On Tuesday, Donald Trump refused to rule out the use of force to seize Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, and his eldest son arrived in the territory. He’s also been threatening land grabs from his neighbors. Is this for real?
country: France
Stay informed on France with Worldcrunch. In-depth coverage of French politics, economic trends, societal changes, and cultural events with expert translations. Highlights include Paris, Lyon, Marseille, French cinema, gastronomy, modern literature, and cultural events.
Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Olaf Scholz have all responded in the past few days to Elon Musk statements siding with Europe’s far right. Among top European leaders, U.S. tech billionaire seems to only have eyes for Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.
The refusal of Syrian transition leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to shake hands with the German minister sparked controversy. However, Europeans, who fear a resurgence of ISIS if Syria plunges into chaos, have a vested interest in the success of this transition, despite their reservations.
The previous world order, based on the domination of a few superpowers, has been turned upside down in 2024. Will this be the year of explosions, or the year of reactions? French political theorist Jacques Attali explains the theory of order through noise.
The vineyards around Bordeaux are known for preserving the region’s traditions. But they are also on the cutting-edge among French winemakers, leading the way in using new technologies, such as electric robots and AI monitoring, which allow them to reduce CO2 emissions and solve labor shortages.
With its festivals, game libraries, bars and clubs, France has become the European country where board games are most popular. That’s thanks to a dynamic associative and economic ecosystem as well as the internationally recognized talents of its creators, now echoed throughout social media. Gamers of all ages tell us what they love so much about board games.
Djibouti, where the French president is visiting, remains home to a French military base with 1,500 soldiers, making it the largest in Africa following a string of setbacks for France in the Sahel, Chad and Senegal. France’s Africa policy is in need of reinvention.
From dedicated spas and luxury perfumes to prebiotics and behavioral therapies, how man’s best friend became the target of high-end marketing.
The trial has captivated and horrified the world as Gisèle Pelicot has chosen to openly testify that her husband had drugged and raped her repeatedly for years, and invited dozens of other men to sexually assault her while she was unconscious. Sadly, similar stories stretch half-way around the world, including the author’s Ecuadorian hometown.
The Americans already have direct contact, and the French are arriving tomorrow. While remaining “vigilant” about the Islamist nature of Syria’s new rulers, Western nations are reestablishing ties with Damascus to support a return to stability. Turkey, however, is already one step ahead.
France’s churches are a rich religious heritage that, unlike other European countries, largely belong to the national or local governments. But with strained budgets and years of neglect, keeping these historic churches standing has become a daunting and costly struggle.
Increasingly widespread across France, these alternative currencies are emerging as a new tool for promoting short supply chains, local economies and ecological transition.
France is the latest European country to fall victim of destabilizing, anti-establishment forces. Now that the French government has collapsed, the question remains as to how Europe can integrate these powerful, far-right forces in its governing bodies without sweeping away democratic ideals.
Ahead of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris-based daily Les Echos talks with chief architect Philippe Villeneuve, who oversaw the five-year reconstruction project, about his work and what visitors can expect.
After the Summer Olympics, Paris will be back in the international spotlight this weekend with the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral. While tourism actually fell during the sporting event, it may now be primed to explode and could spark a backlash like in Barcelona and elsewhere.
The reopening of Notre-Dame in Paris, with the participation of Donald Trump on his first foreign trip since being reelected, has turned into a diplomatic event where everyone will want to engage with the president-elect. Ukraine is at the top of the agenda.
France’s “drama” comes after the government of French Prime Minister Barnier collapsed, the final failure on last summer’s bet of President of Emmanuel Macron to dissolve parliament. But even as he hopes for another distraction with the reopening of Notre-Dame, Macron’s political future is looking increasingly impossible.
Having long been the driving force of the European Union, France and Germany are facing multiple crises simultaneously, threatening the balance of their relationship. It couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Mountain chalets transformed into dance floors, festive restaurants at ski resorts, giant festivals on the slopes. The party craze has taken over the mountains — a phenomenon that is revolutionizing the winter sports business.
What do we know about what goes on in our bodies, and especially in our brains, when we’re in love? A new French essay, “Cerveau, sexe et amour” (Brain, Sex and Love), looks into this question.
In Spain and beyond, Duralex plates and glasses have been part of the lives of different generations. So when workers of the French tempered glass manufacturer took over the emblematic company a few months ago, turning it into a cooperative to save it from bankruptcy, Spanish media took note.
The Macron government says France needs to work more — and it has a point. The French people disagree — and they’re not wrong. Here’s why, and how to bridge the gap.
France caused a stir by declaring that the Israeli leader enjoyed “immunity” from the ICC arrest warrant. It’s a legal statement, but also a highly political one, as Israel has threatened to remove France from the Lebanese Ceasefire Monitoring Committee. Human rights activists are appalled.
The World Health Organization estimates that mental disorders impact one in four people worldwide. To help respond to mental health issues, a first aid training program was created in Australia in the early 2000s and has become available in France over the past five years.
A prominent figure of Israel’s far-right, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that 2025 will be the year of the West Bank’s annexation. With Donald Trump’s victory, supporters of colonization hope he will back their approach, despite it being contrary to international law.
Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri has made a notable public quip about Donald Trump signing a pledge to end the violence in Lebanon in a famous café in Dearborn, Michigan. Everyone is trying to read between the lines, even as thousands are dying across Lebanon since Israel launched its offensive.
November 9 marks 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Once seen as a step toward open borders, walls and fences now span a quarter of the world’s land borders today. It’s central to what’s being called the “rebordering” among nations around the world.
As American fried chicken chains KFC, Popeyes and Wingstop expand in France, local fast-food entrepreneurs as well as Michelin-starred chefs are trying to nab a part of this growing market. What is behind this trend sweeping the land of the traditional Sunday roast chicken?
A research project is collecting ice cores from glaciers and icefields before they melt way. The aim is to study both the past and possible future of humanity’s impact on the world’s climate.
For 15 years, Nicolas Buissart has been guiding curious visitors through the industrial ruins of Charleroi, the largest municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. With his storytelling skills, he has transformed the supposed ugliness of this urban landscape into a tourist attraction.
Around 80 countries are taking part in the ‘International Conference in Support of the People and Sovereignty of Lebanon’ in Paris on Thursday. And yet, nobody is even talking about stopping the war.
More and more people are paying attention to what they eat, even in tradition-bound French restaurants. Almost 15% of orders in France now include specific requests. Dialogue between chefs and diners is not always easy.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and above all ‘mastermind’ of October 7, is dead. Washington and Paris are calling on Israel to seize this opportunity to put an end to the war, but Netanyahu may choose to cash in another dividend.
Climate change, accelerating conflicts and altering operational conditions, will not spare the armed forces. These factors combined will alter the conditions under which armies around the world have to operate. Paris-based daily Les Echos looks at how France’s armed forces are working to adapt as well as reduce their carbon footprint.
Setting mountaineering speed records is a way for trail runners to add their names to history books to stay in the spotlight now that almost all the world’s mountains have already been climbed. But this desire to push limits is not ecological — even for a man who recycles or foregoes airplane travel.
The Ukrainian president has begun a tour of Europe to present his “victory plan,” designed to reverse the balance of power with Russia before negotiating. It’s almost like asking for war and peace at the same time.
When Emmanuel Macron called for an embargo on arms supplies to Israel, he was aiming at the United States, following the failure of the attempted ceasefire in Lebanon. Paris even speaks of ‘duplicity’ by Washington and Israel. It’s just the latest example of the failure of diplomacy in the face of the “logic of war.”
One year after the massacre of October 7, the wars continue (and expand) across the Middle East, and may currently look like Israel is achieving its military and security goals. But it will be a failure without any political solution.
Life is a constant transition — and so is parenthood. How do we find balance and meaning in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, asks journalist Ignacio Pereyra in the latest iteration of his “Recalculating” newsletter on parenthood.
After more than 30 years, the “Golden Owl” has been found, ending frantic quests by thousands of players from around the world that involved wild excavations, low blows and even lawsuits. Based on mysterious clues from a book, this treasure hunt turned into a flourishing business, while keeping thousands of hunters hooked over decades.