Worldcrunch
The faux spy scandal debacle couldn’t have come at a worst time for the French carmaker, already struggling to regain its mojo on the hyper-competitive European auto market It’s been a long winter for Renault (Marc Lagneau) It’s tough these days to remember that Renault promised to refund 100 French customers the price of their […]
Migrants fleeing Tunisia and Libya cross the dangerous Strait of Sicily to the island of Lampedusa and other landing spots in Italy. Eventually, many amass in Ventimiglia, an upscale Italian border town and resort in the north that is the gateway to Franc
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is stuck with an approval rating below 30 percent. Will his weekly lunches with the cream of Paris “civil society” help change his image?
French authorities try to step up their campaign against alcohol. The result may create more confusion than concern.
Prostitution is on the rise in Paris. The number of streetwalkers on the outer northern boulevards of the city has increased, as authorities debate so-called “passive solicitation,” and look for new ways to crack down on the sex trade.
Alcohol consumption has halved over the past 50 years, as the quality of wine has risen.
Editorial: Germany’s abstention in the UN Security Council vote on Libya was a mistake. The French are wondering what’s behind our Merkel’s hesitation. Angela Merkel (wef) One of the disadvantages of political decisions is that we only learn after the fact if they were farsighted or foolish. Whether history will deem our decisions right or […]
It is unlikely European oil companies ENI, Repsol and Total will be able to return to their operations in Libya if Muammar Gaddafi’s regime remains intact. (Rul) The future of Western oil companies in Libya appears increasingly linked to the outcome of the rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi. Spanish Repsol, French Total and Italian ENI all […]
Even as the French authorities discard comparisons with Chernobyl, fear of the radioactive plume travelling from Japan sparks a run on iodine pills. Similar worries also found in Russia, the U.S. (Goin) PARIS – The question might seem out of place at a time when Japanese relief workers continue to drop water over the spent […]
From simply jamming radar systems to a direct strike on Muammar Gaddafi’s bunker, UN-backed military intervention to protect civilians could take many forms.
A group of leading French intellectuals and politicians make the case for immediate Western intervention in Libya, including possible military strikes against Gaddafi’s forces.
A dispatch from the new front line of expat rural life from Maria-Louise Sawyer, who came to the Charente region with her husband in 2002, only to find herself alone and broke nine years later.
French industry conglomerate Areva, world leader in the atomic energy industry, faces an uncertain future following the nuclear accident in Japan. (Kimdovhac) PARIS – Areva, the world’s No. 1 atomic energy conglomerate, has seen its share price plummet in the midst of the ever-worsening nuclear disaster in Japan, where it derives roughly seven percent of […]
Editorial: The Japanese earthquake sparks danger at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, but not panic. A European Viewpoint. French nuclear power plant (Ylegrand) Until the situation is stabilized at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, the threat of a major atomic catastrophe continues to hang over Japan, and the entire world. Is it best […]
Editorial: A French philosopher looks at the relation between religion and democracy, and suggests Europe’s Christians have a unique claim to reconciling the two.
As the price of oil soars, U.S. energy companies are keen to prospect the little-known shale oil deposits beneath the Paris Basin, a 170,000-square-kilometer area surrounding the French capital.
Last year’s European stress tests were exposed as all but pointless by the Ireland bank crisis. This time, if they are not a real test of credibility, all of Europe will pay the price. Bank of Ireland (Goran) PARIS – This time is for real. The stress tests scheduled to be performed on European banks […]
France’s top business daily dissects the Republican governors’ challenge to public sector unions. Protesters at capitol in Madison, WI (minasodaboy) NEW YORK – Americans do not take to the streets easily. But when they do, the result can be extraordinary. Take Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, flooded nowadays with colorful banners and angry union supporters. […]
More and more Parisian restaurants are opening up to the explorations of Japanese-French fusion. Sweetbread fusion (jlastras) PARIS – Japanese chefs have been streaming into the French capital for the past ten years. Some remain faithful to the traditional Japanese cuisine, and delight their customers with the immensely rich gastronomy of the land of the […]
Researchers have found that chimpanzees use laughter to bond just like we do, vocalizing in ways that are uncannily human. But do they really get the joke?
The success of the Audi A1 and Citroën DS3 has sparked automaker appetites, with Fiat and Peugeot set to join the fray. Citroën’s DS3 (cmonville) GENEVA – Competition may already be fierce in the luxury small car sector, but things are only going to get tougher. After last year’s wave of small cars, such as […]
The wearing of full-face veils in public will be against the law in France as of April 11. But will police and property owners be able to enforce it?
The cutting edge Gaîté Lyrique is dedicated to creativity in the digital age, exploring its every angle from e-books to video games, live performance to robots.
Until now, the designer’s provocations were reserved for the catwalk. Accused of anti-Semitism and dumped by Dior, a profile of fashion’s broken enfant terrible.
From brakes to wings to undercarriages, the race is on to electrify planes – to make them lighter and more environmentally friendly. Boeing 787 (flickr) Even if electric motors won’t be taking over jet engines anytime soon, recent technological innovations could have huge ramifications for the entire aeronautical industry. And the recent bid by French […]
EDITORIAL: France’s “provincial and imperialist” response to Cassez affair.
In Paris to film Roman Polanski’s latest movie, the legendary Hollywood star reflects on her career, and lifelong love affair with France.
Don’t let Bordeaux vintages at staggering prices deter you from the impressive array of top wines that are astonishingly affordable. A panel of experts recently selected the most promising.
A close-up look the problem of so-called “medical desertification” in rural France, where doctors are stretched to the limit and patients worry not to get sick on the wrong day of the week.
The risks of the “financial doping” of Europe’s top football leagues. (Nigel Wilson) Favilla The ever-wise Frederic Thiriez, President of France’s professional soccer leagues, recently offered a biting observation that deserves attention. Legendary player Michel Platini, who today heads European soccer’s governing body UEFA, was presenting a prize to Raymond Kopa, the star French striker […]
The latest international connoisseur on the secrets of weight loss is an old-school doctor who isn’t afraid to call you ‘fat’.
France has joined the hunt for the perfect formula for using editorial content to draw readers to commercial brand websites. Royal Monceau hotel produces a website that reports on cultural happenings around Paris PARIS – Net-a-porter.com paved the way early on in France when it began sprinkling the advice of stylists on its e-commerce fashion […]
On Feb. 14, France matches up two of its specialties: romance and wine.
Europe’s No. 2 automaker is confident that it can expand sales and production in the developing world, though analysts say the French carmaker is still too reliant on European demand. (em2me) PARIS – With the auto industry crisis finally behind them, executives at PSA Peugeot Citroën, Europe’s second largest carmaker, are now focusing their attention […]
Post-revolutionary tourism in Tunisia? Deserted beaches and empty restaurants amid the debris of the uprising, as resorts try to convince tourists the country is safe.
With Louis Vuitton sales jumping more than 20 percent last year, the LVMH luxury goods group is sprucing (and scaling) up Louis Vuitton sales outlets across the globe. Looking for new bags at Louis Vuitton store in Paris (Zoetnet) How do you sell more and more luxury merchandise across the globe, without undercutting an image […]
Three rivals in France’s telecommunications market, Orange, SFR and Bouygues, join forces to form ‘Buyster,” an e-payment system that aims to compete with US giants Paypal, Google and Apple. Solveig Godeluck PARIS – It’s no longer an entente, but a sacred union. Rival French telecommunication operators Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom have agreed to work […]
China’s state-owned food giant plants a stake in the world’s most celebrated wine region. Bordeaux wine cellar (xlibber) Valerie Landrieu Wine guides praise its body and smoothness. The Chateau de Viaud, a lalande-de-pomerol, now belongs to the Chinese government. After almost three years of negotiations, Cofco, the Chinese state-owned food giant has struck a deal […]
American giant acquires a vast portfolio of international titles belonging to the French media conglomerate, passing Condé Nast as the world’s top magazine publisher. But was it worth the pricetag? Canada edition (Vancouver) PARIS – There was nothing unexpected in French media conglomerate Lagardère’s announcement this week that it had it sold its international magazines […]
World leaders can agree on the same ambitious goals for encouraging a more global economy, but not the means for arriving there Russian President Medvedev DAVOS – There is true consensus at Davos: it can no longer be business as usual. Heads of state, corporate leaders and intellectuals gathered here share the belief that we […]