· November, 2013

Stories about France from November, 2013

Keeping up with the 2013 World Forum for Democracy

  28 November 2013

The second World Forum for Democracy is currently taking place in Strasbourg, France. The motto of this year conference is “Connecting Institutions and Citizens in the Digital Age”.  Follow the four themes and the 21 workshops of the conference with the hashtag #CoE_WFD. 

Brazilian “Wikicity” Travels to the World Forum for Democracy

  23 November 2013

Known as “the capital of participatory democracy”, the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre will become subject for a lab in the World Forum for Democracy. Focus will be given to the case of PortoAlegre.cc, a project created at the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (Unisinos) which is based on...

More Transparency Needed in Uranium Negotiation in Niger

  22 November 2013

Anne-Sophie Simpere reports that the Uranium exploitation contract between Niger and Areva, a french energy company, are set to be re-negotiated as it comes to an end as of December 2013. She writes [fr]: Il est incompréhensible que le Niger, 4ème producteur d’uranium au monde, et fournisseur stratégique d’Areva et...

Have Racist Behaviors Been Unleashed in France ?

  15 November 2013

Epitomized by racial taunts [fr] towards the French Guiana-born Minister of Justice Christine Taubira on the cover of the weekly newspaper Minute, many observers bemoan the rise of racist behaviors [fr] in France. One of those observers is Harry Roselmack, a prominent reporter born in Martinique, who wrote an editorial in which...

Sadness and Anger in Kidal, Mali

  10 November 2013

Blogger Wirriyamu mourns the two French journalists killed [fr] in Kidal, Mali. But beside his immense sadness, Wirriyamu also feels angry at seeing Northern Mali left helpless yet again to terrorists attacks. He writes [fr] about his silent anger at the situation there  : Tant qu’il ne sera pas possible...

87 Migrants Die of Thirst in Northern Niger

  4 November 2013

On 0ctober 30, 87 people trying to reach the Mediterranean sea died after being abandoned in the Sahara Desert when their drivers left them stranded to seek for help. The harrowing story of one the survivors, 14-year-old Shafa, highlights the plight of many migrants trying to reach Europe and the obstacles they face. In...

South Koreans in Europe Protest Spy Agency Scandal

  2 November 2013

Protests have continued against South Korea's spy agency who allegedly interfered with the latest presidential election and manipulated public opinion to tip the scales in favor of current president Park Geun-hye. Ahead of Park's official visit to Western Europe, Koreans living in France held candlelight vigils denoucing the allegations and more...