France

Macron Urges Joint UK-French Recognition of Palestinian State

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged joint UK-France recognition of a Palestinian state, calling such moves "the only hope for peace" in the conflict-ridden region. Flanking UK leader Keir Starmer at a news conference as he wrapped up a three-day state visit to Britain, Macron said he wanted to "initiate this political dynamic" of ...

Avignon Honors Imprisoned Algerian Author Boualem Sansal Through Readings

Several cultural figures, including the president of the Avignon Festival, paid tribute on Wednesday to French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who was sentenced to five years in prison in Algeria. The tribute took place during an evening of readings from his works, AFP observed. The 80-year-old author has been imprisoned in Algeria for over seven ...

Macron and Starmer Seal Defense Pact 'Reboot' at UK Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron wraps up a three-day state visit to Britain on Thursday with a summit aiming to "reboot" defense ties with a focus on joint missile development and nuclear co-operation. Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are also expected to discuss maintaining support for Ukraine and curbing undocumented cross-Channel ...

Immigration Dominates London–Paris Talks

It was the issue that hovered over the visit, that was present in every conversation, though absent from the red carpet. On Wednesday, July 9, illegal immigration across the English Channel took center stage as French President Emmanuel Macron met with the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. So far this year, more than 20,000 ...

Macron Turns to Politics on Second Day of UK State Visit

French President Emmanuel Macron held talks Wednesday with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as the issue of small-boat crossings of the Channel dominated the second day of his UK state visit. It was all smiles as Starmer welcomed Macron to his Downing Street residence and office. The UK leader said, "we think alike; we work together," as he described ...

France Wildfire Shuts Down Marseille Airport and Halts Trains

A wildfire in southern France on Tuesday forced Marseille airport to close and interrupted train traffic as the blaze spread rapidly to the edges of the city. Several forest fires have raged in recent days in southern France, fanning out at speed due to wind and parched vegetation after a heatwave. Scientists say human-induced climate change is ...

Macron Urges New Era of Anglo-French Unity in Address to UK Parliament

President Emmanuel Macron argued Tuesday that France and Britain must work together to defend the post-World War II "international order," as he addressed parliament on the first day of his UK state visit. The first such visit by an EU head of state since Brexit, Macron said in a wide-ranging speech that the two countries must renew their ...

Kechiche Returns: Final ‘Mektoub My Love’ Film Set for Locarno Premiere

A new film by award-winning but scandal-prone French director Abdellatif Kechiche has been selected by a Swiss film festival, marking a comeback six years after his last widely panned feature, organizers said Tuesday. The third film of his Mektoub My Love trilogy - titled Mektoub My Love: Canto Due - is to show in competition at the Locarno ...

A French Classic with Polish Roots: Tarte Tropézienne Marks Its 70th Anniversary

Inspired by a Polish grandmother's recipe and popularized by Brigitte Bardot until it became the quintessential holiday dessert on the Côte d'Azur, the Tarte Tropézienne is celebrating its 70th anniversary with ambitions to conquer the world. This brioche, sprinkled with sugar crystals and filled with a generous layer of cream, was born in the ...

Lebanon–Syria: Borderlines and Broken Promises

When Greater Lebanon was proclaimed on September 1, 1920, by General Henri Gouraud, a new geopolitical reality emerged. The newly formed Lebanese State extended beyond historic Mount Lebanon to include parts of the Sanjaks of Tripoli and Saida, the city of Beirut and 4 districts annexed to Lebanese territory: Baalbeck, the Beqaa, Rashaya and ...

At the Bourse de Commerce in Paris, an Immersive Work of Sound and Silence

Clinamen is a dreamlike, immersive and multisensory experience by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, presented in the Rotunda of the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection. Originally built in the 18th century as a grain exchange, the building – now a contemporary art museum – becomes a living vessel for this ever-evolving installation. This ...

From Benin to Hollywood: Singer Angélique Kidjo Makes Walk of Fame History

Franco-Beninese artist Angélique Kidjo expressed her "joy" on Friday at becoming the first African female singer to receive a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. The five-time Grammy Award winner, who recently concluded an international tour celebrating her 40-year career, was named Wednesday among the 35 new honorees selected to ...