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Articles on France

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There are so many different states – and provinces, districts, regions and lander! Getty Images

How many states and provinces are in the world?

The U.S. is broken up into 50 states, plus territories like Puerto Rico and Guam, and a federal district, Washington, D.C. Most other countries have smaller parts too.
TV and movies are one way we understand people and places we’ve never had direct contact with – and maybe never will. iStock / Getty Images Plus

Netflix’s big bet on foreign content and international viewers could upend the global mediascape – and change how people see the world

An Italian media scholar raised on American TV assesses Netflix’s ambitious strategy to create original productions in Italy, Japan, Brazil and beyond – and distribute them globally.
Adoring fans celebrated Brazilian ex-President Luiz Inacio ‘Lula’ da Silva before he began a prison sentence for corruption in 2018. Lula’s conviction was recently annulled. Miguel Schincariol/AFP via Getty Images)

Prosecuting ex-presidents for corruption is trending worldwide – but it’s not always great for democracy

From Europe to Latin America and the US, former world leaders are being investigated, tried and even jailed. In theory, this shows no one is above the law. But presidents and PMs aren’t just anyone.
On December 8, 2020, Paris’s Olympia Theatre protested that cultural venues were seen as “not essential” by the government. Philippe Dufreigne/Twitter

Debate: France, the nation where culture was left behind

The French government, by prioritizing only “essential” sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic, is ignoring the importance of its culture and cultural assets.
In Paris, the major east-west axis, from the Place de la Concorde to the Place de la Bastille, as given a temporary ‘coronapiste’ after the pandemic broke out. Mayor Anne Hidalgo has said that it will become permanent. Mairie de Paris

Can the city cycling boom survive the end of the Covid-19 pandemic?

The need for social distancing sparked a cycling boom, cutting air pollution and boosting city dwellers’ mental and physical health. But when the pandemic ends, will it be back to life as usual?
Islamophobia in the media fed the support for the proposed Muslim travel ban. Here, a protestor holds an “End Islamophobia” sign at a rally opposing the ban at the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, 2018. (Shutterstock)

Islamophobia in western media is based on false premises

Commentators across the political spectrum spread anti-Islamic rhetoric, insisting that Islam is intrinsically violent and that Muslims are terrorists. But studies show these claims are unfounded.
Col de Port, in the French Pyrenees. Author provided

Mountains, a fragile source of life

We think of mountains as remote and little affected by human activity. Unfortunately, the negative impacts of what we do has important implications for nature, wildlife and human society.
The Caban Coch dam, in Wales’ Elan Valley, is just one of the estimated 1.2 million river barriers in Europe. Sara Barrento/Nature

Europe’s natural waterways: death by a million cuts

New research published in the journal Nature reveals that more than 1.2 million flow barriers exist on European rivers and that approximately 10% are obsolete.

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