france

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 ...

Macron to Commemorate 80th Anniversary of Liberation of Strasbourg

On Saturday, Emmanuel Macron will mark the 80th anniversary of Strasbourg's liberation from Nazi rule with tributes to the Alsatian resistance, forcibly conscripted soldiers, and historian Marc Bloch, who may be honored with a place in the Panthéon. The President, continuing a long cycle of remembrance surrounding the 80th anniversary of ...

Alarm in France over fate of prize-winning French-Algerian writer

French President Emmanuel Macron is concerned about the "disappearance" of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, his office said, after reports that the prize-winning novelist had been arrested in Algeria. Sansal, a major figure in francophone modern literature, is known for his strong stances against both authoritarianism and Islamism as well ...

Michel Polnareff: A Striking Comeback with New Album and Tour

At 80 years old, Michel Polnareff, the iconoclast of French chanson, is making a much-anticipated comeback with a new single, an unreleased album, and a tour across France and London. The French-American artist revealed on his Instagram account that his "final tour," titled Ma derrière tournée, will take him across France in 2025, with a major ...