November 2025
Hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She’s comin’ in, 12:30 flight
Her moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hopin’ to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say
“Hurry, boy, it’s waiting there for you”
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothin’ that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, ooh-hoo
The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what’s right
Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what’s deep inside
Frightened of this thing that I’ve become
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothin’ that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, ooh-hoo
Hurry, boy, she’s waiting there for you
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothin’ that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rains)
I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rains)
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa (ooh, I’m gonna take the time)
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, ooh-hoo
WIKIPEDIA
Africa is a song by American rock band Toto, the tenth and final track on their fourth studio album Toto IV (1982). It was the second single from the album, released in Europe in June 1982 and the third in the United States in October 1982. …
In 2015, [co-writer David] Paich explained that the song is about a man’s love of a continent, Africa, rather than just a personal romance. He based the lyrics on a late-night documentary with depictions of African plight and suffering. The viewing experience made a lasting impact on Paich: “It both moved and appalled me, and the pictures just wouldn’t leave my head. I tried to imagine how I’d feel about it if I was there and what I’d do.”
Toto is not one of my favorite bands, but I listen to their music occasionally, as I find it pleasant to hear.
The African continent draws little attention unless there is a war, a huge natural disaster, President Obama having a Kenyan father, or the like – in short, something the Western media can talk about without losing its audience. In the Western media and people’s perceptions, the continent is associated with the world’s worst calamities. Of course, Africa is much more than that. For instance, the Nigerian movie industry has grown so much that it is now known as Nollywood and is the world’s second-largest film industry in terms of output, after that of India. This is a powerful statement when one thinks of the clout of the American movie industry and the glamour of Hollywood.
In the 1970s, there arose in the USA the Black Pride and Black Is Beautiful movements. During this time, several prominent entertainers in the Black community, including Nina Simone and later Sweet Honey in the Rock, researched and unveiled their African roots. Africanism has never become mainstream, despite the success of movies including Out of Africa, Cry Freedom, and Blood Diamond. The recent death of Jane Goodall put the African continent in the news for a few days. Trevor Noah presents a lot of the complexity of South Africa as a country just through who he is.
So, this month, I am showing my African side.
HOW THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR OF 1967-70 AFFECTED THE WORLD
I have been an active member of the African Fellowship at the American Church in Paris for over 20 years, as I got involved at about the time it was created. Several of my projects as a militant have been linked to the African continent. When my son was a teenager, he made trips to three different countries (Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana) before the age of 18. I have a version of my column with a section describing my volunteer work and my involvement with different communities, different NGOs, and other non-profits.
I reported this to the congregation in my July 2025 issue:
African Fellowship
On June 22nd, the ACP held a “town hall” meeting on Zoom for members and others who attend the church to talk about how they saw the church and their feelings about this. As usual, I did not follow the guidelines scrupulously. I preferred focusing on what I consider one of the best achievements, as well as one of the weakest points, of the African Fellowship.
Nigerians represent at least 50% of the African Fellowship membership. My intervention on June 22nd was intended to praise the success of the African Fellowship regarding diversity and inclusion. Since the recent history of Nigeria appears to be totally unknown to the church leadership, I needed to explain once again what happened during the Biafran War.
WIKIPEDIA
“The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Biafran War, Nigeria-Biafra War, or Biafra War, was fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence from Nigeria in 1967. ….
“Within a year, Nigerian government troops surrounded Biafra and captured coastal oil facilities and the city of Port Harcourt. A blockade was imposed as a deliberate policy during the ensuing stalemate, which led to the mass starvation of Biafran civilians. During the 2+1⁄2 years of the war, there were about 100,000 overall military casualties, while between 500,000 and 2 million Biafran civilians died of starvation.”
Most of the Nigerian members of our fellowship, or their parents, personally lived through that war. The memory of this conflict is raw in the country and in the fellowship. The African Fellowship deserves considerable praise for prospering despite some members having reason to distrust others. I challenged the fellowship to continue on this path and make it possible to have Christian love throughout the fellowship, overcoming the wounds of the past.
A READER COMMENTS
One of my readers, who learned that I had written this account, asked to receive some past issues. Shortly thereafter, this reader sent me the following statement:
“Thank you for this. I personally lived through the Biafran War… My father played a pivotal role during that war. He was the controller of the Uli Airport… the only operational airport in Biafra… When Ojukwu knew that Biafra was going to surrender in a few days, he told my father to send all his 9 nine children and my mom out of the country… He was worried that the Nigerian rebels would rape his 7 daughters and my mom… So we flew out of Biafra one night in a cargo plane and landed in Gabon where I lived in Libreville for 9 months… before returning to Nigeria…”
I share this reader’s statement, along with the excerpt from my July 2025 issue, to illustrate that most conflicts in the world have their origins in the past, sometimes several centuries or millennia ago. The analysis of the current events in the media rarely gets a sufficient historical perspective in Western countries. This is more prevalent in the USA than in Europe. There is one significant exception. Right now, the rise and fall of Nazism is mentioned in several media venues, and often the discussion only concerns the last thirty years or so. Now, in some specific situations and in some parts of Europe, the discussion can go back to the turn of the 20th century. An American visiting the beaches of Normandy can vividly experience firsthand the fervor of the people living there. In Asia and Africa, collective memories extend far into the past and still affect people’s lives. But much media coverage is still focused on what is happening today, and commentators analyze situations based on current events and the latest news. Right now, it feels like there are wars everywhere, fights across borders for no apparent reason, along with so-called spontaneous insurrections and civil wars. In some of those countries, going back four or five centuries would show the reasons why there is a war or an insurrection. I still do not understand why the Balfour declaration is not mentioned when talking about the Middle East, and similarly, how the British involvement is forgotten in the creation of Saudi Arabia, through Lawrence of Arabia, who helped the Saud family.
Choosing to write about Nigeria enables me to illustrate that conflicts and wars have ancient roots, such as a civil war that took place almost 60 years ago. That way, I do not have to choose among the current conflicts.
One last bit of information shows what a huge impact the Nigerian conflict had then, and still has now.
WIKIPEDIA
“Bernard Kouchner (born 1 November 1939) is a French politician and doctor. He is the co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde. …
Kouchner worked as a physician for the Red Cross in Biafra in 1968 (during the Nigerian Civil War). His experience as a physician for the Red Cross led him to co-found Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in 1971, and then, due to a conflict of opinion with MSF chairman Claude Malhuret, he establishedDoctors of the World (‘Médecins du Monde’) in 1980.”
Because of a Red Cross policy prohibiting aid provision against a government’s will, Kouchner quit the Red Cross to create Médecins Sans Frontières, whose purpose was to provide help anywhere, anytime, with or without government agreement, thus skirting such limitations. The operating modes of both Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde include being able to clandestinely enter the country or region where their help is needed. Today, the “French Doctors” organizations are known worldwide.
Some may wonder what this has to do with today’s news, but I make the connection to one of the most talked-about current topics. One of the two organizations, Médecins du Monde, has never left the Gaza Strip, being faithful to its oath.
NEW REQUIREMENTS FROM THE FRENCH BANKING INDUSTRY
Since October 9, a new regulation has been implemented by the banking system that is really good for consumers and the public in general.
Here is what has changed: When you make a single SEPA transfer (standard or instant) or add/change a beneficiary, there is an automatic check in real time with the beneficiary’s bank to ensure that the IBAN and beneficiary name you have entered match. If a discrepancy is detected, you will be notified and can then decide whether or not to confirm your transfer.
I have a lot of accounts registered, and I wire money to many different people and companies, as I run four businesses. For years now, I have usually added some information or a name to the exact title of the account to help keep them straight. For example, a person has one account for reimbursement, for paying fees, and for personal reasons.
Thus, I now get several messages a day asking me if I really want to proceed with this transfer because it looks suspicious and could be fraudulent. It is irritating at times, but it is for a good cause, considering the amount of money lost through scam transfers.
A NEW CIVICS EXAM FOR FOREIGNERS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2026
This latest development is a continuation of the policy to make it more difficult to obtain the best types of immigration status, including naturalization. In theory, no one can object to ensuring that applicants speak some French and, after a few years, know the basics of the French administration and government. This is a talking point of the so-called “French government,” but I believe it is a lie. It is obvious that the new requirements favor people with a certain education level who have the time to read newspapers and follow current events – i.e., white-collar workers at a minimum of mid-management level. People working in construction, sales, retail, or as a cleaner or child minder will find it hard to pass this kind of test.
The test will be required to obtain a several-year carte de séjour or a carte de résident. But it is likely to result in chaos. Already, the renewal procedure for a one-year immigration status is becoming risky, as the procedure may last more than a year, and therefore, the card expires before it is given to the applicant. This almost always results in job loss, scholastic opportunities, and so on, because people cannot prove that they are in France legally, even though, under French law, they are. But this is much less likely to happen to those holding a four-year or even a two-year carte de séjour. I see this requirement as a deliberate intent to make it harder for blue-collar workers and poor people to stay in France. The test increases the chances that these applicants lose their jobs or their student status, and thereby, no longer fulfill the requirements to have residency status. Then they are expelled.
I have translated sections of a Le Monde article about the test, detailing what is supposed to happen. One last comment: given the current political situation, I am not sure the French administration will be able to introduce this new policy on time, although the government insists it will do so. We will see. People aged 65 and older will not need to take the test or the new French language exam.
TRANSLATION
Forty questions, one point per correct answer, and a score of 80% required to pass. Starting January 1, 2026, applicants for naturalization will take a “civics exam” lasting a maximum of 45 minutes, designed to test their knowledge of French history, culture, and society. This will also be the case for foreigners applying for a residence permit or a multi-year residence card.
The exam will take the form of a multiple-choice questionnaire, the details of which were finalized by decree on Friday, October 10 and published in the official journal on October 12, but went relatively unnoticed in the tumultuous political context of that weekend.
Specifically, in this new exam, naturalization candidates will be asked 40 questions on their knowledge or situational awareness, covering five topics:
- the principles and values of the Republic (eleven questions)
- rights and duties (eleven questions)
- history, geography, and culture (eight questions)
- the institutional and political system (six questions)
- life in French society (four questions)
A CIVIL DISCOURSE IN 1983 IN PARIS AMID A DIVERSE CROWD
WIKIPEDIA
“The Palestinian keffiyeh is a distinctly patterned black-and-white keffiyeh. White keffiyehs had been traditionally worn by Palestinian peasants and Bedouins to protect from the sun when Palestine was part of the Ottoman Empire. Its use as a symbol of Palestinian nationalism and resistance dates back to the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, which saw its wider use by more sections of Palestinian society.”
In 1983, an American woman in Paris wore an authentic keffiyeh from a Palestinian family. Each family has a distinctive pattern, like the Scottish tartan of each clan. A North African French woman in the gathering, at a student café near the Sorbonne University, was intrigued by this and asked how an American could wear a true family keffiyeh, since nearly all keffiyehs worn in Western countries are mass-produced and do not belong to particular families.
Her question started an interesting discussion; her curiosity was caring and well-intended. How the American had obtained it was an endearing story. The vehement reactions I see today about people wearing keffiyehs make me think of that discussion 40 years ago. I do not think such a nice and caring discussion could take place today. For one thing, few people, if any, in Western countries who are not Palestinian can differentiate a traditional keffiyeh from mass-produced ones.
Christian Palestinians are almost never part of the discussion. Before 1948, they made up 12.5% of the population of historic Palestine. Today, they account for about 1.2% in historic Palestine and 1% in the post-1967 occupied Palestinian territories. Remember, the cities of Nazareth and Bethlehem are governed by the Palestinian Authority. Christian Palestinian families also have their own keffiyeh patterns.
I QUIT, BUT I KEEP THE JOB – THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT M.O.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned on October 6, stating that he could not accomplish his mission in the current circumstances, which mainly involved the possibility of getting the annual budget voted on by a majority. He was called back to be the prime minister again on October 10. In those few days, the situation had not changed, so his chances of success had not changed either. How much more ridiculous can French politics be? We can trust the French president to go even lower than that!
THE NEW SICK LEAVE PROCEDURE
This new procedure is the result of a combination of French law, which favors employees, and the social system offering free healthcare and paid sick leave.
The reality of what many employees endure is such that sick leave is usually legitimate, at least at first. What is at stake here is when it starts and how some employees game the system.
The legal underpinning of this situation is a conjunction of two things. The French legal definition of being an employee is to be a subordinate; the law and precedent always cite le lien de subordination. At the same time, to dismiss an employee, the employer must prove a cause strictly defined by law and precedent. That is why a new way of dismissing an employee was recently created, called rupture conventionnelle, in which the employer and employee can sign an agreement stating that the dismissal is occurring without citing a legal cause.
Thus, the starting point of the sick leave situation is that an employee does not have much room to contest the employer’s authority before being in violation of the subordinate status. The alternative is to go on sick leave, which gives some leverage over the employer because an employee on sick leave cannot be easily fired.
The government had a choice: either address the working conditions of employees in France, or make it more difficult to get sick leave. It chose the latter.
Among other things, the new policy affects physicians: their decision to approve sick leave is now to be scrutinized to make sure it is really medically based and not being used as a bargaining tool by the employee. The main issue is burnout, which generally happens when the workload is excessive and the working conditions are miserable. Ideally, doctors should help people with their medical conditions and address situations so there is less burnout in the workforce. I have not heard much regarding this side of the issue, only about reducing so-called abuses.
Below is my translation of the government’s guidelines on this change.
Sick leave requires a new mandatory paper form
Since July 1, 2025, a new secure paper sick leave form has been mandatory when it is not possible to submit it electronically, particularly during a home visit.
Since September 1, 2025, all old paper forms have been rejected by the French national health insurance system. Patients will therefore need to obtain the correct document from their doctor. Insured persons are advised to check that they have the new secure Cerfa form. Scans and photocopies are not valid.
The employee must send sections 1 and 2 to the CPAM within 48 hours and section 3 to the employer (or to France Travail if the patient is unemployed).
This new measure aims to strengthen the fight against sick leave fraud, which has risen sharply in recent years.
THE SHIP STUDIO IS AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL IN FEBRUARY 2026
The SHIP studio is currently available on February 1st. I am finally getting a lot more requests and have had to refuse a few lately as it was already rented. When people contact me about renting it, I send them to the website. I hope it shows how cozy the accommodations are. The monthly rent of 1,400€ is all-inclusive. While I continue to favor rentals lasting between two and six months, under certain conditions I have accepted one-month rentals.
https://www.jeantaquet.com/home-in-paris
OFFICE CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS VACATION
The office will be closed for three weeks over the Christmas vacation, from the evening of Friday, December 19, to the morning of Monday, January 5. As always, I will be reachable by email for emergencies and important matters. The service I offer of receiving mail for clients will continue while the office is closed, and Sarah or I will honor prefecture meetings already scheduled, as well as a few other engagements. Like last year, I should be away from the office for most of the time, but I will stay in France.
Best regards,
QUESTION
CAN I SELL MY APARTMENT WHILE THERE IS A DISPUTE REGARDING THE CONDO CHARGES?
I bought my first chambre de bonne, i.e., a maid’s room in the 7th, about 30 years ago. I bought the second one, which was next to the first one, 20 years ago. The same year, I got written approval from the syndic and the copropriété during a general meeting to join the two rooms.
About ten years ago, the copropriété underwent an extensive update to its by-laws called Règlements de Copropriété. It was then that the problem was discovered. One outcome was that those maids’ rooms were assigned the exact ratio linked to their measurements, called the tantièmes. They assigned me a new lot number and officially recognized the creation of a new lodging from the joining of those two rooms.
It took me a couple of years to notice that the syndic bills showed that I was being charged for my newly created lot, plus another one! My insistence to clear this up has been ongoing since 2017! So I refused to pay for this extra lot. Consequently, this unpaid balance has been growing, even showing now that I owe thousands of euros. The incorrectly assigned lot is about five doors down the hall and is much bigger than either of the two I purchased.Since I have now moved permanently to France, I wish to sell this apartment to buy a place better suited to my needs. I refused to pay those extra charges. My notaire told me that this is not possible, I must pay them. The syndic issues a document called l’état daté that details all the amounts that you owe and that they owe you. How can I get out of this situation? There is no way I will pay this money! If needed, I will take everybody to court! I know who owns the litigious maid’s room!
ANSWER
There is the law, and then there are some serious practical issues that complicate this matter.
It is so obvious that there should be no discussion. You do not own the third maid’s room; you should not pay the related condo charges. That is the basis for your actions. The syndic should collect the money from the room’s lawful owner. If it has to, it should use its collection tools to get the owner to pay what is owed. But clearly, given the number of years this has dragged on, something is blocking the normal legal process.
Here is my best guess as to what is going on. Maids’ rooms are often still owned by the owners of the spacious apartments below. In the old days, a nanny or servant lived there and went downstairs to work. So, probably the syndic has to deal with one of the building’s main co-owners, likely people who live in that spacious apartment, and possibly one of the members of the board, the conseil syndical. In other words, someone who is very influential.
The syndic would naturally prefer to favor this person over you. Also, its primary mission is to make sure it collects the money sooner rather than later. It may be betting that if you sell before the other owner does, the notaire will pay the condo charges at the time of the sale. Thus, the syndic has no true incentive to push for a resolution of the situation.
Furthermore, if the syndic pushes too strongly, the conseil syndical can decide to change syndics, so the current firm risks losing the contract. This is a powerful reason not to anger anyone sitting on the board.
Taking the matter to court means being stuck for years in this legal battle. You will have all of the other co-owners against you. Also, because you are a co-owner, you will pay the condo charges linked to their legal fees for fighting you. That can become quite expensive and depressing.
The only solution is to use soft power. Be friendly with all the co-owners instead of confronting them aggressively. Ideally, now that you live here, you should aim to get on the board yourself. Then you can approach the other members one by one to get them on your side. Once the tide shifts in your favor, the syndic will know it can lose the contract if it does not fix the situation.
I am sure that a motion that you do not owe this money was voted on at some point during one of the annual general meetings. You need to find a way to convince enough board members to side with you. Then you will have leverage with their votes and the law on your side. By the way, it is possible that, should there be an estate that includes this apartment, the estate taxes could be so high that it must be sold. The syndic should then easily fill out l’état daté with that debt in it, letting you off the hook. My advice is exactly what you do not want to hear: you need to be patient for a long time.
QUESTION
BEING INSURED BY ASSURANCE MALADIE AND A PRIVATE POLICY
The lawyer helping with my French immigration procedure, starting with the visa and stopping with the first renewal, included registering for the carte vitale in the package. To get the visa, I needed a private insurance policy. For the renewal, the lawyer asked me to renew it even though we had a request pending with CPAM. A few weeks ago, I got the form for getting the carte vitale. I asked the lawyer if I needed those two coverages, and I never got an answer. So I asked the insurance company what I should do. They answered that the policy will go to its term, and there was no way I would get a refund. They even said that I could not stop their coverage because my visa and its renewal were based on that policy. This policy is very expensive as I have some medical conditions. I heard that the public coverage can be free of charge. This is hard to believe. I would love to pay less if it is legal to do it. Also, my French doctors keep saying to me that my condition would be fully covered, they say 100%. I cannot make any sense of this.Is the insurance company telling the truth? Would I have limited coverage with the public system?
ANSWER
To answer your first question, the company is definitely lying about one issue and possibly both of them.
The prefecture requires you to have a comprehensive policy that covers your medical conditions and is valid in France. Normally, this means that the policy issuer has an office in France and is licensed to sell insurance in France. That is important for the first issue. Your immigration status is linked to having health coverage that complies with the prefecture requirements, and of course, the public coverage does. So you can change coverage at any time. What the company told you was gross intimidation.
French law is crystal clear about this. Public health coverage supersedes all private ones. To put it another way, once you are covered by the state and you inform your private provider, the private company must immediately cancel your policy and send you a refund, even if you do not ask it to do so. This applies only to insurance companies registered in France and therefore bound by French law. If your provider is registered in a foreign country, especially one outside the EU, the regulation does not apply since French law does not apply to them.
The French public health system modulates its coverage according to the medical condition and how critical the treatment is. On average, the system covers about 70% of your bills. Hospital bills are often completely covered except for room and board. Dental costs and glasses are covered at a lower level because the most expensive treatments and glasses are not considered strictly medical. It goes without saying – but is worth saying anyway – that the public system covers everything medical according to its guidelines. There are no pre-existing conditions, no coverage delays, and no possibility of being denied if you are a lawful immigrant actually residing in France. Several medical conditions that are life-threatening or just very serious are covered differently. All costs associated with such conditions are fully covered; they are commonly called 100%. Clearly, your medical condition fits the conditions for this special coverage. You never pay for anything related to it.
The actual cost to you of this public coverage depends on the legal nature of your worldwide income. The premium charged is about 6.5% of your worldwide income. This is not part of the tax treaty because it is an insurance premium, not a tax. Some types of income are excluded from the calculation. That is a completely different issue, and this is just an initial explanation, as I know nothing about your financial means and sources of income.
DISCLAIMER
Please forward this message to all those who would be interested in its contents. The information contained in this newsletter is intended only as general information. I strongly urge readers to seek professional guidance concerning the legal and tax matters mentioned. This newsletter is intended as a general guide and is not to be taken as professional advice.