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Proud Brittany Beats With Ethiopian Flavor

Photo: Brethoniques

France's annual Vieilles Charrues festival is on in the northwestern region of Brittany. The country's largest music festival, which ends Sunday and is set to host around 200,000, will feature top international headliners such as the Arctic Monkeys and the Black Keys.

But the Bretons are famously proud of their region (even sometimes for good reason!) and Vieilles Charrues would not feel complete without a wide variety of local bands.

One of these happens to be called Les Brethoniques, slated to take the stage Saturday. Formed last year, they play traditional Breton music, but also explain that they follow the "example of Ethiopian music popularized in Europe by the Ethiopiques .... The result is called Brethoniques and is not a mixture or a juxtaposition of styles. This is the power of Central Brittany!"

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Geopolitics

D.C. Or Beijing? Two High-Stakes Trips — And Taiwan's Divided Future On The Line

Two presidents of Taiwan, the current serving president, Tsai Ing-wen, and her predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou from the opposition Kuomintang party, are traveling in opposite directions these days. Taiwan must choose whom to follow.

Photo of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen

Tsai Ing-wen, the President of Taiwan

Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

PARIS — Tsai Ing-wen, the President of Taiwan, is traveling to the United States today. Not on an official trip because Taiwan is not a state recognized by Washington, but in transit, en route to Central America, a strategy that allows her to pass through New York and California.

Ma Ying-jeou, a former president of Taiwan, arrived yesterday in Shanghai: he is making a 12-day visit at the invitation of the Chinese authorities at a time of high tension between China and the United States, particularly over the fate of Taiwan.

It would be difficult to make these two trips more contrasting, as both have the merit of summarizing at a glance the decisive political battle that is coming. Presidential and legislative elections will be held in January 2024 in Taiwan, which could well determine Beijing's attitude towards the island that China claims by all means, including force.

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