Stories about France from January, 2011
Morocco: The King's Very Private Visit to France
According to a Moroccan opposition journalist interviewed by French news website Rue89 [fr] King Mohamed VI of Morocco arrived Thursday in France for a private visit, and is staying in the castle the royal family owns near Paris. A holiday abroad at this time of general unrest in North Africa...
France: Our Embarrassing Ex Friend, Monsieur Ben Ali
It has finally dawned. After decade of state amitié (friendship) with the Ben Ali regime, and total indifference from French politicians and mainstream media, French bloggers and twitterers are now aware that France has been living in a prolonged state of denial - thanks to history in the making in one of France ex-colonies, Tunisia, and a week of historical diplomatic blunders and shameful silence in France.
France: A Show of Tunisian Pride in Paris
Today, January 15, marks the "day after" and the first day of a Ben Ali free Tunisia. Despite their concern for the continuous violence in Tunisia, their relatives and the future, the 600 000 Tunisians in France granted themselves one day to rejoice, celebrate and share an overwhelming collective emotion. Here are a few pictures from a Tunisian show of pride in Paris.
Arab World: Where is Ben Ali Headed to?
Now that ousted Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has fled the country, the question on everyone's mind is: Where is he headed to?
France, Tunisia: Has the Minister of Foreign Affairs Lost Her Mind?
The French and North African blogosphere and twittosphere reacted violently to the statement by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Michelle Alliot-Marie who proposed at the French national assembly that France offers “technical support” and “the know-how of the French police” to the Tunisian police regarding the current uprising in...
Tunisia: Activists Arrested at #SidiBouzid Protests on January 6
In Tunisia, a popular lawyers-led strike took place today, January 6. The list of the protesters arrested in the town of Thala as a result was published on facebook (ar) and three arrests were posted on twitter and confirmed later. Azyz Amamyma, Slim Amamou and rapper El General, who famously...
COP 16: Agreement on Form But Without the Funds
The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ended in Cancun last December 11 with the adoption of a host of decisions. Bloggers in Bolivia, Mexico, and Togo give a lukewarm reception to the decisions, which don't seem to have a clearly defined roadmap for their financing.
Gabon-France: Wikileaks reveals The Financing of French Political Parties by Omar Bongo
On December 30, 2010 Antoine Ganne writes in an article on afrik.com citing Wikileaks : ” nearly 30 millions euros were diverted from the Bank of the Central African States (BEAC) by former Gabonese president Omar Bongo, some of which were sent to French political parties, specifically Jacques Chirac's but...