Stories about French from January, 2013
Chadian President Names Sons at Key Executive Positions
Djamil Ahmat reports that Chadian president Déby named his son Mahamat Idriss Déby, 24, general of brigade [fr] along with 4 other officers. Tchadanthopus adds that his other son Zackaria Idriss Deby was allegedly offered to be vice-president [fr] with executive power when his father is out of the country.
Students Revisit the Unique Link between Corsica and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico and Corsica (France) share a common bond that is often revisited by an exchange program led by the university of Puerto Rico [fr]. Notwithstanding their similar geographic and agricultural traits (Cultivation of Corsican Citron), the islands are also link by history when hundreds of Corsicans immigrated to Puerto Rico as early...
Misconceptions about the Economic Situation in Iceland
BECAUSE I’M TIRED OF PEOPLE SPREADING UNTRUTHS Baldur Bjarnason writes a blogpost on how the crisis in Iceland is actually unfolding on Studio Tendra. He details the cozy relationship between the Iceland government and the IMF, decrypts the banks going bankrupt and especially denounced the plight of a growing number of...
Gay Man Lynched in Northern Cameroon
Oscarine Mbozo’a reports [fr] on L'Actu that one gay man and his companion were lynched at a market on January 6, 2013 in Maroua, Northern Cameroon : Goche Lamine, a medical merchant, was caught with a high school student named Sanda, aged 17. The crowd was alerted by a kid shouting...
Madagascar's Vanilla Beans Came from Mexico
Antoine Ganne tells the unique story of how Vanilla came to populate the island of Madagascar and Reunion island [fr] from the Gulf of Mexico. Ganne explains that European traders brought Vanilla from Mexico to Louis XIV who wanted to grow it on Reunion Island but failed. A young Reunionese slave,...
Dueling Demonstrations Surround Same-Sex Marriage in France
For several months there has been a raging debate in France surrounding 'universal marriage' (i.e. same-sex marriage). Those who oppose same-sex marriage Commitment 31 want for the whole nation, not merely the parliamentarians, to engage in the debate.
Should Prostitution be Abolished or Regulated? Part I
Two hundred NGO's from across Europe gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels on December 4, 2012. They called for the abolition of prostitution and presented the outlines of a potential abolitionist policy for Europe. For these organisations, criminalization of prostituion is the key to counter human trafficking for sexual purposes. In Europe and around the world, sex workers disagree with the proposed measures and ask for more respect for their rights.
Ivorian Blogger Questions Government's Response to Abidjan Stampede
Ivorian bloggers Mohamed Diaby and Cyriac Gbogou have been released from police custody. Both citizens, helped create a humanitarian platform to assist victims of the January 1, 2013 stampede in Abidjan. But on January 4, 2013, they were arrested after being accused of interfering with official disaster assistance efforts. Mohamed Diaby explains about the events that led to their arrests on his personal blog.
“We Cannot Do it Alone”, A Mayor's Plea for US Intervention in Mali
Lawless and godless men — who hide behind Shariah and demands for Tuareg independence — are now beating and raping women and conscripting children to fight their “holy” war. And the greatest tragedy is that people are starting to get used to it [..] President Obama must not allow northern Mali...
Tunisian Army Critic Gets a One-Year Suspended Jail Sentence
A military court increased Ayoub Massoudi's suspended jail term from four months to one year. Massoudi, a former advisor to Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, was charged with “defaming” the army and “undermining senior officials in the military”, over his declarations regarding the army's role in the extradition process of Muammar Gaddafi's Prime Minister Baghdadi Mahmoud from Tunisia to Libya.
Ivorian Bloggers Under Arrest for Allegedly Interfering with Disaster Recovery While Trying to Help
“@diabyMohamed: #drameplateau I have just been arrested by the police for our citizen action to provide helping hand to victims in cote d'ivoire… with @cyriacgbogou who spent the night at the police crime unit of plateau Humanitarian bloggers Mohamed Diaby and Cyriac Gbogou wrote on twitter that they were put...
Row over 3rd Generation Contraceptive Pills in France
The “new” pills are not without risks. The risk of phlebitis or pulmonary embolism is increased two fold, from 2 to 4 accidents per 10,000 users. This increase might seem low in terms of public health but it is significant at the individual level considering the fact that other satisfactory alternatives are...
Graffiti in Tehran
Iran is not known for its freedom of expression or popular demonstrations in the public. But urban art is not nonexistent there.Frescoes, mosaics and other 'approved' art adorns walls in certain cities, underground art, although not as apparent as in Europe, is still visible in Tehran.
Mauritius and Reunion Island Brace for Cyclone Dumile Impact
Lexpress.mu reports that Mauritius is on high alert [fr] as cyclone Dumile makes landfall on the island. Agaléga island was hit hard [fr] and was in blackout for 24h. Réunion island is also on high alert [fr].
Struggling to Make Sense of the Deadly Stampede on New Year Day in Abidjan
Tree trunks laying on the road seem to have triggered the stampede that killed 60 and injured 49 during a new year celebration in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The fact that the area was not adequately lighted may have contributed to the terrible tragedy. Israel Yoroba in Abidjan reports on a...
