Notre Dame Cathedral Reopens After Fire Repairs
On April 15, 2019, the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral–one of the world’s most famous churches–was partially destroyed by a fire. Five years and nearly $1 billion later, the 800-year-old World Heritage Site will reopen to the public this month. Here, btw takes a closer look at what it took to restore the landmark and what […]
Remembering the 80th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion
On June 6, 1944, the soldiers of the Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. The day of the invasion is known as D-Day. The invasion was a key turning point in World War II. The Allies landed in German occupied France, opening up a new front in the war against Nazi Germany. […]
French Farmers Halt Protests After Government Promises Changes
French farmers had been protesting for weeks to bring about reforms in the agricultural industry. They finally received several promises of change from the government on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced plans to help the farmers and meet their demands. This led to the French farmers’ unions calling for an end […]
Napoleon Bonaparte’s Hat Auctioned for Record-Setting Price
On November 19, 2023, a hat once owned by French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was auctioned in France for almost 2 million euros ($2.1 million). The selling price was more than double the expected auction price. The amount set a record for one of Napolean’s hats. Napoleon is known for the distinctive style of two-cornered military […]
French Strikes Show Discontent with Proposed Retirement Reform
French workers have a long tradition of taking democracy to the streets. Now citizens are voicing their concerns about President Emmanuel Macron’s effort to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. On January 19 and January 31, 2023, thousands of citizens participated in union-organized national strikes against Macron’s plan. As a result of the […]
France to Leave Burkina Faso After Request
Go home, France! The military government in Burkina Faso along with protestors in the west African country’s capital of Ouagadougou made that demand in late January. In response, the French government removed its ambassador from Burkina Faso. France also has agreed to withdraw its 400 special forces soldiers who are stationed there before the end […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Hurricane Fiona Makes Landfall Hurricane Fiona was the first official hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season. In mid-September 2022, the storm moved toward Bermuda, Fiona was already responsible for the deaths of at least seven people in the Caribbean (one in Guadalupe, four in Puerto Rico, and two in the Dominican Republic). It made landfall […]
Rebuilding Notre Dame
A team of designers is turning to their history books to figure out the best way to rebuild the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. The building caught fire in 2019. A French group called Carpenters Without Borders has argued that the medieval cathedral should be repaired and restored using medieval materials and […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
White House Re-examines Drilling on Public Lands One controversial decision of the Trump administration was opening more public lands to oil and gas companies for drilling. Last week, President Biden announced changes to the federal lands leasing program that will require energy programs to pay higher fees and will contain drilling to certain areas. This […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
November 2nd is Election Day Next Tuesday, November 2, 2021 is Election Day in the United States. There are many political races happening in local communities in every state of the nation. There will be elections for community school boards, city councils, mayors, local sheriffs, and more. At the state level, there may be races […]