Stories about France from August, 2007
Ukraine: “What Will the Elections Change?”
Taras Kuzio compares Ukrainian politicians to their French counterparts: “Yulia could become Ukraine’s Thatcher or Sarkozy – Yushchenko will always be a Chirac. Maybe a woman can do what a man could never.”
France: The use of the French language in international communication.
The general delegation for the French language and languages in France, a branch of the Ministry of Culture and Communication recently published a report on the use of the French language in the digital world. The objective of the delegation is to promote the use of the French language in...
Vietnam: wedding ceremony in photos
Yoann describes a Vietnamese wedding from a foreigner's perspective. He is pleasantly surprised that to hear familiar french songs during the ceremony (Fr).
Lebanon: Prostituting in France
Lebanese Rampurple links to a news article about a Lebanese pimp caught up in a prostitution racket in France.
Eiffel Tower Not ‘That Big’
Lebanese Mark, who lives in Kuwait, wasn't impressed with the Eiffel Tower during his trip to Paris and notes: “I was really expecting it to be much bigger. Weird.”
Senegal: Africa according to Nicolas Sarkozy
Francophone Africa was awaiting anxiously the newly elected French President's arrival. Nicolas Sarkozy's reputation certainly preceded him in Africa. He was minister of the interior under Jacques Chirac and was responsible for quenching the revolts of disaffected youths (ones he referred to as “racaille” (scum)). Today Africa is still reeling...
France: Light punishment for racist comments by a high-school teacher.
Titophe on his blog Racisme et Histoire is worried that the French National Board of Education only reprimanded a high-school teacher for racist comments directed at a student of African descent (Fr).
Turkey: To each his own traitor
Guillaume Perrier, author of the blog Au fil du bosphore , muses about the toughening rhetoric in the Turkish political sphere (Fr) as the election for the Turkish presidential office comes to an end. Perrier asks whether the promises of uniting the country are already forgotten.
African writers criticize Sarkozy in open letter
Jean-Luc Raharimanana, a Malagasy writer famous for his influential works on French colonialism, recently authored an open letter to French president Nicolas Sarkozy in response to the now infamous message to Africa and Africans he delivered in Dakar, Senegal. Nearly a month has passed since Sarkozy's speech, but its effects...
Iran:Covering Iran's Revolution
In View from Iran, we read an interview with Marie. Marie is an award-winning filmmaker, artist, and teacher who lived in Iran for over a year during the American hostage crisis. Her love affair with Iran did not end when she left the country but rather continued.
Egypt: Death of a Teenager in Police Station
In this week's round up from Egypt, Zeinobia is commenting on two stories hitting the headlines in Egypt these days about the Egyptian Judges Club disagreements with the Minister of Justice and the horrific death of a teenager in a police station. Justice for All is reacting to today's collapse of Minnesota Bridge. Missing Egypt who is on a visit to Cairo has an interesting social blog post about Egyptian family traditions. Free Kareem is reporting Reporters without Borders' request to French President Nicolas Sarkozy regarding imprisoned blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman. Finally, Tark3at Keyboard is telling us about the new decision on internet subscription that angered Egyptians.