Stories about French from May, 2011
Côte d'Ivoire: Is Charles Blé Goudé alive ?
After weeks of uncertainty about his whereabouts, an alleged audio recording of Charles Blé Goudé [fr], the former Ivorian Minister of Youth under ousted president Laurent Gbagbo, has appeared in the Facebook group, “RESEAU MONDIAL FACEBOOKERS POUR GBAGBO” (Worldwide Network of Facebookers for Gbagbo). In the recording, posted by Cyrius...
Africa, France: Who is Nafissatou Diallo? Victim or Conspirator?
In the debate over the alleged sexual assault by French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn of a Guinean hotel chambermaid in New York, attentions from France to Africa have now shifted to the identity of the alleged victim, Nafisatou Diallo.
Russia: OBEY Giant Poster Wonders ‘Who Set Up Strauss-Kahn?’
LJ-user groupper posts [ru] pictures of an illegal poster with OBEY Giant and a question in French and Russian: “Who set up Strauss-Kahn?” The poster hanging in front of the French diplomatic mission building in Saint-Petersburg, raises a conspiracy theory question, wherever the #DSK scandal was a deliberate removal of...
Togo: 8 digits phone numbers coming soon
“Starting August 7, 2011, at 00.00 GMT, a new 8 digits telephone dialing system will be implemented in Togo.” Louis Bararmna on African News details what this will change for users [Fr] when calling landlines and mobile phones in Togo.
France: #frenchrevolution in photos and videos
The Bundlr site presents a compilation [dead link] of photos, videos, links and tweets about the raising of the Place de la Bastille in Paris, to echo the protests in Spain and Greece.
Africa: African Diplomas and French Schools
Néo, on his blog Immigré choisi, answers questions often asked by his African readers [fr] about academic qualifications and African diplomas recognition in France, based on his personal experience.
Senegal: Debate on Nafissatou Diallo's Accusations Against DSK
On May 24, Senego.com, based in Senegal, announced [fr] that the African Assembly for the Defence of Human Rights (RADDHO) was to hold a public conference on the next day (May 25) on “the position of African civil society on Nafissatou Diallo's accusations against Dominique Strauss-Kahn.”
Tunisia: Deputy Minister Slim Amamou Resigned
On May 23, Tunisian blogger Slim Amamou announced [fr] on Twitter his resignation as Secrétaire d'état [deputy minister] for Sports and Youth. Amamou was known to livetweet cabinet meetings on his personal Twitter account @slim404 [fr]. He explains why he has resigned here and here [fr].
Morocco: Tracking Protests
Moroccan blog Mamfakinch has prepared an interactive map which tracks protests happening in Morocco this weekend.
Angola: Real Madrid ”Galacticos” in Africa!
afrik.com blog, believes that :”The news will without doubt, delight football fans in Africa. Real Madrid stars, will play their last game for this season, on May 25 in Luanda.”
France : The “Civilized” Internet According to President Sarkozy
As a prelude to the G8 summit in Deauville, chaired by France, the e-G8 forum of the Internet was held in Paris on 23 and 24 May 2011. To the dismay of supporters of civil society, the interventions on the forum were limited to government agencies and large companies.
Cote d'Ivoire: Amnesty International Report on Post-Electoral Conflict
Amnesty International published a report about Cote d'Ivoire [fr, PDF] on May 25 in conclusion of a field survey: Looking back on 6 months of post-electoral violence. In this document [fr] the organisation warns that, “The conclusions of this report clearly show that all of the conflicting parties have committed...
France: DSK Scandal Fires a Protest Against Sexism
French feminist network Osez le féminisme (Dare to be a feminist) [fr] is organizing a protest [fr] in Paris on Sunday May 22, 2011, in front of the Pompidou museum against “the sexism of the French ‘elites’ revealed by the DSK scandal”. In a matter of hours, their online petition...
France: French Women Bloggers on the DSK Scandal
French feminists bloggers and women bloggers writing on women's issues, have gained a larger audience and a new respect in France in the aftermath of the Domininique Strauss-Kahn scandal. Meet a few French feminist bloggers laboring online against prejudices and the French perception of sexual harassment and crimes.
France, World: Discontent Against G8 Meeting About the Internet
Blog Club de l'Europe is outraged [fr] by the “Internet sharks’ feast” to be held on May 24 and 25, 2011, at the Musée du Louvre, in Paris. The meeting aims to prepare the G8 forum, which will be focused (according to its French presidency) on the Internet, but only economic and...
North Africa: Manifesto for a Maghreb of Cinema
The Arab revolution has also impacted the cinema world. Filmmakers from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia have just launched on their blog Maghreb du cinéma [fr], a suggestion box to reinvigorate the creation, production and distribution of their work. Their manifesto can be signed here [fr].
France: Anti-Racism Group Expelled from Slavery Commemoration Event
During a National Slavery Day ceremony in Paris attended by French president Nicolas Sarkozy on May 10, eight members of anti-racism group Alliance Noire Citoyenne [Black Citizens Alliance] were expelled for wearing shirts that said “Anti Negrophobia Brigade”. A video of the action has been viewed more than 600,000 times.
France: The Fall of Dominique Strauss-Kahn?
On Sunday 15 May, 2011, France awoke to a political earthquake: a sex scandal involving the (now former) French president of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrested for an alleged sexual assault against a housekeeper in a New York hotel. On day three after the revelation, French bloggers are still struggling to grasp the implications of this global scandal on French politics.
Côte d'Ivoire: The Investiture of President Ouattara on May 21
Abidjan.net details the programme and heads of state invited to the investiture ceremony [fr] of President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d'Ivoire, which is to be held in the political capital Yamoussoukro on Saturday, May 21. Sixty six foreign delegations will be attending.
Tunisia: Internet Censorship Makes a Comeback
Tunisian netizens have enjoyed an unprecedented access to the Internet, following the fall of the Ben Ali regime in mid-January and the end of the country's previous web censorship. This short honeymoon seems to be coming to an end however, with a military court's recent order to block four Facebook pages. Netizens react to the new development in this post.
Africa: On Mobile Banking And Cyber Agriculture
Francophone blog afriqueavenir.org, in its review of new technologies in Africa [fr], highlights how mobile telephony is essential to economical growth: ” Providers [of mobile phones] offer unlimited country-to-country roaming packages in addition to technologies able to meet the demand for online services, such as mobile banking or even «...