1.
Center for Strategic Research
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Center for Strategic Research is a leading Iranian think tank on strategy issues. It is the arm of the Expediency Discernment Council. The current head of organization is Ali Akbar Velayati who replaced former head Hassan Rouhani and it publishes Rahbord in Persian and National interests in English
2.
Emmanuel Macron
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Emmanuel Macron is a French politician, senior civil servant, and former investment banker. Born in Amiens, he studied Philosophy at Paris Nanterre University and he went on to become an Inspector of Finances in the Inspectorate General of Finances before becoming an investment banker at Rothschild & Cie Banque. He resigned in August 2016 in order to launch a bid in the 2017 presidential election, in November 2016, Macron declared that he would run in the election under the banner of En Marche. A centrist movement he founded in April 2016, born in Amiens, Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron is the son of Jean-Michel Macron, Professor of Neurology at the University of Picardy, and Françoise Macron-Noguès, a physician. He was educated mostly at the Jésuites de la Providence lycée in Amiens before his parents sent him to finish his last year of school at the high school Lycée Henri-IV in Paris. He studied Philosophy at the University of Paris-Ouest Nanterre La Défense and he obtained a Masters degree in Public Affairs at Sciences Po, before training for a senior civil service career at the École nationale dadministration, graduating in 2004. Macron worked as an Inspector of Finances in the French Ministry of Economy between 2004 and 2008, in 2007, he served as deputy rapporteur for the Commission to improve French growth headed by Jacques Attali. While an investment banker, Macron closed a deal between Nestlé and Pfizer, which in part allowed him to amass a small fortune reportedly in the region of €2,800,000. Macron was a member of the Socialist Party from 2006 to 2009, in 2015, he stated that he was no longer a member of the PS and was now an Independent. From 2012 to 2014, he served as deputy secretary-general of the Élysée and he was appointed Minister of Economy, Industry and Digital Data in the second Valls Cabinet on 26 August 2014, replacing Arnaud Montebourg. As Minister of the Economy, Macron was at the forefront of pushing through business-friendly reforms, in February 2015, he pledged that the government would force through reforms despite opposition from the parliament. On 30 August 2016, Macron resigned from the government ahead of the 2017 presidential election and this came shortly after he founded his own progressive political movement, En Marche. An independent political party, for which he was reprimanded by President Hollande, Macron founded En Marche. in Amiens, the city of his birth. On 16 November 2016, Macron formally declared his candidacy for the French presidency after months of speculation, in his announcement speech, Macron called for a democratic revolution and promised to unblock France. He eventually laid out his 150-page formal program on 2 March, publishing it online, as well as numerous others – many of them from the Socialist Party, but also a significant number of centrist and centre-right politicians. Macron has been described by observers as a social liberal. Macron has notably advocated in favor of the market and reducing the public-finances deficit. He first publicly used the term liberal to describe himself in a 2015 interview with Le Monde and he added that he is neither right nor left and that he advocates a collective solidarity
3.
Bernard Accoyer
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Bernard Accoyer is a French politician who was President of the National Assembly of France from 2007 to 2012. He is also the Mayor of Annecy-le-Vieux, Accoyer, a doctor by profession, has served as Mayor of Annecy-le-Vieux since March 1989, he also served as a member of the General Council of Haute-Savoie from March 1992 to March 1998. He is a deputy for the first constituency of Haute-Savoie and was first elected to the National Assembly in the March 1993 parliamentary election and he was President of the Union for a Popular Movement group in the National Assembly of France from 2004 to 2007. In 2007, he was selected as the candidate of the UMP group and he became the President of the National Assembly on 26 June 2007
4.
Seine-Saint-Denis
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Seine-Saint-Denis is a French department located in the Île-de-France region. Locally, it is referred to colloquially as quatre-vingt treize or neuf trois. The learned and rarely used demonym for the inhabitants is Séquano-Dionysiens, Seine-Saint-Denis is located to the northeast of Paris. It has an area of only 236 km², making it one of the smallest departments in France. Seine-Saint-Denis and two other departments, Hauts-de-Seine and Val-de-Marne, form a ring around Paris, known as the Petite Couronne. They form, together with Paris the Greater Paris since January 1st 2016, Seine-Saint-Denis is made up of three departmental arrondissements and 40 communes, Seine-Saint-Denis was created in January 1968, through the implementation of a law passed in July 1964. It was formed from the part of the Seine department to the north and north-east of the Paris ring road, Seine-Saint-Denis has a history as a veritable left-wing stronghold, belonging to the ceinture rouge of Paris. The French Communist Party especially has maintained a strong presence in the department. A commune of Seine-Saint-Denis, Clichy-sous-Bois, was the scene of the death of two youths which sparked the riots of autumn 2005. In October - November,9,000 cars were burned and 3,000 rioters were arrested, Seine-Saint-Denis is the French department with the highest proportion of immigrants,21. 7% at the 1999 census. This figure does not include the children of immigrants born on French soil as well as some native elites from former French colonies, the ratio of ethnic minorities is difficult to estimate accurately as French law prohibits the collection of ethnic data for census taking purposes. However estimates suggest there are 500,000 Muslims out of a population of 1.53 million. Saint-Denis is home to the Union of French Islamic Organizations in the Bourget district, in 2005,56. 7% of young people under 18 were of foreign origin including 38% of African origin. Islam is believed to be the most practiced religion in the department, Seine-Saint-Denis was scheduled to be the site of a 2004 International Exhibition. Website of the General council Prefecture website Seine-Saint-Denis Tourist Board
5.
Jacques Chirac
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Jacques René Chirac is a French politician, who served as the President of France and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra from 1995 to 2007. Chirac served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976, from 1986 to 1988, Chirac occupied various senior positions, including Minister of Agriculture, Minister of the Interior, Prime Minister, Mayor of Paris, and President of the French Republic. Chiracs internal policies initially included lower tax rates, the removal of controls, strong punishment for crime and terrorism. After pursuing these policies as Prime Minister, Chirac changed his method, Jacques Chirac has emerged as an improbable icon of retro taste and a figure of public affection. On 15 December 2011, the Paris court declared him guilty of diverting public funds and abusing public confidence, and gave Chirac a two-year suspended prison sentence. Chirac, born in the Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire clinic, is the son of Abel François Marie Chirac, an executive for an aircraft company, and Marie-Louise Valette. His great grandparents on both sides were peasants, but his two grandfathers were teachers from Sainte-Féréole in Corrèze, according to Chirac, his name originates from the langue doc, that of the troubadours, therefore that of poetry. He was educated in Paris at the Cours Hattemer, a private school and he then attended the Lycée Carnot and at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. After his baccalauréat, he served for three months as a sailor on a coal-transporter, Chirac played rugby union for Brives youth team, and also played at university level. He played no.8 and second row, in 1956, he married Bernadette Chodron de Courcel, with whom he had two daughters, Laurence and Claude. Chirac is the grandfather of Martin Rey-Chirac by the relationship of Claude with French judoka Thierry Rey, Jacques and Bernadette Chirac also have a foster daughter, Anh Dao Traxel. Inspired by General Charles de Gaulle, Chirac started to pursue a civil career in the 1950s. During this period, he joined the French Communist Party, sold copies of LHumanité, in 1950, he signed the Soviet-inspired Stockholm Appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons – which led him to be questioned when he applied for his first visa to the United States. Chirac trained as a military officer in armoured cavalry at Saumur. He then volunteered to fight in the Algerian War, using connections to be sent despite the reservations of his superiors. His superiors did not want to make him an officer because they suspected he had communist leanings, after leaving the ENA in 1959, he became a civil servant in the Court of Auditors. In April 1962, Chirac was appointed head of the staff of Prime Minister Georges Pompidou. This appointment launched Chiracs political career, Pompidou considered Chirac his protégé, and referred to him as my bulldozer for his skill at getting things done
6.
Lionel Jospin
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Lionel Jospin is a French politician, who served as Prime Minister of France from 1997 to 2002. Jospin was the Socialist Party candidate for President of France in the elections of 1995 and 2002 and he was narrowly defeated in the final runoff election by Jacques Chirac in 1995. Lionel Jospin was born to a Protestant family in Meudon, a suburb of Paris and he is the son of Robert Jospin. He attended the Lycée Janson-de-Sailly before studying at the Institut détudes politiques de Paris and he was active in the UNEF students union, protesting against the war in Algeria. He completed his service as an officer in charge of armoured training in Trier. After his graduation from the ENA in 1965, he entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as secretary of Foreign Affairs and he became in charge of economic cooperation there, and worked with Ernest-Antoine Seillière, future leader of the MEDEF employers union. Integrating François Mitterrands circle, he became the second highest-ranking member of the party in 1979, in 1984, when Laurent Fabius was chosen as Prime minister, a rivalry appeared between these two political heirs of Mitterrand. It broke out when they competed for the leadership of the 1986 legislative campaign, in 1988, after Mitterrands re-election, he left the PS leadership, and, though the President considered naming him Prime Minister, he was nominated Minister of Education. His rivalry with Fabius intensified and caused a crisis, notably during the Rennes Congress. Indeed, the mitterrandist group in the party split because Jospin followers allied with the factions to prevent the election of Fabius as First Secretary. As a member of the National Assembly, Jospin served first as a representative of Paris, Jospin lost his seat in the National Assembly in the Socialists landslide defeat in the 1993 legislative election and announced his political retirement. In 1993, Lionel Jospin was appointed ministre plénipotentiaire, 2nd class and he was, however, not appointed to any embassy. Finally, he came back and claimed the necessity to take stock of the mitterrandist inheritance so as to restore the credibility of the Socialist Party, in this, he was selected to be the Socialist candidate for President in 1995, against the PS leader Henri Emmanuelli. Following the Socialists landslide defeats of 1992–1994, Jospin was considered to have little chance of victory, but he did surprisingly well, leading the first round and losing only very narrowly to Jacques Chirac in the final runnoff election. Despite defeat, his performance was seen to mark a revival of the Socialists as a force in French politics. He built a new coalition with the other left-wing parties, the French Communist Party, the Greens, the Left Radical Party, two years later, Chirac decided to call an early election for the National Assembly, hoping for a personal endorsement. But the move backfired as the Plural Left obtained a parliamentary majority, Jospin is a Member of the Club of Madrid. Jospin served as Prime Minister during Frances third cohabitation government under President Jacques Chirac from 1997 to 2002, despite his previous image as a rigid socialist, Jospin went on selling state-owned enterprises, lowered the VAT rate, income tax and company tax
7.
Jean-Louis Borloo
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On 6 April 2014, he announced in a letter that he would resign from every mandate or responsibility, due to health reasons. Borloo gained his Baccalauréat in 1969, in the Philosophy stream, in 1972 he took a first degree in Law and Philosophy at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University, in 1974 a further degree in History and Economics at Paris X Nanterre, and in 1976 an MBA at HEC Paris. Of Picard origin, Borloo began his career as a lawyer in the 1980s and he became president of the Valenciennes Football Club in 1986. In 1989, he was elected mayor of Valenciennes as an Independent, in the June 1989 European elections, Borloo was elected to the European Parliament as the second candidate on Simone Veils list. He held this seat until his election as regional councillor for the Nord-Pas-de-Calais in 1992, Borloo was elected to the French National Assembly as a Miscellaneous Right candidate representing the Nords 21st constituency in 1993. Joining the caucus of the UDF, he was re-elected in 1997 and he was a founding member of Ecology Generation in 1990, but he later joined the Union for French Democracy led by François Bayrou. However, in 2002 he joined the Radical Party, associated with the new Union for a Popular Movement and he was co-president of the Radical Party alongside André Rossinot between 2005 and 2007, when he became sole President of the party. It was on the Radical-UMP ticket that Borloo was re-elected as a deputy in 2002 and 2007, in that role, he introduced a five-year plan of social cohesion, which was centered around three axes, equal opportunity, housing and employment. On 21 July 2005 Borloo married news anchorwoman Béatrice Schönberg at Rueil-Malmaison, from 18 May to 19 June 2007, he was Minister of the Economy and Finance in the François Fillon cabinet. Between 19 June 2007 and November 2010, he was the French minister of State for Energy, Ecology, in this capacity, he was a major player in the 2007–2008 Grenelle de lenvironnement. He quit the government allegedly after being passed over for premiership in a cabinet reshuffle, in April 2011, Borloo left the UMP in protest at Sarkozys rightward swing. He announced plans to set up a republican, ecologist, and social alliance, however, he decided not to run as President of France. In September 2012, he created the Union of Democrats and Independents, despite being a leader in the UDI, Borloo wasnt involved in the 2014 local elections, mentioning health reasons, such as frontal acute pneumonia and septicemy. On 6 April 2014, Jean-Louis Borloo announced in a letter to the executives of the UDI that he would resign immediately from every political term, governmental functions Minister of State, Minister for Ecology, Energy and Sustainable Development, 2007–2010. Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry, May–June 2007, Minister for Employment, Social Cohesion and Housing, 2005–2007. Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Cohesion, 2004–2005, Minister of the City and Urban Renewal, 2002–2004. Electoral mandates European Parliament Member of European Parliament, 1989–1992, National Assembly of France President of the Union of Democrats and Independents Group in the National Assembly, 2012-2014. Member of the National Assembly of France for Nord, 1993–2002 / Reelected in 2007, elected in 1993, reelected in 1997,2002,2007, and 2012
8.
National Assembly (France)
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The National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate, the National Assemblys members are known as députés. There are 577 députés, each elected by a constituency through a two-round voting system. Thus,289 seats are required for a majority, the assembly is presided over by a president, normally from the largest party represented, assisted by vice-presidents from across the represented political spectrum. The term of the National Assembly is five years, however and it is guarded by Republican Guards. The Constitution of the French Fifth Republic greatly increased the power of the executive at the expense of Parliament, the President of the Republic can decide to dissolve the National Assembly and call for new legislative elections. This is meant as a way to resolve stalemates where the Assembly cannot decide on a political direction. The National Assembly can overthrow the government by a vote of no confidence. For this reason, the minister and his cabinet are necessarily from the dominant party or coalition in the assembly. The Government used to set the priorities of the agenda for the Assemblys sessions and this, however, was amended on 23 July 2008. Under the amended constitution, the Government sets the priorities for two weeks in a month, another week is designated for the Assemblys control prerogatives. And the fourth one is set by the Assembly, also, one day per month is set by a minority or opposition group. Members of the assembly can ask written or oral questions to ministers, the Wednesday afternoon 3 p. m. session of questions to the Government is broadcast live on television. Like Prime Ministers Questions in Britain, it is largely a show for the viewers, with members of the majority asking flattering questions, while the opposition tries to embarrass the government. Since 1988, the 577 deputies are elected by universal suffrage with a two-round system by constituency, for a five-year mandate. The constituencies each have approximately 100,000 inhabitants, however, districts were not redrawn between 1982 and 2009. As a result of population movements over that period, there were inequalities between the less populous rural districts and the urban districts, the constituencies were redrawn in 2009, but this redistribution was controversial. Among other controversial measures, it created eleven constituencies and seats for French residents overseas, albeit without increasing the overall number of seats beyond 577
9.
French protectorate of Tunisia
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The French protectorate of Tunisia was established in 1881, during the French colonial Empire era, and lasted until Tunisian independence in 1956. Tunisia formed a province of the decaying Ottoman Empire but enjoyed a measure of autonomy under the bey Muhammad III as-Sadiq. In 1877, Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire, russian victory foreshadowed the dismemberment of the empire, including independence for several Balkan possessions and international discussions about the future of the North African provinces. The Berlin Congress of 1878 convened to resolve the Ottoman question, Britain, although opposed to total dismantling of the Ottoman Empire, offered France control of Tunisia, in return for Cyprus. Italy, which had interests in Tunisia, strongly opposed the plan but was unable to impose its will. Both of these countries had been possessions of the Ottoman Empire for three centuries, yet each had long ago attained political autonomy from the Sultan in Constantinople. Before the French arrived, Tunisia had begun a process of modern reforms, after their occupation the French government assumed Tunisias international obligations. Major developments and improvements were undertaken by the French in several areas, including transport and infrastructure, industry, the system, public health. Yet French business and its citizens were favored, not to the liking of Tunisians and their preexisting national sense was early expressed in speech and in print, political organization followed. The independence movement was active before World War I. Its ultimate aim was achieved in 1956, before French occupation, Tunisia formed a province of the Ottoman Empire, but enjoyed a large measure of autonomy. The Ottoman ruler had placed a governor, a pasha, in charge of the Tunisian province, however, this pasha quickly lost control to the military commander, the dey. And the dey, in his turn, had been ousted by a civil administrator, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire subsequently elevated the bey to the rank of dey and pasha, so that the decorum was satisfied all round. In 1705, the fell into the hands of Al-Husayn I ibn Ali at-Turki. When European influence continued to grow during the half of the 19th century. The bey had his own army and navy, struck his own coins, declared war and peace, maintained separate diplomatic relations and signed treaties. Nevertheless, the bey was officially a Turkish governor, invoked the Sultan in his prayers, and on first taking office had to apply for a firman, that is official recognition by the Sultan. From 1859 to 1882 Tunisia was ruled by the bey Muhammad III as-Sadiq, and the powerful Prime Minister, Mustapha Khaznadar, Khaznadar was minister of finance and foreign affairs and was assisted by the interior, defence, and naval ministers
10.
Socialist Party (France)
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The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France, and the largest party of the French centre-left. The PS is one of the two major political parties in France, along with the Republicans. The Socialist Party replaced the earlier French Section of the Workers International in 1969, the PS is a member of the Party of European Socialists, the Socialist International and the Progressive Alliance. The PS first won power in 1981, when its candidate François Mitterrand was elected President of France in the 1981 presidential election, under Mitterrand, the party achieved a governing majority in the National Assembly from 1981 to 1986 and again from 1988 to 1993. In 2007, the candidate for the presidential election, Ségolène Royal, was defeated by conservative UMP candidate Nicolas Sarkozy. Then, the Socialist party won most of regional and local elections, in 2016, the party had 42,300 members. In 2014, the party had 60,000 members, in 2012 the party had 173,486 members. The defeat of the Paris commune greatly reduced the power and influence of socialist movements in France and its leaders were killed or exiled. Frances first socialist party, the Federation of the Socialist Workers of France, was founded in 1879 and it was characterised as possibilist because it promoted gradual reforms. Two parties split off from it, in 1882, the French Workers Party of Jules Guesde and Paul Lafargue, at the same time, the heirs of Louis Auguste Blanqui, a symbol of the French revolutionary tradition, created the Central Revolutionary Committee led by Édouard Vaillant. There were also some declared socialist deputies such as Alexandre Millerand, in 1899, the participation of Millerand in Pierre Waldeck-Rousseaus cabinet caused a debate about socialist participation in a bourgeois government. In 1905, during the Globe Congress, the two merged in the French Section of the Workers International. Leader of the group and director of the party paper LHumanité. The party was hemmed in between the liberals of the Radical Party and the revolutionary syndicalists who dominated the trade unions. Together with the Radicals, who wished to install laicism, the SFIO was a component of the Left Block without to sit in the government, in 1906, the General Confederation of Labour trade union claimed its independence from all political parties. The French socialists were strongly anti-war, but following the assassination of Jaurès in 1914 they were unable to resist the wave of militarism which followed the outbreak of World War I and they suffered a severe split over participation in the wartime government of national unity. In 1919 the anti-war socialists were heavily defeated in elections, the right wing, led by Léon Blum, kept the old house and remained in the SFIO. In 1924 and in 1932, the Socialists joined with the Radicals in the Coalition of the Left, the question of the possibility of a government participation with Radicals caused the split of neosocialists at the beginning of the 1930s
11.
Alma mater
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Alma mater is an allegorical Latin phrase for a university or college. In modern usage, it is a school or university which an individual has attended, the phrase is variously translated as nourishing mother, nursing mother, or fostering mother, suggesting that a school provides intellectual nourishment to its students. Before its modern usage, Alma mater was a title in Latin for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele. The source of its current use is the motto, Alma Mater Studiorum, of the oldest university in continuous operation in the Western world and it is related to the term alumnus, denoting a university graduate, which literally means a nursling or one who is nourished. The phrase can also denote a song or hymn associated with a school, although alma was a common epithet for Ceres, Cybele, Venus, and other mother goddesses, it was not frequently used in conjunction with mater in classical Latin. Alma Redemptoris Mater is a well-known 11th century antiphon devoted to Mary, the earliest documented English use of the term to refer to a university is in 1600, when University of Cambridge printer John Legate began using an emblem for the universitys press. In English etymological reference works, the first university-related usage is often cited in 1710, many historic European universities have adopted Alma Mater as part of the Latin translation of their official name. The University of Bologna Latin name, Alma Mater Studiorum, refers to its status as the oldest continuously operating university in the world. At least one, the Alma Mater Europaea in Salzburg, Austria, the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, has been called the Alma Mater of the Nation because of its ties to the founding of the United States. At Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, the ancient Roman world had many statues of the Alma Mater, some still extant. Modern sculptures are found in prominent locations on several American university campuses, outside the United States, there is an Alma Mater sculpture on the steps of the monumental entrance to the Universidad de La Habana, in Havana, Cuba. Media related to Alma mater at Wikimedia Commons The dictionary definition of alma mater at Wiktionary Alma Mater Europaea website
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France
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France, officially the French Republic, is a country with territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European, or metropolitan, area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, Overseas France include French Guiana on the South American continent and several island territories in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. France spans 643,801 square kilometres and had a population of almost 67 million people as of January 2017. It is a unitary republic with the capital in Paris. Other major urban centres include Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Nice, Toulouse, during the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people. The area was annexed in 51 BC by Rome, which held Gaul until 486, France emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages, with its victory in the Hundred Years War strengthening state-building and political centralisation. During the Renaissance, French culture flourished and a colonial empire was established. The 16th century was dominated by civil wars between Catholics and Protestants. France became Europes dominant cultural, political, and military power under Louis XIV, in the 19th century Napoleon took power and established the First French Empire, whose subsequent Napoleonic Wars shaped the course of continental Europe. Following the collapse of the Empire, France endured a succession of governments culminating with the establishment of the French Third Republic in 1870. Following liberation in 1944, a Fourth Republic was established and later dissolved in the course of the Algerian War, the Fifth Republic, led by Charles de Gaulle, was formed in 1958 and remains to this day. Algeria and nearly all the colonies became independent in the 1960s with minimal controversy and typically retained close economic. France has long been a centre of art, science. It hosts Europes fourth-largest number of cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites and receives around 83 million foreign tourists annually, France is a developed country with the worlds sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest by purchasing power parity. In terms of household wealth, it ranks fourth in the world. France performs well in international rankings of education, health care, life expectancy, France remains a great power in the world, being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and an official nuclear-weapon state. It is a member state of the European Union and the Eurozone. It is also a member of the Group of 7, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Trade Organization, originally applied to the whole Frankish Empire, the name France comes from the Latin Francia, or country of the Franks
13.
Tunisia
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Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa, covering 165,000 square kilometres. Its northernmost point, Cape Angela, is the northernmost point on the African continent and it is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisias population was estimated to be just under 11 million in 2014, Tunisias name is derived from its capital city, Tunis, which is located on Tunisias northeast coast. Geographically, Tunisia contains the end of the Atlas Mountains. Much of the rest of the land is fertile soil. Tunisia is a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic and it is considered to be the only full democracy in the Arab World. It has a human development index. In addition, Tunisia is also a state of the United Nations. Close relations with Europe – in particular with France and with Italy – have been forged through economic cooperation, privatisation, in ancient times, Tunisia was primarily inhabited by Berbers. Phoenician immigration began in the 12th century BC, these immigrants founded Carthage, a major mercantile power and a military rival of the Roman Republic, Carthage was defeated by the Romans in 146 BC. The Romans, who would occupy Tunisia for most of the eight hundred years, introduced Christianity. After several attempts starting in 647, the Arabs conquered the whole of Tunisia by 697, the Ottomans held sway for over three hundred years. The French colonization of Tunisia occurred in 1881, Tunisia gained independence with Habib Bourguiba and declared the Tunisian Republic in 1957. In 2011, the Tunisian Revolution resulted in the overthrow of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the country voted for parliament again on 26 October 2014, and for President on 23 November 2014. The word Tunisia is derived from Tunis, an urban hub. The present form of the name, with its Latinate suffix -ia, the French derivative Tunisie was adopted in some European languages with slight modifications, introducing a distinctive name to designate the country. Other languages remained untouched, such as the Russian Туни́с and Spanish Túnez, in this case, the same name is used for both country and city, as with the Arabic تونس, and only by context can one tell the difference. The name Tunis can be attributed to different origins and it is generally associated with the Berber root ⵜⵏⵙ, transcribed tns, which means to lay down or encampment
14.
Malta
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Malta, officially known as the Republic of Malta, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 km south of Italy,284 km east of Tunisia, the country covers just over 316 km2, with a population of just under 450,000, making it one of the worlds smallest and most densely populated countries. The capital of Malta is Valletta, which at 0.8 km2, is the smallest national capital in the European Union, Malta has one national language, which is Maltese, and English as an official language. John, French and British, have ruled the islands, King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross to Malta in 1942 for the countrys bravery in the Second World War. The George Cross continues to appear on Maltas national flag, the country became a republic in 1974, and although no longer a Commonwealth realm, remains a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations. Malta was admitted to the United Nations in 1964 and to the European Union in 2004, in 2008, Catholicism is the official religion in Malta. The origin of the term Malta is uncertain, and the modern-day variation derives from the Maltese language, the most common etymology is that the word Malta derives from the Greek word μέλι, meli, honey. The ancient Greeks called the island Μελίτη meaning honey-sweet, possibly due to Maltas unique production of honey, an endemic species of bee lives on the island. The Romans went on to call the island Melita, which can be considered either as a latinisation of the Greek Μελίτη or the adaptation of the Doric Greek pronunciation of the same word Μελίτα. Another conjecture suggests that the word Malta comes from the Phoenician word Maleth a haven or port in reference to Maltas many bays, few other etymological mentions appear in classical literature, with the term Malta appearing in its present form in the Antonine Itinerary. The extinction of the hippos and dwarf elephants has been linked to the earliest arrival of humans on Malta. Prehistoric farming settlements dating to the Early Neolithic period were discovered in areas and also in caves. The Sicani were the tribe known to have inhabited the island at this time and are generally regarded as being closely related to the Iberians. Pottery from the Għar Dalam phase is similar to found in Agrigento. A culture of megalithis temple builders then either supplanted or arose from this early period, the temples have distinctive architecture, typically a complex trefoil design, and were used from 4000 to 2500 BCE. Animal bones and a knife found behind an altar stone suggest that temple rituals included animal sacrifice. Tentative information suggests that the sacrifices were made to the goddess of fertility, the culture apparently disappeared from the Maltese Islands around 2500 BC. Archaeologists speculate that the builders fell victim to famine or disease
15.
Sicily
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Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous Region of Italy, along with surrounding minor islands, Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, the island has a typical Mediterranean climate. The earliest archaeological evidence of activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC. It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand, a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification, Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region after the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946. Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine. It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites, such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples, Sicily has a roughly triangular shape, earning it the name Trinacria. To the east, it is separated from the Italian mainland by the Strait of Messina, about 3 km wide in the north, and about 16 km wide in the southern part. The northern and southern coasts are each about 280 km long measured as a line, while the eastern coast measures around 180 km. The total area of the island is 25,711 km2, the terrain of inland Sicily is mostly hilly and is intensively cultivated wherever possible. Along the northern coast, the ranges of Madonie,2,000 m, Nebrodi,1,800 m. The cone of Mount Etna dominates the eastern coast, in the southeast lie the lower Hyblaean Mountains,1,000 m. The mines of the Enna and Caltanissetta districts were part of a leading sulphur-producing area throughout the 19th century, Sicily and its surrounding small islands have some highly active volcanoes. Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe and still casts black ash over the island with its ever-present eruptions and it currently stands 3,329 metres high, though this varies with summit eruptions, the mountain is 21 m lower now than it was in 1981. It is the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps, Etna covers an area of 1,190 km2 with a basal circumference of 140 km. This makes it by far the largest of the three volcanoes in Italy, being about two and a half times the height of the next largest, Mount Vesuvius. In Greek Mythology, the deadly monster Typhon was trapped under the mountain by Zeus, Mount Etna is widely regarded as a cultural symbol and icon of Sicily. The Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the northeast of mainland Sicily form a volcanic complex, the three volcanoes of Vulcano, Vulcanello and Lipari are also currently active, although the latter is usually dormant
16.
Council estate
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Public housing in the United Kingdom provides the largest proportion of rented accommodation in the country. Houses built for public or social housing use are built by local authorities, before 1865 housing for the poor was provided solely by the private sector. Council houses were built on estates, where frequently other amenities like schools. From the 1950s blocks of flats and three or four blocks of maisonnettes were widely built too. Flats and houses were built in mixed estates. Council homes were built to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at reasonable rents to primarily working-class people, Public housing in the mid-20th century included many large suburban council estates and numerous urban developments featuring tower blocks. Many of these developments did not live up to the hopes of their supporters, in 1979, the role of council housing was to change. Housing stock has sold off through Right to Buy legislation. A substantial part of the UK population still lives in council housing, approximately 55% of the countrys social housing stock is owned by local authorities, and 45% by housing associations. In Scotland, council estates are known as schemes, the history of public housing is the history of the housing of the poor. Even that statement is controversial, as before 1890 the state was not involved in housing policy, Public housing became needed to provide homes fit for heroes in 1919, then to enable slum clearance. Standards were set to high quality homes. The Labour government of Harold Wilson built houses and flats to the point where there was a surplus in the late 1960s. The documented history of housing in Britain starts with almshouses which were established from the 10th century, to provide a place of residence for poor, old. The first recorded almshouse was founded in York by King Æthelstan, the public workhouse was the final fall back solution for the destitute. Rural poverty had been increased by the Enclosure Acts leaving many in need of assistance. This was divided into outside relief, or handouts to keep the family together, the workhouse provided for two groups of people - the transient population roaming the country looking for seasonal work, and the long-term residents. The two were kept separate where possible, the City of London Corporation built tenements in the Farringdon Road in 1865, but this was an isolated instance
17.
Paris
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Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. It has an area of 105 square kilometres and a population of 2,229,621 in 2013 within its administrative limits, the agglomeration has grown well beyond the citys administrative limits. By the 17th century, Paris was one of Europes major centres of finance, commerce, fashion, science, and the arts, and it retains that position still today. The aire urbaine de Paris, a measure of area, spans most of the Île-de-France region and has a population of 12,405,426. It is therefore the second largest metropolitan area in the European Union after London, the Metropole of Grand Paris was created in 2016, combining the commune and its nearest suburbs into a single area for economic and environmental co-operation. Grand Paris covers 814 square kilometres and has a population of 7 million persons, the Paris Region had a GDP of €624 billion in 2012, accounting for 30.0 percent of the GDP of France and ranking it as one of the wealthiest regions in Europe. The city is also a rail, highway, and air-transport hub served by two international airports, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly. Opened in 1900, the subway system, the Paris Métro. It is the second busiest metro system in Europe after Moscow Metro, notably, Paris Gare du Nord is the busiest railway station in the world outside of Japan, with 262 millions passengers in 2015. In 2015, Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the top tourist destinations. The association football club Paris Saint-Germain and the rugby union club Stade Français are based in Paris, the 80, 000-seat Stade de France, built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, is located just north of Paris in the neighbouring commune of Saint-Denis. Paris hosts the annual French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament on the red clay of Roland Garros, Paris hosted the 1900 and 1924 Summer Olympics and is bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. The name Paris is derived from its inhabitants, the Celtic Parisii tribe. Thus, though written the same, the name is not related to the Paris of Greek mythology. In the 1860s, the boulevards and streets of Paris were illuminated by 56,000 gas lamps, since the late 19th century, Paris has also been known as Panam in French slang. Inhabitants are known in English as Parisians and in French as Parisiens and they are also pejoratively called Parigots. The Parisii, a sub-tribe of the Celtic Senones, inhabited the Paris area from around the middle of the 3rd century BC. One of the areas major north-south trade routes crossed the Seine on the île de la Cité, this place of land and water trade routes gradually became a town
18.
Les Lilas
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Les Lilas is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 5.7 km from the centre of Paris. The commune of Les Lilas was created on 24 July 1867 by detaching a part of the territory of Romainville and merging it with a part of the territory of Pantin, Les Lilas is served by Mairie des Lilas station on Paris Métro Line 11. It is the home of the royal family of Montenegro. It is the birthplace of French actress Maïwenn Le Besco, blanstel Koussalouka, footballer Les Lilas is known for the hit 1958 song by Serge Gainsbourg, Le Poinçonneur des Lilas, about a ticket puncher at the Porte des Lilas Métro station. This Métro station is actually in Paris, one away from the Mairie des Lilas Métro station which is in Les Lilas. Communes of the Seine-Saint-Denis department INSEE Official website
19.
French legislative election, 2012
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All 577 single member seats in the assembly, including those representing overseas departments and territories and French residents overseas, were contested using a two-round system. The elections came a month after the election won by François Hollande of the Socialist Party. Since 2002, legislative elections immediately follow the presidential ones and this was designed to limit the possibility of a cohabitation, whereby the President and his or her Prime Minister, backed by a parliamentary majority, would be of opposite parties. This is what happened in 2002 and 2007, by contrast, the Union for a Popular Movement, on the right, has repeatedly asked that the left not be given all the powers through this election. The legislative elections in France are often described as the round of the presidential election. A total of 6,603 candidates ran for the 577 seats, the law mandates that every party must have between 49 and 51% of women among its candidates, or have their public funding significantly reduced. Some parties, among the richest, prefer to pay the fine rather than comply with this rule, the law also does not take electability into account, and significant numbers of women candidates run in constituencies where their party does not stand a real chance. If an expatriate votes via the Internet, he or she has a week to do so from 23 to 26 May, a postal ballot may be cast, if received by 31 May in the Americas or by 1 June in the rest of the world. Those who prefer to vote in person in their local consulate must do so on 2 June in the Americas or 3 June in the rest of the world, each of the 577 constituencies elects one representative to the National Assembly, in a two-round election. If a large number of voters abstain, a majority of the vote may thus not be enough, although this rarely happens. If no candidate is elected in the first round, then the two candidates who finished first and second in the first round advance automatically to the second for a runoff. They may be joined by the third- or even fourth-placed candidate, low turnouts therefore decrease the likelihood of a three-person runoff. In the second round, the candidate who obtains the most votes is elected, candidates who advance to the second round have the option of withdrawing. Usually this happens in a triangulaire, where the party and/or candidate that finished third in the first round prefers to favour one of the two leading candidates. In addition, the parties of the left have a long-standing agreement whereby they do not stand against one another in the second round. If two of them advance to the round in the same constituency, the less-well-placed of the two automatically withdraws. In some cases, this means a triangulaire is avoided, amiable withdrew, supporting Sommaruga in her runoff against New Centre candidate Jean-Loup Metton, who had finished third in the first round with enough support to advance to the second. In other cases, this means that only one candidate remains in the second round
20.
Union for a Popular Movement
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The Union for a Popular Movement was a centre-right political party in France that was one of the two major contemporary political parties in France along with the centre-left Socialist Party. The UMP was formed in 2002 as a merger of several parties under the leadership of President Jacques Chirac. In May 2015, the party was renamed and succeeded by the Republicans, Nicolas Sarkozy, then the president of the UMP, was elected President of France in the 2007 presidential election, but was defeated by PS candidate François Hollande in a run-off five years later. After the November 2012 party congress, the UMP experienced internal fractioning and was plagued by scandals which forced its president, Jean-François Copé. After his re-election as UMP president in November 2014, Sarkozy put forward an amendment to change the name of the party into The Republicans, since the 1980s, the political groups of the parliamentary right have joined forces around the values of economic liberalism and the building of Europe. Their rivalries had contributed to their defeat in the 1981 and 1988 legislative elections, before the 1993 legislative election, the Gaullist Rally for the Republic and the centrist Union for French Democracy formed an electoral alliance, the Union for France. However, in the 1995 presidential campaign they were divided between followers of Jacques Chirac, who was eventually elected, and supporters of Prime Minister Edouard Balladur. After their defeat in the 1997 legislative election, the RPR, before the 2002 presidential campaign, the supporters of President Jacques Chirac, divided in three centre-right parliamentary parties, founded an association named Union on the Move. After Chiracs re-election, in order to contest the election jointly. It was renamed Union for a Popular Movement and as established as a permanent organisation. In the UMP four major French political families were represented, Gaullism, republicanism, Christian democracy. Chiracs close ally Alain Juppé became the partys first president at the founding congress at the Bourget in November 2002. Juppé won 79. 42% of the vote, defeating Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, the leader of the partys Eurosceptic Arise the Republic faction, and three other candidates. During the partys earlier years, it was marked by tensions, in the 2004 European Parliament election on 13 June 2004, the UMP also suffered another heavy blow, winning 16. 6% of the vote, far behind the Socialist Party, and only 16 seats. Juppé resigned the presidency on 15 July 2004 after being found guilty in a corruption scandal in January of the same year. Nicolas Sarkozy rapidly announced that he would take over the presidency of the UMP and resign his position as finance minister, ending months of speculation. On 28 November 2004, Sarkozy was elected to the presidency with 85. 09% of the votes against 9. 1% for Dupont-Aignan and 5. 82% for Christine Boutin. Having gained control of what had been Chiracs party, Sarkozy focused the party machinery, however, during this time, the UMP under Sarkozy gained a record number of new members and rejuvenated itself in preparation of the 2007 election
21.
Daniel Vaillant
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Daniel Vaillant is a French Socialist politician. Close to Lionel Jospin, Vaillant held several portfolios in his cabinets, Minister of the Relations with Parliament from 1997 to 2000. He also supported Jospin as candidate for the Socialist Party in the 2007 presidential election, as of 2009, he is mayor for the 18th district of Paris and a member of the Assemblée Nationale. In October 2009, he proposed to decriminalize the use of cannabis through control of production and import. Cest à ma gauche, Éditions Plon,2003 PS,40 ans dhistoire, du congrès dÉpinay à nos jours, Éditions LArchipel,2011,414 p. ISBN 978-2-8098-0481-2 Official biography on the French Parliament website
22.
National Assembly of France
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The National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate, the National Assemblys members are known as députés. There are 577 députés, each elected by a constituency through a two-round voting system. Thus,289 seats are required for a majority, the assembly is presided over by a president, normally from the largest party represented, assisted by vice-presidents from across the represented political spectrum. The term of the National Assembly is five years, however and it is guarded by Republican Guards. The Constitution of the French Fifth Republic greatly increased the power of the executive at the expense of Parliament, the President of the Republic can decide to dissolve the National Assembly and call for new legislative elections. This is meant as a way to resolve stalemates where the Assembly cannot decide on a political direction. The National Assembly can overthrow the government by a vote of no confidence. For this reason, the minister and his cabinet are necessarily from the dominant party or coalition in the assembly. The Government used to set the priorities of the agenda for the Assemblys sessions and this, however, was amended on 23 July 2008. Under the amended constitution, the Government sets the priorities for two weeks in a month, another week is designated for the Assemblys control prerogatives. And the fourth one is set by the Assembly, also, one day per month is set by a minority or opposition group. Members of the assembly can ask written or oral questions to ministers, the Wednesday afternoon 3 p. m. session of questions to the Government is broadcast live on television. Like Prime Ministers Questions in Britain, it is largely a show for the viewers, with members of the majority asking flattering questions, while the opposition tries to embarrass the government. Since 1988, the 577 deputies are elected by universal suffrage with a two-round system by constituency, for a five-year mandate. The constituencies each have approximately 100,000 inhabitants, however, districts were not redrawn between 1982 and 2009. As a result of population movements over that period, there were inequalities between the less populous rural districts and the urban districts, the constituencies were redrawn in 2009, but this redistribution was controversial. Among other controversial measures, it created eleven constituencies and seats for French residents overseas, albeit without increasing the overall number of seats beyond 577
23.
Italy
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Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino, Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal and Mediterranean climate. Due to its shape, it is referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state, the Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom, which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity. The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe, bringing a renewed interest in humanism, science, exploration, Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars, artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France, Spain and Austria. Despite being one of the victors in World War I, Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil. The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in defeat, economic destruction. Today, Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and it has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy. The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, military, cultural and diplomatic affairs, as a reflection of its cultural wealth, Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites, the most in the world, and is the fifth most visited country. The assumptions on the etymology of the name Italia are very numerous, according to one of the more common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning land of young cattle. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The name Italia originally applied only to a part of what is now Southern Italy – according to Antiochus of Syracuse, but by his time Oenotria and Italy had become synonymous, and the name also applied to most of Lucania as well. The Greeks gradually came to apply the name Italia to a larger region, excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other ancient Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily, the Roman legacy has deeply influenced the Western civilisation, shaping most of the modern world
24.
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
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The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951. The post-nominal letters for the order are OMRI, investiture takes place biannually on 2 June, anniversary of the foundation of the Republic and on 27 December, anniversary of the promulgation of the Italian Constitution. However, those awards on Presidential motu proprio, related to termination of service or granted to foreigners may be made at any time, except in exceptional circumstances, no one can be awarded for the first time a rank higher than Knight. The minimum age requirement is normally 35
25.
Le Parisien
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Le Parisien is a French daily newspaper covering both international and national news, and local news of Paris and its suburbs. The newspaper is owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury, the paper was established as Le Parisien libéré by Émilien Amaury in 1944, and was published for the first time on 22 August 1944. The paper was launched as the organ of the French underground during the German occupation of France in World War II. The name was changed to the current one in 1986, a national edition exists, called Aujourdhui en France. Le Parisien had a circulation near to one million copies in the early 1970s, the paper reached a circulation of 659,200 copies on 24 April 1995 the day after the first round of the presidential election. In the period of 1995-1996 the paper had a circulation of 451,159 copies, the combined circulation of Le Parisien was 485,000 copies in 2001. The paper had a circulation of 147,143 copies and a circulation of 360,505 copies in 2002. It was the second largest regional newspaper in France with a circulation of 530,000 copies in 2008, behind Ouest-France. The circulation of Le Parisien was 229,638 copies in 2014, official website Regular French Press Review – Radio France International
26.
Le Figaro
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Le Figaro is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. The oldest national daily in France, Le Figaro is one of the two French newspapers of record, along with Le Monde, and is one of the most widely respected newspapers in the world. In 2012, the paper had a circulation of 330,952 copies per issue. The paper is published in the format, switching from a broadsheet in 2009. The newspaper is owned by Le Figaro Group, whose publications include TV Magazine and Evene, the companys chairman is Serge Dassault, whose Dassault Group has controlled the paper since 2004. Le Figaro was founded as a weekly in 1826, taking its name and motto from Le Mariage de Figaro. Its motto, from Figaros monologue in the final act, is Sans la liberté de blâmer. In 1833, editor Nestor Roqueplan fought a duel with a Colonel Gallois, who was offended by an article in Le Figaro, albert Wolff, Émile Zola, Alphonse Karr and Jules Claretie were among the papers early contributors. It was published irregularly until 1854, when it was taken over by Hippolyte de Villemessant. In 1866 Le Figaro became a daily newspaper and its first daily edition, that of 16 November 1866, sold 56,000 copies, having highest circulation of any newspaper in France. In 1922, Le Figaro was purchased by perfume millionaire François Coty, abel Faivre did cartoons for the paper. By the start of World War II, Le Figaro had become Frances leading newspaper, after the war it became the voice of the upper middle class, and continues to maintain a conservative position. In 1975, Le Figaro was bought by Robert Hersants Socpresse, in 1999, the Carlyle Group obtained a 40% stake in the paper, which it later sold in March 2002. Dassault owns 80% of the paper, in 2006, Le Figaro was banned in Egypt and Tunisia for publishing articles allegedly insulting Islam. Le Figaro switched to Berliner format in 2009, the paper has published The New York Times International Weekly on Friday since 2009, an 8-page supplement featuring a selection of articles from The New York Times translated into French. In 2010, Lefigaro. fr created a section called Le Figaro in English, Le Figaro has traditionally held a conservative editorial stance, becoming the voice of the French upper and middle classes. His son Olivier Dassault is a member of the French National Assembly, Dassault has remarked in an interview in 2004 on the public radio station France Inter that newspapers must promulgate healthy ideas and that left-wing ideas are not healthy ideas. They requested more pluralism and honesty and accused the paper of one-sided political reporting, mougeotte had previously said that Le Figaro would do nothing to embarrass the government and the right
27.
Pink News
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PinkNews is a UK-based online newspaper marketed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. It was founded by Benjamin Cohen in 2005 and covers politics, religion, entertainment, finance, the current UK editor as of March 2015 is Nick Duffy. It closely follows political progress on LGBT rights around the world, the news is split into different sections, with most recent, prominent and trending stories showing on the home page by default. People can filter news by the sections they have most interest in, including transgender, entertainment, world, politics, arts and it was suspended without explanation in early 2007 but the website continues to exist and is updated with news daily. Pinknews. co. uk is ranked the most visited LGBT website globally by SimilarWeb, PinkNews pays special attention to the topic of religion and homosexuality, and is often critical of the Vatican for its perceived hostility to the LGBT community. However, it one of the few LGBT publications to have interviewed a sitting Archbishop of Canterbury in 2014. The editorial stance of PinkNews is not to campaign in a partisan manner and their site states that they will not endorse political parties in elections, but will endorse politicians regardless of party based on their stance on gay rights issues. To date PinkNews has published articles by 3 British Prime Ministers, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, PinkNews has also interviewed other political figures in the United Kingdom, including Boris Johnson and Nick Clegg. In 2006, PinkNews was threatened with legal action by News International, Cole began legal action against both newspapers for libel, harassment and false privacy but not against PinkNews, who had never made claims that either were gay. PinkNews claimed they were trying to expose the tactics of the NotW rather than out anyone, coles solicitors set up an online survey to investigate the impact, questioning respondents as to where they heard the story and if they discussed it in any forums. RWD Magazine allegedly had their forums shut down because of this and we are happy to make clear that Mr Cole and Masterstepz were not involved in any such activities. We apologise to them for any distress caused and we will be paying them each a sum in the way of damages, News International confirmed afterwards they would not be seeking damages from PinkNews. PinkNews reported heavily on the refusal of Stonewall, an LGBT rights group, and Ben Summerskill and he later changed his argument at a conference to There are lots of lesbians who actually dont want marriage. Stonewall was also criticized by a founder, Michael Cashman, MEP. PinkNews also published a poem written by Stephen Fry in honour of his birthday on 24 January. PinkNews regularly reported on the progress of the Out4Marriage campaign, which was started in May 2012 and launched by Mike Buonaiuto and PinkNews founder, Benjamin Cohen. The campaign used YouTube videos of people supporting equal marriage, including celebrities and Members of Parliament, the Out4Marriage YouTube campaign reached 14 million views in just 3 weeks from launch. List of LGBT periodicals The Pink Paper
28.
France 24
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France 24 is a 24-hour international news and current affairs television network, based in Paris. Its channels broadcast, respectively, in, French, English, and Arabic, based in Issy-les-Moulineaux, in the suburbs of Paris, the service started on 6 December 2006. The stated mission of the three channels is to provide a public service and a common editorial stance. The budget is approximately €m100 million per year, France 24 is broadcast on three channels, in French, in English, and in Arabic. France 24s programming is divided more or less equally between news coverage and news magazines or special reports, along with 260 journalists of its own, France 24 can call on the resources of the two main French broadcasters as well as partners such as AFP and RFI. The CEO of France 24 is Alain de Pouzilhac, from 19 May 2010, France 24 unveiled a new schedule that prioritizes the morning and evening slots, anchored live by the networks editorial staff. More programming space than ever before goes to business, sport, culture, as from 2016, France 24 shares its night programming with the France-based France Info. Format and Magazines France 24 broadcasts on a cycle with a live news bulletin. In Sunday, all programs are rebroadcasts, except Revisited at 9, the First Gulf War of 1990, relayed across the world by CNN International in particular, revealed the power of international news channels and their role in the formation of opinion. A parliamentary minister, Philippe Séguin, wished to create a French-language equivalent, in 1996, after nineteen governmental reports in ten years, Prime Minister Alain Juppé asked Radio France Internationale president Jean-Paul Cluzel to create a French international news channel. Cluzel proposed in 1997 to group TV5, RFI, and CFI within a corporation entitled Téléfi, admittedly, we have with Agence France-Presse a remarkable information tool that we must continue to reinforce, notably in its international mission. Indeed, everyone here recognises the recent progress made by RFI, by TV5, by CFI, thanks to the efforts of their teams and to the determination of the public bodies. But everybody notices that we are far from having a large international news channel in French. The recent crises have shown the handicap that a country suffers, an area, which doesnt possess a sufficient weight in the battle of the images. It is essential for the influence of our country, an international version of LCI, proposed by Groupe TF1, which asked for a state subvention for the service. Strengthening of TV5s news service, as suggested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on 19 March 2003, Matignon opened offers to, Elicit the development of an international news channel. The international news channel must contribute to a strategy of influence of France in the world. Brochard attempted to group both Groupe TF1 and Groupe Canal+, with no success, after a press conference in January 2004, President Chirac wished for a launch of the channel towards the end of the year
29.
The Huffington Post
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On February 7,2011, AOL acquired the mass market Huffington Post for US$315 million, making Arianna Huffington editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group. In July 2012, The Huffington Post was ranked #1 on the 15 Most Popular Political Sites list by eBizMBA Rank, Traffic Rank from both Compete and Quantcast. In 2012, The Huffington Post became the first commercially run United States digital media enterprise to win a Pulitzer Prize, the Huffington Post was founded by Arianna Huffington on May 9,2005. It has a community, with over one million comments made on the site each month. Prior to The Huffington Post, Huffington hosted a website called Ariannaonline. com and her first foray into the Internet was a website called Resignation. com, which called for the resignation of President Bill Clinton and was a rallying place for conservatives opposing Clinton. In August 2013, the website banned anonymous comments, in approximately June 2007, the site launched its first local version, HuffPost Chicago. In June 2009, HuffPost New York was launched, followed shortly by HuffPost Denver which launched on September 15,2009, and HuffPost Los Angeles which launched on December 2,2009. In 2011, three new editions were launched, HuffPost San Francisco on July 12, HuffPost Detroit, on November 17. HuffPost Hawaii was launched in collaboration with the investigative reporting. The Huffington Post launched its first international edition, HuffPost Canada, on July 6 of the same year, the Huffington Post UK launched its UK edition. On February 8, another French language edition was launched in the Canadian province of Quebec, on May Day, a U. S. -based Spanish-language edition was launched under the name HuffPost Voces, replacing AOLs Hispanic news platform, AOL Latino. The following month an edition for Spain was announced, as was one for Germany, on September 24, an Italian edition, LHuffington Post, was launched, directed by journalist Lucia Annunziata in collaboration with the media company Gruppo Editoriale LEspresso. On May 6,2013, an edition for Japan was launched with the collaboration of The Asahi Shimbun, with the launch of Al Huffington Post, there is a third francophone edition, this time for the Maghreb area. On October 10, Munich-based Huffington Post Deutschland has been put online in cooperation with the liberal-conservative magazine Focus, in January 2014, Arianna Huffington and Nicolas Berggruen announced the launch of the WorldPost, created in partnership with the Berggruen Institute. Its contributors have included former British prime minister Tony Blair, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, novelist Jonathan Franzen, on January 29,2014, the Brazilian version was launched as Brasil Post, in partnership with Abril Group, the first in Latin America. In September 2014, Huffington Post announced they will launch in Greece, India, and introduce HuffPost Arabi, on August 18,2015, HuffPost Australia was launched. The Huffington Post planned to launch a Chinese version in 2015, due to strict media controls, the content of Chinese version would not include serious news report, only entertainment and lifestyle. In 2011, after its purchase by AOL, The Huffington Post subsumed many of AOLs Voices properties, the Voices brand was expanded in September 2011 with the launch of Gay Voices, a vertical dedicated to LGBT-relevant articles
30.
Le Journal du Dimanche
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Le Journal du Dimanche is a French weekly newspaper published on Sundays in France. Le Journal du Dimanche was created by Pierre Lazareff in 1948 and he was managing editor of France Soir at that time. The weekly paper belongs to the Lagardère Group through Hachette Filipacchi Médias, the company is also the publisher of the paper which is based in Paris and which is published on Sundays. Le Journal du Dimanche was published in broadsheet format until 1999 when it began to be published in the Berliner format, on 6 March 2011 the paper again changed its format and became published in large tabloid format. In the period of 2001-2002 Le Journal du Dimanche had a circulation of 275,000 copies and its 2009 circulation was 269,000 copies. Between January and December 2010 the paper had a circulation of 257,280 copies, alain Genestar Jean-Claude Maurice between 1999 and December 2005. Jacques Espérandieu between December 2005 and May 2008, christian de Villeneuve between May 2008 and February 2010 Olivier Jay between March 2010 and December 2011 Jerôme Bellay since January 2012 Article on the French Wikipedia
31.
Marylise Lebranchu
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Marylise Lebranchu is a French politician. She serves as Minister of the Reform of the State and of Decentralisation under Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and she is a member of the Socialist Party and of the Socialiste, radical, citoyen et divers gauche parliamentary group. She served in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Lionel Jospin from 1997 to 2002, from 2000 to 2002, she served as Minister of Justice. She then served as a member of the National Assembly of France of the Finistère department
32.
Hercule de Serre
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Pierre François Hercule de Serre was a French soldier, lawyer and politician. He was a deputy from 1815 to 1824, and was Minister of Justice in three successive cabinets from 1818 to 1821 and he sat on the center-right, but had liberal views on press freedom, direct elections and the use of juries. Pierre François Hercule de Serre was born in Pagny-sur-Moselle, Meurthe and his family originated in the Comtat Venaissin, but had become established in Lorraine. His father was François-Louis de Serre, a cavalry officer, lord of the fief of Coureol. Hercule de Serre was destined for a career in the army, during the French Revolution he emigrated and served in the Army of Condé. He did not return to France until 1802 and he studied law and was admitted to the Bar of Metz, where he distinguished himself. Napoleon appointed him Advocate General of Metz on 23 February 1811, Hercule de Serre supported the Bourbon Restoration, and was appointed First President of the Court of Colmar in January 1815. He accompanied King Louis XVIII to Ghent during the Hundred Days when Napoleon returned from exile, on 15 August 1815 he was elected deputy for Haut-Rhin. He sat with the majority, supporting the government and he proposed, unsuccessfully, an amendment to the draft law on suspension of individual liberty. He defended General André Masséna against a petition demanding action against him and he also opposed the conclusions of the report of Kergolay on the return of unsold goods to the clergy. He was closely aligned with the views of Pierre Paul Royer-Collard, de Serre was reelected on 4 October 1816 and on 20 September 1817. He sat with the majority, and in January 1817 was elected President of the Chamber of Deputies and he held this position until the end of 1818, when he was replaced by Auguste Ravez. He tended to direct elections, but opposed the requirement to reelect members appointed to permanent offices. As Speaker, he proposed a new regulation of severe penalties for interruptions, on 30 December 1818 de Serre accepted the Justice portfolio in the Ministry of Jean-Joseph Dessolles. These proposals were attacked by the royalist right, and were not passed, on the other hand, he alienated liberal opinion when he said that the Charter of 1814 applied to voters, temporary exiles could still hope to return to France, but regicides never. This extreme statement was later modified to allow that the king could grant clemency for age, de Serre retained his position in the Ministry of Élie Decazes, formed on 19 November 1819. De Serre agreed with Élie Decazes when he wanted to change the electoral law and he did not follow his colleagues in their retreat after the assassination of Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry. He remained Minister of Justice in the Second ministry of Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis de Richelieu, after a stay in Nice to recover his health, at the end in April 1820 he resumed the struggle against the opponents of the proposed electoral law
33.
Pierre Paul Royer-Collard
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Pierre Paul Royer-Collard was a French statesman and philosopher, leader of the Doctrinaires group during the Bourbon Restoration. He was born at Sompuis, near Vitry-le-François, the son of Anthony Royer and his mother, Angélique Perpétue Collard, was a woman of strong character and great piety. Pierre Paul Royer was sent at twelve to the college of Chaumont of which his uncle and he subsequently followed his uncle to Saint-Omer, where he studied mathematics. At the outbreak of the French Revolution, to which he was passionately sympathetic and he was returned by his section, the Island of Saint-Louis, to the Commune, of which he was secretary from 1790 to 1792. After the revolution of 10 August in that year he was replaced by Jean-Lambert Tallien and his sympathies were now with the Gironde, and after the insurrection of the 12th Prairial his life was in danger. In 1797 he was returned by his départment to the Council of the Five Hundred and he made one great speech in the council in defence of the principles of religious liberty, but the coup détat of Fructidor drove him back into private life. It was at this period that he developed his legitimist opinions, from that time until the Restoration Royer-Collard devoted himself exclusively to the study of philosophy. He derived his opposition to the philosophy of Condillac chiefly from the study of Descartes and his followers and he was occupied with developing a system to provide a moral and political education consonant with his view of the needs of France. From 1811 to 1814 he lectured at the Sorbonne, from this time dates his long association with François Guizot. Royer-Collard himself was supervisor of the press under the first restoration, from 1815 onwards he sat as deputy for Marne in the chamber. He was the spirit of the Doctrinaires, as they were called, who met at the house of the comte de Ste Aulaire and in the salon of Madame de Staëls daughter. The leaders of the party, beside Royer-Collard, were Guizot, PFH de Serre, Camille Jordan, in 1820 Royer-Collard was excluded from the council of state by a decree signed by his former ally Serre. In 1827 he was elected for seven constituencies, but remained faithful to his native department, next year he became president of the chamber, and fought against the reactionary policy which precipitated the Revolution of July. It was Royer-Collard who in March 1830 presented the address of the 221, from that time he took no active part in politics, although he retained his seat in the chamber until 1839. In a letter to Père de Ravignan he comments upon the institution of the Jesuits as a wonderful creation and he died at his estate of Châteauvieux in the Berry, south of Blois. He had been a member of the Académie française since 1827, Royer-Collard had married in 1799 Mlle Augustine de Forges de Chateaubrun. The two daughters who survived to womanhood received an education of the utmost austerity, Royer-Collard left no considerable writings, but fragments of his philosophical work are included in Jouffroys translation of the works of Thomas Reid. The standard life of Royer-Collard is by his friend Prosper de Barante, Vie politique de M. Royer Collard and this article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, Chisholm, Hugh, ed. article name needed
34.
Casimir Pierre Perier
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Casimir-Pierre Perier was a prominent French banker, mine owner, political leader and statesman. In politics, he was a liberal member of the Chamber of Deputies throughout the Bourbon Restoration. He led the liberal-conservative Resistance Party in support of the monarchy of Louis-Philippe I. He became president of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Interior in the spring of 1831, although his ministry was brief, his strong government succeeded in restoring order at home and keeping peace abroad. He fell victim to the epidemic in France in 1832. His mother was the former Marie-Charlotte Pascal, the daughter of a prominent linens manufacturer at nearby Voiron, both his father and grandfather made their fortunes in the commerce of canvas and linen cloths. Claude added the manufacture of printed cotton cloths at the Château de Vizille, the Revolution and Napoleon opened up new opportunities for families of the wealthy bourgeoisie grenobloise such as the Periers. Claude Perier shifted the center of his business affairs to Paris, Claude Perier died on February 6,1801, leaving his remarkably large family of ten children to share his enormous estate valued at 5,800,000 francs. Casimir, who was years old at the time, inherited shares in the Anzin Company, land at Grenoble and in common with his brother Scipion. Hed had little experience in business or banking and his father had anticipated that the three eldest brothers, Augustin, Alexandre and Scipion, would carry on the family businesses at Grenoble/Vizille. Casimir himself gave no indication of a specific career choice. He was intelligent, energetic, handsome and eager to succeed, the two brothers, Casimir and Scipion, founded a bank in Paris, located at No. 8, Place Vendôme until 1809, and after year at No. Henry Flory and William Sabatier, who were former associates with their father at the Bank of France, the youngest Perier brother, Joseph, joined the bank in 1822, approximately one year after the death of Scipion. The affairs of the older Perier bank at Grenoble were by then administered mainly by younger brother. Scipion became a regent of the Bank of France in 1818 and they both became members of the influential Chamber of Commerce of Paris. The two most important clients of the Perier bank were the Anzin Coal Company and the Perier-owned iron foundry, the founder-owner of the Chaillot firm, Jacques-Constantin Perier, who was not related to the Paris bankers, was well known for having brought the Watt steam engine to France. Famously, he used a Watt engine at Chaillot to provide Paris with water pumped from the Seine, in 1802 he supplied the Anzin Company with twenty of his engines for winding and drainage at the mines
35.
Jacques Laffitte
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Jacques Laffitte was a leading French banker, governor of the Bank of France and liberal member of the Chamber of Deputies during the Bourbon Restoration and July Monarchy. He was an important figure in the development of new banking techniques during the stages of industrialization in France. After a brief ministry of 131 days, his Party of Movement gave way before the Party of Order led by the banker Casimir-Pierre Perier, Laffitte left office discredited politically and financially ruined. The Caisse Générale did not survive the crisis caused by the Revolution of 1848. Laffitte was born in 1767 at Bayonne in southwestern France, one of four sons and six daughters of Pierre Laffitte and he apprenticed with his father for a time, but also found clerking positions with a local notary and merchant. It was a position that offered Laffitte valuable learning experiences. Perregaux was a banker with a clientele, important foreign connections. He was a shrewd, cosmopolitan businessman who prospered from the Revolution and he helped to bankroll Napoleons rise to power and became a founder of the Bank of France in 1800 and president of its directing Council of Regents. Laffitte became Perregauxs right-hand man in the bank and was promoted to a partnership in 1806. In 1807, because of Perregauxs declining health, he was named managing director, the banks name was changed to Perregaux, Laffitte and Company. Perregauxs son, Alphonse, and his sister, were sleeping partners, virginie Monnier observes, For the first time in the history of banks in France, a clerk took over his patrons position directly. When Perregaux died in 1808, Laffitte also took over his place as one of the fifteen regents of the Bank of France and he became president of the Chamber of Commerce of Paris and was appointed as a judge of the Tribunal of Commerce of the Seine. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, he was named governor of the Bank of France by the incoming Bourbon king Louis XVIII. Napoleon, when on his way into exile after Waterloo. When Napoleons estate was being contested later in 1826, Laffitte calculated his banks obligation at 3,856,121 francs, the capital resources of such early 19th century banks were limited, but they associated for underwriting major government loans and for financing promising private business ventures. Earlier, in 1816, he took the lead with Delessert in founding the Compagnie Royale dAssurances Maritimes, Laffitte was president and Casimir and Scipion Perier were among the administrators of this capital mobilizing venture. In 1818, along with fellow banker and industrialist Benjamin Delessert, Laffitte was a key figure in the establishment of the first French savings bank, the Caisse dÉpargne et de Prévoyance de Paris. Practically all of the members of the board of regents of the Bank of France, Laffitte was reaching the peak of his good fortune by 1818
36.
Philippe Buchez
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Philippe-Joseph-Benjamin Buchez, more commonly called Philippe Buchez, was a French historian, sociologist, and politician. He was the founder of the newspaper LAtelier, and he served briefly, in 1848, as the president of the Constituent National Assembly, Buchez was born at Matagne-la-Petite, which is part of the town of Doische in the province of Namur, in Belgium. At the time of his birth, however, the village was part of the French département of the Ardennes and he died on 11 August 1865 in the south of France, at Rodez, in the department of Aveyron. He finished his education in Paris, and then applied himself to the study of natural science. The organization spread rapidly and widely, and made abortive attempts to foment revolution. In one of these attempts, the affair at Belfort, Buchez was gravely compromised, however, the jury that heard his case did not find sufficient evidence to warrant condemnation. Failed insurrectionary attempts of Charbonnerie in Belfort, Thouars and Saumur, in 1825 he graduated in medicine, and soon published Études de théologie, de philosophie et dhistoire. About the same time, he became a member of the Saint-Simonian Society, presided over by Bazard, Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin, Buchez also contributed to its organ, the Producteur, but he left this group because of the strange religious ideas of its Supreme Father, Enfantin. Buchez began to elaborate on his own ideas, which he characterized as Christian socialism. For the exposition and advocacy of his principles he founded a periodical called LEuropéen, in 1833 he published an Introduction à la science de lhistoire ou science du développement de lhumanité, which was received with considerable favor. Notwithstanding its prolixity, this is an interesting work, Buchez next edited, along with M. Roux-Lavergne, the Histoire parlementaire de la Révolution française. This vast and conscientious publication is a store of material for the early periods of the first French Revolution. There is a review of it by Thomas Carlyle, the first two parts of whose own history of the French Revolution are mainly drawn from it, the editors strongly admired the principles of Robespierre and the Jacobins. They also espoused the belief that the French Revolution was an attempt to fulfill Christianitys promise, denying the possibility of innate ideas, he asserted that morality comes by revelation. Therefore, it is not only certain, but the real certainty possible. At the outset of the revolution of 1848, Buchez established the Revue Nationale to reach out to workers and all the democratic convictions. When the revolution of 1848 began on 24 February, Buchez, as a captain in the National Guard, took his unit to the Tuileries, in the days that followed, Buchez became maire-adjoint of Paris, and was elected to the national constituent assembly of 1848. On 15 May 1848, a popular nonviolent invasion of the assembly took place and this invasion was an attempt to express the essential needs of the working population of Paris and of the nation
37.
Pierre Marie (de Saint-Georges)
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Pierre Marie or Alexandre-Pierre-Thomas-Amable Marie de Saint Georges was a French politician, fought on the barricades during the revolution of July. Marie was born in Yonne on 15 February 1795 and entered public life as a lawyer under the Restoration and he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1842 and held the seat until the February Revolution. He became minister of works in the provision government in 1848. Marie was elected to the Executive Commission and became President of the National Assembly during June 1848 and he was then made minister of justice in July 1848 and held the post till December 1848. Marie retired in May 1849 and retired to life for over a decade. He returned briefly to politics in the 1860s and died on 28 April 1870
38.
Adolphe Billault
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Adolphe Augustin Marie Billault was a French lawyer and politician who played a leading role in the governments of Napoleon III. Adolphe Augustin Marie Billault was born on 12 November 1805 in Vannes, Morbihan, as a young lawyer he asked for the hand of a rich heiress, Françoise Bourgault-Ducoudray. Impressed by his determination, the woman accepted him. By 1830 he was a municipal Councillor in Nantes and he became President of the Bar of his order, and member of the General Council of the Loire-Inférieure. Billault was elected deputy on 4 November 1837 for the constituency of the Lower Loire, taking his seat on the left, as a lawyer he became the adviser of the Duke of Aumale. He was reelected on 2 March 1839 and accepted the position of Deputy Secretary of State of the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce, by 1838 he was a member and secretary of the Railway Commission. When the cabinet retired on 1 March 1838 Billaut returned to the opposition, Billault was reelected on 9 July 1842 and on 1 August 1846. He continued to vote with the opposition to the dynasty. After the February Revolution of 1848 he was elected on 23 April 1848 to represent Loire-Inférieure and he declared himself Republican and voted with the party led by Louis-Eugène Cavaignac. However, he began to drift towards the right and he failed to be reelected, but became active in the extra-parliamentary cabals that were to decide the fate of the Republic. After coming to fully agree with the policy of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, on the retirement of Léon Faucher he was almost given the task of forming a ministry, but could not create a working combination. Billault was a government candidate in the election of 29 February 1852. Louis-Napoléon named him president of the legislature, the Emperor appointed Billault Minister of the Interior on 19 June 1854, and made him a senator on 4 December 1854. He remained in office until the crisis caused by the attempt by Felice Orsini. When Napoleon III tried to inaugurate the liberal empire on 24 November 1860, in this role, Billault acted as an eloquent defender of imperial policy. The stress of the job damaged his health, Billault died prematurely at Nantes, Lower Loire, on 13 October 1863. The city of Nantes erected a statue of Billault in 1867
Italy : Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (19/11/2012)[12]
