, Belgium, Bright green environmentalism, China, Davos, Don Quixote, Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, France, Germany, Greenland, Key Response, Miguel de Cervantes, Olaf Scholz, Renewable energy, United States, Ursula von der Leyen, Wind turbine, Windmill, World Economic Forumadmin

Jan. 21, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The trending comparison of Donald Trump to Don Quixote stems from his keynote address at the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21. In a speech that has rattled global markets, the President targeted European green energy as a “Green New Scam,” specifically mocking wind turbines as “losers” and “bird graveyards.” He alleged that China is “selling windmills to stupid people in Europe” while secretly avoiding their use at home—a claim that fact-checkers and European leaders have characterized as a “Quixotic” battle against imaginary giants. Continue reading →

12Jan/26

Gen Z : Social Media to Pew

January 12, 2026MediaAlex Jarmus, Church attendance, Emily Torres, France, Generation Z, Gregorian, Internet culture, Jesus, John, Jonathan Roumie, Jordan Peterson, Matt Fradd, Millennials, Robert Barron, Spyridon Bailey, Stuart Clif, TikTok, United Kingdomadmin

Jan . 11, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Researchers are noticing a “Quiet Revival” among Gen Z. While overall numbers for “religious unaffiliation” remain high, the young people who are religious are attending church with much higher frequency and intentionality than previous generations did at their age. While overall numbers for “religious unaffiliation” remain high, the young people who are religious are attending church with much higher frequency and intentionality than previous generations did at their age. Continue reading →

09Jan/26

The Persian Threshold: Tehran Teeters Between Total Collapse and a “Year of Blood”

January 9, 2026PoliticsAhmad Vahidi, Ahmed Chalabi, Ali Khamenei, Amir Hatami, Assad, Azerbaijan, Baghdad, Basij, Dezful, Esmail Ghaani, Esmail Qaani, France, Georgia, Iran, Iran internal crisis, Iran–Saudi Arabia relations, Iran–United States relations, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, islamic revolutionary guard corps (irgc), Israel, Lebanon, London, Mahsa Amini, Mahsa Amini protests, Masoud Pezeshkian, Military of Iran, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Mojtaba, Moscow, Netanyahu, Protests in Iran, Quds Force, Reza Pahlavi, Russia, Sajjad Azadeh, Saudi Arabia, Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Shah, Syria, Tehran, Tom Tugendhat, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vladimir Putin, Yemenadmin

Jan. 9, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The Iranian regime is currently facing its most existential challenge since the 1979 Revolution. As of January 9, 2026, the situation has shifted from sporadic economic protests into a coordinated nationwide uprising. Continue reading →