Stories about Western Europe from December, 2008
From Britain to Morocco to Gaza
Reda Blog, on what connects Prince Edward's animal cruelty, the Moroccan police's crackdown on protesters, and the Gaza bombings.
Israel: Consulate Holds Twitter “Press Conference”
Twitter gains 5,000 to 10,000 new users each day. One new user is the New York Israel Consul General, which is holding the first known Twitter government "press" conference on December 30 from 1-3 pm.
World Runner Comes to Jordan
Danish Runner Jesper Olsen is running around the world crossing four continents to promote running as something all cultures have in common.The Danish Ambassador to Jordan HE.Thomas Lund-Sørensen writes about this: As I am writing these lines the Ultra Runner Jesper Olsen from World Run II is crossing the Ramtha...
Is France ready for a black president?
In the age of Obama, is France ready for a Black president? and Eugene Ebode, guest blogging on Alain Mabanckou, write about political diversity in France.
Russia, Serbia: Gazprom, NIS, and Gas Prices
Streetwise Professor posts an update on Gazprom's “vaporware” in Serbia, which includes a recent resignation of the “anti-Gazprom” Serbian economics minister, Mladan Dinkic (more on that – at Robert Amsterdam's blog). Meanwhile, gas costs $5.80 per gallon in Serbia, according to Bill's Blog: “To put the $5.80 into perspective, the...
Bosnia & Herzegovina: More on “Resolution 819″
More on Resolution 819, the film, at Cafe Turco – here, here, and here.
Macedonia: NATO and the Name Issue
Macedonia's foreign minister Antonio Milososki said this in Helsinki earlier this month: “Republic of Macedonia fulfilled the criteria for membership in the North-Atlantic Alliance, but it will join in when it will be allowed to do so in a dignified manner.” Say: Macedonia comments: “This statement mirrors the public opinion...
Former Tunisian Diplomat Sentenced To 8 Years By French Court
Khaled Ben Said, an ex-vice-consul in Strasbourg, was convicted of having ordered acts of torture and barbary upon fellow countrywoman Zulaikha Gharbi when a police superintendent in the Tunisian city of Jendouba 12 years ago, and sentenced to 8 years imprisonment by a criminal court in this same Strasbourg, by the way the seat of the European Court of Human Rights.
Madagascar: France responds to alleged censorship of “47” play
Pierre Maury reports that French authorities have responded to the accusation of censorhip of “47” a historic independence play created by Jean-Luc Raharimanana and Thierry Bedard. Victoire Bidegain Di Rosa, advisor to the French ministry of Culture explains that the subject of the play is not necessarily of interest to...
Ukraine: Chernobyl Panoramas; Welsh Sheep and Radiation
Chernobyl and Eastern Europe writes about the effect of Chernobyl on sheep breeding in Wales, and posts links to panoramic photos from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – here and here.
Serbia: “Mother Courage”
Sinisa Boljanovic translates a selection of heartbreakingly shocking stories of giving birth in Serbia, shared by anonymous Serbian women on the Majka Hrabrost ("Mother Courage") web site.
Greece: Notes on the Riots
Notes on the Greek riots – at LimbicNutrition Weblog: “The riots have been descibed as ‘the first credit-crunch riots.’ Countries with high youth unemployment and a tradition of mass protest (e.g. France, Italy, Spain, Serbia) should be concerned about the riots spreading. From Belgrade to Bordeaux solidarity graffiti warns of...
Turkey: Dario Moreno
Mavi Boncuk posts a profile of musician Dario Moreno, most noted for his career in France, he was actually a Turk with Jewish origins.
Cyprus: Banning Turkish Placenames in GPS Systems
The Cyprus government is currently attempting to ban GPS systems that use Turkish place names in the Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, Homeboy Media News reports: The Ministry of Education and Culture meanwhile has come up with some additional reasoning for the campaign to ban the GPS receivers. In its feedback, the...
Taiwan: Support for Greece Student/Anarchist Movement
Em, a devoted Taiwanese female anarchist and civil media journalist expresses her support for Greece students. She remarks that Greece students are the most active and influential among global anarchists(zh).
Madagascar: French Authorities Censor Play on Historic Independence Battle
A theater performance to commemorate a historical date in the battle for independence of Madagascar, March 29, 1947 has been banned without explanation in the Southern region of Africa the Indian Ocean by French regional authorities. Discussion of the play and its subject matter continues on the internet.
The Difference Between Greece and Egypt
Egyptian Chronicles compares between the situation in Egypt and in Greece and writes: “I mean the Greeks are mad about one teenage while from two weeks ago in successive four days four citizens were killed in Egypt from the Delta to Cairo to Aswan by the Police for no reason...
Greece: Photos From Athens
piran café posts photos sent by a friend in Athens and writes: “This looks more like Beirut than the city that hosted the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.”
China: More on Boycotting French Goods
ESWN translated a few articles reflecting on the call for French goods boycott.
China and France: Boycott of French Goods
On December 1, an article appeared in China.com urging a nationwide boycott against French product in order to protest against the meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Dalai Lama. The post advised consumers not to buy about 50 French brands, including cars, clothes, alcohol and skin-care products. Commentaries from...
Greece: Riots in Athens Continue
For the past three days, the capital of Greece, Athens, has been rocked by demonstrations and rioting as thousands have taken to the streets in protest at the fatal shooting by a police officer of 15-year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos in the Athens district of Exarchia on December 6, 2008.
