The Thai police force caught a very big fish: the world’s most wanted arms dealer, Viktor Bout. The man who inspired the film Lord of War starring Nicolas Cage was repatriated after 12 years to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange.. And it seems he may have been protected by certain intelligence agencies — but which ones?

Sure, the kitchen might be a little smaller on a yacht, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare a delicious dish! Patrick Barbary whips up some pasta for us and invites us to dine with him. Cheers, Captain!

We’re all a part of this big, happy family that is humanity. Now if only we could get our “universal citizen” passports…

Ever wanted to spend some time on a yacht in the Bahamas? No, that’s not a trick question — now you can! Take a tour with Patrick Barbary and his captain’s chair.

What can multilingualism bring you? It sheds light, penetrates cultures, and gives off an emotional echo. In this clip, Les Nubians remind us of all the reasons we should be glad we’re using Yabla French!

Just how bad can stress from work get? Though the effects of stress may not always be visible or immediately apparent, some employees have been driven to insomnia, depression, even suicide because of difficulties at work. Some companies have implemented new anti-stress measures, but will that be enough?

Hélène and Célia tell us about their musical influences, origins, and inspiration. When they encountered prejudice about Africa and Africans upon coming back to France, Les Nubians used music to paint a truer picture of African culture.

What was life like for the poilus, the French soldiers of World War I? In sum, much, much harder than our lives. Subjected to bullets, bombs, death, and all the atrocities of war, these soldiers fought bitterly to protect their homeland, and one another.

Meet Les Nubians, two singer-songwriter sisters who grew up in both Paris and Chad and whose music has been nominated for several awards, including a Grammy (and not just in the World Music category, thank you very much). We know we’re big fans!

Lionel shows us that sometimes there are better things to do than stay all day in an office building to pay rent for an apartment we can’t even spend time in. (And yes, the word “travail” really is related to the word “torture.”) Remember, the revolution starts with you!

We hear a bit more from the lovely Pascale: on her beginnings in the musical world (she started early), her new album, and her music’s special combination of rhythm and soul.

Neighbors, friends, and the people of France remember Lazare Ponticelli, the last Poilu, who saw one hundred and ten springtimes and two world wars before passing away in March of 2008.

French-Canadian singer-songwriter Pascale—who prefers to introduce herself in verse rather than give the usual “hello my name is”—tells us of the importance of maintaining optimism and lightness in the face of hardship.

Tired of stuffy old grammar exercises in text books? Come along with Lionel and learn something about the use of gender in French. This one’s fun, we promise — and no boring rules to memorize!

Bertrand Pierre was inspired by Victor Hugo, and Victor Hugo was inspired by his very active love life. As it turns out, Hugo’s little love poems make for great song lyrics.