This is Beirut

Macron and Aoun to Hold a Video Meeting with al-Sharaa on Friday

This is Beirut, 27/03 23:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron Joseph Aoun Syria Lebanon France Ahmad al-Sharaa

French President Emmanuel Macron, who will receive his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun in Paris on Friday, will also have a “trilateral meeting” with him and interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who will join them “remotely,” the Élysée Palace announced on Thursday. “This will be an opportunity for the three heads of state to ...

Boualem Sansal: Five Years in Prison and an Unfolding Diplomatic Crisis

This is Beirut, 27/03 19:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron Boualem Sansal Algeria France

As Paris looked for signs of de-escalation from Algiers, the Dar al-Beïda court delivered its ruling. On Thursday, March 27, 2025, French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 500,000 dinars (approximately €3,470). The sentence falls short of the ten-year term requested by the public prosecutor a week ...

Disney's 'Snow White' Walks the Woke Line and Stumbles

Marie-Christine Tayah, 27/03 18:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Cinema France Lebanon Film Snow White Culture

Boosted by discounted movie tickets during France’s annual Printemps du cinéma, Disney’s Snow White remake drew crowds between March 19 and 25. But behind its commercial success lies a storm of criticism—surrounding the cast, storyline, and values—long before the film even hit the big screen. A Reimagined Snow White Under Heavy ...

French FM Says China can Help Bring Russia to Ukraine Negotiating Table

This is Beirut, 27/03 11:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Ukraine European Union France China

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged Beijing on Thursday to help bring Russia to talks over ending its war in Ukraine as he met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. France and China have sought to boost ties in recent years, but Paris has also pressed Beijing on its relations with Moscow, which have strengthened since the invasion of ...

Ukraine: Macron Announces New €2 Billion French Military Aid

This is Beirut, 26/03 22:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

France Emmanuel Macron Russia Ukraine Military Aid

On Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron announced an additional €2 billion in military aid from France to Ukraine, accusing Russia of demonstrating a "willingness for war." On the eve of a summit he is organizing in Paris with nearly thirty countries ready to contribute, in various ways, to the "security guarantees" that Europeans wish to offer Kyiv in ...

French Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian on a New Lebanon Tour

This is Beirut, 26/03 14:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Joseph Aoun Jean-Yves Le Drian France Lebanon

President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed on Wednesday that “structural reforms and the reconstruction of areas affected by Israeli bombardments are at the top of his political agenda.” He also indicated that “efforts will continue to restore confidence between Lebanon and its citizens, and between the country and the international ...

'L’Ennemi, un livre pour la paix,' Comes to Life on Stage

Marie-Christine Tayah, 26/03 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Theater France Lebanon Culture

Sometimes, a small book can spark a profound change. During the Christmas holidays, what seemed like a simple children’s book, L’Ennemi, un livre pour la paix turned out to be a deep source of inspiration. With its delicate illustrations and powerful, minimalist text, this book moved readers with its humanity and impact. What began as a ...

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez Named Creative Directors of Loewe

This is Beirut, 24/03 16:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Fashion France Spain

Americans Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, founders of the fashion brand Proenza Schouler, will succeed Northern Irish Jonathan Anderson as creative directors of the Spanish house Loewe, the latter, owned by LVMH, announced on March 24. This appointment is the latest chapter in the ongoing reshuffle of fashion creative ...

Lebanon Contacts US to Avert Threat of Israel Strikes on Capital

This is Beirut, 24/03 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel USA Hezbollah Joseph Aoun France

Lebanese leaders have been in intensive contact with Washington and Paris to prevent Israel from bombing Beirut, a Lebanese official said Monday, after heavy Israeli strikes on the country at the weekend. Israel launched air strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, killing eight people, in response to rocket fire that hit its territory for the ...

Asterix and Obelix Return in New 3D Animated Series

This is Beirut, 24/03 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Film Art France

More than 20 years after his success with Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, French director Alain Chabat has again teamed up with the plucky Gauls for a 3D animated series that was presented Sunday at a festival in Lille before it runs on Netflix. The series is based on the 1961 comic book Asterix and the Big Fight, the seventh in the ...

How the French Squad Is Shaping Fashion and Culture

Madeleine Cadoux, 23/03 19:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Fashion France Art Les Bleus Culture

Pleated skirts, neon balaclavas, high-end coats—at Clairefontaine, the French football team isn't just training, it's making a fashion statement. Players like Jules Koundé, Ibrahima Konaté, and Kingsley Coman are turning heads not only on the field, but on the runway-like arrivals to training camp. Style magazines such as GQ, Paris Match, and ...

Algerian writer Boualem Sansal faces 10-year prison sentence

This is Beirut, 21/03 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Algeria France Writer Human Rights

Algerian prosecutors have requested a 10-year prison sentence for French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, accused of undermining the country's territorial integrity, local media reported Thursday. Sansal, a prominent figure in North African modern Francophone literature, is known for his criticism of Algerian authorities as well as Islamists. The ...

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