Stories about Western Europe from December, 2007
Lusosphere: Wishes and hopes for 2008
The new year is inevitably soon arriving and the Lusosphere is booming with posts about traditions, resolutions, wishes, and reflections. Here is a short roundup of Portuguese speaking blogs from Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Mozambique and Portugal - although countries far apart, they share the language and hopes for a better future.
Ethiopia: Queen of Sheba, Now Available in French
Francophone music blog Roots and Culture interviews Samuel Malher, a religious scholar from Strasbourg who has written the first unabridged French translation of the Kebra Negast, a sacred Ethiopian text. It describes the heritage of the Ethiopian monarchs, who trace their lineage to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and how the Ethiopians became God's new chosen people when the Ark of the Covenant was taken from Israel to Ethiopia.
Russia: Messina Earthquake and Russian Sailors
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about Russian sailors’ participation in the rescue operations following the 1908 earthquake in Messina, Sicily.
Egypt: Rama Yade
Rama Yade, France's Secretary of State, has inspired Egyptian blogger Eastern Bird to write the following post, which Tarek Amr translates from Arabic.
Bangladesh: The Musée Guimet affair
From January 2008 the Musée Guimet of France is holding an exhibition of the masterpieces of Ganges from the collections of the Bangladesh museums for the first time outside of...
Ukraine, France: Prank Protest at Charles de Gaulle
Orange Ukraine writes about the brief arrest of two Ukrainian journalists at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris – for what seems like an exhausted transit passengers’ prank.
Armenia: Election Differences
The Armenian Observer features a guest post by a Swiss ex-pat worker in Armenia who compares how elections are conducted in Europe with how they are conducted here in the...
Portugal: The best Portuguese blog 2007
“Welcome to the best blog in Portugal”. Bitaites [pt] celebrates having been chosen as the best national blog at the MBP07 and explains the reasons why they might have won...
Europe: Anti-EU “Strategies”
Kosmopolit writes about three “different anti-EU strategies of leading politicians”: “the quiet, the loud and the hyperactive.”
Africa: A balance of the summit
“Despite the bad auguries predicted by many, the conference was held. In spite of the bad foreboding of cynics, none of subjects was a taboo, from Zimbabwe to Darfur, from...
Lusosphere: Are you hetero?
Earlier this week, Global Voices published an article about an advertising campaign in Guatemala which had raised a few eyebrows among local bloggers. More or less at the same time...
Out of Africa
“Africa needs not only better leaders, human rights, respect for others. It needs a freer Europe, to be more respected by the West and… globalization”. David Dinis talks about the...
Russia, France: Charmed by Putin?
Russian bloggers discuss Nicolas Sarkozy's congratulatory phone call to Vladimir Putin, following the Dec. 2 parliamentary election in Russia.
Slovenia: “Often Forgotten Country” and Its TLD
“In 28 days, Slovenia will take over the rotating presidency of the European Union for the firs six months of 2008 – and for the first time ever, since Slovenia...
Ukraine: “Hitler Infantilization”
Ukrainiana writes about a scandal over teaching methods used at a private school attended by president Yushchenko’s two daughters.
Chile: Cell Phone Maps for Transantiago
A new map for use by cell phones will help users maneuver through the difficulties of the Transantiago public transport system in Santiago, Chile, writes Leo Prieto of Fayer Wayer...
Latvia: Holocaust History
De Rebus Antiquis Et Novis writes about the Holocaust in Latvia.
