Stories about French from September, 2009
Madagascar Delegation Barred from UN General Assembly Stage
In an attempt to legitimize the military-backed government, Madagascar's acting leader was scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, only to be barred. Malagasy bloggers and twitterers react.
Arab World: Artificial Virginity Made in China
Moroccan blogger Mounir writes on Des maux à dire [Fr] about artificial hymens, made in China, apparently much appreciated by a growing base of Arab customers. “In the Arab region, Syrians have seen this revolutionary ‘product’ invade the black market. In Egypt, investors are seriously considering its introduction,” alleges the...
Tunisia: Severe Flooding Kills 15
Flash floods hit Tunisia this week, killing at least 15 people and damaging property in the town of Redeyef in southern Tunisia. Bloggers declare two day of mourning and speak out against a media apparatus which trades on people's miseries to trump up the government.
West Africa : Victims of Floods Call for Help
Last weeks’ torrential rains triggered disastrous floodings (Fr), killing 159 people and affecting over 600,000 in a dozen Western Africa countries, unprepared to face seasonal rains growing heavier and heavier. (See map). Afropages (Fr) describes the situation in Conakry, Guinea's capital.
Gabon: Opposition Continues to Fight Election Result
Gabon's political opposition present a united front against the August election results, which handed the son of former dictator Omar Bongo the presidency. Politicians and citizens alike speak out against France's meddling in the country's politics.
MENA: Thanks “Khawater” from Japan
Television viewers across the Arab world were in for a treat this Ramadan, with the airing of a special programme on Japan. In its fifth season, Khawater (Thoughts) visited Japan, where a young Saudi preacher Ahmed Al Shugairy explained the Japanese success story to Arab and Muslim viewers. Here are some blogger reactions to the one month show.
USA: Video contest on H1N1 flu prevention
Corine Clesnes, on her blog Big Picture, notes [fr] that the US government launched the 2009 Flu Prevention PSA Contest, to promote the best ‘viral’ videos’ on flu prevention.
Morocco: Rage Against the Sandwich Continues
Eating in public during Ramadan is often seen as a disregardful and disrespectful act and might attract the anger of the public. Moreover it is punishable by law. Moroccan Bloggers and cyber-activists react to the attempt by some non-observants to brave the ban on breaking the fast in public during Ramadan.
Morocco: Don't Blame the Rain
Recent flooding in Morocco has prompted bloggers to air their discontent with their country's lack of sanitation infrastructure. They went around taking pictures and shooting videos, sharing scenes seldom broadcast by the mainstream media. This is their citizen reporting.
A Halal Search Engine for Muslim Internet Users
ImHalal.com, a search engine in English launched earlier this month by a Netherlands-based company, only fetches results that are flagged as “Halal” and safe for Muslim users. Blogger Agharass [Fr] comments.
Morocco: Activists Break Fast in Public, Receive Punishment
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating or drinking from dawn to sunset. A group of Moroccan activists was reprimanded for breaking the fast in public, an action that is punishable under the Moroccan criminal code. A divided blogoma reacts to the incident.
Morocco: Rage against the Sandwich
Larbi, in Comme une bouteille jetée à la mer, reports [Fr] on a manifestation that took place on Sunday 13 September in the outskirts of Casablanca, by young Moroccans who decided to organize a picnic braving the ban on eating in public during Ramadan, only to find hundreds of policemen...
Morocco: A Dangerous Flu
At least five Moroccan independent journalists will appear before a judge later this month in Rabat, after having published articles challenging the official announcement about King Mohammed VI's health. It is believed the monarch has contracted "a viral, benign disease." Bloggers have been debating this issue, mostly denouncing the attacks on journalists.
Video: Caring about Congo
Videos showing different ways in which people are trying to make a difference in the situation faced by those living in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Françafrique casts shadow in Gabon, Madagascar, and Mauritania
Recent violence in Gabon and Madagascar, and a contested election in Mauritania, have added fuel to the idea that France 's influence looms large in the political arenas of her former African colonies, where it still has wide-ranging political and economic interests.
Morocco: Happy Ninepercent!
Larbi, blogging on Comme une bouteille jetée à la mer, writes a post [FR] on Wednesday 9/9/2009 at 9 hours 9 minutes PM, congratulating the “Ninepercenters,” a group of Moroccan bloggers created last August in protest against the banning of a poll showing 9% Moroccans unhappy of the first decade...
Morocco: Child Labor Under the Spotlight
A young girl is suffering in a hospital, bruised and beaten. Sent to work as a domestic servant at the age of 10, Zineb Chtit knew no other life than the one she had, working for affluent employers who beat her and refused her food.
Guadeloupe: Erika Delays School
The first day of school was seriously challenged by Tropical Storm Erika: les Cantin en Guadeloupe [FR] expresses fear as the alert levels are raised, Critiqart Guadeloupe [FR] can't see the need for delaying the first day of school because of some rain and wind, and Shakazulu [FR CR] thinks...
Translator of the week: Boukary Konaté in Mali
Boukary Konaté teaches French and English in a high school in Mali. Joining Global Voices in French has steered him onto a new path: he is now involved in Web projects to promote his native language, Bambara, and train rural communities in Mali to use the internet.
Morocco: Casa Negra to Represent Morocco at Oscars
Moroccan film, Casa Negra, has been chosen to represent Morocco at the 2010 Academy Awards (Oscars). The blogoma reacts to the movie in this post.
France: Secularity, Required for Democracy and Human Rights
The French concept of the secular seems so distinctive that even the English-language Wikipedia's entry on the issue uses the French term, laïcité, worded in French, to describe it. Suzanne Lehn explains the very different ways bloggers in the US and France view the separation of church and state.
