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Aid flotilla for Gaza revives Genoa's activist past

Dockworkers from the port of the Ligurian capital – known for the major protests against the G8 summit in 2001 – are at the forefront of the 'Global Sumud Flotilla,' a grassroots initiative hoping to break the blockade on the Palestinian enclave and deliver humanitarian aid.

Published on September 6, 2025, at 6:28 am (Paris), updated on September 6, 2025, at 10:20 am Allan Kaval

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To fight Trump, California Governor Gavin Newsom trolls and brags

In recent weeks, the Democratic governor of California has adopted a mirror style of communication, mimicking Donald Trump's outrageous tactics.

Published on September 3, 2025, at 2:01 am (Paris), updated on September 3, 2025, at 12:42 pm Corine Lesnes

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'Avoid' Machu Picchu? Peru worries about the impact of mass tourism

The UNESCO World Heritage site, which attracts more than 1.5 million visitors per year, was recently deemed 'no longer worth it' by a leading global tourism platform.

Published on July 20, 2025, at 1:58 am (Paris), updated on July 20, 2025, at 9:07 am Amanda Chaparro

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Xi: The father, the son and the party

Given that Xi Jinping's father was a reformer, should his son not have been one as well? In the first English-language biography of the Chinese president's father, the author sees within the current leader's conservatism the cultural mark of absolute devotion to the Chinese Communist Party.

Published on July 16, 2025, at 1:18 am (Paris), updated on July 16, 2025, at 2:38 pm Harold Thibault

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Germany's federal government and royal family end a century-old dispute

An agreement has been reached regarding property confiscated from the Hohenzollern family: Items currently displayed in museums will remain there, while contested objects will be housed at a special foundation.

Published on July 9, 2025, at 2:31 am (Paris), updated on July 9, 2025, at 8:07 am Elsa Conesa

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The Swiss should drink more wine, says minister

While the government dutifully promotes public health, the minister of the economy and agriculture is expressing concern over the struggles of Switzerland's wine industry.

Published on July 8, 2025, at 4:41 am (Paris), updated on July 8, 2025, at 9:50 am Serge Enderlin

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In Argentina, a libertarian cartoon serves as Javier Milei's weapon in the 'culture war'

'Tuttle Twins,' imported from the United States, is set to spread libertarian ideology on a public children's channel. Education specialists have criticized the move.

Published on July 6, 2025, at 12:38 am (Paris), updated on July 7, 2025, at 12:53 pm Flora Genoux

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Serbia's Exit music festival faces closure as government cracks down on dissent

Due to its popularity, the event has become the most prominent and symbolic target in the government's ongoing repression against cultural figures supporting the anti-corruption protest movement that has shaken the country.

Published on July 3, 2025, at 1:30 am (Paris), updated on July 3, 2025, at 8:26 am Jean-Baptiste Chastand

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In Japan, a manga artist has predicted a disaster in early July, causing a drop in tourism

The 'prediction' made by a manga author has sparked panic and a decline in bookings around July 5, the day that she claims an earthquake will trigger a massive tsunami. Authorities have reiterated that it is impossible to predict earthquakes.

Published on July 2, 2025, at 1:29 am (Paris), updated on July 2, 2025, at 12:54 pm Philippe Mesmer

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A century of MI5 secrets are being revealed in the UK's National Archives

A unique exhibition traces the history of the legendary British domestic intelligence agency and features a wealth of original documents in a bid to maintain public trust and to counter conspiracy theories.

Published on June 24, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris), updated on June 24, 2025, at 8:07 am Cécile Ducourtieux

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Venice locals protest Jeff Bezos's three-day wedding extravaganza

Residents of La Serenissima have formed a group to oppose the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, who have planned a ceremony set to take place between Thursday and Saturday.

Published on June 23, 2025, at 7:00 pm (Paris), updated on June 25, 2025, at 2:55 pm Allan Kaval

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Polo at high altitude in Pakistan, with no rules or referee

Every year during the Shandur Festival, rival teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan face off in a match that often leaves both men and horses seriously injured.

Published on June 21, 2025, at 2:45 am (Paris), updated on June 21, 2025, at 9:51 am Sophie Landrin

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Sweden sounds the alarm on loneliness

While residents of the Scandinavian country – often considered some of the most solitary people in the world – tend to adapt to isolation better than others, young people and the elderly are still suffering. The issue is gaining attention as the country works to rebuild its civil defense system.

Published on June 19, 2025, at 11:49 pm (Paris), updated on June 20, 2025, at 8:21 am Anne-Françoise Hivert

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Poland is attracting foreign tourists on a quest for a cool summer escape

As the season begins, more and more vacationers are flocking to the beaches along the Baltic Sea coast. In 2023, 19 million foreign travelers visited Poland, a figure that has been rising steadily.

Published on June 19, 2025, at 4:39 am (Paris), updated on September 1, 2025, at 1:42 am Hélène Bienvenu

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In Belgium, the dual face of the kings of French fries

The global appetite for fries has enabled Belgian companies to build industrial empires, but often at the cost of deteriorating working conditions and significant environmental impact.

Published on June 17, 2025, at 4:32 am (Paris), updated on June 17, 2025, at 9:33 am Jean-Pierre Stroobants

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Brazil's evangelical wave is losing momentum

According to the latest census, the Protestant movement now accounts for 26.9% of the population. A level far below what had been anticipated and still well behind the 56.7% who identify with the Catholic Church.

Published on June 14, 2025, at 3:40 am (Paris), updated on June 14, 2025, at 10:52 am Bruno Meyerfeld

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In Athens, a cinema keeps the tradition of hand-painted film posters alive

The Athinaion commissions and displays a new artwork by an artist on its façade every week. This practice, which has been going on for 65 years, is now believed to be unique in Europe.

Published on June 13, 2025, at 4:49 am (Paris), updated on June 16, 2025, at 1:57 pm Isabelle Karaiskos

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Aragon and Catalonia battle over the 'Sistine Chapel of Romanesque art'

Spain's Supreme Court has given a museum in Barcelona 20 days to return mural paintings to the Monastery of Santa Maria de Sijena, from which they were removed in 1936 for protection during the Spanish Civil War.

Published on June 11, 2025, at 11:39 pm (Paris), updated on June 12, 2025, at 8:26 am Sandrine Morel

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The Chinese Communist Party's endless push for sobriety

Following a lunch that became far too alcohol-fueled on the sidelines of a meeting of officials from the Luoshan County, Xi Jinping reiterated the ban on lavish menus and alcoholic beverages during work meals for party members.

Published on June 11, 2025, at 3:20 am (Paris), updated on June 11, 2025, at 10:58 am Harold Thibault

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Mexico data leak exposes broadcaster's methods to destroy reputations of public figures

With fake news and false testimonies, Latin America's largest media conglomerate carried out 'media warfare operations' between 2018 and 2024 to sway public opinion.

Published on June 9, 2025, at 11:55 am (Paris) Anne Vigna

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In Turkey, Erdogan issues a decree to curb C-sections

To combat a record-low fertility rate, the president has launched several initiatives. So far, they have had little effect. The rate of Cesarean sections, which runs counter to the government's demographic goals, is still on the rise.

Published on June 8, 2025, at 5:30 am (Paris) Nicolas Bourcier

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The Trump family's lucrative deals in Vietnam

Facing the threat of US tariffs, Vietnam is placing a major bet on a project backed by the Trump Organization. The country is working hard not to tarnish the image of success projected by the billionaire.

Published on June 5, 2025, at 5:30 pm (Paris), updated on June 6, 2025, at 12:58 pm Brice Pedroletti

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In Puerto Rico, tensions rise over the private electricity operator

Twice since the end of 2024, massive outages have plunged this US Caribbean territory into darkness, amid a severe energy crisis fueled by decades of underinvestment and the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Published on June 5, 2025, at 1:45 am (Paris), updated on June 5, 2025, at 7:54 am Jean-Michel Hauteville

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In Canada, customers are experiencing 'tipping fatigue'

The practice often raises eyebrows among French visitors to Quebec: At restaurants, customers are expected to leave a tip for the server, regardless of how satisfied they are with the service.

Published on June 4, 2025, at 3:42 am (Paris), updated on June 4, 2025, at 8:35 am Eliott Dumoulin

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In Côte d'Ivoire, the dangerous rise of the alcoholic beverage Vody

Social media and the music scene made this cheap version of a vodka-based cocktail popular. Authorities are concerned and now trying to curb the trend.

Published on May 30, 2025, at 10:38 pm (Paris), updated on May 31, 2025, at 11:53 am Marine Jeannin

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In Japan, newly released archives reveal the scale of human experimentation between 1938 and 1945

Newly uncovered documents confirm Japan's ambition to develop biological weapons during the Pacific War. The infamous Unit 731 of the Imperial Army in Harbin, China, was not the only group to use human test subjects.

Published on May 29, 2025, at 3:00 am (Paris), updated on June 12, 2025, at 3:24 pm Philippe Pons

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In Argentina, 'The Eternaut' series rekindles search for babies stolen during the dictatorship

Some 500 children of regime opponents were taken from their parents under the military junta (1976-1983) and subjected to forced adoptions.

Published on May 27, 2025, at 1:06 am (Paris), updated on May 27, 2025, at 7:51 am Flora Genoux

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In Italy, the populist stunts of a Neapolitan TikTok star

Influencer Rita De Crescenzo has established herself as a spokesperson for the working-class neighborhoods of the southern city of Naples. Using insults and threats, she is now considering entering politics.

Published on May 23, 2025, at 2:11 am (Paris), updated on May 23, 2025, at 11:17 am Allan Kaval

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Brussels has been without a government for nearly a year

The participation, or lack thereof, of the independentist New Flemish Alliance party in Brussel's next government has continued to divide negotiatiors and paralyze the regional parliament.

Published on May 21, 2025, at 4:04 am (Paris), updated on May 21, 2025, at 10:29 am Jean-Pierre Stroobants

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The 'Berlin Wall of Asia' between India and Pakistan is a strange site of theater and tears

The only land crossing point between the two countries has been closed since May 1, following an attack in Kashmir that led to the most severe military confrontation between New Delhi and Islamabad in decades.

Published on May 18, 2025, at 12:22 am (Paris) Sophie Landrin

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At Eurovision, Swedish-speaking Finns are representing Sweden

The three members of KAJ, the band selected to represent Sweden in the 2025 edition of the music contest, hail from a Swedish-speaking minority on Finland's West coast. In a context of hostility toward this second national language and rivalry with their Scandinavian 'big brother,' this is a notable event in Finland.

Published on May 17, 2025, at 5:30 am (Paris) Anne-Françoise Hivert

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Two reporters' Europe road trip documents the Romanian diaspora's far-right radicalization

A Romanian couple traveled across Europe to investigate the lives of their compatriots, who voted for the nationalist candidate, George Simion, at over 60% in the first round of Romania's May 4 presidential election.

Published on May 15, 2025, at 4:20 am (Paris), updated on May 15, 2025, at 9:27 am Jean-Baptiste Chastand

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Brazil rediscovers itself as a cheese country

The gift of an assortment of six national cheeses, presented by President Lula to Emmanuel Macron in 2024, was a 'crowning achievement' for the country's producers who have fought against prejudices for decades.

Published on May 14, 2025, at 3:21 am (Paris), updated on May 14, 2025, at 12:43 pm Bruno Meyerfeld

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South Africa attempts to restrict firearms use

In a country with one of the highest homicide rates in the world, the government is seeking to limit firearm possession among private security company employees. Dysfunctional on multiple levels, the police services are overwhelmed.

Published on May 13, 2025, at 3:00 pm (Paris) Mathilde Boussion

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A century of resistance: Booksellers at Madrid's Cuesta de Moyano

The booksellers of Madrid's 'casetas' celebrate their centenary with a tandem event with Parisian 'bouquinistes.' These two institutions are the last permanent open-air book fairs in European capitals.

Published on May 9, 2025, at 4:08 am (Paris) Sandrine Morel

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In China, stolen children reunite with families thanks to DNA tests and social media

During the era of the one-child policy, boys were abducted to be sold to childless couples, and girls like Yang Niuhua were taken to be married off or forced into sex work.

Published on May 7, 2025, at 4:30 am (Paris), updated on May 7, 2025, at 9:25 am Harold Thibault

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In Zurich, the leaf blower war or the anti-'woke' backlash

Ruled for decades by a pink-green urban left, the Swiss financial metropolis is embroiled in a cultural battle that reflects the current zeitgeist.

Published on May 6, 2025, at 5:01 am (Paris), updated on May 6, 2025, at 8:03 am Serge Enderlin

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Montreal's springtime potholes are becoming political

Quebec's largest city has long been plagued by these craters, largely caused by the harsh winters. Ahead of key municipal elections, some are also criticizing poor management.

Published on May 5, 2025, at 12:20 pm (Paris) Alexandre Lepoutre

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Cuba faces population decline and aging amid mass migration exodus

Cuba's population fell below the 10 million mark in 2024. Independent experts fear a more pronounced demographic decline, driven by the exodus of the working population and a drop in birth rates on this island grappling with a deep economic crisis.

Published on April 30, 2025, at 3:00 am (Paris), updated on April 30, 2025, at 3:28 am Jean-Michel Hauteville

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In Mexico, 'bullfighting without violence' pleases no one

In March, parliament approved a ban on killing bulls in the ring, much to the dismay of industry professionals as well as advocates for an outright ban on bullfighting.

Published on April 29, 2025, at 4:30 am (Paris), updated on April 29, 2025, at 7:49 am Anne Vigna

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Abidjan, the other capital of French rap

While Kaaris, born in Côte d'Ivoire, headlined the Anoumabo Urban Music Festival, the whole avant-garde of young Franco-Ivorian artists like Le Juiice, Lala & ce, Laylow, Jeune Lion and Jok'Air are splitting their time between the two countries.

Published on April 26, 2025, at 2:35 am (Paris), updated on May 26, 2025, at 11:20 am Marine Jeannin

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In Peru, the youth dream of emigration

In pursuit of employment, 96% of Peruvian students express readiness to move abroad after their studies. Nearly three-quarters of the country's companies, ensnared in a climate of political and economic instability, report facing recruitment challenges.

Published on April 24, 2025, at 11:07 pm (Paris), updated on April 25, 2025, at 10:54 am Amanda Chaparro

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In Austria, the far-right parliament speaker openly displays Nazi affinities

Since his election in October 2024 as the head of the National Council, Walter Rosenkranz, a senior member of the far-right FPÖ party, has made a series of blunders and provocations.

Published on April 22, 2025, at 3:23 am (Paris), updated on April 22, 2025, at 9:10 am Jean-Baptiste Chastand

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World Expo symbolizes Osaka's revival

After decades of relative decline, the capital of Japan's Kansai region is launching major projects and attracting numerous visitors.

Published on April 21, 2025, at 2:00 pm (Paris), updated on April 22, 2025, at 4:22 pm Philippe Mesmer

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King Leopold III planned to rule over a mini-Belgium aligned with Hitler

A World War II-era archival document, drafted by the monarch's advisers and unearthed by a Belgian historian, sheds light on a highly contested period in the nation's history: the king's intention to lead a truncated state with Hitler's consent.

Published on April 19, 2025, at 1:41 am (Paris), updated on April 22, 2025, at 1:57 pm Jean-Pierre Stroobants

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The Turkish protests, a work of art

Protesters mobilized since the arrest of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, are showcasing immense creativity, humor and subversion to express their anger at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Published on April 17, 2025, at 11:40 am (Paris) Nicolas Bourcier

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Sweden falls in love with a novel about growing old

'When the Cranes Fly South,' the debut novel by a sociology doctoral student, has captivated nearly 200,000 readers in a country of 10 million inhabitants, where reading is on the decline. This bestseller is set to be translated into about 30 languages.

Published on April 17, 2025, at 1:41 am (Paris), updated on April 17, 2025, at 9:36 am Anne-Françoise Hivert

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Atheists are now the largest group in Germany

For the first time ever, Germany has more atheists (47%) than Catholics and Protestants combined (45%). This decline in faith is particularly noticeable in southern states such as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.

Published on April 16, 2025, at 12:31 am (Paris), updated on April 16, 2025, at 10:08 am Elsa Conesa

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Argentina continues investigating its painful past as a refuge for Nazis

The government has announced the declassification of new documents, including 'banking and financial operations' that allegedly facilitated the escape from Europe and the settlement in South America of high-ranking officials from Hitler's totalitarian regime.

Published on April 11, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris), updated on April 11, 2025, at 9:42 am Flora Genoux

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Souvlaki: A recipe for bringing Greek society together

Introduced by refugees from Asia Minor who arrived in Athens in the 1920s, the grilled meat sandwich with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki has become a staple of local street food, uniting all social classes.

Published on April 10, 2025, at 3:03 pm (Paris) Isabelle Karaiskos

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Europeans brainstorm ideas to fund their defense efforts

The European Commission has already proposed an €800 billion rearmament plan, while EU member states and the United Kingdom have been considering the creation of a kind of intergovernmental bank.

Published on April 10, 2025, at 12:53 pm (Paris) Philippe Jacqué

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When Napoléon wanted to invade Brazil

Since the invasion plans by the emperor's entourage, relations between France and Brazil have gone through several upheavals that still resonate today.

Published on April 8, 2025, at 4:31 am (Paris), updated on April 9, 2025, at 5:34 pm Bruno Meyerfeld

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In Taiwan, Mazu, goddess of the sea and Chinese influence

Taiwanese authorities are convinced that the worship surrounding this popular deity is enabling Beijing to spread its ideas in favor of absorbing the island into the mainland.

Published on April 5, 2025, at 2:49 am (Paris), updated on April 7, 2025, at 2:20 pm Harold Thibault

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In Spain, schools overlook the Civil War and Franco's dictatorship

Many young people reach adolescence without ever having studied either the Spanish Civil War or the dictatorship, making them more susceptible to revisionist and neo-Francoist narratives.

Published on April 3, 2025, at 2:54 am (Paris), updated on April 3, 2025, at 9:13 am Sandrine Morel

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Cambodia celebrates the return of its Khmer deities

The wave of Khmer art restitutions in the 2020s dwarfed all those that went before. A multinational team of Cambodian officials and investigators, accompanied by international lawyers and experts, is at work to return the kingdom's looted treasures.

Published on April 2, 2025, at 4:46 am (Paris), updated on April 2, 2025, at 2:15 pm Brice Pedroletti

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In the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, Starship rockets create new pollution

Their debris, which falls back into the sea and onto land, generates large quantities of waste, with as yet unknown environmental consequences. But, due to donations from private companies like SpaceX, local governments have shown leniency.

Published on March 29, 2025, at 5:39 pm (Paris), updated on March 29, 2025, at 5:40 pm Jean-Michel Hauteville

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Serbian authorities' use of a sound cannon against protesters fuels anger

Under pressure, the government admitted to having the weapon, which has never before been used in Europe – but denied using it against protesters.

Published on March 28, 2025, at 3:17 am (Paris), updated on March 28, 2025, at 8:12 am Jean-Baptiste Chastand

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In Côte d'Ivoire, a new style of rock makes its debut

Arii and Toto le Banzou's song 'Stabilise,' which blends French-American-Baoulé influences, has become a hit in just a few weeks. Its two creators already see it as the spearhead of a new genre called 'Ivorian rock.'

Published on March 27, 2025, at 1:31 am (Paris), updated on May 26, 2025, at 11:20 am Marine Jeannin

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In Italy, 'Il Foglio' newspaper provocatively launches a supplement entirely made by AI

With no more human names or bylines, the Milanese daily is giving its readers a supplement of 20 articles written by ChatGPT Pro.

Published on March 26, 2025, at 4:29 am (Paris), updated on March 26, 2025, at 10:18 am Allan Kaval

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In Peru, culture is under censorship

Movies, plays, exhibitions, festivals are being canceled. The reactionary and conservative right wing is increasingly pressuring artists.

Published on March 22, 2025, at 3:22 am (Paris), updated on March 29, 2025, at 4:42 pm Amanda Chaparro

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