France

Announcement – AIDS, the Untold Story...

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, This is Beirut takes you behind the scenes of one of the most groundbreaking scientific discoveries of the 20th century: the identification of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the infectious agent responsible for AIDS. For the first time, Professor Ara Hovanessian (then a research director at the CNRS in ...

PlayStation: 30 Years of Innovation, Controversy, and Success

On December 3, 1994, Sony made a dramatic entry into the world of gaming consoles with the launch of the PlayStation in Japan. This machine, which would be released a few months later in the United States and Europe, was born from a failed collaboration with Nintendo. Humiliated by its partner's sudden decision to side with Philips instead, Sony ...

Macron’s Future Visit to Riyadh: Strengthening Strategic Ties With KSA

French President Emmanuel Macron, leveraging his role in the Lebanon ceasefire, hopes to bring Saudi Arabia back into play in Beirut and strengthen France's influence in the Middle East during a state visit to Riyadh starting Monday. The head of state, who will spend three days in Saudi Arabia, also aims to project a "new ambition" in relations ...

Baalbeck Recounts... Henri Goraïeb's Starry Path

Some souls pass through this world like a shooting star, leaving behind a light that never fades. They are born in silence and return to the original silence. On tiptoe, it is said. Henri Goraïeb (1935-2021) was one of them. A concert pianist — and, oh, what a virtuoso — he was one of those candles that burned stoically despite the contrary ...

French FM Says ‘Certain Leaders’ Could Have Immunity at ICC

Some leaders could have immunity at the International Criminal Court under the Rome Statute that established the institution, France's foreign minister indicated Wednesday, after the ICC issued arrests warrants for Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister. Asked if France would arrest Netanyahu if he stepped on French ...

America’s Heartfelt Gift to Notre-Dame

Americans have shown an outpouring of support for the restoration of Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral, donating millions of dollars in the wake of the devastating 2019 fire that threatened to destroy the iconic structure. With contributions ranging from small gifts of $10 to major pledges of $10 million, U.S. donors have been pivotal in the rebuilding ...

Breyten Breytenbach, Poet and Anti-Apartheid Activist, Has Died

Breyten Breytenbach, one of the most honored South African writers, left an indelible mark on literature and activism. Born in 1939 in Bonnievale, a small town in the Western Cape, he grew up speaking Afrikaans, a language often tied to South Africa’s oppressive apartheid system. Yet, Breytenbach transformed his mother tongue into a powerful ...

Before Marc Bloch, Four Figures Honored by Macron

Before the upcoming Panthéon induction of historian and resistance fighter Marc Bloch, announced on Saturday by Emmanuel Macron, the president has previously enshrined four other great figures in this republican temple: Simone Veil, Maurice Genevoix, Joséphine Baker, and Missak Manouchian. Additionally, on February 14, 2024, during a tribute to ...

Iran to Hold Nuclear Talks With European Countries on Friday

Iran said on Sunday that it would hold nuclear talks in the coming days with the three European countries that initiated a censure resolution against it adopted by the UN's atomic watchdog. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany and the United Kingdom would take place ...

Boualem Sansal's Arrest: Literary Giants Unite Against Algerian Oppression

The arrest of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal upon his arrival at Algiers airport on November 16 has sparked outrage across the literary world and beyond. At 75 years old, this committed intellectual, who became a French citizen in 2024, is known for his courageous stance against Islamism and totalitarianism. His detention by Algerian ...

Western Powers Voice 'Serious Concern' at Iran Centrifuge Plan

The United States, Britain, France, and Germany expressed on Saturday "serious concern" over Iran's plans to launch a series of new centrifuges for its nuclear program, urging Tehran to reengage with the UN nuclear watchdog. Iran's announcement came after the four Western powers brought a censure motion targeting the Islamic republic at the ...

Marc Bloch Honored: Historian and Resistance Fighter Enters Panthéon

Marc Bloch, a prominent French historian of the 20th century, will soon join the Panthéon. This decision, announced by President Emmanuel Macron during the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Strasbourg, pays tribute to a visionary intellectual, a devoted patriot, and a courageous resistance fighter who died for France under Nazi gunfire. Born ...