Successful Nigerian polls will echo across Africa, says Kufuor
John Kufuor. Photo: Gregory Jones
A well-organised vote as Nigerian voters go to the polls this Saturday would “resound to the good of all of Africa”, according to John Kufuor, the head of the African Union election observation mission in Nigeria, and former Ghanaian president. Kufuor spoke to RFI about what the mission has observed in the days leading up to the presidential vote.
Interview: John Kufuor, head of the AU election observation mission
African mediators want Libya truce, says Zuma aide
Jacob Zuma and Moamer Kadhafi. Photo: Elmond Jiyane, GCIS.
Top-level African Union mediators will call on both sides in Libya’s conflict to lay down their arms on a mission to the divided country starting Sunday, an adviser to South Africa’s Jacob Zuma tells RFI.
Interview: Jacob Zuma’s international relations special advisor Lindiwe Zulu
A bright future for ultraviolet water disinfection
The Whittier Narrows Water Reclamation Plant in El Monte, California, US using Trojan Technologies UV system. Photo: Trojan Technologies, Paul Cockrell and Rachel Lincoln
The global market for ultraviolet water treatment systems is expected to grow to around 450 million dollars in 2011, rising to almost 630 million dollars by 2015. Major cities around the world are implementing UV technology – New York is currently installing the world’s largest drinking water system with 56 UV reactors – while UV is increasingly being used in innovative wastewater reuse projects. The competitive marketplace sees several companies vying to differentiate their products on the efficiency of their UV lamps and cost, while aggressive research and development is likely to lead to the introduction of new innovations like UV LEDS (Light Omitting Diodes) by 2013.
London conference on Libya successful, says OIC Sec Gen
Group photograph from the conference. CC licence: British FCO
More than 35 countries, including seven Arab states, the United Nations and Nato, gathered in London on Tuesday to discuss plans for Libya’s future. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, told RFI that the meeting was “successful” and he hopes that military intervention in Libya comes to end “as soon as possible”.
Interview: Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Sec Gen, OIC
Nouvelle Vague sprinkles couleurs on Paris
Liset Alea on stage at Le Plan, Ris Orangis, 20 March 2011
Nouvelle Vague hits the concert circuit once again to promote their new album, Couleurs sur Paris, with multi-talented singer Liset Alea. Their fourth studio album includes offerings en français such as Putain, Putain a 1983 song originally by TC Matic.
Interview: Liset Alea and Olivier Libaux
Egyptian revolt: the aftermath
Mohammed, student from Menoufia
The week after the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak was full of joy and optimism for the Egyptian people. But there was also concern whether the military would fulfill all their promises, the economy would get back on track, workers would start to get a fair deal and women would enjoy the same equality as men. This series of reports and interviews from Cairo for Radio France Internationale explores the hopes and dreams of the Egyptian people immediately after the end of 29 years of dictatorship.
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Not going to offer war crimes court a fig leaf, says Taylor’s lawyer
The front of the ICC, The Hague, March 2010. CC licence: http://www.charlestaylortrial.org
Charles Taylor’s defence lawyer walked out of the Sierra Leone war crimes court in protest on Tuesday. British attorney Courtenay Griffiths told RFI that the court is a “farce” and riding “roughshod” over his client’s rights. The ex-Liberian president denies 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Sierra Leone.
Interview: Lawyer Courtenay Griffiths
Somali TFG must end in August, says UN rep
Mogadishu, Somalia, March 1993, CC licence: rjones0856
Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government must come to an end in August, a top UN official told RFI. Augustine Mahiga, the special representative for Somalia, said there have been “ups and downs” since 2004, but it will soon be time to “broaden the political base”, ratify a new constitution and run elections.
Interview: Augustine Mahiga, the special representative for Somalia
Kenyan PM dismisses lawmakers’ bid to leave ICC
Odinga, Maasailand, Kenya, September 2006, CC licence: DEMOSH
In an exclusive interview with RFI, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Thursday said that he and the government are opposed to leaving the International Criminal Court. This is despite a motion passed by lawmakers late Wednesday which urged Kenya to withdraw from the Rome Statute that established the ICC.
Interview: Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga
Chaos continues at Paris airports
Stranded passengers at CDG Terminal 1, 22 December 2010
Despite fewer cancellations and some reduction in the backlog of flights at Paris airports, the situation is set to get worse before it gets better. French civil aviation authorities are predicting more snowfall affecting flights on Wednesday evening and Thursday. Many stranded passengers at Roissy Charles de Gaulle spent Tuesday night on temporary beds provided by French civil security.
custom-made radio 