French tax authorities given new powers to use social media and AI to track down violations

14/01/2025

France’s tax authorities have been authorised to use social media and AI tools to detect tax fraud and unreported income. The controversial policy, which took effect on 1st January 2025, permits officials to create accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn to monitor publicly accessible content.

The objective of allowing domestic tax authorities to use social media and AI in their work is to enable officials to identify inconsistencies between individuals’ declared financial situations and the lifestyles portrayed on their social media profiles. It will also allow tax authorities to monitor individuals who claim to live abroad for tax purposes while residing in France.

The move follows a previous decree that permitted the use of AI tools to detect undeclared swimming pools, buildings, and short-term rentals in France. It also reflects a broader effort by the state to modernise its tax operations, following other measures implemented in recent years, such as the introduction of AI-driven systems to detect anomalies in tax returns.

Though the decision will significantly expand the tax authorities’ surveillance capabilities, the new system comes with strict limits. France’s data privacy watchdog, CNIL, has stipulated that only publicly available information can be used and that private messages or non-public data remain off-limits. According to media reports, collected data can only be used to investigate specific offences outlined by law, such as underreporting income.

The use of AI and social media for tax enforcement has sparked concerns over privacy and the balance between oversight and individual rights. Critics warn that these tools could lead to overreach, while proponents argue they are essential for combating fraud and ensuring fairness in the tax system.

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France’s AI report warns of US “hegemonic power” and risks to Europe’s digital sovereignty

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Photo credit: Timothy Hales Bennett, Unsplash

‘Colours!’: Grimaldi Forum’s summer exhibition for 2025

by: Cassandra Tanti

14/01/2025

The Grimaldi Forum Monaco is set to dazzle audiences this summer with its latest exhibition, ‘Colours! Pompidou Centre Masterpieces’, created in collaboration with the renowned cultural institution in Paris. This eagerly awaited showcase promises an immersive experience that will ignite all the senses.

Running from 8th July to 31st August, this innovative display explores the modern history of colour through some of the greatest works of art from the 20th century.

Curated by Didier Ottinger, Deputy Director of the French Musée National d’Art Moderne, the exhibition will feature over 100 masterpieces by renowned artists, including Sonia Delaunay, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Matisse, and Vassily Kandinsky. Visitors can immerse themselves in a vibrant, multi-sensory experience, with seven themed sections dedicated to individual colours.

Adding to the exhibition’s unique appeal are audio creations by composer Roque Rivas and fragrances by Alexis Dadier of Fragonard, enhancing the sensory journey. Special installations by Marion Maelander will also incorporate designs from legendary creatives such as Ron Arad, Jean Prouvé, Ettore Sotsass, and Philippe Starck, with scenography by William Chatelain tying the experience together.

Following a parade of masters

The Grimaldi Forum is renowned for its ambitious summer exhibitions. In 2023, Monet in Full Light celebrated the 140th anniversary of Claude Monet’s visit to Monaco, while the 2024 blockbuster exhibition, ‘Turner, the Sublime Legacy‘, explored the work of 19th-century master J.M.W. Turner. The upcoming Colours! exhibition looks to continue this tradition of excellence, drawing on partnerships with leading cultural institutions to secure an exceptional roster of works.

A cornerstone of Monaco’s cultural calendar

Since its opening on 20th July 2000 by Prince Rainier III and Prince Albert II, the Grimaldi Forum Monaco has established itself as a major cultural institution, attracting global audiences with its expertly curated summer exhibitions. From exploring artistic movements to celebrating significant heritage and themes, the venue’s reputation continues to grow.

Main image: Martial Raysse (1936, France) Made in Japan – La grande odalisque 1964, courtesy Centre Pompidou

Trailblazing CSM haematologist Eliane Gluckman honoured with lifetime achievement award

by: Stephanie Horsman

14/01/2025

Eliane Gluckman, a celebrated haematologist and the director of the Monacord Research Group at the Monaco Scientific Centre, has been awarded the Wallace H. Coulter Lifetime Achievement Award in Haematology in honour of her unparalleled contributions to the field.

Renowned haematologist Eliane Gluckman’s incredible service in the specialist field of haematology has been recognised with the announcement of her receiving the Wallace H. Coulter Lifetime Achievement Award in Haematology, which was presented to the distinguished French doctor and researcher at the 66th Congress of the American Society of Haematology on 8th December in San Diego, California.

Gluckman is Professor Emeritus at the University of Paris Cité, President of the Eurocord Association at Saint Louis Hospital in Paris, and Director of the Monacord Research Group at the Monaco Scientific Centre. In 1988, she made history by performing the world’s first umbilical cord blood transplant, a revolutionary achievement that opened new frontiers in treating conditions like leukaemia, Fanconi anaemia and sickle cell disease. Today, she focuses on haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, a procedure that has transformed the treatment landscape for both malignant and non-malignant blood disorders.

Over the years, her work has driven critical advances in understanding and managing bone marrow failure and other haematopathies, saving countless lives worldwide.

The Wallace H. Coulter Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honour conferred by the American Society of Haematology, celebrating visionaries who have reshaped the field of haematology through pioneering research, innovative clinical practices, and mentorship.

Professor Gluckman is the third woman and the first French woman to receive this esteemed accolade, underscoring her exceptional contributions and leadership in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Her current leadership roles with the Eurocord and Monacord groups continue to fuel critical research into risk factors and treatments for haematological diseases, reinforcing her legacy as a pioneer in medical science.

Read related:

CSM professor awarded for lifesaving research in cell therapy

Photo source: ASH

Women’s Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships crown Europe’s finest in Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman

14/01/2025

The prestigious European Women’s Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships reached a thrilling conclusion in the Principality over the weekend, with Europe’s top female players claiming well-deserved titles and cash prizes totalling over €46,000.

Between 9th and 13th January, the Novotel Monte Carlo played host to the European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships for women. The event brought together nearly 150 of the continent’s finest chess players, representing 28 federations in a fierce battle of strategy and skill.

The Blitz Championship was ultimately won by Polish powerhouse Aleksandra Maltsevskaya, who delivered a stellar performance to clinch the gold medal with an impressive 10.5 points.

Her razor-sharp play left her just half a point ahead of Anna Ushenina of Ukraine and Swiss contender Alexandra Kosteniuk, who both finished with 10 points. A tiebreak analysis awarded the silver medal to Ushenina, while Kosteniuk secured bronze.

The Blitz event was played over 13 rounds under the Swiss system, with a time control of three minutes plus a two-second increment, and featured a prize fund of €15,200.

Two medals for Ukraine’s Anna Ushenina

The excitement continued with the Rapid Chess Championship, held over two days from 11th to 12th January. In an extraordinary display of talent, four players—Ukrainian Anna Ushenina, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh from Spain, Ukraine’s Yuliia Osmak, and Eline Roebers from the Netherlands—finished the tournament tied for the top spot with 8.5 points each.

Once again, tiebreak criteria proved decisive. Ushenina rose to the occasion, claiming her second medal of the event and solidifying her status as a true chess champion.

Khademalsharieh earned the silver medal with a brilliant showing, while Osmak’s consistency secured her the bronze. Eline Roebers, despite narrowly missing the podium, earned widespread admiration for her performance.

The Rapid event took place over 11 rounds using the Swiss system, with a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment. The cash prize for the Rapid Championship was €31,300.

The closing ceremony was a fitting finale to the week’s high-stakes competition. Among the dignitaries in attendance were European Chess Union (ECU) President Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Tournament Director and ECU Vice President Jean-Michel Rapaire, ECU Board members, and Chief Arbiter Stéphane Escafre. Their presence highlighted the growing significance of the event, which not only showcased elite chess but also celebrated the vibrant diversity of European talent.

Left to right: Yuliia Osmak, Anna Ushenina and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh

Photo credit: Patricia Claros Aguilar

All the major motorsport events in Monaco in 2025 and beyond

by: Elsa Carpenter

14/01/2025

From the Monte-Carlo Rally and its nostalgic cousin to the high-octane racing of the Monaco Grand Prix and two rounds of the E-Prix, 2025 is going to be a busy year for motorsport in the Principality.

With the first high-powered race of the year set to get underway in just a few days, Monaco Life presents a rundown of all the major motorsport events due to take place in and around the Principality in 2025, as well as the provisional dates for races until 2031.

2025: a big year for racing

First up is the storied Monte-Carlo Rally, which will be held between 20th and 26th January. The event represents the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship and is now in its 93rd edition.

See more: Monte-Carlo Rally returns with fresh challenges for 2025

Then comes the more retro Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, which is reserved for cars that raced in the original rally event between 1911 and 1983. It will take place from 29th January to 5th February, with cars departing from Bad Hombourg, Monaco, Reims, and Turin at various times on the first day. They will head first to Place du Champ de Mars in Valence for a common start on 31st January. From there, stages will see the fleet tour southern France before arriving in the Principality on 5th February. The prize-giving ceremony will be held at the Salle des Etoiles that evening. The full schedule can be found here.

In spring, the Principality will welcome the eighth edition of the Monaco E-Prix for two rounds of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on 3rd and 4th May. The grid will be fresh for racing following several weeks off after the Miami E-Prix in April.

Later that month, the iconic Formula 1 Grand Prix will be taking over the Principality between 22nd and 25th May. Homegrown Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc will no doubt be hoping to replicate his legendary win in 2024, which made him the first-ever Monegasque to claim the victor’s glory at their home race.

Next six years of the Monaco Grand Prix

Following the announcement in mid-November 2024 that the famous Monaco circuit would remain on the Formula 1 calendar until 2031, the Automobile Club of Monaco, which is responsible for the running of all the Principality’s motorsport events, has revealed provisional dates for all Grand Prix and racing events until then.

See more: Monaco Grand Prix guaranteed to stay on F1 calendar until 2031

In 2026, the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco will be held between 24th and 26th April, followed by the E-Prix on 16th and 17th May, and then the Grand Prix from 4th to 7th June.

The E-Prix will potentially take place on 15th and 16th May in 2027, following contract discussions, ahead of the Grand Prix between 3rd and 6th June.

The Historic Grand Prix will return in 2028 from 21st to 23rd April. Then comes the E-Prix, which is being planned for 13th and 14th May, before the Grand Prix from 1st to 4th June.

In 2029, the E-Prix will likely be held on 12th and 13th May. The Grand Prix, meanwhile, has been pencilled in for 31st May to 3rd June.

The following year, in 2030, the Historic Grand Prix will be welcomed back from 26th to 28th April, ahead of the E-Prix on 18th and 19th May, and the Grand Prix from 6th to 9th June.

In 2031, the E-Prix is being planned for 17th and 18th May, before the final confirmed Grand Prix in Monaco from 5th to 8th June.

It should be noted that all Monaco Grand Prix dates are subject to calendar approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

Read related:

F1’s 2025 grid is now complete: who’s in and who’s out for next season

Photo credit: Michael Alesi / Monaco Communications Department

Monaco USA to mark Trump’s inauguration with community event

by: Niki Borisova

14/01/2025

Monaco USA has announced plans for a community-focused, non-partisan event to mark Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President. The evening gathering will feature a live screening of the ceremony and a surprise guest.

Continuing its tradition of bringing Monaco’s American and international communities together, the Monaco USA association will host a friendly networking event on Monday, 20th January, in honour of incoming US President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The event will take place from 6pm to 8pm at Marius Monaco.

Attendees can enjoy a live screening of the ceremony, a cash bar, and a surprise guest, with free entry for all.

This event follows two gatherings organised by Monaco USA in late 2024: an Election Night party and a Results Day event, both of which brought together members of the Principality’s American and international communities to watch and discuss Donald Trump’s historic return to the White House.

Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, securing 312 Electoral College votes and the popular vote. His victory was attributed to economic concerns resonating with working-class voters and a shift in focus away from cultural issues by the Democratic Party.

Monaco USA, a non-profit association founded half a century ago, serves as a hub for the American community in Monaco, promoting cultural exchange and fostering ties between Monaco and the United States. Known for hosting events such as Independence Day celebrations, Thanksgiving dinners, and bi-monthly networking gatherings, the association also engages in community service and collaborates with the Monaco Ambassador to the US and the US Consul General in Marseille.

For more information, visit Monaco USA’s website.

Photo source: Brandon Mowinkel, Unsplash

Day: 14 January 2025

French tax authorities given new powers to use social media and AI to track down violations