Paris - French ambassador to Niger returns to Paris amid escalating tensions



Paris is a city and capital of France, located in the north-central part of the country. Known as the City of Light, Paris has a rich history and is famous for its culture, architecture, fashion, art, and cuisine.

The history of Paris dates back more than 2,000 years and the city has been an important center of trade, government, and culture since ancient times. It has been ruled by many different groups throughout history, including the Romans, Franks, and Vikings. The city was also a prominent center of the Renaissance, Enlightenment, and French Revolution.

Today, Paris is a major tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year. The city is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Architecture

Paris is known for its beautiful, historic architecture, which spans many centuries and styles. The city is home to numerous landmarks, such as the Gothic-style Notre-Dame Cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century and was heavily damaged by fire in 2019; the iconic Eiffel Tower, built in 1889 for the World’s Fair; and the Arc de Triomphe, a triumphal arch completed in 1836 to honour those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.

Paris is also home to a number of noteworthy museums, such as the Louvre, which houses one of the world’s most important collections of art and artefacts. The building of Louvre itself was constructed in the late 12th century as a fortress, subsequently serving as a royal palace before its transformation into a public museum in the 18th century.

Other notable buildings in Paris include the Palace of Versailles, a magnificent 17th-century royal palace located just outside Paris that was once the seat of French government, the Centre Pompidou, a modern structure in the heart of the city dedicated to contemporary art and design, and the Palace of Fontainebleau, a 16th-century château and former royal residence now serving as a museum of the national heritage.

Culture and Attractions

Paris is widely regarded as one of the world’s cultural centers, attracting visitors from all over the world with its art, music, cuisine, and fashion. There are numerous cultural attractions in the city, including art museums, concert halls, and music festivals.

Paris is known for its world-famous art museums, including the Louvre, which houses works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Rembrandt, as well as more modern works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The city is also home to numerous concert halls and music festivals, such as the famous Paris Saint-Germain-des-Prés Jazz Festival, which takes place every year in May and June. The city is also famous for its classical music, with venues such as the Opéra Garnier and the Philharmonie de Paris.

Paris is also known for its fashion industry, which has a long history dating back to the 17th century. The city is home to some of the world’s most famous fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, and Yves Saint Laurent. The city also hosts biannual fashion events, such as Paris Fashion Week, which showcases the latest collections from top designers.

Cuisine

Paris is widely regarded as one of the world’s great culinary cities, with a long tradition of fine dining and food culture. The city boasts numerous world-class restaurants and cafes, as well as a bustling street food scene.

Parisian cuisine is characterized by its use of fresh, seasonal ingredients and simple, yet sophisticated flavors. The city is famous for its bread, pastry, and chocolate, with local specialties such as croissants, baguettes, macarons, and chocolate truffles.

Food markets are also an important feature of Parisian cuisine, with markets such as the Marché des Enfants Rouges and the Marché Bastille featuring a wide range of fresh produce, meats, and cheeses.

Transportation

Paris features a well-developed public transportation system, consisting of buses, metro lines, and a regional train system known as the RER. The metro system consists of 16 lines and over 300 stations, making it one of the most extensive metro systems in the world.

The city is also home to several airports, including the Charles de Gaulle Airport, which is the largest airport in France and one of the busiest airports in Europe. Other major airports in the region include Orly Airport and Beauvais-Tillé Airport.

Conclusion

Paris is one of the world’s most iconic and well-known cities, with a rich history, vibrant culture, and beautiful landmarks. The city’s architecture, museums, cuisine, and fashion continue to attract visitors from all over the world, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.


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Two Rembrandt portraits, overlooked for nearly 200 years, are unearthed

Washington Post

23-05-15 14:25


Auctioneer Christie’s has rediscovered two rare portraits by Dutch master, Rembrandt, after close to 200 years when it stumbled upon the works during a routine valuation of a family’s private art collection. The oval-shaped oil portraits, signed and dated by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1635, depict a wealthy elderly couple in Leiden, Netherlands, linked to the painter through their son, who married into Rembrandt’s family. The pictures were absent from Rembrandt literature in the 19th and 20th centuries. They have intimacy about them, a dignity and are extraordinary, said Henry Pettifer, the expert in Old Masters at Christie’s. Once Pettifer unearthed the portraits during the pandemic, Christie’s sent them to be examined and verified or discredited by Rembrandt experts at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. The paintings are relatively small in scale — less than eight inches tall and 6½ inches wide, making them among the smallest of Rembrandt’s known portraits.

The paintings depict husband Jans Willemsz van der Pluym (1565-1640) and wife Jaapgen Carels (1565 — 1644), whose son married a Rembrandt cousin. The two families were neighbours, according to Christie’s. The portraits remained in the possession of the van der Pluym family until 1760, when they passed through various art collections in Warsaw and Paris before coming into the possession of James Murray, 1st Baron Glenlyon. Rembrandt, one of the most celebrated artists of all time, was born in Leiden in 1606, the youngest of at least 10 children to a prosperous miller. Rembrandt dominated the 17th-century art scene in Holland, known as its “Golden Age,” and achieved levels of status and acclaim unheard of among artists then.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/05/15/rembrandt-portraits-discovered-christies/

Morgan Stanley to increase Paris staff to 500 by 2025

Reuters

23-05-15 14:24


Morgan Stanley plans to recruit 200 sales and trading staff, specialising in macro products and stock derivatives, in Paris by 2025. The move will take its total workforce in France to 500. The decision follows that of other banks, such as Bank of America, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs, who have built up their presence in the EU to compensate for the impact of Britain’s exit from the bloc. The relocation of employees by US banks led the European Central Bank to push for some staff to be moved to the euro area.

https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/morgan-stanley-increase-paris-staff-500-by-2025-2023-05-15/
IOC puts trust at risk by seeking ways to allow Russia to compete at Olympics, EU official tells AP

The Toronto Star

23-05-15 13:53


The European Union presidency has called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban participation by Russian and Belarusian athletes at next year's Games in Paris, but stopped short of proposing an EU boycott. Sweden's sports minister Jakob Forssmed called on the IOC to reconsider its position on allowing Russians and Belarusians to participate as neutral athletes despite the Ukraine war. The IOC, which last year recommended excluding Russian competitors, has left the final decision to each sport's governing body. Although several EU countries oppose the athletes taking part, a unanimous voice has yet to emerge.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/2023/05/15/ioc-puts-trust-at-risk-by-seeking-ways-to-allow-russia-to-compete-at-olympics-eu-official-tells-ap.html
Britain gives Ukraine attack drones in latest show of support as Zelenskyy visits

CBC

23-05-15 13:38


The UK has pledged to provide Ukraine with long-range attack drones and hundreds of air-defence missiles under a deal signed by Prime Minister Theresa May during a visit to Kiev yesterday. The countries also agreed to intensify defence ties, with the UK set to train Ukrainian soldiers and provide non-lethal support including night vision goggles. May said the moves would help to combat “threats from Russia”. The drones are capable of flying beyond the visible range of most anti-aircraft missiles and can be armed with high-precision bombs. Most western countries refused to provide Ukraine with military equipment when conflict began in the country in 2014.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukraine-war-may-15-1.6843533
France to host pro-nuclear meet to push for EU recognition of climate benefits

Reuters

23-05-15 13:31


Ministers from 16 pro-nuclear European states are set to meet in Paris to coordinate the expansion of nuclear power and to encourage the EU to recognise nuclear's role in achieving climate goals for 2050, according to documents seen by Reuters. A draft post-meeting statement said that the countries would encourage EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson to integrate nuclear energy into EU policy by recognising nuclear as a green energy technology in EU decarbonisation goals. It also called for publication of an EU communication on small modular reactors and said that participants planned to build 30 to 45 reactors, both small and large-scale, in order to boost EU nuclear capacity to 150 GW by 2050 from 100 GW today.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-host-pro-nuclear-meet-push-eu-recognition-climate-benefits-2023-05-15/
In European Tour, Zelensky Reaps Billions More in Promised Military Aid

NY Times

23-05-15 23:00


Germany has pledged to give Ukraine a nearly $3 billion package of weapons, as well as making less concrete promises of additional weapons from France and Italy. The United States remains by far the largest supplier of weapons to Ukraine but support for Ukraine in the US is likely to come under pressure. US white house officials have said privately that they remain confident they have bipartisan support in Congress to continue helping Ukraine in the near term. The European Union package of aid includes long-range missiles, attack drones and tanks, and other armoured vehicles, which will fulfill many but not all the demands for weapons that Ukraine has said it needs for a counteroffensive. Military analysts have said the European reinforcements make it highly likely that Ukrainian troops forces will soon strike back at Russian forces that control the country’s south. The European Union's show of support for Ukraine underscores that the war is in a pivotal phase, with Ukrainian forces massing for a counteroffensive that could set the terms for any future negotiation with Russia.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/world/europe/ukraine-war-zelensky-foreign-aid.html?searchResultPosition=1
Russia slams Macron for saying Kremlin is becoming subservient to China

South China Morning Post

23-05-15 22:45


Russian officials have rejected comments by French President Emmanuel Macron claiming that Moscow was becoming subservient to China. Middle East Eye reported that they claimed Western countries must get used to a world underpinned by the Kremlin’s close ties with Beijing. The comments were made after Macron gave an interview to the Parisian daily, l’Opinion, in which he criticised Russia’s isolation caused by its invasion of Ukraine more than 14 months ago.

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3220665/ukraine-war-russia-slams-emmanuel-macron-saying-kremlin-becoming-subservient-china
Macron promises €2 billion in tax cuts for French middle class

RFI

23-05-16 06:06


French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will direct €2bn of tax cuts towards the country's middle class. He did not specify how the money would be allocated but said he had asked his government to make proposals as to how focus these cuts on those viewed as "too rich to receive aid and not rich enough to live well", referring to those earning between €1,500 and €2,500 per month. Macron has turned his attention to the economy and creating jobs rather than pension reform. The president recently met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy; he has since opened the door to training Ukrainian fighter pilots.

https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20230516-macron-promises-%E2%82%AC2-billion-in-tax-cuts-for-french-middle-class
Leading Nigerian bank opens French subsidiary in Paris

RFI

23-05-16 04:48


Nigeria's Access Bank has opened a branch in Paris specialising in trade finance to facilitate business between French-speaking African nations and France. Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe said the launch of the French office was part of a broader push to bridge business and political divides between Africa and France. Trade will be Access Bank's initial focus, capitalising on trade flows between French and African countries, Wigwe said. French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly been keen to broaden ties between France and English-speaking African countries and establish a new relationship that moved away from traditional "Françafrique" French relations with former colonies.

https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20230516-nigeria-access-bank-opens-french-subsidiary-to-boost-trade-with-francophone-africa
Business schools target executives’ green gaps

Financial Times

23-05-16 04:36


Executive education is helping to update business leaders whose degree programmes paid little attention to environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns, according to FT. Reframing from the dominant approach of shareholder supremacy, executives across the globe are now taking executive courses to implement their companies' ESG initiatives. "It's very difficult to talk about leadership without talking about sustainability," said Russell Miller, director of learning solutions at Imperial College Business School. NUS Business School's director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability, Lawrence Loh, added many executives are taking courses to keep pace with ESG changes in the industry.

https://www.ft.com/content/88499a8f-0f90-46fd-8cb0-903966e81a6c
Dawn Davis’s gastronomic guide to New York

Financial Times

23-05-16 04:33


The return of culture in New York City after the pandemic means that friends from out of town can take advantage of the city’s rich offerings. FT Globetrotter recommends several favourite restaurants, from upscale and theatrical to cosy neighbourhood places, and quick bites on the fly. To showcase the city after going to the theatre, the author visits The Noortwyck where Eleven Madison Park alums in the kitchen can deliver fluke crudo, kale salad, and the striped bass or the pasta with a wine list that always satisfies. For theatricality, Frevo offers an intimate 16-seat chef’s counter located behind a false door in a street-level art gallery. Chef Markus Glocker’s Koloman in the Ace Hotel offers imaginative and satisfying dishes including a celeriac tartare with an herby, cheesy mustard. Lastly, The Nines provides old-school theatricality with a mesmerising and soulful piano player/vocalist adding to the glamorous vibe, and Madman Espresso recalls an Italian bar with De Sica focaccia sandwiches and cauliflower pizza.

https://www.ft.com/content/434a7d08-3238-45a6-a7e8-12c0814aac90
France withdraws as host of 2025 Rugby League World Cup

Japan Times

23-05-16 04:25


France has withdrawn from hosting the 2025 Rugby League World Cup due to concerns over the financial risks that could be incurred by the tournament. The country had hosted previous editions of rugby league's world tournament. Despite the withdrawal, the International Rugby League (IRL) continue to look at options for the future event.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/05/16/rugby/rugby-league-wc-france-withdrawal/
Global accord could cut plastic pollution by 80%

Deutsche Welle

23-05-16 10:00


A report from the United Nations Environment Programme has launched a path to reducing plastic waste. The report calls for bans to eliminate problematic plastic that cannot be recycled, reused or composted, as well as overpackaging. It lays out a three-pronged approach of reusing, recycling and switching to alternative materials. The reuse of packaging is believed to be the lowest hanging fruit, cutting plastic pollution by 30% by 2040, while improving recycling rates could lead to a 20% reduction in plastic pollution.

https://www.dw.com/en/global-accord-could-cut-plastic-pollution-by-80/a-65632381
India plans to challenge EU carbon tax at WTO - sources

Reuters

23-05-16 08:42


The Indian government is expected to file a complaint about the European Union's imposition of tariffs of between 20% and 35% on high-carbon goods, including iron ore, cement and steel from the South Asian country. The move follows the European bloc's approval of the first levy on high-carbon imports, targeting steel, gas and hydrogen from 2026. Policymakers in India are examining proposals to implement safeguards against imports as they seek parity with industries required to reduce emissions. Ajay Sahai, director-general of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, argued that limiting emissions will help the sector remain competitive in global markets.

https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-plans-challenge-eu-carbon-tax-wto-sources-2023-05-16/
IEA says oil price downturn ignores looming supply crunch

Reuters

23-05-16 08:10


The International Energy Agency (IEA) has raised its global oil demand forecast by 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 102 million bpd, citing China's strong post-pandemic recovery as one of the reasons. This demand is expected to outstrip supply by almost two million bpd in H2 2021, according to the agency. The US and Brazil are predicted to lead modest supply growth of 1.2 million bpd for the year, in contrast to cuts agreed by OPEC+ that will remove 850,000 bpd from the global oil market from April to December 2021.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/iea-says-oil-price-downturn-ignores-looming-supply-crunch-2023-05-16/
Zelensky toured Europe seeking new weapons. Here’s what he came home with.

Washington Post

23-05-16 13:40


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has completed a round of state visits to European nations as his country prepares for an expected counteroffensive against Russian forces. During the trip, national leaders pledged military aid, weapons, training, and support, including artillery, combat vehicles, missiles, drones and longer-range missiles. Among the strongest commitments were those made by Germany, which pledged $2.95 billion in a new package that includes more than 100 combat vehicles, 200 reconnaissance drones, 30 Leopard 1 A5 tanks, 20 Marder armoured personnel carriers and 18 self-propelled howitzers, crucially including IRIS-T air defence systems. France committed to training soldiers, refurbishing weapons, and repairing armoured vehicles and guns. The UK has offered “hundreds of air defence missiles” and “hundreds of new long-range attack drones," as well as training. Italy and Pope Francis were thanked for their efforts so far, but no significant new aid was dedicated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/16/ukraine-aid-weapons-zelensky-europe/
New Zealand rugby league chiefs raise hope of World Cup after France pulls out

RFI

23-05-16 13:09


New Zealand Rugby League has revealed plans to help create a new, alternative tournament to replace the France 2025 Rugby World Cup, following news that France is unable to financially host the event. The tournament was scheduled to take place in France across four years, but the government confirmed it would be unable to meet the financial rules needed to bring it to fruition. New Zealand and other countries are currently discussing alternative tournament options. Troy Grant, chairman of the International Rugby League, has stated that alternative contingency options are being considered.

https://www.rfi.fr/en/sports/20230516-new-zealand-rugby-league-chiefs-raise-hope-of-world-cup-after-france-pulls-out
Council of Europe leaders gather to show united face against Russia

RFI

23-05-16 13:06


The Council of Europe (CoE) summit, being held in Reykjavik, Iceland, has considered holding Russia legally responsible for the death and destruction caused by its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The summit, only the fourth in the CoE’s 70-year history, has seen the suspension of Russia’s membership as a direct result of the invasion. Attendees have discussed possible measures against Russia, including the creation of a dedicated tribunal to try leaders and commanders in The Hague, and the establishment of a register to record the damage caused by Russia.

https://www.rfi.fr/en/international/20230516-council-of-europe-leaders-gather-to-show-united-face-against-russia
Lebanese central bank governor no-show in Paris corruption probe

Associated Press

23-05-16 12:30


The governor of Lebanon’s central bank Riad Salameh failed to attend a hearing in Paris on 31 May, where he was due to be questioned as part of a three-country probe into accusations of corruption. French, German and Luxembourg authorities are investigating allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering involving $330m, implicating Salameh, who denies the claims. Salameh’s whereabouts are currently unknown. A further investigation into allegations including embezzlement, forgery and money-laundering against Salameh, his brother and a colleague is under way in Lebanon.

https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-riad-salameh-paris-corruption-probe-5ca047a44d7031791824803659ccead5