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Economy Food / Travel Society

Why Airbnb Keeps Booming — And Surviving The Mass Tourism Backlash

Despite sometimes heated debates and increasing regulations, the king of short-term rentals has never performed as well as in this post-COVID period. The announcement this week of a whole set of new features shines the light on one of the digital era’s great success stories.

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Geopolitics

Has The End Of “Françafrique” Finally Arrived?

A chapter of history is closing: that of the active French military presence on the African continent, which will soon be reduced to a bare minimum after being a central element of France’s presence in its former colonial empire.

Categories
Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Netanyahu On French TV — Epitome Of An Arrogant Leader Detached From The World

The Israeli Prime Minister appeared on French television to try to convince European audiences of his war aims. But his main weakness is his lack of vision for the “aftermath”: he has nothing to offer the Palestinians.

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Geopolitics

Coupable. Condenado. GUILTY! 17 Front Pages Of Trump, The First Convicted U.S. President

The headlines on front pages from New York to around the world dedicated to Donald Trump becoming the first American President to have been a felon. Here is a selection of newspaper front pages from 15 countries.

Categories
Geopolitics Russia-Ukraine War

Does France’s Macron Have The Clout To Make Putin Budge On Ukraine?

The French president wants to convince Vladimir Putin to halt military deployment around Ukraine. But some in Moscow believe the Russian president is only interested in negotiating with the U.S. about the wider global balance of power.

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This Happened

This Happened — May 21: Charles Lindbergh Flies Across The Atlantic

Updated May 21, 2024 at 10:50 a.m. Charles Lindbergh flew from New York City to Le Bourget Field in Paris, covering a distance of 3,610 miles (5,810 kilometers) in just 34 hours. He touched down in Paris on this day in 1927. Who was Charles Lindbergh? Charles Lindbergh was an American aviator and military officer […]

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Society

Inside The “New” Notre Dame, Stained Glass As Contemporary Art

Ahead of Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening in December 2024, a proposal by President Macron to replace six 19th-century stained glass windows with new panels has sparked outcry. Yet stained glass is not new to controversy in France, where even Matisse, Chagall, Garouste and Soulages have managed to unite the sacred and the contemporary.

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Society

Why Taylor Swift Can’t Seem To Win Over The French

Sure, on this first leg of her European tour, Swift’s concerts this weekend in Paris are sold out. But many of the Swifties are arriving from outside of France. So while her star power spreads around the world, the French seem to remain impervious to Tay-tay’s soft power. A deeper look at the pourquoi by a bonafide Swiftie from Paris.

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Geopolitics

A Bridge To Russia — And More Railroads? Why Xi Jinping Chose Hungary And Serbia

By visiting Serbia and Hungary, two countries that will soon be linked by a railroad built and financed by China, Xi Jinping is showing that he has not given up on cultivating special friendships on the continent, even if it undermines relations with Europe’s more influential leaders.

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Geopolitics

Why Macron Is Reminding The World About France’s Nuclear Arsenal

The French president has voiced France’s readiness to “contribute more to the defense of Europe” through its nuclear arsenal. It’s a message fro European allies and for Putin’s Russia — and another reminder of how much hangs on November’s U.S. elections.

Categories
Food / Travel Society

#CaviarTok: How Instagram And TikTok Are Reinventing Caviar

Long the preserve of the elite, caviar is now attracting a wider audience, boosted by its ubiquitous presence on social networks. This new visibility fascinates as much as it questions big names in the sector and Michelin-starred chefs.

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This Happened

This Happened — April 15: Notre-Dame Cathedral Fire

Updated April 15, 2024 at 12:20 p.m. The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris caught fire on this day five years ago. What caused the fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral? The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is believed to have started accidentally, possibly due to an electric short circuit or a cigarette that was not properly extinguished. How much damage did the fire cause to the Notre-Dame Cathedral? The fire caused significant damage to the cathedral, destroying the roof and spire and damaging many of the interior and exterior elements. However, the structure of the cathedral […]

Categories
Geopolitics Russia-Ukraine War

Are Rising France-Russia Tensions A Security Threat For The Paris Olympics?

A telephone call between French and Russian defense ministers on Wednesday gave rise to Russian accusations and threats against France. The terrorist risk shared by the two countries did not allow the slightest progress to be made: this is worrying just a few months before the Paris Olympic Games.

Categories
climate change Green

Not Your Père’s Paris Roof Garden! French Cities Adapt To Climate Change From The Top

How can we make the city both more dense and more liveable? By opening up its rooftops! At a time of land scarcity and global warming, this vast reservoir of largely unused land is the focus of much interest.

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Economy Society

Behind The Seams: A Look Inside The Haute Couture Industry

Anonymous customers, confidential prices, private fittings. Even today, haute couture remains a secret world where each fashion house has its own way of operating and communicating.

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This Happened

This Happened — March 29: I.M. Pei’s Louvre Pyramid Inaugurated

Updated March 29, 2024 at 12:30 p.m. The Louvre pyramid was inaugurated on this day in 1989, after nearly four years of construction. Who designed the Louvre pyramid? The Louvre pyramid was designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei. The pyramid is made of glass and steel, and consists of 603 rhombus-shaped and 70 triangular […]

Categories
Migrant Lives

Paris Is Relying On Exploitation Of Migrant Workers To Prepare For The Olympics

Paris promised to be a socially responsible host for the 2024 Summer Games, yet multiple testimonies from undocumented migrant workers have revealed mistreatment and workers’ rights violations by the companies charged with building the Olympic infrastructure.

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Food / Travel Society

How The Centre Pompidou’s Original Sketches Were Rediscovered — In A Parking Lot

Four hundred tubes that tell the story of the architectural adventure of the making of Beaubourg, which is about to undergo a major renovation project as its 50th anniversary approaches.

Categories
Food / Travel

France Says Bye-Bye Jambon-Beurre, Bonjour Neo-Sandwich

The humble jambon-beurre, the classic ham and butter sandwiches, has long been eaten standing-up at a bistro counter. But now the so-called “neo-sandwich” has arrived on Parisians’ plates — not only in coffee shops and fast food joints but also in restaurants. Garnished with seasonal produce and a chef’s touch, the sandwich is now a dish in its own right.

Categories
Society

Music As “Beautiful Object” — Why The Vinyl Resurgence Is So Strong In France

Sales of vinyl have tripled in the past five years in France, and Paris trails only Tokyo. In this age of dematerialization, LPs symbolize a return to a ceremonial approach to music, a taste for beautiful objects and a desire to give and collect.

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This Happened

This Happened—January 7: Charlie Hebdo Attack In Paris

Updated Jan. 7, 2024 at 10:20 a.m. On this day in 2015, two gunmen opened fire at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris, targeting the magazine’s staff for satirizing Islam. What happened in the Charlie Hebdo attacks? Two Islamist gunmen forced their way into the Paris headquarters of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly newspaper […]

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In The News

Worldcrunch Magazine #59 — How The World Sees The War In Gaza

November 20 – November 26, 2023

Categories
Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

With Each Passing Day, Israel Is Losing Support In The West

Taking the U.S. and France as leading indicators, with different histories and relationships inside the Middle East, Israel should be very worried about maintaining the support of its Western allies. The criticism of Israel and calls for immediate ceasefires are coming not only from the streets, but also inside the halls of power.

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This Happened

This Happened—November 7: Happy Birthday To France’s DJ Extraordinaire

Updated Nov. 7, 2023 at 2 p.m. He may be the most well-known DJ of our time: David Guetta’s songs have garnered over 10 billion online streams. His music has become culturally universal and is played on the radio and at parties and clubs around the world, but most know little about the man behind […]

Categories
Economy

La Défense Or Bust? Inside The Battle To Save Europe’s Largest Business District

Deep structural problems were already pushing it to breaking point. And with teleworking becoming the new normal after COVID, Paris’s La Défense business district stands as a melancholic shadow of its old, buzzing self. Can it find a way to reinvent itself?

Categories
Geopolitics Ideas

What Makes Rugby The Defining Sport Of Modern Democracy

As the Rugby World Cup final approaches, French writer Yves Bourdillon notes that the sport is popular almost exclusively in democratic countries. The reason? Its Anglo-Saxon origins, the complexity of its rules and its values, a miracle of balance between individualism and collective spirit.

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Ideas Society

It’s Us Not Them: A French Philosopher Takes On The Paris Bed Bug Hysteria

Despite the panic on social media, at home and abroad, there is absolutely no evidence of a “bed bug invasion” in the City of Lights. French philosopher Gaspard Koenig explores why Paris (and the world) get sucked in to a bunker mentality of always fearing the worst.

Categories
Economy Society

Gustave Eiffel: 100 Years Later, Still Defining ‘French Entrepreneur’

The memory of the famous engineer-entrepreneur who designed much more than Paris’ iconic Tower will be honored throughout 2023, on the occasion of the centenary of his death.

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This Happened

This Happened — August 31: Death Of Lady Diana

Princess Diana died on this day in 1997. Who was Princess Diana? Princess Diana, born Diana Frances Spencer on July 1, 1961, was a member of the British royal family. She became widely known after marrying King (then Prince) Charles, the heir to the British throne, in 1981. Princess Diana was known for her humanitarian […]

Categories
Economy Society

The Eternal Whims Of Economics, As Seen By Japanese Artist Murakami

Japanese artist Takashi Murakami has unveiled a large fresco capturing the history of economics, from the Sumerians to Elon Musk, at a gallery in the suburbs of Paris. French journalist Yann Rousseau met him in his studio near Tokyo.

Categories
Green Society

From L.A. To Paris, Reflections On The Power Of Public Transport

For the author, the biggest surprise in living in Paris has been the city’s efficient metro system. Her hometown of Los Angeles has an addiction to cars that is more than just unpleasant.

Categories
Society

Identity And Dissolution, A Czech Farewell To Milan Kundera

A week has passed since the passing of the Czech-born author of the novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being Milan Kundera in his Paris apartment. Having emigrated to France in 1975 after being ostracized for criticizing the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, his relationship with his homeland would remain complicated for decades.

Categories
Geopolitics Ideas

Modi On The Champs Élysées, Portrait Of Realpolitik (Circa 2023)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the guest of honor for the July 14-Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, a choice that has benefits and risks for both France and India, two medium-sized powers cultivating their relative independence.

Categories
Geopolitics Society

Why The Riots In France May Push Macron Further To The Right

The riots and looting continue after the police shooting death of a 17-year-old in the outskirts of Paris. Already embattled over labor reforms, French President Emmanuel Macron’s hopes to make peace with center-left allies are getting pushed aside by demands for law and order.

Categories
Society

Why Do French Protesters Burn So Many Cars?

Cars burning in French streets has been a familiar site at protests for decades. What explains this particular “tradition” of public lashing out?

Categories
In The News

Can Macron’s “Creative” Diplomacy Fix The Rift Between The West And Global South?

French President Emmanuel Macron has called a unique summit that aims to reset relations between Western countries and the Global South. But the message from China and Russia will be not to trust such diplomatic maneuverings.

Categories
Food / Travel Society

Simple Takeout To Hipster Fusion: Chinese Cuisine In Paris Gets Chic

Forget about Cantonese fried rice and spring rolls, new-look Chinese restaurants have been multiplying in Paris. They attract French people with increasingly diverse tastes… and a growing number of Chinese tourists.

Categories
In The News

“It’s Complicated” — How The Franco-German Power Couple Preps For A Europe Of 35

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and her German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock have issued a strong and united call on Beijing to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine. It is a reminder of the potential of European power. But the “European Project” is as loaded as ever.

Categories
Green Ideas Society

Ratatouille Was A Documentary: A French Philosopher Dives Into The Paris Garbage Crisis

The ongoing strike of garbage collectors in France shows us why we try so hard to hide how much garbage we throw out. As trash piles up in the streets, philosopher Gaspard Koenig reminds us that it wouldn’t be so hard to recycle and compost more of it.

Categories
In The News

Cannes v. Paris 2024: On The Difference Between Banning Russian Athletes Or Artists

While the IOC decides whether to let Moscow’s athletes compete in the 2024 Summer Games, Russian film directors will again be fighting for the right to show their films.

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