Latest posts by Jane Ellis
7 May 2013
Congolese-Italian Woman Joins Italy's Cabinet
The nomination of Cecile Kyenge, an Italian professor of medicine originally from the DRC, to the position of Integration Minister in the new Italian government, was applauded by commentators on the African blogosphere.
6 May 2013
Côte d'Ivoire: Opinions on Marriage for all
France’s adoption of the ‘Marriage for All’ bill has given rise to incomprehension, sometimes with a jokey tone, in Francophone Africa, Here, we look at opinions of commentators from the Côte d'Ivoire.
3 May 2013
Hostages and Ransom Payments: What is France's Policy?
Around three months after the French President François Hollande’s January 2013 decision to stop paying ransoms to hostage takers, the Moulin-Fournier family were finally released, to the immense relief of their family and friends. The exact circumstances behind their liberation have not been disclosed, leading many to wonder whether money was used to secure their release, and, if so, what this says about France's policy towards hostage takers.
15 April 2013
Majority of Venezuelans in Panama Vote for Opposition Candidate Capriles
Venezuelans resident in Panama attended polls to vote in the Venezuelan elections on April 14, 2013. Upon learning of the results, a group of supporters of opposition candidate Henrique Capriles broke into the Embassy of Venezuela in Panama.
10 April 2013
Djibouti: Arrests follow ‘Democratic’ Elections
Several opposition leaders were arrested in Djibouti after demonstrations which followed the February 22, 2013 general elections. The elections saw yet another victory for the party in power, the People's Rally for Progress. President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has ruled since 1999, received 80% of votes cast, leading to allegations of fraud on a massive scale. Arrests were still continuing at the time of writing, April 2013.
3 April 2013
Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets Break Journalist Protest in Togo
On March 14, 2013, security forces violently broke up a sit-in by private sector journalists in Togo. The journalists were protesting the new dispositions of the Organic Law which mean business licences of the Togolese media can now be withdrawn without judicial proceedings. The protests against the law of the High Audiovisual and Communications Authority (HAAC) took place in Lomé, largest city and capital of Togo. Security forces used clubs, tear gas bombs and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrations resulting in several journalists being injured.
1 March 2013
Cyclone Haruna Kills 23 and leaves 22,000 Homeless in Madagascar
Cyclone Haruna has caused a total of 23 deaths, as well as 16 missing persons, 84 people injured and nearly 22,000 disaster victims, during just one week of February 2013 in Madagascar. Despite the images of distress and messages from humanitarian organisations requesting urgent help, some feel that solidarity has been slow be felt in the affected region, the South West of Madagascar. However, many associations and agencies have rallied round in Madagascar and abroad to come to the region’s assistance.
22 February 2013
A First for Africa: Ex-Dictator to be Judged on the Continent
A new court system, the Extraordinary African Chambers has recently been set up to allow the first ever trial of one of its own dictators on the continent. The tribunal to judge Hissène Habré, former president of Chad, opened in Senegal on February 8, 2013. Human Rights Watch has been working since 1999 with victims of the ex-dictator, currently in exile in Senegal, in order to bring him to justice.
19 February 2013
Pope’s Resignation Echoes in Africa
The announcement by Pope Benedict XVI of his intention to resign with effect from February 28, 2013 provoked many reactions in Francophone Africa, both in traditional media and on social networks. Admiration for the Pope predominated, and was combined with the desire that certain African leaders would follow his example.
6 February 2013
Open Access and the Complexity of Digital Rights
How do ways of thinking change through time and space? Today, this problem concerning the way the human intellect works is compounded by a new method of transmission - digital. Open Access are calling for free availabilty of digitised publications from publicly-funded scientific research.































RSS feed for Jane Ellis







Private investigator in Australia Provides services for male and female both , and private investigator...